THE High Court has dismissed a case taken by a secondary school teacher in which she had challenged Department of Education rulings which prevented her getting incremental increases for 18 years.
Ms Frances McCann, Walshestown, Newbridge, Co Kildare, has been teaching in Holy Family secondary school, Newbridge, since 1974.
She had done a three year general course in teacher training the main course was art and design at St Paul's College of Education, Warwickshire, England, between 1970 and 1973. She obtained a certificate in education from the University of Leicester.
She completed a year's probationary teaching under the education department of the City of Birmingham in 1973/74 after which she came to Ireland. In September 1974 she was appointed to a post in Holy Family School teaching art and design.
The President of the High Court, Mr Justice Costello, said Ms McCann's application for registration as a registered secondary teacher was not accepted, her qualifications not being regarded as equivalent to those prescribed.
She was employed on a non incremental basis until she obtained a diploma for art/design from the National College of Art and Design in Ireland in 1991. She could then register as a fully qualified teacher on an incremental scale. She was so appointed from September 1992.
She applied to the Minister in November 1992 for incremental credits for her previous eight years service so that her salary would start on a higher point on the incremental scale. She said she had been a full time teacher with sole responsibility for the art department for that period.
Her application was refused, as was an application for incremental credit in respect of her one year's service in England.