21-04-2025
INTO President calls on Dept to outline injury scheme
INTO President Carmel Browne has called on the Department of Education to publish a circular outlining the occupational injury scheme to provide support for those injured while on duty, particularly as a result of physical aggression.
Speaking at the opening of the trade union's annual congress, she said that the "foot dragging on this has been something else".
While Ms Browne welcomed plans by Minister for Education Helen McEntee to roll out some therapeutic supports in special schools, she called for a wider range of services to be rolled out nationally.
She said that primary school teachers are not just educators, but "nurturers, problem solvers, role models, mentors".
They work "day in, day out" in the face of many challenges such as "supersized classes, the teacher supply crisis, limited resources, financial shortfalls and a lack of forward planning by the Departments of Education, North and South".
She also called for an update on claims submitted last August - under a local bargaining clause - to tackle teacher recruitment and retention and make the profession more attractive.
Ms Browne acknowledged progress in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion within schools with events such as 'Different Families Same Love', the INTO Pride Flag campaign and 'Show Racism the Red Card' among others.
She congratulated the union's LGBT+ group, as it celebrated its 20th anniversary, and also welcomed guarantees that women diagnosed with cancer during or after pregnancy can now defer their maternity leave.
The union has launched a detailed list of essential supports for special education.
"It is paramount that every child whether they have an additional need, fled from a war-torn country, come from a disadvantaged background or face other barriers to learning have the support they need to thrive and access to a nurturing, affirming learning environment where they can reach their true potential."
Tracie Tobin has been the principal of St Michael's Infant School (DEIS Band 1) in Limerick since 2012, and has been teaching there since September 2000.
The school has several children in mainstream classes who have a recommendation to attend a special class - but there are not enough places in its two existing special classes for them.
She was told that the criteria to open a third special class has changed and that the school does not now qualify.
Carmel Browne noted that education is in a period of transformation in the context of global instability.
"The Primary Curriculum Framework provides opportunity to create a more holistic, inclusive, flexible learning environment which aims to equip our students with the skills required to navigate the complexities of the 21st century."
She finished her address to delegates by expressing solidarity with the children and teachers in Palestine.
'Understaffed, impoverished and overwhelmed'
"Understaffed, impoverished and overwhelmed" is how the INTO headlined the conference.
"High living costs, limited career incentives, and lack of housing are driving teachers abroad or out of the profession altogether," said INTO General Secretary, John Boyle.
The escalating teacher shortage is a key issues along with chronic underfunding of schools and teacher workloads.
Mr Boyle said that there are more than 250,000 pupils in classes of 25 or more, and more than 100,000 children are waiting for essential therapies. He said that the core grant for primary schools is €224 per pupil compared with €386 per student at post primary.
The Government has conceded to the union's campaign to cut class sizes, targeting an average of 19 pupils in mainstream schools and 15 in DEIS Band 1 schools.
However, the INTO says action is needed in the forthcoming budget to deliver on this commitment.
According to research carried out by the union, nearly one-third of schools could not fill all of their teaching posts for the 2024/2025 school year, with the crisis most acute in Dublin, Wicklow, and Kildare.
To cover absences, 745 unqualified personnel have already been deployed in classrooms this year, with a further 1,103 teachers working outside their area of qualification.
Recruitment and retention of teachers is an ongoing issue and, after pay, one of the most cited reasons for leaving is poor pupil behaviour.
From low level disruption to violent episodes, the number of teachers who took formal assault leave last year rose to 404.
Of those, 106 were primary teachers and 285 were SNAs.
