The Vice President of the ASTI, Kathryn Fitzpatrick, said her union would re-enter talks if and only if the teachers were given back the money docked from them before Christmas. She said that it was disappointing that the Minister and the Government were putting the focus on having exams instead of addressing the problems. She also said that there would be question marks over the credibility of this year's exams. With the Council of the ASTI due to meet on Saturday to discuss the next phase of their industrial action over pay, today the Minister for Education appealed to them to return to the negotiating table.
Dr Woods told journalists this morning that he believed progress could be made if the ASTI re-engaged with the Labour Relations facilitator Tom Pomfret. However the Minister also made clear, that his department is putting place contingency plans to make sure this summers leaving certificate examinations go ahead in the absence of co-operation from the secondary teachers.
Meanwhile the ASTI has requested a joint meeting of the executives of the three main teachers unions on January the 12th to discuss the pay issue. And the executive committee of the TUI is also expected to discuss a motion calling on its members not to replace ASTI colleagues in the running of the state exams.
