The Teachers' Union of Ireland has warned that teacher redundancies make no economic sense.
In a pre-Budget submission, the union estimates that in a majority of cases the net gain to the Exchequer would be an absolute maximum of €5,000 and probably much less.
The union has again highlighted in advance of the Budget that our education system cannot sustain more cutbacks.
TUI General Secretary Peter MacMenamin noted what appeared to be a tacit understanding among all commentators that educating and re-skilling the population is critical to any hope we have of economic recovery.
Teachers and lecturers are critical to this recovery, he said.
Mr MacMenamin said redundancies also raised the worrying issue of 'brain drain' of our best and brightest young teachers over the next few years to jurisdictions where there are more job opportunities.
