School closures are looking increasingly likely following a warning from the Association of Secondary Teachers that it is preparing to ballot its members in a row over pay.
The President of the ASTI has indicated that the union is likely to vote on possible strike action before September.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Ed Byrne outlined the issues members have with the Lansdowne Road Agreement, adding that unless pay scales are equalised by 31 August, the union will ballot for industrial action.
ASTI members rejected the LRA, which provides for the partial restoration of pay cuts imposed during the economic crisis under emergency legislation known as Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (FEMPI).
Under FEMPI, unions that repudiate a collective agreement are subject to potential penalties including non-restoration of pay cuts, an increment freeze, non-payment of supervision and substitution payments ultimately worth €1,600 a year, and the loss of protection from compulsory redundancy.
Teachers made redundant would only receive the minimum statutory redundancy, and newer recruits will lose more rapid access to a permanent contract.
In May, ASTI members also voted to withdraw from working additional so-called 'Croke Park' hours, which form part of the Haddington Road Agreement.
The Government has warned that a failure to work the additional 33 hours annually would represent a repudiation of the LRA and as a result teachers would lose payments due to be restored to them as well as increments due.
This afternoon, Minister for Education Richard Bruton said that he believes continuing dialogue between his department and the ASTI is in the best interests of schools, parents, teachers and students to try and resolve the ongoing dispute.
In a statement, the Department of Education said arrangements are being made to meet the ASTI in mid-August.
It said that there was a meeting with the union on 7 July when the department suggested that the "ASTI suspend their directive to withdraw from the Croke Park hours and in return the department would suspend the implementation of measures associated with the repudiation of the Lansdowne Road Agreement.
"This suggesting was intended to provide time and space for both parties to meaningfully engage on the issues at hand."
The department said it was made clear that this was not a pre-condition to talk but to create a more constructive context within which talks could proceed and was "also intended to ensure that any disruption to schools from September, arising from ASTI actions, could be avoided during the period of the talks".
The statement continues that the ASTI Standing Committee decided not to accept this suggestion and the union proceeded with their withdrawal from the Croke Park 33 hours which the Department says "will lead to disruption in schools in the new school year".
Earlier, the ASTI said if the Government took that action it would ballot its members on strike action.
Mr Byrne said he believes schools will be shut as there does not appear to be any movement on the issues.
"Every time we talk to the department [of Education and Skills] at the moment there is a slavish adherence to the Lansdowne Agreement and we have not signed up to it. I find it funny that they invite us in to talk and then they come up with this line."
He added, however, that the union will be talking to the department before a decision is made on a vote for industrial action.
No date has been fixed for this meeting but it will take place sometime this month.
He said a big concern is pay for new teachers which was "cut on the floor of the Dáil," as well as the issue of unpaid supervision.
He said the FEMPI legislation has "led to a great deal of discontent among our members, that every time we go in, we are told no."
However, he believes a solution can be found and has called for constructive talks.
