Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton has told primary school teachers that she makes "no apologies" for working to secure the additional resources that are needed to support "the critical work that happens each day in our classrooms".
Amid strains between the Department of Public Expenditure and her department over funding needs in education, the minister said the school system was demand-led and was responding to need.
"I will continue to push for the resources and supports that all students need to grow and thrive", she told delegates at the INTO's annual congress in Killarney, Co Kerry.
"I make no apologies for the resources needed for this work", she reiterated as she spoke about how her department was working to support children with additional needs.
Saying the education system needed to be more inclusive, by ensuring that young people of all abilities are catered for in their community, Minister Naughton said there was much work to do and she intended this to begin in the very near future.
On the proposed removal of the need for a diagnostic report for children who want to access special classes and special schools, the minister said the Assessment of Need process was managed by the HSE and any revisions to the process are matters for the HSE and the Department of Children.
But she promised a comprehensive consultation process with the full range of education stakeholders and advocacy groups in respect of any changes to the current process.
The minister was met by a protest calling for the enactment of the Occupied Territories bill as she arrived at the Gleneagle hotel in Killarney. Ms Naughton stopped briefly to talk with one of the protesters.
Later this morning INTO delegates will debate two emergency motions on pay.
INTO backs industrial action on restoration of allowances
The INTO has backed a call for industrial action if the Government does not honour a commitment to restore special allowances abolished during austerity.
As the current public sector pay deal approaches its end, pay and the shape of its successor is among topics under scrutiny by delegates at the congress.
Delegates and the union leadership are calling for substantial pay increases to help teachers address the soaring cost of living.
Teachers need a substantial pay settlement from any new pay deal to manage the impact of rising living costs, the president of the INTO told delegates yesterday.
Giving the issue pointed importance, Anne Horan began her opening speech to this year's gathering with references to pay and the falling purchasing power of teachers.
She said that the failure of the Government to "keep its side" of the last pay agreement, in failing to restore special allowances for teachers under a local bargaining process was "a massive breach of faith" that had left a sour taste in the mouths of INTO members.
The current pay deal is due to expire in June and talks on a successor are expected to begin in coming weeks.
The INTO congress will run until tomorrow and motions on pay and on the failure to secure the restoration of a range of allowances for teachers will be the subject of debate.
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Allowances for teachers who have additional qualifications or who work in Gaeltacht or island schools were among those cut. The union has been in negotiations to have them restored as part of local bargaining under the current pay deal.
Ms Horan said teachers had expected the issue to have been settled by last September.
The union will debate calls for a ballot for industrial action should the issue not be settled by the end of this month, and for a penalty clause to be included in any future pay deals should the state not uphold "its obligation to INTO members" in this regard.
Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland (ASTI) and Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) delegates will begin their gatherings today, in Wexford and Kilkenny respectively, with both events running until Thursday.
Minister Naughton will address ASTI delegates later today.
Read More: 5 concerns teachers will raise at trade union conferences
Former president Michael D Higgins is also due to address INTO delegates in Killarney tomorrow.
With negotiations on a new national wage agreement due to begin in the coming weeks, teachers' pay is among a number of key issues of concern to teachers this year; as are cost-of-living pressures, teacher workload, and, at second level, changes to leaving certificate subjects and, in particular, how students are to be assessed.
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