5 December 2000

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South Dublin County Council calls on Govt to open talks with secondary teachers `with no preconditions'

South Dublin County Council last night (Monday night) unanimously backed a Sinn Fein motion calling on the Government to open pay negotiations with the secondary teachers ``with no preconditions''.

The motion was tabled by Sinn Fein Councillors Seán Crowe and Mark Daly.  

The motion, expresses South Dublin County Council's ``concern at the long-term effect the present industrial dispute is having on our children's education, especially on those sitting State exams in the summer''.

Councillor Seán Crowe - who will be attending today's solidarity march by secondary teachers in Dublin - said:

``Poorly paid teachers will lead to a deterioration in our education system.  The better-qualified potential teachers will not enter the profession if pay is not on a par with what they can get outside.

``We do not want to go down the `yellow pack' road of the American and English education systems with poor public and rich private schools.

``Without negotiations there can only be losers.  Our communities, our schools and our teachers will be the ones to suffer if this dispute is not resolved speedily through negotiations.''

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