Thomas Byrne (Meath East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I agree with the Minister on one point: the ASTI should be in talks. I encourage its members to ask their leadership to go into talks. I also ask the leadership to show leadership. It is not acceptable that children may be put at risk, not simply because of the repudiation but also because of the general atmosphere that would pervade in schools come September. That is what I am mostly concerned about. There will also be difficulties in implementation in schools with mixed union representation. While in most sectors of society we have relatively quiet and normalised industrial relations, in one of the most critical sectors, the education system, we almost have an industrial relations powder keg in which people on every side are very slow to enter talks about issues. There can only be benefits in talking and it must happen. I, therefore, appeal to both sides to see if there is some way out. I appeal to the ASTI, in particular, to look very carefully at the consequences.

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