Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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110. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of the revised set of compromise measures on junior cycle reform submitted to teachers' unions for consideration; the measures being taken to avoid further strike action; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9019/15]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Will the Minister provide details of the revised set of compromise measures on junior cycle reform submitted to teachers' unions for their consideration and the measures, if any, she is taking to avoid further strike action?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The full text of Dr. Travers' proposal document is available on my Department's website. Both sides were asked to confirm whether they accepted or rejected this as a basis for agreement. While the proposal put forward by Dr. Travers requires significant further compromise on my part, I indicated to Dr Travers that I am prepared to accept it as a basis for agreement. In doing so, I acknowledged his considerable effort at achieving a fair and reasonable compromise since being nominated for the role of independent chair by the two unions. Under the proposal, teachers are no longer asked to assess their own students for the purpose of State certification. This is a very significant measure in addressing a previous core union concern.

In not suspending their industrial action, the unions have rejected the proposal by Dr. Travers. I deeply regret that decision. The effect of their ongoing action is to seek to prevent teachers from participating in continuing professional development that is available to give them the knowledge and support they need to do their jobs. I also regret that the unions have taken this decision without balloting their wider members on what is a substantially new proposal. No one group can be allowed to exercise a veto on educational reform.

I intend to proceed with implementation of junior cycle reform, based on the proposal by Dr. Travers and I will be working with the wider education partners in doing so. I remain open to the unions revising their decision.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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It is disappointing that the Minister has not achieved a resolution. It is particularly disappointing to see her indicate in the last few days that it is her intention to push on with the reforms, regardless of whether there is agreement with the teaching partners. I welcome the fact that the teaching unions indicated they were not going to proceed with further strike action. However, they did outline that they continue to have concerns and wish to engage further with the Minister in talks. It is short-sighted and disappointing that the Minister is not engaging further with teachers on the outstanding issues they have.

It is important that we recognise the background to the situation, particularly the approach taken by the Government, including the Minister's predecessor. The current Minister indicated that no one partner could have a veto. Unfortunately, it must also be recognised that no one partner, even the employer, can dictate reforms and what should happen without appropriate consultation. That is what has happened in this instance.

Robert Dowds (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Can governments not decide policy?

Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)
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A question, please.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Minister agree that the initial proposals pushed through by her predecessor without consultation were incorrect? That she has taken a different approach indicates as much. Will she try to re-engage with the unions and ensure that agreement is reached on genuine outstanding issues?

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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It is regrettable that I must proceed without the full agreement of the teaching unions but they are not the only partners in education. The other partners want us to proceed with these reforms. Some of those engaged with the media yesterday.

Dr. Travers stated that he intended his proposals to be the basis for agreement, not further negotiation. It is the teaching unions that have questions to answer in terms of the reforms, the importance of other partners in education and concern for students. Although I regret it, I must move forward. My Department has met the other education partners and I intend to invite partners to a seminar on 26 March to outline our proposals on moving forward. My door remains open if the teaching unions want to re-engage on the basis of the Travers proposals, which is what the process was about.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Unfortunately, we are further behind in the delivery of junior certificate reform than we were when the Government entered office. A large part of that lies at the door of this Government and the Minister's predecessor, Deputy Quinn, in deciding to move away from an agreed working document on how to deliver reform, to introduce his own proposals on doing away with the examination and demanding that all teachers mark the full new junior cycle. Deputy Quinn tried to bulldoze through reform and did not consult.

Thankfully, the current Minister started to take a different approach when she entered office. She engaged and reverted to the point of the original document that was in place when the Government entered office. It is unfortunate that she is now adopting Deputy Quinn's approach of bulldozing through reforms without trying to repair the damage done to relations or address concerns about resources and training.

In a survey conducted by the ASTI about the continuous professional development, CPD, provided by the Department on the framework for the junior cycle, a total of 40% of respondents stated that the training provided ahead of the implementation of the new English curriculum did not increase their confidence to teach the specifications. This is no surprise, given that the total amount of training offered was one day. These are real issues and must be addressed. It is unfortunate that the Minister has taken up Deputy Quinn's mantle and is trying to drive reform through without agreement or proper respect for the role that teachers play.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I wonder what the Fianna Fáil approach to reform is. A former Fianna Fáil Minister has joined the fray and suggested that I completely roll over and accept what the teaching unions are saying. However, they are not the only partners in education.

It is not true to say that further CPD for English teachers has not been offered. It is available and our people are ready to provide it. The teaching unions have prevented teachers from availing of further training. We are putting the CPD on a website, so it will be available online if people wish to access it without having to go somewhere physically. We are doing everything possible to offer full training and support to teachers. We hope that they will take up this training. We have some evidence to the effect that individual teachers are anxious to proceed with the reform.

I am the Minister for Education and Skills and am responsible for policy. This matter has been debated for long enough. Reform was rightly initiated by my predecessor, Deputy Quinn, and I intend to implement it as soon as possible.