Teaching Matters:It's back to school this week for hundreds of primary teachers after the annual pilgrimage that is the INTO Congress.

Three days in Cork last week were dominated by debate and discussion on the hot issues: overcrowded classes, money to run schools and overworked principals. Three nights in the bars and restaurants of the "real capital" were filled with craic and ceol.

In relation to the latter, there was no shortage of talent, as you would expect from a profession who teach music to children. Indeed, there was a certain musical theme running behind this year's gathering, a highlight of which was the visit by the Minister for Education and Science, Mary Hanafin.

Proud Mary wanted to come and tell teachers about record numbers of new teachers and more money than ever for school buildings. Before an election, every politician wants to be seen in the best possible light. Her audience, on the other hand, was more interested in hearing about how she was going to tackle overcrowded classes.

For two months this year, February and March to be precise, the cosy-looking relationship between the INTO and the Minister appeared to be damaged beyond repair. There were some who thought that Mary had a little lamb and its name was the INTO. They were mistaken. Two years of sweetness and light went up in smoke as during that time the union took to the highways to bring the message to the public that overcrowded classes were unacceptable.

The Minister would have done well to remember the chorus of the song by The Four of Us - " Oh Mary, why don't you have some sense?" - before taking on the teachers on this one.

Tens of thousands of teachers and parents came out to meetings all over the country and turned up the heat on the Government. The pressure forced the Taoiseach to announce 4,000 more jobs at the Fianna Fáil ardfheis. To say that Mary was quite contrary about this would be an understatement.

But the pressure had worked, and what the teachers wanted to hear from the Minister was when the 4,000 teachers would be appointed so that classes would get smaller. She didn't disappoint and told delegates that if her government is re-elected there will be cuts in class sizes for the next three years.

But most parties are well aware that this is a real issue and have sat up and taken notice. A letter from the Labour Party spokesperson on Education and Science to the INTO's general secretary was read out to the delegates. The party committed to 5,000 extra teachers to reduce class sizes and linked it to a plan to build more schools and classrooms for those teachers. The announcement was received with warm applause by the delegates.

Before the Congress, the Greens, Independents and Sinn Féin had already made promises. That's nearly an all-party consensus.

With the Minister and all the promises to reduce class sizes out of the way, money was next up on the agenda. Money Money Moneytook the place of Mary in musical terms. Delegate after delegate told how more money was needed to meet the running costs of schools. We heard of readathons, spellathons and every other sort of "thon" that was being used to raise money for schools. The fact that all schools have to go out with the begging bowl to their local communities was described as a local education tax on parents.

Teachers told how more money was needed for secretaries and caretakers in schools. Most schools, we were told, can only offer part-time jobs to people because the Government pays so little towards their employment in schools. Either that or minimum pay rates are being completely ignored.

More money was demanded for teachers, especially principal teachers. The difficulties faced by young teachers trying to buy a house were clearly outlined. Principal teachers demanded the same salary levels as their second-level colleagues. Delegates were told how the Department recognizes the importance of the work principals do in schools. But that counts for nothing unless principal teachers are properly paid. Pious platitudes don't fill pay packets.

And more money was demanded for computers in schools. The teachers did their sums on the Government's promised investment of €252 million and found that it amounted to little more than €20 per child each year. How can schools turn out digitally literate children when Government funds them for the age of the biro?

With Government coffers so full, it's hard to believe that there's this level of under-funding in schools. The Department of Finance might well be singing We're In the Moneybut the schools are singing Buddy, Can You Spare a Dime?

My fellow The Irish Timescolumnist Tom Collins, Professor of Education in Maynooth and a guest at the Congress, was having none of the small change bit. He demanded that Government spend an extra €2,000 on every child's education. This would bring us up to European levels. He's right, of course, but it will probably take another campaign of public meetings of parents to open up the purse strings.

The Minister said her piece, bade farewell to the primary teachers and went off to the second level unions. She might have been gone but was certainly not forgotten, especially by those who needed something to recover from the night before. The cure on offer for the hangovers? A Bloody Mary.

Valerie Monaghan is principal of Scoil Chiarán, Glasnevin, Dublin and chairperson of the INTO's committee for principals and deputy principals.