Sir, (sob, sob) I want to go to the toilet - I cut my knee - they won't let me play - I've lost my ball . . .

Teachers are tired of patrolling the school yard at lunch-time. This year they rose up as one to call for the abolition of yard duty. At the INTO annual congress in Galway, 17 of the union's branches stretching from Ballaghadereen to Clonakilty and back to Ballinasloe called for abolition. They demanded a recognition of their right to have a lunchtime free of supervisory duties. Motion 316 was carried overwhelmingly by the packed auditorium of over 800 delegates.

Miss, he hit me - Miss, she won't give me the ball . .

Whatever the weather, they have to do yard duty or corridor duty as the case may be. The issue has been debated on a number of occasions in the past. No matter what the day is like, they must watch their young charges as they run around and play, fight, fall, cry, skip or pull each other's hair.

One angry delegate to the congress said long distance lorry drivers fare better than teachers because they are obliged by law to take a break after a certain length of time at the wheel. Teachers, said Anne Heery, from the union's Portumna/Woodford branch in Co Galway, are not in so enviable a position. "We hold a sandwich or an apple in one hand, while holding the first aid bag in the other."

A mhuinteoir, thit me ar an gcosan (olagon, olagon) - A mhuinteoir, ta mo shron ag cur fola . . .

Another delegate stood up and declared that Bob Geldof didn't like Monday. "Well, I don't like Fridays," she declared defiantly, "because I'm on yard duty!"

Mary Murray, a teacher at Ratoath National School, Co Meath, hates yard duty also. She described the breathlessness of the day when it's her turn each week. Even a break to go to the toilet has to be planned, she said.

Patricia Foley, a colleague who also teaches at Ratoath National School, Co Meath, was shocked after working in the private sector in a range of jobs over a number of years.

"There was never any question of working at your lunch-time," she says. "If I or my colleagues had been asked to work even five minutes at break we'd have been out with placards. I wasn't expected to work during my lunch-break and I shouldn't have to now.

"It's a thorn in everybody's side. I love my job but we deserve a lunch-break. You just feel so isolated - I often think that children and teachers are simply numbers to the Department. They are never or rarely interested in us as people."

Sir, Cillian is beating Fiachra up. Over there, sir . . .

Second-level teachers also have supervisory duties but to a lesser extent because of students are older and don't need as much intensive care. Nevertheless, says John White, assistant general secretary of the ASTI, it's an issue among second-level teachers who also "hate doing it. It's voluntary but teachers don't like doing it. They would like to have a lunch-time in which they could relax.

"We have claimed from the Government that they should make a grant to schools which would allow for the employment of capable people to do this lunch-time supervision."

Miss, she pulled my hair - Miss, Lisa started it . . .

For the moment there seems to be no escape for teachers. The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989 clearly states that there is an obligation on employees, while at work, to take "reasonable care" of any persons under his or her care.

Raymond Byrne, a law lecturer at DCU, explained at a recent conference on health and safety requirements for primary schools, that the 1989 Act imposes general duties on all people in all places of work in connection with safety, health and welfare. Failure to comply with the duties in the Act may lead to a criminal prosecution, he explained.

For example, under the Act, "the prevention of falls and slips is important and attention must be paid to issues such as the state of floors, whether in class rooms, corridors or in play areas."

White of the ASTI explains: "What the law seems to state is that schools have a duty of care for pupils for the full day while they are on the premises. It's up to the courts to determine what responsible care is." This duty of care is interpreted legally, he explains, as caring in a way that a responsible parent would do.

Billy Fitzpatrick, research and education officer with the TUI, says: "It's not good enough that people should be without their lunch break. Discretionary time should be accorded to schools for this important duty. My concern is that a teacher would often go without lunch."

Sir, my laces are open - Sir, the boys have thrown my coat over the wall . . .

Miriam Fahy, from the INTO's Nenagh branch in Co Tipperary, was the first delegate in Galway to propose the motion. "It's a fundamental matter affecting teachers' conditions of service," she said. The solution, she says, is simple.

A teacher at St Mary's Convent School in Nenagh, she says: "Lunch-time supervision is one of the most distasteful aspects of a teacher's day." She is confident that supervising children "does not require the services of professional educationalists. We demean ourselves as professionals by going out in the yard and doing it."

In schools in Northern Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales supervision work is contracted out, she points out. This is also the practice in most European countries.

"There is nothing unique to the Irish education system that would suggest that a similar arrangement would not work effectively and safely in Irish primary schools," she says. "Ancillary staff must be employed as supervisors and the Department must be persuaded to provide the necessary funding to boards of management."

Boys, stop that - Girls, stop running . . .

Fahy's concern is that the INTO central executive committee is not really according top priority to this issue. "I can't help feeling that this matter has been put on the long finger. I fear that it's being treated by the CEC as a worthwhile aspiration but not close to the top of the agenda."

Primary teachers have voted on this issue at congress before. She points out that motions were adopted in 1984, 1990 and 1997. She wants the issue pursued with "vigour and urgency."

Girls, now girls, stop that running - Boys, come away from that railing . . .

Liam McGowan, a member of the INTO's central executive committee, says the union is "hopeful of a resolution by next year" following a meeting last December with the Department. However, a Department spokesman says that it has not had any formal proposals from the union on the issue.

In the meantime, teachers must walk the yard and try not to choke on their sandwiches. As Ger Stack, a member of the union's Cork City South branch, points out "scalding yourself with a cup of tea and eating half an apple is not conducive to giving a good performance in the classroom."