The Minister for Education has sharply criticised the ASTI for escalating its industrial action. Dr Woods said it was difficult to understand, particularly when it came at the end of a week in which the improved terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, together with the Budget tax concessions, were accepted by the other public service unions.

"It is most regrettable that the ASTI has now decided to hold the futures of our children to ransom in pursuit of its pay claim."

The Minister, who was answering a series of special-notice questions, said he had met ASTI on December 4th, in response to public statements from the union seeking a meeting and the clear expression by both the Taoiseach and himself of their willingness to listen to its views.

"I am most disappointed with the ASTI position, which did not acknowledge the truth of the situation relating to the processing of its claim. Procedures have been established and agreed between the teacher unions and the Department.

"These include negotiation within the Teachers' Conciliation Council, and, ultimately, referral to an independent three person Teachers' Arbitration Board. In this instance, the ASTI asked that its claim be referred to the Teachers' Arbitration Board which, it was agreed, was the appropriate body to deal with its claim."

Dr Woods said the salary of a teacher recruited last September would increase from £18,990 to £24,743 over the period of the PPF, while the salary of a principal of a 23-teacher school on the maximum of the scale would increase by £9,950, from £46,037 to £55,987.

Mr Ulick Burke (FG, Galway East) said that was selective propaganda. The Minister replied that intermediate salaries would increase on a pro-rata basis. "These are substantial increases in pay."

The Fine Gael spokesman on education, Mr Enda Kenny, said the Minister's reply was "more of the Woods waffle". He was very concerned, he said, that students who were now in the most pressurised year of their lives were being uses as pawns in a war between the Department and ASTI.

"I am absolutely astounded at the lack of creativity and imagination shown by the Minister in letting the strike escalate to this point."

The Labour spokeswoman on education, Ms Roisin Shortall, said the escalation of the dispute could have been avoided if the Minister had kept his promise to engage with ASTI before its central executive committee's meeting last Saturday.

"Is it the case that the Minister's inaction, apparent lack of any kind of interest in the dispute and his confrontational approach, have greatly exacerbated the dispute? Is it the case that the Minister is part of the problem?"