Primary teachers can expect to receive 25 per cent of recommended pay increases by the end of the year, according to the Minister for Education and Science, Dr Woods.
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Delegates at the Irish National Teachers' Organisations (INTO) conference in Tralee were told this morning that recommendations made by the benchmarking body for teachers - set up under the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness - will begin to take effect from December 1st.
"I am confident that benchmarking will ensure that the pay and conditions applying to teachers in the future will be comparable to other graduate professions," the Minister said.
He paid tribute to the working relationship his Department had established with primary teachers saying: "joint discussion mechanisms have allowed us to make progress in many areas of the primary sector."
However, INTO general secretary Mr Joe O'Toole, speaking shortly after the Minister, told delegtates that if the benchmarking process failed to to deliver on teachers' demands that an "outright war" would ensue.
Dr Woods took the opportunity to announce the creation of 350 additional teaching posts, increased supports to teachers and increased paid and unpaid maternity leave. Further provision for pupils with special needs and in-service training was also announced.
The INTO president Mr Donal O Lionsaigh yesterday told the conference that it recognised the ASTI's right to strike but defended his union's decision to pursue its claim through benchmarking.
In its submission to the benchmarking body, the INTO said primary teachers' salaries had fallen behind those who worked in science, engineering and arts over the past five years. It also cited independent research indicating teacher training required longer hours than most post-graduate courses.
The union is seeking a pay increase resulting in a scale ranging from £20,000 to £40,000 by 2002 and improved promotional opportunities.