A chara, - Brenda Ni Shuilleabhain's (March 30th) was critical of INTO policy on the ASTI's pay claim. I wish to make the following points in response.
During my election campaign for INTO general secretary, I had numerous discussions with INTO members in staff-rooms the length and breadth of the country on the ASTI dispute and on INTO salary strategy . While I encountered solidarity and agreement with the ASTI objective of securing a substantial pay increase for teachers and great sympathy and support for ASTI members, I saw little evidence from INTO members that we should be adopting the same strategy at this time .
The case for a significant pay increase for teachers has been publicly acknowledged. The focus must now be on securing the speedy delivery of their long overdue salary rewards.
The teaching profession needs and deserves full public support and acknowledgment for a vital service to children and young people, to local communities and to economic prosperity nationally. Recognition and support will be best demonstrated through sustained investment in all the various aspects of educational infrastructure, from modern school buildings to secure teacher supply, from improved undergraduate training to induction and lifelong professional development for teachers, from basic administrative support to smaller classes and professional back-up for children with special needs.
It would be a serious mistake for the government to take INTO support for the benchmarking process for granted or to assume that we will go along with the outcome irrespective of the results for our members. In the same way, sustaining standards, teacher commitment and good will in the classroom will depend on major investment in the basic infrastructure of primary education. - Yours, etc.,
Catherine Byrne, Assistant General Secretary, INTO, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.
