Here are 12 issues you are likely to hear plenty about next year, from school patronage to industrial strife

OECD report shows Ireland has one of highest rates of second-level completion

‘Curtailment gain’ of €10.8m arises from changes to defined benefit pension schemes

Teachers in dispute over Lansdowne Road pay deal and Junior Cycle reform

Union chief Pat King warns teachers could forfeit up to €6,700 in increments over stance

Union shows no signs of backing down but it’s unclear if teachers have stomach for fight

Active opposition could cost teachers significant sums of money in lost increments

Only 38 per cent of ASTI members opt to vote, rejecting plan by narrow margin

Plus: who’d be general secretary of the ASTI?

ASTI Fightback appeals to teachers to vote No to new Junior Cycle despite union stance

Odds stacked against northern pretenders, but reaching last eight exposes potential

Good teachers are on their way to the top of the class

New ‘profile of achievement’ to be issued by schools rather than the state

Lunch demonstrations by ASTI and TUI mounted over objections to student assessment

Two delegates from Fermoy branch make influential contribution at conference

GAA believes Kingdom’s rise to Division One B vindicates promotion system

Minister hailed for her ‘great skill at defusing rows’ gets a merit badge from the unions

Teachers seek end to different pay scales based on when they entered profession

General secretary Pat King warns delegates to ‘beware of promises of income tax cuts’

Special education resources, teachers’ pay, smaller class sizes, halting casualisation: we ask teachers which areas need most investment