IN THE High Court yesterday a secondary school teacher challenged a Department of Education ruling which she claims has prevented her obtaining incremental pay increases for 18 years.
Ms Frances McCann, of Walshestown, Newbridge, Co Kildare, who teaches in Holy Family school, Newbridge, claimed the Department's decision was unreasonable.
Mr Gerard Hogan, for Ms McCann, said she completed a three year general teacher training course specialising in art and design from 1970 to 1973 at Leicester University. She completed a one year probation period which qualified her to teach second level art in England and Northern Ireland.
She came to Holy Family school in 1974. The Minister for Education would not recognise her British qualifications and she was employed on an non incremental basis.
The problem arose when in 1991 Ms McCann acquired the appropriate qualification from the National College for Art and Design which was a condition to her registration as a fully qualified teacher on an incremental salary. Her appointment was confirmed in 1992.
Ms McCann claimed she had not obtained incremental credit for the majority of the time she had been an art teacher at the Newbridge school.
The hearing was adjourned until Tuesday.