The Minister for Education, Dr Michael Woods this evening assured parents and pupils that this year's exams would go ahead.
His assurances followed a decision by the Central Executive Committee of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) today to reject Labour Court proposals aimed at resolving its 30 per cent claim and to renew its programme of strike action next week.
Dr Woods said a contingency plan was in place and that oral and practical exam dates will be rescheduled but not cancelled.
Earlier, ASTI president Mr Don McCluskey explained why secondary school teachers had opted to return to strike action and reject the Labour Court proposals.
"For well over a year now, we have almost been completely ignored by the government. We have tried everything at our disposal to get talks and it was only in the last while that talks have been initiated."I read that document last night and I would say that in 30 years of trade union involvement, I have never read a more negative document."The proposals were rejected by 151 votes to 10 with two abstentions.
A programme of industrial action was endorsed by the Standing Committee which will result insix one-day strikes in March and the withdrawal of ASTI members from participating in oral examinations, due to begin on March 26th.
The Central Executive Committee also called on the Government to immediately enter into meaningful, direct negotiations with the ASTI in an effort to bring an resolution to this dispute.
According to a report in today's Irish Times, over 600 secondary schools could be closed for three days every week.
While the Labour Court last night said it recognised that teachers have a "sustainable case" for a pay rise, it said it could not accept the union's argument that it is unique and benchmarking could not deal with its claim.
The dates for strike action are:
March 14th
March 22th
March 23th
March 27th
March 28th
March 29th