Fixtures may be switched

A number of senior and junior schools' cup fixtures may have to be switched to alternative dates as a result of the ASTI industrial action. From January 16th, the ASTI is due to initiate strikes at Dublin schools followed by regional areas, and then rotate the strikes until the first week in April.

As a result, the early rounds of the cup competitions are likely to be affected. In Munster, for example, the fourth round of the junior cup on February 7th clashes with a planned strike in Munster.

"We have a list of nine intended days of action for the Munster region," said Munster schools' secretary Rev Gerard Slattery. "We will adjust any clashes that we have by playing the game either the day before or the day after, but we won't be confirming that until five days before the actual date."

The Leinster Cup, which is due to begin on January 28th, is so far unaffected. "We have managed to avoid any clashes at the moment, but there may be problems if certain games are called off and need to be played at a later date," said Leinster PRO Tom McCormack.

There is the threat of more severe disruption if extra-curricular activities as a whole are drawn into the dispute. For the time being, however, that situation appears unlikely.

"The only affect at the moment will be on games that are due to be played on the day of the industrial action," said a spokesperson for the ASTI. "There is no move to ban extra curricular activities at the moment, although it has been discussed in the past as one of the forms of industrial action that may be carried out. But that is now unlikely to happen within the next weeks anyway."

Colleges GAA action is also set to be affected in some way. The Leinster colleges A football championship starts next week and will adjust dates around the dispute.