ASTI seeks lifting of moratorium

Delegates at the ASTI annual convention in Galway have voted unanimously in favour of a motion seeking the reinstatement of all…

Delegates at the ASTI annual convention in Galway have voted unanimously in favour of a motion seeking the reinstatement of all posts of responsibility in schools.

They have also called for the immediate lifting on the moratorium on the filling of posts.

Speaker Sean O’Neill told delegates that if the moratorium remains in place, schools will be, “ungovernable and unworkable next year.”

The moratorium bans the filling of special duties and assistant principal positions in post primary schools.

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Although Minister for Education Mary Coughlan has indicated that the moratorium on recruitment is likely to be relaxed, speaker John O’Donovan insisted that any concessions made would not be adequate.

Later this evening, President of the ASTI Joe Moran will address delegates on the moratorium and other issues.

Tomorrow morning, ASTI delegates will debate an emergency motion that asks its executive to recommend the rejection of the public service agreement in a ballot of members.

The motion states a “total and vehement opposition” to the deal, and urges delegates to call on the ASTI central executive committee to recommend the rejection of the agreement in a ballot of members.

Delegates at the convention cannot vote to ballot members of the union.

That decision falls to the 180-strong executive which will meet on Friday.

If the motion is passed, the committee will then decide to either ballot members on the agreement, or with a two=thirds majority, the committee can reject the deal altogether.