THE Department of Education embargo on employing additional visiting teachers for travellers should be lifted immediately, the INTO congress was told.
Racism was a fact of life for travellers, Ms Bernie Murray of the union's equality committee said. She quoted from a report in yesterday's Irish Times about a Co Waterford councillor who suggested having a shotgun ready to "run" travellers from the county.
The INTO president, Ms Sally Shiels, asked delegates not to repeat the remarks for fear of giving them credence.
Ms Murray told delegates the visiting teacher service was one attempt to redress the educational disadvantage of traveller children. "The success of the service has been lauded in many reports ... The embargo will place traveller children at an even greater disadvantage."
Mr Jack Stacey, of the New Ross branch, quoted an INTO survey which showed that, when it comes to successful integration of travellers into school life, the visiting teacher was second only to parental support.
It was recommended that the visiting teacher service be extended to cover all counties with a minimum of one visiting teacher for every 100 families.
In his speech, Mr Liam McCloskey, the incoming president of the INTO, said children of travellers were among the most disadvantaged.
Announcing details of a forthcoming seminar for principals of one teacher and island schools, Mr McCloskey said he was "well aware of the many problems facing teachers in small rural and island schools isolation, multiple class teaching, lack of caretakers, secretaries, equipment, funding and remedial services."
A motion deploring the "exaggerated and misleading claims made in seeking to set up many gaelscoileanna" was carried.
The Bantry delegate, Ms Nora Cremin, said different pupil teacher ratios for gaelscoileanna meant that where there were five assistants in a primary school, there were six in a gaelscoil. Each child in a gaelscoil is worth SO per cent more in capitation, she said.
"What happened to the ideal that all schools, whatever the medium of instruction, have the right to equal treatment by the State?" she asked.