Plea for teachers' welfare service

Stressed out teachers must have access to a welfare service if they are to cope with classroom problems, particularly lack of discipline, the Teachers Union of Ireland has said.

Under health and safety legislation, the Department of Education is obliged to set up a full-time employee assistance service for teachers, the union said. However, to date no such service is available.

"Other public service employees such as civil servants and the gardaí have this safety net to assist them through their work and it is high time that teachers are afforded the same service," TUI president Mr Derek Dunne said.

The call comes ahead of the union's annual congress, which takes place at the Corrib Great Southern Hotel, Galway this week.

The congress has received a number of motions relating to stress in the classroom, Mr Dunne said, much of it stemming from discipline problems.

"This is something that could be addressed under the commitment to a welfare service. This service would not only benefit teachers, but would also ensure a better classroom experience for pupils as it would afford teachers a better chance of utilizing their full potential due to increased ability to deal with stress and other problems."

Teachers should be responsible for their work he added, however, "it is not right that they are almost unique in the public sector in that they do not have a welfare service."