Secondary school principals have expressed "major reservations" about the Minister for Education's plans to introduce a rating system for schools ranging from "weak" to "very good".
Ms Breathnach's proposals for a new system of whole school inspection (WSI) would require a massive increase in the numbers of school inspectors, according to the Secondary School Principals' Association of Ireland (SSPAI).
The proposals could lead to "invidious comparisons" being made between schools, as in the UK, the association claims.
