A new review body which could deliver substantial pay increases for the teaching profession has scheduled its first meeting with the public service unions for later this month.
The benchmarking review body, formed as part of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF) - will compare public sector pay to conditions in the private sector.
In practical terms, it means that teachers could stand to gain for increases in productivity and greater involvement in the management of schools.
The review body, chaired by Mr Justice John Quirke, is to meet the Public Services Committee of Congress on November 20th. The review body is not due to report until June 2002. Two teaching unions want the process quickened.
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO) and the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) want the review body to report by June of next year.
The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland (ASTI) which is preparing for next week's strike, has refused to take part in the benchmarking process.
Meanwhile, the leader of the primary teachers' union has predicted that primary teachers will gain significant pay increases - without resorting to industrial action and school closures.
Senator Joe O'Toole, of the INTO, said primary teachers would gain sizeable increases as the Government moves to support the PPF. He believes the current review of the PPF will deliver substantial increases for teachers through tax and other concessions in next month's Budget.
He also believes the benchmarking mechanism of the PPF opens the way for teachers to make substantial gains.
The Government has brought the deadline for benchmarking forward from December 2002 to June 2002. But, it has still to respond to the TUI and INTO demand for a still faster timetable.
"There is a growing awareness that something must be done quickly to shore up the TUI and the INTO. A major move on benchmarking is now very likely," said one source last night.
The Government has given no hint that benchmarking will be brought forward. It is concerned that special treatment for teachers could lead to difficulties with other public service workers involved in the benchmarking process.
Last night, the TUI agreed to ballot on strike action in protest at what it sees as the Government's inadequate response to its demands.
It wants to see members compensated for inflation and the benchmarking process fast-tracked. The INTO has made similar demands to the Government; it can launch a dispute without any further ballot of members.
Both the TUI and the INTO have been lobbying Government in recent weeks to secure the kind of concessions demanded by members. Senator O'Toole has held separate discussions with the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, the Minister for Finance, Mr McCreevy, and the Minister for Education, Dr Woods.
Both the TUI and the INTO endorsed the terms of the PPF, which give teachers a 19 per cent pay increase. The ASTI, which is seeking 30 per cent, withdrew from the PPF negotiations.