Teachers United Protest outside Anglo Irish Bank

Teachers say enough is enough as they are pilloried for their pensions and underfunded workplaces while banks plead they can't reduce top bankers pay due to 'contractual obligations'.

Teachers United held a demonstration outside Anglo-Irish Bank on Stephen's Green this evening.

A press release by the group said the picket was “to highlight the fact that the education system is grossly underfunded while the banks that were making €1 million a day in profit during the Celtic Tiger are being bailed out.”

Deirdre Cronin, a primary school teacher in an inner city DEIS school said: “Why is it that when bankers, who caused the economic crisis by speculating, get into trouble, the Government writes them a blank check?

“But yet the government will not bail out schools. They penalise them by cutting teachers, increasing class sizes and cutting the pensions of teachers. We always have to pay for their mistakes – its time to turn the tide”.

Bernard Lynch, a secondary school teacher, said: “By cutting pay and conditions of teachers and slashing the infrastructure of our schools, we are shooting ourselves in the foot."

The group had urged teachers and pupils to join this evening's picket.

They got quite a bit of support and coverage- so look out for tomorrows papers.
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