A total of twenty-two schools throughout Donegal, Sligo and Leitrim are expected to be closed tomorrow because of the ASTI dispute with the Department of Education over equal pay for teachers.
The ASTI has 751 member teachers in those schools.
With little prospect of a settlement to the dispute at this stage, schools with ASTI members throughout the region have been urging parents not to send their children to school tomorrow.
Secondary schools throughout the region contacted by Ocean FM News this morning have different arrangements for tomorrow.
Generally, those with ASTI members will be closed while schools with TUI members will be open.
Throughout Sligo, Leitrim and Donegal, there are 751 schools registered with the ASTI.
In Sligo, there are nine such schools with 281 members.
In Donegal, there are seven schools with 347 ASTI members and six schools in Leitrim with 123 ASTI members.
The boards of management of some schools have already informed parents or have messages on their webistes sauying they will be closed tomowrrow.
Heatlh and safety is the main concerns of schools that are closing.
For example, the Ursuline College in Sligo states on its website that if the strike does go ahead, the board of management will not be in a position to discharge its responsibilities with regard to the care of students in its charge.
It adds that the board of management regrets this action is necessary, and says it has no wish to interrupt the education of students.
It’s a similar situation in Summerhill College in Sligo, as Principal Paul Keogh tells Ocean FM News:
Meanwhile, the president of the ASTI isn’t ruling out more strike days after the current schedule, if the dispute isn’t resolved.
Tomorrow is the first of 7 planned between now and December.
Ed Byrne says if the situation isn’t resolved after this campaign, they’ll review their plans:
