Sinn Féin Education spokesperson Donnachadh Ó Laoghaire has urged Minister Joe McHugh to finally address the issue of pay discrimination among teachers, ahead of planned strike action on February 4th.

The Sinn Féin Cork South Central Candidate said:

“Pay equality has been a long standing issue for teachers, and the government has failed to deliver.

“Teachers are already stretched beyond capacity due to the enormous cuts by the Government in recent years.

“It is unacceptable that you could have two teachers sitting in a staff room on two different pay scales despite doing the exact same work

“The principle of equal work for equal pay is a basic and fundamental one, and it is appalling that any government ever allowed this 

“Teachers and their unions have been more than patient, and the a department has had every opportunity to deal with this disgraceful discrimination against lower paid teachers.

“The decision to take industrial action is borne out of deep frustration with the ministers failure to address it.

“Our teachers deserve equal pay for equal work, and I am urging Minister McHugh to finally address the issue as his last act as Minister, and to avoid this strike action.

“In government Sinn Féin would ensure that pay equality is delivered for our teachers, and that pay discrimination would be a thing of the past.