Two teachers who opposed the national pay agreement are faced with legal bills of more than £20,000 after losing a High Court action against their union.
Mr Eddie Conlon and Ms Mary Friel took an action against the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) after they claimed the union's internal magazine was not reflecting both sides of the debate over the national pay deal.
They said the publication, TUI News, did not give equal access to views on the national pay deal and consequently the union was breaking its own rules. Ms Friel and Mr Conlon are executive members of the TUI. Mr Conlon is also spokesman for the group Teachers Against the Partnership Deal.
During the balloting on the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness (PPF), Mr Conlon and Ms Friel sought an interlocutory injunction against the TUI on the basis that TUI News had contravened union rules.
Mr Justice Lavin, however, found that TUI News was a fair and reasonable document and complied with the rules of the union.
In the High Court yesterday he awarded full costs to the TUI in respect of the case taken by Ms Friel and Mr Conlon. It is understood the union's costs are £12,500 and those of Mr Conlon and Ms Friel are in the same range.
In a statement last night the president of the TUI, Mr Joe Carolan, said: "This is a further vindication of the TUI position".
Mr Conlon said last night: "We took the case in good faith to uphold previous decisions of our annual congress."