The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) has sought an urgent meeting with the Department of Education to discuss its decision to refuse a salary increase to teachers until a 10-year-old circular is implemented.
The circular, which states that all students should receive 28 hours tuition per week, was never implemented over the last decade so that students could avail of more subject options and smaller class sizes, according to Paddy Healy, president of the TUI.
In recent weeks the department has insisted that a directive issued by the TUI some 10 years ago advising schools against implementing the circular, be lifted before a salary increase of 2.5 per cent is made payable to some 8,000 teachers.
"There was an agreement that talks should take place to replace the circular but no talks ever took place because there was never any need . . . then last month, we have inspectors telling principals to start implementing it without any warning," Mr Healy said. "We are hoping that when we meet the department, sense will prevail."
A department spokeswoman said the secretary general was currently awaiting clarification on a number of issues.