LIAM McCLOSKEY, the new president of the INTO, has called on the Department of Education to publish its staffing schedules for schools for the coming school year.

"In my first few weeks in the presidency I am alarmed that no staffing schedules for primary schools have been agreed for primary schools for September," he says.

"This is not any fault of the INTO. The Department of Education has delayed and delayed the discussions. Schools out there have been ringing on a daily basis to find out what has been happening. They are hoping for a reduction, even a minimum reduction, in staffing schedules, so that they will be able to retain teachers in their schools.

"Other schools have over-crowded classrooms and they do not know yet if they will be in a position to appoint any extra teachers - and it's practically the end of the school year."

Boards of management, parents and principals are in limbo, he says. "This is a scandalous situation. This is the single most serious issue affecting our members at the moment and it must be addressed as a matter of extreme urgency. Lower class size is the most important factor to improve the quality of education in the classroom."

According to a Department of Education spokesman, the staffing schedules will be issued within the next few weeks.