For obvious reasons most media attention this week will centre on the ASTI conference in Galway. The union's five month strike has transformed the once-conservative secondary teachers' union into a thorn in the Government's side.
Union leaders like Charlie Lennon and Bernadine O'Sullivan have become household names, and every time the union's central executive holds a meeting it turns into a media event.
Until the union's pay claim is laid to rest, the ASTI is likely to remain in the spotlight.
But in terms of long-term education policy, the ASTI's importance can be overstated. The INTO, with almost 10,000 more members, is at least of equal importance, and the union's conference in Tralee will be first to be addressed by the Education Minister, Dr Woods, this morning.
With research showing that educational disadvantage and illiteracy are most effectively tackled at primary level, the INTO has an important role in future developments, particularly when the dust settles in the ASTI dispute.
Because of this, many senior officials in the Department of Education, while paying close attention to the events in Galway, are also following closely the race to succeed Senator Joe O'Toole, the general secretary of the INTO.
While nobody doubts that Senator O'Toole's often pithy sound-bites and colourful speeches have made him the most recognisable teachers' leader, it also helps that he heads an all-Ireland union with 27,000 members.
Senator O'Toole's power over the past decade has come from this numerical clout and his ability to harness it at crucial moments.
Arguably, at least until now, the ASTI has not been able to make its presence felt in the same way. Now Senator O'Toole is leaving, and there is a hotly contested race to succeed him. So far there have been no big issues to divide the six candidates.
The one big issue there might have been - ASTI's 30 per cent claim - has been relegated to the fringes because most of the candidates support bench marking and don't want a strike until this body has delivered its recommendation.
While some candidates, such as Ms Brenda Ni Shuilleabhain, have sprung to the defence of the ASTI, the other candidates have been more anxious to spell out the potential rewards they say will come from bench marking.
It is no coincidence that this is also the message of Senator O'Toole, who has skilfully sold the concept to his members with a clever description of benchmarking as an "ATM machine".
The two front-runners for the job are Mr John Carr, the union's general treasurer and deputy general secretary, and Ms Catherine Byrne, the assistant general secretary.
Having worked closely with Senator O'Toole for years, they both have similar views on education to him, although Senator O'Toole has steadfastly refused to endorse any of the candidates.
Mr Carr, who sits on several important education committees on behalf of the INTO, was a high-flier in education, becoming principal of Belgrove National School, Clontarf, Dublin, at the age of 29.
He was Senator O'Toole's director of elections in 1991 when Mr O'Toole secured the general secretary post, and Mr Carr has no doubt learned a few tricks from him.
Ms Byrne, a former USI leader, is heavily involved in professional development and early childhood education. Between 1992 and 1995 she was an official with the European Trade Union Confederation in Brussels.
She is campaigning for votes in a union where almost 80 per cent of the members are women, but her campaign is based on getting a better salary and career structure for primary teachers.
While union sources differ over which of the two will win, they are in agreement that the pair are the front-runners.
Most members believe both are capable of representing the union's interests in Government negotiations and in the media, although some members would like to see a little bit more radicalism on pay and related issues.
The union uses a proportional representation electoral system, and this is key to the result, say sources.
While Mr Carr may lead initially, some believe Ms Byrne could do well on transfers and catch up with him in later rounds.
The other candidates shouldn't be written off entirely.
"With a postal ballot no one really knows what the result will be. There could be a big upset despite all the predictions," said a union source last night.
If the result is clear-cut, there should be an announcement on Thursday night, but if it is close a recount could be necessary, so the result may not be known until Friday or even the weekend.
Either way, the winner will become one of the power-brokers in Irish education, although with Senator O'Toole's lingering presence in the public mind it will be difficult for them to make their mark immediately.
The other candidates are also busily campaigning in Tralee. They are: Mr Tom O'Sullivan from Limerick, a member of the INTO executive since 1989; Mr Noel Ward, a former programme manager to Mr Pat Rabbitte TD; Ms Sheila Nunan, an INTO executive member involved in Traveller education; and Ms Brenda Ni Shuilleabhain, principal of a Gaelscoil in Rathcoole, Co Dublin.