The Minister for Education should enter into dialogue with the teachers' organisation, ASTI, with a view to a comprehensive settlement of disputes affecting second-level education, according to Labour's education spokesman, Mr Joe Costello.
"Secondary schools have faced considerable disruption now for almost two years as a result of a range of disputes between the ASTI and the Department, leading to inconvenience and disruption for pupils, parents and teachers," he said.
The opening of the new school year presented the opportunity for a new beginning and a renewed effort to settle this dispute, Mr Costello added.
"The ASTI and the Minister should now meet with no preconditions and with everything on the table. I understand that the ASTI has been seeking a meeting with the Minister for Education but, surprisingly, Mr Dempsey has not yet agreed to this."