The prospect of disruption to hundreds of second-level schools worsened yesterday after both sides in the supervision dispute refused to offer any concessions.
At a meeting of the teachers' conciliation council the three unions called on the Department to make a €34-an-hour supervision offer pensionable.
But Department officials said this could not be done, especially for work that was voluntary. As the March 4th deadline comes closer, some sources said the Department may have to revisit the issue.
The ASTI general secretary, Mr Charlie Lennon, said he had nothing to lay before his standing committee, which is due to meet on Friday.
"The ball is back in the Department's court as far as we are concerned," he said.
TUI representatives argued strongly that the offer was too low and significant improvements were needed to persuade teachers it was reasonable.
With little sign of compromise, the likelihood of disruption is growing. The nature of the disruption will be clearer when the ASTI issues instructions to members on how to implement the withdrawal.
School managers are worried that if principals are included the chances of recruiting non-teachers and keeping schools open will be remote. Mr Lennon said that while principals would probably be asked not to undertake supervision, he expected them to be allowed to organise others to do it from outside the school.
He pointed out that the ASTI was anxious to keep schools open and its members would not seek to impede non-teachers coming into the schools.
The issue was discussed by the Cabinet yesterday, and it is understood there was general support for the Minister's position. Some Government members are understood to be worried that if teachers get a concession on pensionability it could have knock-on effects elsewhere in the public service.
Many ASTI members say the offer is flawed on more than one basis. "Pensionability is only one of them, the whole terms of it are wrong".
However other members are worried the union is getting too involved in the supervision issue. "We must remember the general pay issue is still our objective and we cannot be sidetracked on this supervision question," said one senior member yesterday.
Meanwhile, a candidate for the vice-presidency of the TUI, Mr Fergal McCarthy, said the issues at the centre of the dispute should be reviewed by outside bodies.
He said the Commission on Public Service Pensions should look at whether the supervision payment should be made pensionable. He said the general level of the award could be reviewed by the Teachers' Arbitration Body.