ASTI - Ireland's main second level teachers union

From January 2011, new entrants to teaching are paid according to a different salary scale to teachers who were working for the Department of Education prior to that date.

The ASTI is vehemently opposed to this unfair targetting of teachers' pay and has voiced its opposition at meetings of the Teachers' Concilliation Council, meetings with senior Department officials and in direct meetings and formal communication with the Minister for Education and Skills. We will continue to campaign to have this unfair two-tier salary system reversed.

New entrant or not?

You will not be classed as a 'new entrant' if you have, prior to January 2011, given any Department paid teaching service. Any teacher who has given such Department paid service, even as a short-term substitute teacher, is not classed as a 'new entrant' for the purposes of salary.

You will be classed as a 'new entrant' if you had not, prior to January 2011, given Department paid teaching service of any kind.

New salary scales

The new salary scale reduces salary increments and allowances by 10%. In addition, new entrants to teaching will start on the first point of the scale. Previously teachers would begin on the third point of the scale. This represents an overall reduction in pay of 15% for new entrants.

Click here to view the new salary scales for new entrants.

Incremental credit

It had been the intention of Government to not allow incremental credit recognition for prior teaching service of new entrants. Following strong representations from the ASTI, this government position was reversed.

All new entrants will start on the first point of the new entrants' salary scale. However, teachers will be able to claim incremental credit for previous recognised teaching service, e.g. as a privately paid teacher or for teaching service in another EU state.