Labour leader Ivana Bacik said school leaders are struggling to recruit qualified teachers.

A recent survey has shown there is a current staffing shortage of 951 teachers.

Norma Foley said she is prepared to ‘look at everything on the table’, as many schools struggle to secure enough staff for the academic year.

Newly qualified teachers who take up a full-time role for the coming school year will receive the payment next summer

All five major teaching unions, including the National Association of Head Teachers, were on strike together for only the second time.

The general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation John Boyle has retracted comments he made about the Minister for Education when he suggested that she had reneged on a commitment she made earlier this year about post responsibility