To ask the Minister of Education to outline any action he has taken to reach an agreement with teachers to prevent industrial action short of strike.

Each of the five recognised teaching trade unions balloted their members for industrial action and this commenced on Monday 28 September in the form of action short of strike action (ASOS).

I have urged the teaching unions to reconsider their industrial action, and to give the additional time needed to secure a durable outcome for the profession, rather than continuing on a course of action that serves no one's interests - least of all those of the children and young people our schools exist to serve.

I consider a negotiated agreement can be reached without the need for industrial action. My Department remains committed to the process and indeed further discussions are scheduled directly with Northern Ireland Teaching Council representatives and also at the Labour Relations Agency.

The negotiations are taking place through the Teachers’ Negotiating Committee (TNC) and departmental officials are directly involved in these discussions. Management Side of TNC remains fully committed to ongoing engagement with the teaching unions to reach an agreement without the need for further escalation. Management Side has also renewed its request for any action to be suspended to enable a full resolution to be agreed.