The Teachers Union of Ireland have hit out at the Higher Education Minister on the first day of their annual conference.
Simon Harris addressed over 450 delegates at the unions annual three-day conference in the city yesterday.
In her response, TUI President Liz Farrell asked what the minister had done for adult education tutors who she described as looking after the "most marginalised in society".
She told the minister that the educators- who say they have not had a pay rise in years and are forced to apply for social welfare during school holidays- had been treated "appallingly".
Meanwhile the union are calling for full time contracts and pay for newly appointed teachers to tackle the recruitment and retention crisis facing the profession.
Speaking to RedFM News, Donal McElligott from the TUI in Cork says only a tiny portion of new teachers are getting full time hours.
"The majority of teachers would get part of a contract. So in what other job would you be given part of a job to start with?
"Sometimes people could start with half a job or 40% of a job, and they are available to take up other hours. But, again, it's very difficult. It's very difficult to plan and it's very difficult to make plans going forward."
