The two main teachers' unions said today that primary and secondary schools will remain open on Friday despite the widespread disruption expected to be caused by the national day of protest in support of workers at Irish Ferries.
The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (Asti) said: "Schools should remain open and the number of representatives each school sends should be such as to allow the school to remain open."
But the union said it hoped that every school would be in a position to send representatives to the marches in the various venues in Dublin, Cork, Galway, Limerick, Rosslare Harbour, Waterford, Athlone and Sligo.
The Irish National Teachers Organisation (Into) said that, while as many representatives should attend as possible, primary schools would remain open during the national day of protest.
The union's general secretary John Carr said the primary schools' union had spoken to each school and hoped as many as 2,000 teachers would turn up to the march in Dublin.
Mr Carr said: "We're trying to organise themselves in such a way that it would allow people to attend the march, because our view is that we're standing up for children and we're saying what type of future do these children have if somebody can displace them".
The National Bus and Railworkers Union (NBRU) - which represents drivers in Dublin Bus, Bus Eireann and Iarnrod Eireann - said members were being asked to work normally before the protest begins at 1.30pm and to return to work afterwards to ensure protestors can get home.
The union's general secretary Liam Tobin said: "It is imperative however, that members supporting this protest ensure that public transport is available to bring commuters to their destinations in the morning and to take them home in the evening on the day of the protest."
The union says all its members were being encouraged to support Friday's initiative.
Meanwhile talks at the Labour Relations Commission aimed at resolving the dispute at Irish Ferries were due to resume today. The workers are in dispute with the company over its plan to replace seafarers with cheaper labour from eastern Europe.
