Teachers involved in current ASTI-ordered industrial action insist their schools are functioning as normal.

Second level teachers who are members of the union are currently abstaining from additional and out-hours-duties, in a dispute with the State over their pay and conditions.

Concerns have been raised about whether teachers will now participate in the ongoing modification of the Junior Certificate.

Speaking to Newstalk's Pat Kenny show earlier, Dr Ed Walsh, founding Pres of the University of Limerick, said the teachers' action was 'astonishing' and described the actions of union leaders as 'bullying'. But teacher Fintan O'Mahony disagreed, insisting that his school is continuing to function as normal, despite action:

Mr. O'Mahony also insisted that teachers in Ireland do not work the shortest year, compared to their counterparts in other OECD countries, and the number of classroom hours here is actually above the average.

Neither, he said, are they the highest-paid: