The Adult Education Teachers Organisation (AETO) claims that hundreds of tutors across Ireland are at risk of losing their jobs due to what it sees as chronic underfunding of Solas, the national further education agency. As a result, many tutors have reportedly been informed there will be no positions available for them in September.

“These are teachers in their first three years of service, who were required to accept the new Adult Educator contract,” said an AETO spokesperson. “To say there is dissatisfaction with the terms of this contract would be a serious understatement.”

The AETO has criticised the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, arguing that the funding shortfall is threatening the future of adult education provision and the job security of newly recruited staff.

In response, the Department stated that staffing responsibilities lie with individual Education and Training Boards (ETBs), not the Department itself.

“The Department has increased investment in SOLAS and the further education and training (FET) sector by 37% since 2020, with over €1 billion allocated for 2025,” a spokesperson said. “It is the responsibility of SOLAS and the ETBs to plan their provision within that funding.”

The protest aims to highlight the growing concerns among educators about unstable employment conditions and the future of adult education services. AETO is calling for immediate government action to protect jobs and ensure sustainable funding that supports both learners and teachers in the sector.