Teachers unions are reacting angrily to Brendan Howlin's promise that the Government is determined to get rid of poor performers in the public sector, inlcuding bad teachers.

The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform told the Irish Independent that it's not acceptable for parents to be paying for grinds for their children because teachers aren't good enough.

Minister Howlin also says that job performance of public sector workers will be evaluated more closely - stating that people can't stay in a job they can't do.

More than 2,500 voluntary redundancies from the public sector are expected next year, starting with the HSE, education and agriculture.

Pat Keane of the Association of Secondary Teachers in Ireland says the current system of teacher evaluation is satisfactory.