The Education Minister says as long as teaching unions maintain a complete veto on Junior Cert reform proposals everyone loses.

27-thousand second-level teachers will stage a lunchtime demonstration outside schools over the issue today.

Jan O'Sullivan says it's still her intention to move ahead with a reform of the Junior Cert English syllabus in September - even though most teachers have not yet availed of the training on offer.

Minister O'Sullivan says she has moved considerably on the proposals and is urging unions to return to the talks table: