Strategy to tackle teacher shortage must be outlined – Kenny
Labour’s education spokesperson Eoghan Kenny has called on the Minister for Education to outline in detail the Department plans to address the ongoing staffing shortage in schools across the country.
Deputy Kenny said:
“With reports today stating that post-primary enrolments are expected to peak in 2026/27, I am urging the Minister to outline in detail her plans to address the ongoing teacher shortage.
“Last year, analysis carried out by the Teaching Council in conjunction with the CSO and the Department of Education estimated that more than 4,600 Irish teachers are working abroad.
“In January of this year, analysis carried out by the Principals and Deputy Principals Association found that 75% of schools had experienced no applications for vacancies in the last six months. So something is seriously wrong here.
“Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil have left teachers as the poor relation in the education system for too long. Their failure to act is having a massive knock on impact on school’s capacity to deliver in class teaching.
“More than 160 children with special education needs will be receiving home tuition this year as a direct result of this failure to invest in our teaching force.
“It is all well and good for the government to talk about reducing the pupil-teacher ratio to 19:1 or expanding subject choice, but where are the teachers to deliver this? The reality on the ground is that schools simply do not have the staff, and the problem is only getting worse.
“This weekend I stood in solidarity with the over 32 children in Cork who are without a school place for the coming September. It’s beyond belief and an utterly regressive state of affairs.
“Minister McEntee has a real opportunity now to address the core issues that is pushing more and more educators out of the profession and out of Ireland. Better pay, conditions and supports are available abroad. We need to look at investing more in our classrooms to give every child the best start in life.”