Teacher shortage crisis hitting most vulnerable children
Teacher shortage crisis hitting most vulnerable children - The Labour Party
Labour’s Education Spokesperson Eoghan Kenny TD has said the latest INTO survey on teacher shortages confirms a shocking and disproportionate impact on children with additional needs, and in DEIS and Irish-medium schools. The survey, published today, found that special schools had the highest rate of vacant posts at 56%. Labour is calling on the Minister for Education to take immediate action and establish a dedicated Teacher Staffing Taskforce to address the crisis in recruitment and retention.
Deputy Kenny said:
“It is deeply concerning that the shortage of teachers continues to disproportionately impact children with special educational needs. The INTO’s findings show that over half of special schools reported unfilled teaching posts, leaving children without consistent classroom support. In addition to these unfilled posts, children in special schools are more likely to be taught by unqualified substitutes. There are currently 24 long-term substitute vacancies in special schools alone.
“This survey lifts the lid on a system that is buckling under pressure. A total of 565 schools responded, and almost one in five reported that they had not been able to fill all permanent, temporary or long-term substitute positions. That means children in those classes did not have a teacher in September. The situation is particularly dire in Dublin, where 55% of schools had vacancies, including 131 long-term unfilled posts. Wicklow and Kildare are next worst affected, with 41% and 39% of schools respectively reporting vacancies.
“The data is clear: this is not a short-term blip, it’s a structural problem. Special schools, DEIS schools and Gaelscoileanna are bearing the brunt — 43% of Gaelscoileanna, 35% of DEIS Band 2 schools and 32% of DEIS Band 1 schools reported long-term vacancies, compared to just 10% of mainstream schools. Children in these settings are being left behind because Government has failed to plan for teacher supply.
“In our manifesto, Labour called for a Teacher Staffing Taskforce to consider a broad range of issues affecting recruitment and retention — including casualisation, pay scales, incremental credit for teachers returning from abroad, and shortening the PME to one year — and to act on its recommendations. These are real, practical measures that could make an immediate difference. Yet, once again, the Minister for Education has chosen to bury her head in the sand.
“As this crisis intensifies, Government must prioritise tackling the recruitment and retention challenges that are crippling many schools across Ireland. This is about fairness and the right of every child to a proper education. Children with special educational needs, children in DEIS schools and those learning through Irish are being failed by the current system. The Government can no longer ignore this crisis — we need action now.”