Mr. Pat Burke:

There are two dimensions to the allowance. We can talk separately about teachers' sick leave. I am not sure that we have the figures in front of us at the moment. To be fair and from recollection, sick leave is not out of kilter in any significant way with absentee or sick leave rates elsewhere in the sector.

There are two dimensions to the allowance: the provision of substitution and supervision. The latter arises for a multiplicity of reasons such as preschool and lunch breaks. Even if one has a teacher who is delayed in the morning, whatever the circumstances, and arrives at 10 a.m. rather than 9 a.m., there will be a call for substitution and someone must take the class.