Gerard Craughwell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

Prior to coming into the Seanad, I spent a great deal of time visiting schools all over the country. I do not know how some principals are still alive, let alone managing their schools. As well as being the principal of the school, the principal is the secretary to the board of management, is in charge of continuous professional development, and must take responsibility for up to 1,000 students. On top of all of that one will find that some principals are acting as year head for two classes. I met with a principal who told me he sat in his car at night monitoring social media for the particular class for which he was the year head because there had been a fatality in the school. He sat in his car at night until 10 p.m. because his wife could no longer take the stress that had befallen on the family.

We have stripped our schools of middle management. God be with the days when there were special duties teachers and assistant and deputy principals. One is lucky to have two or three assistant principals and they are so over-worked they do not want any additional work. Schools are now running on goodwill. This is not a trade union issue, it is a real issue for principals. Mr Clive. Byrne, in particular would know would that I have been up against many a principal in my time as a trade union leader but he would also know that I think it is the loneliest post in the world. We need to put back in the middle management.