Trevor Ó Clochartaigh (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

Cuirim céad fáilte roimh na finnéithe. Dar ndóigh, tá ceisteanna ó thaobh na Gaeilge de a bheidh ag teacht aníos ar ball. Deputy Catherine Martin touched on the issue of Garda vetting. I know that in some cases exasperated principals have to turn to bringing in somebody who does not have a full qualification for teaching. What is the issue regarding Garda vetting in that kind of scenario if somebody is being brought in with some other qualification? What types of qualifications are taken on board in that scenario? Is it a case of just trying to find anybody in the community who might be able to cover and mind a class for a day? Is that what happens and how often does it happen?

Over the years I have spoken to people teaching with the ETBs on contracts of indefinite duration. There seems to be a practice of not giving people enough hours to make them permanent. They find it very frustrating and it is driving them out of the profession. I am not sure if that is the witnesses' experience, but it has certainly been raised with me.

For those with limited hours particularly at second level who are asked to travel between schools, little consideration is given to the time spent on the road travelling between schools.

I concur with many of the other points made and will not rehearse them. We have talked about our teachers going abroad, but obviously there are teachers coming here from other countries. Is there an issue with recognition of teaching qualifications of teachers from other countries who may be working in other types of work who could possibly teach here? I know some of them may not yet be fluent in Irish, but some of them may well be.