Catherine Martin (Dublin Rathdown, Green Party) | Oireachtas source

Mr. Ó Ruairc mentioned in his presentation that 100,000 are on the register. How many of those 100,000 are teaching in schools today? For those who have left and wish to come back, I know the one dread in a teacher's life is if he or she has missed the deadline to renew his or her registration. It is quite laborious. Thankfully, it never happened to me but I saw what teachers had to fill out, the transcripts, etc. Would there be any sort of leeway, if a teacher was on sick leave or wanted to come back having emigrated, to make it easier so that the teacher would not have to face the incredible amount of documentation that has to be gathered if he or she is considering returning to the teaching profession in Ireland? I forgot to ask Mr. Paul Byrne a question on jobsharing. Teachers feel frustration about it and it might be a disincentive to staying.

When teachers apply for job-sharing and it is granted by the school, often it is so that they can spend time with their children or some other personal reason. They might say that they need perhaps three afternoons off so that they can pick up their child after work. School A has no problem with allowing for it in the timetable but school B will say that the teacher is on every afternoon for the year. The principal says the timetable threw it up and that it was outside his or her control. Is there a standardised system that could be given to principals and deputy principals? I know some teachers who are considering leaving the profession or taking early retirement because their request was not granted and they perceive an injustice as other schools seem to be able to handle it no problem.

Gabhaim míle buíochas as an gcur i láthair faoin nGaeilge inniu. Mar a dúirt mé níos luaithe, tá fonn ar an Aire tosaíocht a thabhairt do mhúinteoirí STEM. Cén tionchar a bheadh ar a leithéid de ghníomh ar na Gaelscoileanna?