Fiona O'Loughlin (Kildare South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I will make a few comments before I revert to members. I apologise to Mr. Paul Byrne who had his hand up but I did not see it. I am glad Deputy Martin asked a question of him because I would have gone back to him anyway. Further, if anyone has any further comments to make in writing, please send them to the clerk and they will be circulated to the committee. We will be having another hearing on this issue and cannot make recommendations until we have finished it but we are interested in hearing further from the witnesses.

I thank the witnesses for their written submissions, opening statements and clear and practical recommendations. That is essential because there is a short-term problem and a long-term problem. There is no doubt that the figures speak for themselves and, without a shadow of a doubt, we have reached crisis stage at this point in time. Although we will have another meeting, I suggest that we write to the Department in the meantime and ask why there was a delay in the implementation of the report. We will also ask the Minister and his officials to attend our next meeting. At the end of the day, the buck stops with the Minister and those in his Department and we must be able to ask the Minister the hard questions. We will discuss that further at another time.

It is shocking to think that the country spends so much money training our teachers and ensuring they get a top class education and then more or less encourage them to go abroad to take up positions. I recently met a young couple who had been teaching in a secondary school in my town of Newbridge. They went abroad last September purely to try to make money to be able to buy a house. They came home at Christmas time to get married and have now gone back. We are exporting our brightest young people. Both of those are fantastic teachers. I have seen them in the classroom setting and know the extra gifts they brought to their school community. We, the Department and the Minister have to deal with this. Young people cannot be blamed for going away to raise money. Given the problems with pay parity, escalating rent costs and how lucky people are to be able to get a mortgage, it is very difficult for them and their situations must be dealt with. Everyone has mentioned the pay equity issue, which is hugely important, and the witnesses' evidence speaks volumes.

Deputy Martin raised the issue of teachers who want to come back from abroad re-registering with the Teaching Council. I am aware of new teachers who had been offered roles but had problems completing their registration and could not take up the positions as a result. It seemed to be a big problem for those who were coming to me and I have no doubt other people experienced the same situation. Mr. Ó Ruairc might address the issue.

I call Mr. Byrne.