Mr. Seamus Mulconry:

I would like to make two points. People have spoken about the demographic bulge which is going through the education system. I think there is a belief in some quarters that we will allow demographics to deal with the issue of the lack of substitute teachers. The suggestion that in approximately two years time, this will not be as big a problem is not fair to vulnerable children now, or indeed to any pupil now. I do not think it is a policy or strategy we should adopt. My background is in strategy rather than in education. In strategy, one looks at the biggest threats to the system. We have a primary school system that is working, but principals are spending far too much time dealing with administration, raising funds and searching for substitute teachers. We need a strategy for primary education that deals with this. Every year, we have an avalanche of new initiatives coming out. Teachers do not have the time to take them in. The system needs to be de-stressed a little bit. We need a strategic plan that rolls out in a way the system can absorb. If we do not provide for such a plan, we risk the integrity of the primary school system. If it crashes, or if we have a revolt when teachers and principals say "enough is enough", we really will have a problem. Substitution is an example and an indicator. We need to tackle it to take some of the pressure off the people working in the system.