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

I would like to make two short points. Mr. Mulconry summed up the strategy brilliantly. Principals are overstretched and under-resourced. We regularly hear young teachers saying they will never become principals. When they walk into the principal's office, they cannot see him or her because of all the paperwork.

Mr. Byrne mentioned that many teachers are saying "No" to oral examinations. Much of the training for examiners happens in late January or early February. Has a problem presented itself this year? Will there be a crisis for those examinations this year?

I am curious about the guarantee that every single substitute teacher has been vetted. I do not know how that can be guaranteed. Is there a procedure or a process whereby a principal does not allow a retired teacher back in?

I am not saying all of this to tackle the schools. I am just saying this could be a way to get around the Minister and encourage him to say there is an issue. In no way am I saying anything to tackle the schools on this issue. Is that what it will take, if the Minister feels there is not a guarantee on vetting. I want to clarify that that is the angle I am coming from. It is obvious that the issues of people working in an unequal system and equal pay for equal work are not a priority for the Minister. Do we have to approach the matter from a different angle? That is the only reason I raised the issue.