Ms Mary Magner:

In the primary sector we certainly have issues with that. While we welcome the supply panels, there are some schools that are not covered, that are not having adequate substitution. We have identified that there may be an issue in Dublin and in the larger urban areas with getting substitutes for schools. As to the teething problems, the pandemic has certainly highlighted the large classes that we have to deal with and members are quite angry about it. It was practically impossible to realise social distancing in some schools where there was not adequate space. As such there was an immediate call to reduce class sizes in line with our European counterparts and our members are rightly angry and anxious that their health, safety and well-being and that of their pupils is being compromised by the larger class sizes in overcrowded classrooms around the country.