Mr. Damian White:

I think it is. In order to have a walking vice principal or deputy principal, there has to be 24 teachers. That threshold is way too high. One is dealing with a huge number of people, across a great range of ages, a great deal of socioeconomic backgrounds and with all the issues that have been outlined. This is an area where we fall down. That threshold should move. I agree with the Chair 100%. This is an area where we probably clash with our second level colleagues, where they have certain advantages over us. The Chair mentioned a fortnight. If he had a month, I could fill them in on some of the others.

I would agree with the Chair and echo his comments on St. Aidan’s Primary School, Enniscorthy, and on Mr. Frank Murphy. It is a fantastic school and one of the biggest in the country. A school like that should be adequately catered for, by way of having staff available to deal with these issues, outside of class time.