Ms Andrea Feeney:

Money is one of the issues, and we have certainly addressed it. The year 2021 was the first year that we got the Covid-related extraordinary payments that have now been retained for 2023. Prior to that, we were quite disempowered in our examiner supply recruitment efforts because pay was a constant issue. With the increases, it is clear that money is one factor. We do need to bear in mind the Covid context and the fact that people went on holidays this year. We hope there will be some improvement in that situation for next year. We must look at all the issues you mentioned, Chair, such as childcare, the fact that teachers have young families and that they have made a lifestyle choice and a career choice that is compatible with their family responsibilities. We must look at the range of factors with the stakeholders and see how we can strike a balance so that the time demand for teachers getting involved is perhaps reduced so that there are more teachers doing this for a shorter period of time. That is the objective that we have. We want it to become a beneficial experience as well as one which increases their earning power. With the increases in the script rate, the earnings can be significant. I appreciate the tax issue that arises, but the earnings can be significant for individual teachers if we can balance the time that is required for teachers involved in the work.