Mr. Páiric Clerkin:

I thank Deputy Dempsey for raising the issue of teaching principals. It is a topic of great concern to the Irish Primary Principals Network. There is ongoing work in respect of putting better supports in place for those who find themselves in that position. Very good work is happening through the small schools research project. A number of pilot projects have been supported by different organisations such as ourselves, the INTO and the CPSMA, whereby an administrator is being provided to support schools in those positions. That is obviously a pilot project. We want to see that being upscaled. Those sorts of supports will be of great benefit to the system into the future to ensure those teaching principals can focus on leading teaching and learning. All the research we have produced recently shows the greatest concern is that these leaders of teaching and learning are being distracted and taken away from their core purpose, which is to lead teaching and learning, to basically focus very much on administration. There is also a pilot project about to start in September for larger schools and we are working with our colleagues in the NAPD in this regard. Again, they are really important supports. Apologies; I have only addressed one of the questions.