Mr. Ger Curtin:

The Chairman referred to the "apparent" shortage of qualified substitute teachers. Where we come from, it is not an apparent but an actual shortage. According to school managements and the State Examinations Commission, it is difficult to recruit people to handle oral and practical examinations, for example. The main reason is that schools cannot find substitute teachers to cover for those teachers while they are out. This is a real problem and the evidence cannot be doubted. Schools cannot afford to release teachers because of the shortage of substitutes.

Recruitment is, undoubtedly, an issue. A major reason is the unequal pay scales. It has gone on for too long. The system has been in operation since 2011 and is restrictive. Quite a number of young people who are qualifying as teachers are choosing not to work in the State because of the unequal pay scales. Casualisation is also an issue. Reference is made continually to young teachers starting on a salary of €36,000. That is grand if teachers are on full hours, but many of our new teachers are on fewer hours. Recruitment agencies go to colleges to recruit the best young teachers who then move abroad where they can be on full salaries and full hours. This is causing a serious problem. The level of casualisation is unbelievable. If a young teacher qualifies at the age of 24 years, he or she will only reach the top of the salary scale at the age of 51 years. That is outrageous and impossible.

The volume of reform and work is also an issue for younger teachers entering the profession. The work overload, the intensity of that work and the austerity measures are starting to pile up.

A lack of promotional posts is another issue. Teachers see a way in and a 27-point salary scale, but they do not see an opportunity to be promoted until they are well into their teaching careers. It is a pity that budget 2018 did not follow through on budget 2017 in that regard.

A supplementary panel needs to be implemented as quickly as possible, as recommended in the Ward report.

There is another model of shared employment for teachers in different schools, particularly in specialist minority subject areas such as physics or chemistry in which there may not be a full workload for a teacher in a single school. There is scope for that teacher to be shared. This model has worked in ETBI schools.

Regarding the hours culture and casualisation, teachers need a living wage. Why not give them a guaranteed number of hours per week?

Retention is emerging as a serious issue.

Unfortunately, I hear too many teachers use the expression, "I cannot wait to get out". The recruitment of retired teachers to take up teaching positions in specialist subject areas has been proposed. Why would teachers return to the education system when they cannot wait to get out of it? The other problem with bringing retired teachers back into the system is that doing so-----