Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)

Is it not the issue that teachers in permanent teaching positions within our schools would have considerable fear about taking a case such as the Minister has described because of their positions and their leadership roles within their communities? There is an unwritten cultural acceptance of such discrimination within our school framework. My question, which I repeat, is whether the Minister will engage with the teaching unions on this issue. While a small group of teachers had the courage to put on record their concerns about this section of the Act at the teacher conferences, I presume they represent a much wider group within the teaching profession.

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