Maureen O'Sullivan (Dublin Central, Independent)

I am very struck by what this Bill set out to do, namely, to facilitate reform within the education sector, enhance service delivery and achieve cost savings. A note I would make is that there is always a danger of throwing the baby out with the bath water. By that, I refer to introducing change for the sake of it and trying to reform something that does not need reform.

On the issue of achieving cost savings, I suggested to the Minister last week or the week previously how to recoup €5 million or €6 million from the loan the previous Government made to the Teaching Council. I am sure the Minister has the wherewithal and the means to recoup those moneys, which could be put to much better use. I also suggest there was an appalling waste of money involved in the supervision and substitution scheme. Astronomical amounts of money went into that scheme, which was instituted by the previous Government. This scheme was introduced at a time when many schools had systems in place to deal with teacher absence, whether as a result of illness or due to taking classes to an event. I and most teachers believed there were far simpler solutions at a fraction of the cost. The basic principle of the scheme was that a teacher signed up for it and was available to supervise. There were times I was available to supervise, but was not needed. However, I was still paid. The inordinate bureaucracy the scheme placed on schools was also appalling. Prior to the scheme, the school I taught in had a very good system to cover absence. Every period was covered and much of the coverage was done voluntarily, such was the goodwill among the staff.

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