Michael Colreavy (Sligo-North Leitrim, Sinn Fein)

The Education (Amendment) Bill provides for several important changes to the Education Act 1998 and the Teaching Council Act 2001. Notably, it aims to ensure that all teachers in schools are registered with the Teaching Council and are fully qualified and suitable for the essential role they are expected to play in the education of our children. Any improvement that can be made to existing legislation which ensures teaching personnel are of the highest professional standard is to be welcomed. It is vital that the well-being of children being taught in Irish classrooms is a top priority for the Government and society. Yesterday evening, our party spokesperson on education matters, Deputy Seán Crowe, gave our party's considered response to the Bill. He outlined what we deem to be good and he identified areas where we believes changes might be needed and what those changes might be. I do not propose to repeat the points made by Deputy Crowe.

There is something altogether wrong when the child population is increasing while newly qualified teachers must emigrate. This makes no sense to me. It is unfair and discriminatory that newly qualified teachers, including those with the highest qualifications, should be paid considerably less than their peers already working in the system. Inevitably, this will lead to a worsening of morale among staff throughout the school system. This change should be reversed immediately.

The Minister will forgive me for being parochial. I will seek to ensure that the public pledge given by the Minister of State, Deputy John Perry, to the effect that no rural schools in Sligo Leitrim North will close under his watch, will be honoured in full and I will watch that space closely.

See this speech in context