Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)

Nor do I. It is important that we plan ahead. Will we, for example, have the land set aside and the buildings in place? If those structures are in place, the most important question will be whether sufficient teachers will be available. The teachers' unions have suggested approximately 280 teachers per annum will be required, while they also have expressed concern about the number of teachers leaving the system. The major concern underlying this point pertains to the difference in salary scale for new teachers entering the profession and whether anything can be done in the future about the unfairness of a really low income being set for many such new teachers. Moreover, many of them are not young students emerging from college. Many have mortgages, children and everything else but have a love of the idea of teaching and so on. Such individuals must be supported and the best people encouraged to enter the profession. Does the Minister agree that it is about putting in place the resources required in this regard?

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