Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

There is undoubtedly a high demand for training places in third level colleges, and that is reflected in the numbers of young people who want to enter the teaching profession. We must ensure we retain those people in the country and that teaching is the sort of profession they want to stay in and perform well in. Our education system will be much better off as a result.

We saw the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform outline what he hoped to achieve in the allowances system and he then came back with 1% of his original target. The Government is targeting recruits who are not in a position to defend themselves because in most cases they have not yet been employed. As a result, a two-tier system is emerging. The Minister claims this system is a result of the Croke Park agreement. Does he believe that in the negotiations currently under way it will be possible to achieve a system with greater equity so new teachers do not take the hit and we can retain those who want to become teachers?

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