Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

Those who are elected to represent teachers should be allowed to do so. None of us should purport to speak authoritatively for people in a casual way and state we know many of them.

One of the issues which has given rise to most annoyance among people is that of teachers retiring and then returning to work as substitutes. The Minister for Education and Skills is very keen that this should be avoided. Sometimes there are exigencies which come into play such as the fact that a former teacher lives close to a school where someone is out sick. This is a matter we must address.

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