Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply. A sense of urgency and an acceptance that this is a problem is required. It is a disturbing issue for school principals and management. It is especially difficult if a number of teachers become sick or if, in the longer term, a number of staff become pregnant and require maternity leave. The INTO has been looking for a national and regional supply panel. Such a facility would have to operate regionally with the use of social media or some other information technology-based contact base. It is possible to have a rapid flow of information to and from school principals to the panel in their area. The problem is especially acute in smaller schools where there is a teaching principal, as opposed to an administrative principal in a larger school where that principal does not have to teach as well.

There are real problems in such schools if one or more of the teachers is missing. While it can be exciting for kids for a day or two when two classes are put together, the kind of uncertainty this generates is not great from an educational planning perspective. In fact, it can be a sign of the total absence of planning. I appreciate that the Minister is in the hands of the Teaching Council to some extent. I am disappointed by the slow development of the final report which the Minister has said he expects "to be published in due course". Would it be possible to put a timeframe on this? The Minister is famous for action plans. As we approach Christmas, can we have an action plan that will see regional and supply panels established by the end of January? It is not a difficult principle. I expect the Minister to respond to it positively.

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