Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Minister for his reply but I am not any the wiser. Is he going to establish a standing group? He said he had just published this report but it has been available for some time. Does he propose to accept the recommendation in the report on the establishment of a standing group? The report references what is required in primary education. There would seem to be a very broad consensus around that. It also suggests approaches in regard to secondary education and teacher supply.

With respect to secondary education, can the Minister indicate how many extra teachers at primary and secondary levels he proposes will be employed next year to meet the growing population of the country? A bad practice has developed at secondary level - not primary level - that should be ended. There has been a practice in some schools of splitting full-time jobs where two or more teachers end up getting bits of jobs and only a relatively small number of hours. That is very unfair to many people entering the teaching profession. Does the Minister propose to do anything about that?

See this speech in context