Alan Kelly (Tipperary, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The Minister has not answered the question of why so many young principals are resigning from their jobs. It has to be a concern for the Minister. Will the Minister please update the guidance for principals, which has not been updated since 1975? I am sure people will be shocked when the Minister outlines what their full role is. A survey by the Irish Primary Principals Network showed that 89% of principals felt their mental health has been affected by the amount of work they have to do and 84% said they are considering stepping aside from their job. I have a very good friend who went to school with me, has been working in a local school but has resigned from her job. She does not have any rights. Will the Minister address this situation in order that principals who choose to go back into the classroom, because of the volume of work, have some rights, given the amount of time they have given?

The Minister also is not dealing with issues of pay parity. Pay equality across all areas for teachers is required. Commitments with regard to pay parity that were given to principals in 2007 should be addressed. We need to look at the issue of the restoration of posts across the board in the primary sector. My wife is a teacher. Posts were suppressed and they need to be brought back in to help principals. We need to understand why there has been a change on the appointment figure needed to get a mainstream teacher back. Why is it higher than to retain a teacher? It does not make sense. We need an immediate increase in the ancillary grant allowed for secretarial staff, caretakers and cleaning staff. Once and for all, will the Minister help those teaching principals who work in small schools? A friend of mine who sat beside me in primary school is a brilliant teacher and a brilliant principal. His name is John. They deserve a day off a week to deal with what I have already outlined. There are 84 circulars. To be a working principal in a three-teacher, four-teacher or five-teacher school and to deal with this at the same time is impossible. Is it any wonder that principals are resigning from their posts? They want to stay teaching but they did not sign up to do this amount of work. It is inconceivable to do the work. They do not get paid well enough. They cannot do it. Will the Minister please deal with that issue as well?

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