Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I want to be very clear. No single measure is sufficient of itself to meet the challenges that are particularly acute in some areas. I have referenced the fact that those who are on secondment, in particular those who are on secondment to the professional development service for teachers, PDST, will be released and made available.

That is an important measure. It is important to say also that a number of measures have been announced in the last while and these are additional measures that are being announced today.

The Deputy referenced the substitution panel, which I also referenced. We now have full-time opportunities for teachers to make themselves available for emergency cover in schools. These panels have been expanded. Prior to this Government being formed, there were six of those panels in the country and there are now more than 400 of them, and we continue to keep that under review and to provide additionality, with more than 680 teachers being made available as well. There are also other measures in terms of teachers on supply panels completing Droichead in order to assist with the recruitment of teachers and, in the context of the pandemic, the Teaching Council has confirmed that teachers who secure posts on supply panels will also be eligible to complete Droichead.

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