Mark Ward (Dublin Mid West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

During the recess, both myself and my constituency colleague, Deputy Eoin Ó Broin, took on the task of writing to every school in Dublin Mid-West to request that we meet them. The purpose was to find out directly from the schools the challenges they face. We met representatives of approximately 25 schools. The schools have several common issues, one of which is the shortage of teachers. There is a problem in recruiting and retaining teachers throughout the State but it is particularly stark in Dublin. The cost of living in Dublin means it is unsustainable for teachers to work in our city and county. The Government’s disastrous record on housing has pushed house prices and rents through the roof. Figures released this week show that rents have increased by 82% in 12 years. It is no coincidence that Fine Gael has been in government and in charge of housing for those years. How can any profession maintain staffing levels while facing such pressures? School principals told me that they simply cannot attract teachers to work in Dublin as the cost of living is lower back home. Many teachers are returning to live as adults in their family home. Emigration is also attracting teachers. I refer to the remark of the outgoing Tánaiste or is he the incoming Taoiseach? I get lost with what is going on at the moment; it is like a weird version of Lanigan’s Ball - “I step out so he can step in again.” His remark that the grass is not greener flies in the face of teachers who are making informed decisions to emigrate to make a new life for themselves.

We have been inundated in my area with concerned parents contacting our offices worried they will not have a school place for their children in September. Years of underinvestment by successive governments have led to a crisis in our education system. Years of delays, extensions and new builds have not allowed schools to grow in line with the population growth in their surrounding area. Dublin Mid-West is one of the fastest-growing areas in Ireland and school places have not kept up with demand. Each school has its own enrolment policy that is independent, and rightly so, and overseen by its board of management. Some boards have told me they had to tighten their entry criteria as the demand simply outweighs supply. As with all aspects of society, be it housing, health, mental health, the Government has failed the people in education.

See this speech in context