Brian Hayes (Fine Gael)

I am a great believer in practising what I preach and I live in my constituency. The Minister is welcome to come and knock on my door any time he wants.

The issue of financial incentives is important. They are provided throughout the country. A teacher teaching in a Gaeltacht area gets a cash bonus in salary. I have always argued that teachers teaching in deprived communities should also get a cash bonus, because the problems with which they must cope are more difficult than those in an average school.