Mary Moran (Labour) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy McGinley, to the House and thank him for taking the debate on behalf of the Minister for Education and Skills, Deputy Quinn. I have asked for this matter to be taken on the Adjournment to ask the Minister about the ongoing issue of retired teachers being re-employed in schools, often as substitute teachers or on a part-time basis. I have also asked him to address the issue of retired teachers being employed by the State Examinations Commission to act as examiners in practical subjects and to supervise the State exams.

Figures released in 2012 revealed that 1,311 retired teachers were employed as supervisors in the State exams while only 726 non-permanent teachers were hired. Since coming into Government, I understand that the Minister has committed with the Government to ensuring that unemployed and newly qualified teachers should be employed in schools where possible. I am extremely disappointed that the figures released this year, however, reveal again that more than 1,000 retired teachers were employed to supervise the State examinations. Of the 4,861 superintendents hired this year, almost 25%, or 1,049, were retired teachers, while just 250 unemployed teachers were hired. These figures are worrying given that last year 3,365 people graduated as teachers. I have inquired about these statistics before and been assured that newly qualified and unemployed teachers were prioritised this year. However, I meet constantly with newly qualified teachers who have been unsuccessful in securing positions as superintendents. I requested information as late as May 2013 on the number of retired teachers being employed as superintendents and am disappointed that I have yet to receive a formal reply. I would be grateful if the Minister of State would communicate my concerns to the Minister, Deputy Quinn, to ensure that I get a response. Meanwhile, I have read about the figures in the media and am disappointed not to have been supplied with them directly.

The TextaSub service which links schools to substitute teachers and can aid unemployed teachers in finding substitute positions is welcome, but it does not solve the problem. For example, in my home county of Louth, just nine teachers are registered for the service. As a former teacher and someone who is in communication with teachers in my home town, I am aware of the fact that there are many more than nine teachers in Louth who are seeking teaching positions. Often, an unemployed teacher must move to a more urban area to seek any kind of employment. They may not be living in the county and therefore cannot register for the service. Every day, I am contacted by newly qualified and unemployed teachers who are desperate to find teaching employment. They are graduates with excellent qualifications and skills, often past pupils who would make fantastic teachers and inject into their schools new ideas and teaching methods. However, they are disillusioned to discover that even substitute cover is often offered to retired teachers. I do not blame the Minister for this. He has made progressive remarks and tried to counteract the trend. The problem lies with certain schools which have a habit of employing retired teachers.

I had a worrying conversation with a former teacher recently. He informed me quite proudly that he had been employed constantly to provide maternity cover and substitute teaching since his retirement. I was informed recently of a teacher who was retiring this year. The teacher in fact retired last year and was obviously taken back by the school on a part-time basis. I find this extremely frustrating when we have newly qualified young graduates who do not want to leave the country. They want to stay and give something back through their education and skills.

Further examples of retired principals and deputy principals being employed to provide substitute cover or being employed as exam supervisors have been relayed to me by disillusioned graduates and the parents of graduates who have invested hard-earned money, energy and commitment to see children graduate as qualified teachers. I ask the Minister of State to consider taking further measures to ensure newly qualified teachers and unemployed teachers are prioritised. Schools have major autonomy in employing part-time and substitute teachers, as they do in the area of voluntary contributions and uniforms, which is another debate. Perhaps the Minister of State can relay to the Minister the suggestion that we create a system whereby the Department decides who will provide substitute cover, illness cover and maternity cover in order to ensure a more fair and equitable system will be provided for all.