Emer Currie (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank Senator O'Sullivan. That is a hard one to follow.

I wish to raise Circular 0050/2021 on teacher substitution. We need to take the word of principals on this issue. There has been a chronic crisis regarding substitute teachers, or a chronic shortage of them, over the past few years, not just as a result of the pandemic. I have spoken to principals about this, and the panel system is a really good initiative but is effective only for well-flagged and planned absences. In Dublin West, the substitutes are booked up until January 2022, I am told, and it is impossible to find a substitute teacher at short notice for a day or two. Most schools I spoke to said their own lists of subs had been exhausted and that the people on them are in longer term contracts with schools to cover absences. The schools are not getting any response from the text-a-sub service or the national sub service. The demand for substitution is not diminishing. To take just one 32-classroom school in my area, last week eight teachers were absent, with no teachers coming from the panel. The school managed to get three subs and the principal lost a weekend trying to find replacements. At another school, there were 17 teacher absences. The school was able to secure two substitutes, neither through the panel. Another school has needed a sub on 19 occasions. Schools are pulling subs from everywhere they possibly can, whether through special education teachers, SNAs, early years educators or the principals themselves. It is not just about the special education teachers; it is about schools just trying to stay open. That is not sustainable and not good for continuous professional development.

I think the teachers are quite upset about this because the Department is aware of the issue and these schools fight for special education day in and day out and for resources for their schools. They would not do anything to compromise special education. They are in this position because they have no choice at the moment. I welcome what has been said about looking at the teacher supply action plan and teacher colleges, but we need a realistic and an empathetic plan.