Richard Boyd Barrett: School barred from hiring substitutes
Richard Boyd Barrett raised teacher shortages at Gail Skulphorek school in Lachlanstown and criticised a departmental ban on using substitute or retired teachers to cover vacancies. He argued the school must be allowed interim hires while it recruits permanent staff.
Gail Skulphorek in Lachlanstown has spent about 20 years in temporary accommodation and now faces a pressing shortage of teachers. Although additional full-time posts have been sanctioned, the school has been unable to recruit staff, a problem linked to the broader accommodation crisis affecting recruitment.
Deputy Boyd Barrett said the department will not permit the school to engage substitute teachers or retired teachers on an interim basis. He described that restriction as lacking basic common sense and said the school should be allowed to fill gaps until full-time teachers are recruited.
The shortage is creating stress for the principal and staff as they try to fill vacancies and maintain school operations. Deputies in the speaker's office reported that recruiting full-time teachers has been impeded, leaving the school short-handed despite sanctioned posts.
The Tánaiste acknowledged progress on the school's building needs while accepting the point that a school needs teachers. The Tánaiste said they would ask the minister to look directly at whether temporary solutions - including higher use of substitutes and retired teachers - should be permitted to address the staffing gap.
Immediate issue
Gail Skulphorek in Lachlanstown has spent about 20 years in temporary accommodation and now faces a pressing shortage of teachers. Although additional full-time posts have been sanctioned, the school has been unable to recruit staff, a problem linked to the broader accommodation crisis affecting recruitment.
Departmental prohibition on interim hires
Deputy Boyd Barrett said the department will not permit the school to engage substitute teachers or retired teachers on an interim basis. He described that restriction as lacking basic common sense and said the school should be allowed to fill gaps until full-time teachers are recruited.
Impact on school leadership and pupils
The shortage is creating stress for the principal and staff as they try to fill vacancies and maintain school operations. Deputies in the speaker's office reported that recruiting full-time teachers has been impeded, leaving the school short-handed despite sanctioned posts.
Government response and next steps
The Tánaiste acknowledged progress on the school's building needs while accepting the point that a school needs teachers. The Tánaiste said they would ask the minister to look directly at whether temporary solutions - including higher use of substitutes and retired teachers - should be permitted to address the staffing gap.
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Transcript
Tawnistay. I nearly said Taoiseach there. Gail Skulphorek in Lachlanstown in my area has had a lot to put up with. They've been waiting 20 years in temporary accommodation to get into their new and permanent location, which is bad enough. Talking to them this week, my colleagues in my office, were saying their big problem now is just getting teachers. While they have sanctioned for additional full-time posts, they can't get anybody because of the accommodation crisis and so on. But they are prohibited, it appears, which I didn't know, they're prohibited from getting, on an interim basis, substitute teachers or retired teachers to try and fill in the gaps while they try and recruit full-time posts. The department won't let them do this. That seems to me just lacking basic common sense. They should be allowed to fill the gaps in order to provide teachers until they get full-time people who are willing to take on jobs. Time's up. Tawnistay. Thank you very much. Thank you to Deputy Boyd Barrett. I'm pleased to hear that Gail Skulphorek is making progress in terms of its building needs. But I take the point that a school needs teachers, obviously, in terms of it's a pretty vital component of any school. And I can imagine the stress that it's causing for the principal and others there trying to fill those vacancies. I'll ask Minister McEntee to look directly at the issue you've raised on behalf of the school in terms of is there a temporary solution in terms of being allowed higher substitutes and retired teachers and should revert to it. Thank you, Tony.