Minister for Education Norma Foley has pledged to restore middle management posts in primary and secondary schools which were lost due to austerity-era spending cuts.
It is estimated that schools have lost thousands of assistant principal posts since 2009 which unions say are vital to retaining teachers and tackling burnout.
Speaking at the annual conferences of the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) in Killarney and Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) in Wexford on Tuesday, Ms Foley said she was keen to advance these posts in upcoming budget talks, subject to available resources.
INTO general secretary John Boyle said the primary sector has suffered greatly due to the moratorium on promotions.
“The lack of opportunities for career progression is stifling and causing attrition, with many teachers emigrating to countries where they actually can progress in their careers,” he said. “The availability of promotional posts in larger schools would make working in such schools much more attractive, assist with succession planning, and help to retain teachers and principals who are stepping down due to burnout.”
He said teachers have been taking on additional work “for free” due to the moratorium, but this could not continue.
“Who do you think will co-ordinate special education, the action plan on bullying, the wellbeing programme, the digital strategy, the literacy and numeracy programme, the climate action mandate, the Stem [science, technology, engineering, maths] policy?” he said.
“Minister, if we do not have line of sight on the full restoration of these posts of responsibility by next autumn I will be here next year telling you about all of the schools who have no principals and no deputy principals because their leaders have thrown in their towels. It’s that serious.”
Ms Foley also told delegates that the Government will approach upcoming public sector pay talks in a “balanced and fair” way for workers and taxpayers. The current pay deal is due to expire at the end of this year. Talks on a successor deal are likely to begin over the summer.
Ms Foley told delegates that successive public pay deals have increased teacher pay and resolved the issue of lower pay scales for new entrants. “The Government is committed to the delivery of quality public services, and continues to approach public service pay in a balanced way that is reasonable and fair to both public servants and to the taxpayer.”
She added: “I know a new round of pay talks is on the horizon to succeed Building Momentum and it remains our best interests to work together to ensure a new agreement is in place.”
[ Salary for teachers’ union chief restored to almost €200,000Opens in new window ]
Responding to the Minister, Mr Boyle said a new pay deal must commit to “substantial salary increases early in 2024″. He said this must make up for previous losses and act as a buffer against inflation next spring.
“By recognising the contributions made by public servants who have continued to support fellow citizens through crisis after crisis, this gesture could pave the way for regular and respectable pay increases and industrial harmony in the next few years. Our members in the North and South deserve better. We are not prepared to accept the erosion of our living standards any longer.”
On the question of teacher supply, Ms Foley said her department has allocated additional posts to primary substitute supply panels, made it easier for student teachers to provide cover and expanded places in primary teaching college courses.
Mr Boyle, however, said these measures did not go far enough and the sector was short of at least 1,200 primary teaching posts. “The teacher shortage crisis is no mystery. It’s clearly about living standards, pay and conditions. Just ask those leaving Ireland or tuning in from overseas who won’t return anytime soon. You must act right now.”
He urged greater action to tackle housing, incentivise newly qualified teachers to work in rent-pressure areas and create the right conditions for teachers who would like to move to high-population areas.
He said the Teaching Council needed to step up too and make it easier for those who qualify outside the State to register here. “Until the supply crisis ends teachers who qualify abroad and those serving clusters of principals’ release days or working on supply panels should be permitted to complete Droichead [an induction programme].”
