Up to 200 principals will meet in Tralee this Thursday and Friday. The fifth annual conference of the Secondary School Principals Association of Ireland (SSPAI) will debate up to 16 motions on issues including principals' conditions, funding, posts of responsibility, public exams and chaplains. One of the issues of greatest concern is the poor provision of ancillary staff in schools. According to the principals, schools cannot operate effectively "without a minimum of one full-time caretaker and at least half a secretary equivalent for the smallest schools."

The SSPAI says the redeployment scheme for teachers in the voluntary second-level sector is not working. They point to a surplus of teachers in many schools which is expected to increase dramatically over the next 10 years. SSPAI is calling on the Government to convert this massive pool of talent and energy into much-needed services in schools.