Thousands of schoolchildren are being taught by people without any recognised teaching qualification because of the serious shortage of primary teachers.
The Department of Education has confirmed to The Irish Times that at least 1,200 unqualified teachers are now working within the primary sector. Schools have no option but to employ these teachers because the Department underestimated the demand for qualified personnel.
Over the past week, many principals have been trying desperately to recruit additional staff. Principals in Dublin face the greatest difficulty filling posts because of high accommodation costs.
Many principals would like to employ experienced teachers from Northern Ireland, Britain and elsewhere, but the Irish language requirement for all primary teachers makes it difficult to offer attractive employment.
Until they have passed the Irish language exam known as Scrudu Cailiochhtasa Ghaeilge, such teachers can only gain temporary recognition at the lowest point of the salary scale. They must also complete extensive Irish language studies in the Gaeltacht in preparation for oral exams.
Except in the case of special schools, experienced teachers from the US, Australia and other non-EU states cannot gain recognition for their skills within the Irish system.
The Department has confirmed that 700 people are teaching primary pupils full-time without any teaching qualifications. It says a further 500 to 700 substitute teachers, who are employed to cover for absent teachers, are also unqualified. There are virtually no trained primary teachers available for substitute work.
Unqualified teachers are paid a lower salary and, in some cases, only have their Leaving Certificate. Others have professional qualifications but have not attended a teacher-training college.
Yesterday, the general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation (INTO), Senator Joe O'Toole, said there would be outrage if children were being treated by unqualified personnel in hospitals. "Why then does the Department of Education continue to accept the fact that a significant number of our primary children are being taught by people with no educational qualifications?"
The teaching of Irish accounts for about 20 per cent of all teaching time in primary schools. The Department of Education says it has an obligation to ensure all teachers are properly qualified in the language because of its central role in Irish culture.
The INTO view that there are many experienced teachers outside of the Republic who want to teach here is disputed by the Department. "There is no evidence to suggest large number of these people are queuing up," a spokeswoman said.
The INTO maintains there should be unrestricted access for teachers from Northern Ireland. In recent months, the Department has signalled it might consider new arrangements where one Irish teacher would teach several primary school classes. This would improve access to primary teaching for those without the full Irish language qualification.
The shortage of qualified teachers is expected to persist for several years. The Government has doubled the number of primary teacher-training places in the past year, and the teacher-training colleges have a full enrolment, but it will be some years before these initiatives pay dividends.