More than a fifth of primary teachers who graduated from Trinity College Dublin this summer have indicated they are unable to secure regular full-time work, according to a new survey. John Downes reports.
The survey also shows that more than 10 per cent of postgraduate diploma teachers leaving Mary Immaculate College Limerick also describe themselves as being without work.
The survey appear at odds with an assertion this month by the Minister for Education, Ms Hanafin, that the State's teaching institutions are not producing enough teachers to enable the Government meet targets on class sizes.
The survey was compiled by the Marino Institute of Education, Froebel College of Education in Blackrock and the Church of Ireland College of Education in Rathmines
Students spend their first three years at these colleges, and can choose to complete a four-year honours Bachelor of Education course part-time in Trinity College. However, they are fully qualified to teach after three years.
Out of 128 responses to a questionnaire last month to 160 students proceeding to fourth year, 39 said they had secured permanent employment. A further 60 said they were employed in some form of temporary substitution work. However 24 of the respondents were doing short-term substitute work, which can involve moving between schools on a day-to-day or weekly basis.
Two others stated they were actively seeking work but had failed to find such work, while three stated they were engaged in activities other than teaching.
While figures for the country's other major teacher training college, St Patrick's College, Drumcondra, are not available, its students union president, Mr Ciaran Cunniffe, said a significant number of students from its undergraduate course were also experiencing problems finding regular work.
Earlier this week Ms Hanafin revealed that only 4 per cent of graduates from Mary Immaculate College described themselves as being without work. However this referred only to the 376 undergraduate students at the college. A further 11 per cent of its 122 graduate diploma students have said they are still seeking employment.
And it is understood some of those who said they had found temporary teaching or substitute posts might also only be working on a weekly or daily basis.