INTO responds to reports that the Steering Group is advocating solutions to the supply crisis without adequate consultation

INTO challenges exclusion from Department of Education Steering Group on education supply

Responding to today’s reports in the press that the Department of Education’s Steering Group is now considering solutions to respond to the growing supply teacher crisis, INTO challenges its exclusion from these discussions.

A central theme of INTO’s’ work ahead of this years’ Budget has been to highlight the supply teaching crisis in this country. INTO have advocated the return to supply teaching panels which provide both security of tenure for supply teachers, ensuring they can earn a decent wage, and provide a steady stream of qualified teachers to meet the needs of schools.

Schools cannot get cover for teacher absence and the restoration of teacher supply panels ensures that children receive tuition from a qualified teacher each school day. There is minimal cost to supply panels as substitute teachers are already employer where available.

Sheila Nunan, INTO General Secretary said, “INTO have been frustrated at every turn as we have sought to meet with this steering group which seeks to decide the future of primary school teachers in this country. As the chief representative of this body of teachers, it is outrageous that we should be excluded from these discussions and have our numerous requests for a bilateral meeting with the group ignored.

Thorough, comprehensive and representative consultation must be a key ingredient in any substantive policy proposal that stands to impact our members. INTO are demanding an urgent meeting with the Minister to discuss these proposals in detail.”