Plan to prevent retired teachers taking sub work

SCHOOLS face tough laws preventing them from giving work to retired teachers as it has emerged that more than 1,200 pensioners have been brought into classes as substitutes, instead of unemployed graduates, since September.

More than 140 former teachers have worked at least 50 days in second-level schools — they are among 300-plus former teachers used as substitutes in the current school year.

At primary level, 69 retirees have been employed for 40 days or more, out of nearly 1,000 who have so far been paid for subbing since September .

Education Minister Ruairi Quinn plans to make it impossible except in limited circumstances for schools to rely on them. He said it is a grave offence that people with good pensions are being given work when there are so many teachers unemployed.

While he accepts there may be no alternative if a school has to get somebody at short notice to cover an absence, he plans legislation to ensure retired teachers are not used except in such circumstances.

“I’m going to take steps to discourage the practice whereby retired teachers are subbing and filling the spaces or doing hours that could be properly and usefully allocated to young, recently qualified teachers who have to earn a living,” he said. “They need both the money and the time in the classroom in order to advance their own careers, I think that’s just natural justice,” he said.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation said it has consistently urged schools to ensure preference be given to out-of-work teachers over those who are unqualified or retired.

But, it said, the Department of Education must set up a panel of teachers to help schools match vacancies with those seeking work.

The minister said the sourcing of substitute teachers for primary and second-level schools should be part of the expanded role of Vocational Education Committees (VECs), under laws he plans to publish and enact this year, which will reduce the number of VECs from 33 to 16.

With thousands of recently qualified teachers desperate for short-term or substitute work, teacher unemployment is high on the agenda of their unions whose annual conferences begin today and tomorrow.

Mr Quinn will tell delegates in Sligo, Cork and Tralee the unions are complying with reforms required under the Croke Park agreement.

But he will also make clear he has no budget to reverse staffing and other cuts announced by the last government for the next school year.