Richard Bruton rejects teacher supply panels

The recruitment of teachers to cover substitution needs is expensive and ineffective, Richard Bruton says.

The education minister was responding to the proposal to re-establish supply panels, under which teachers are employed to be available to local primary schools to cover illness or other short-term absences.

The suggestion came from primary principals and teachers, who rejected Bruton’s idea that curbing of career breaks would solve a crisis in shorter-term substitutions.