Over 12,000 teachers calling in sick Mondays and Fridays

An average of 12,500 teachers across the state pull 'sickies' on every Monday and Friday, an Oireachtas Committee heard today.

Education Minister Batt O’Keeffe insisted he had to save €28m in 2009 on the cost of hiring substitute teachers to replace teaching staff – a controversial issue in last month’s Budget.

The TD also claimed that the average figures for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday for uncertified sick leave in primary and secondary schools was more than 11,000.

Mr O’Keeffe accused teachers’ unions of scaremongering by making references to ’Armageddon’ within the education sector.

Appealing directly to the unions, he said: “We’re in dire straits financially. We need flexibility. Until we come to the period when the economy comes back, we need co-operation and support.”

He added: “I need to cut €28m off substitution costs in 2009. That is a target I have to achieve.”

Former Government TD Joe Behan, who quit Fianna Fáil over controversial Budget measures on medical cards for over-70s, claimed the Cabinet got it wrong by deciding to cut education funding.

“The Government made a very serious mistake by not prioritising the education needs of young people,” he told the Oireachtas Education Committee.

“The Government was wrong not to see that the future economic development was dependent on the education system.”

Fianna Fáil TD Margaret Conlon said it was grossly unfair and inequitable that some schools were allowed to exclude students with special education needs.

Mr O’Keeffe said €1bn of his department’s €9.6bn education budget is allocated across services for special needs.

In 2009, the Department of Education will be spending €369m on post-primary schools and €212m in the primary sector.

Mr O’Keeffe said he aimed to complete 26 major school-building projects that will deliver 7,000 schools places.

Construction will also begin on more than 60 projects at primary and second level on a phased basis.

Despite the challenges in the education sector, Mr O’Keeffe said it was vital that the right people continue to be attracted into the profession.

He added: “The teaching profession in Ireland is highly regarded. It is also important that we provide them with professional development opportunities that they need to be effective educators.”