Survey find 80% of schools struggle to recruit teachers 

TUI is calling for an acceleration of the process of pay equalisation for those who began employment in 2011.

Four in five schools had no applications for advertised teaching posts, according to a survey of more than 100 second-level schools.

Carried out by the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI), the results show the teacher recruitment and retention crisis is worsening across the country.

TUI is, as a result, calling for an acceleration of the process of pay equalisation for those who began employment in 2011.

It also wants to see a return to teachers being employed on permanent contracts of full hours upon initial appointment and the restoration of middle-management posts.

The TUI says rental costs and the lack of availability of property, particularly in urban areas, are now having a significant impact on the crisis.

Key findings of the survey of principals and deputy principals in 109 second-level schools include the fact that 98% of schools experienced teacher recruitment difficulties in the previous six months and 66% of schools surveyed experienced teacher retention difficulties.

In addition, 75% of schools advertised positions in the previous six months for which no teacher applied and 72% of schools have unfilled vacancies due to recruitment and retention difficulties.

And 75% said recruitment and retention difficulties have become more severe since Covid-19 was first detected in Ireland.

'Injustice of the two-tier pay system'

TUI general secretary Michael Gillespie said: “The findings of this survey make clear the severe damage that the injustice of the two-tier pay system continues to inflict on the education system.

"The two most damning findings show that three-quarters of schools advertised positions to which no teacher applied, while over 70% have unfilled vacancies.

"While schools are consistently innovative in dealing with challenges as they arise, this crisis is worsening year on year and the department is doing precious little to tackle it."

“The largest pay discrimination still occurs in the early years of employment, with new entrants to second-level teaching earning almost 15% less on initial appointment, or over €50,000 less in the first 10 years of their career.

The divisive and damaging practice of paying colleagues different rates for carrying out the same work must be ended.

The TUI's Principals and Deputy Principals’ Association president Adrian Power said: “To date, we have only seen piecemeal ‘sticking plaster’ measures put forward by the department to tackle this growing crisis.

“But the situation is worsening with each passing month and accommodation issues are now also having an increasingly serious impact.

“Pay discrimination must be ended and school middle-management structures must be restored to their pre-cutback levels to facilitate the smooth running of schools and to give teachers promotional opportunities.”