Dublin schools face cancelling classes 'as teachers have nowhere to live'

The Taoiseach said that the housing crisis has affected most professions, but said that the Government's Housing For All strategy was working

The Dáil heard that teaching unions have warned that difficulties with teacher supply are "made worse by the fact that teachers cannot set up home in this city".

Dublin schools face cancelling optional classes because teachers have nowhere to live, the Dáil has been told.

Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald said the lack of affordable housing had led one school to warn parents that six teachers were leaving the county.

She told the Dáil during Tuesday's Leaders' Questions that teaching unions have warned that difficulties with teacher supply are "made worse by the fact that teachers cannot set up home in this city".

"They say that teachers who commute to Dublin are now considering working elsewhere because of the soaring cost of fuel. 

The teaching unions are worried because schools are struggling to get teachers in important subjects like maths and science. 

"Many schools are forced to consider asking teachers who have Gaeilge but who do not have a degree in Irish to teach the subject. The situation has got so bad that some schools may have to consider dropping optional subjects" she said.

Ms McDonald warned the country now faces the prospect of another serious problem rooted in the housing crisis. "If left unchecked, it will have major knock-on effects. Being unable to afford a home impacts teachers' quality of life, which then affects the ability of schools to deliver, which, in turn, impacts the education of our children."

In response, the Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that the housing crisis has affected most professions, but said that the Government's Housing For All strategy was working.

"In the European Union, Ireland has gone from having the third-lowest level of completions per capita, in 2013, to having the fifth highest, in 2020. Therefore, progress is being made, but it is not enough to deal with the huge demand that exists."

The issue of housing was also raised by People Before Profit's Richard Boyd Barrett, who will on Wednesday introduce a bill which would cap rents at 25% of the median income nationally or locally, whichever is lower. 

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Mr Boyd Barrett told the Irish Examiner he was open to proposals around situations where a mortgage would be higher than this. However, he said that those TDs in the Dáil who are landlords should not vote on the bill. Speaking in the Dáil on Tuesday, Mr Boyd Barrett urged the Government to support the bill.

"Why do we need such a measure? We have 320,000 renters and currently average rents nationally are €1,400 per month, which is totally unaffordable for huge numbers of working families. In Dublin they are €2,000 per month on average. That is €24,000 per year for an ordinary family. 

"That is absolutely unaffordable. In my area in the last six months the average rent is €2,600. The consequence of the Government's failure to control these rents is we now have record numbers of families in homelessness, including children, as we head into the summer recess and it is getting worse every week."