‘I’m €200k worse off as I started teaching later’

A late entrant to the profession tells Education Correspondent Niall Murray that over a 25-year career the pay gap between him and colleagues will amount to €200,000

Jeremiah O’Brien was a late convert to teaching, beginning his first job three years ago. As a result, he earns around €7,000 less than he might have if he started his career sooner.

The Kerry man returned to college more than a decade ago to do an engineering degree, which he received in 2007 when he was in his early 30s. But with little work to be found, he changed tack and thought he could bring something to classrooms with his qualification and experience.