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LAST UPDATE | 27 Jun 2024
THE TEACHERS’ UNION of Ireland has said a €2,000 bonus to newly qualified teachers after their first year on the job will “not tackle the root causes of the recruitment and retention crisis”.
In a statement, a Department of Education spokesperson this €2,000 payment is only intended to be in place for the upcoming school year, and that the payment will be made next year.
The spokesperson added that the €2,000 payment will be subject to statutory deductions.
It was also remarked that Budget 2024 included the introduction of a “bursary type payment” for newly qualified teachers graduating with a professional master’s of education (PME) and that it will benefit up to 2,000 teachers.
While the general secretary of the Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) Michael Gillespie described the move as “positive”, he added that “in isolation, the measure will have a negligible effect on the crisis, which has worsened greatly in recent years”.
He added: “It has been reported that the incentive would operate only for a single year, which means it would regrettably be just another sticking plaster measure.”
Gillespie added that it is the “students who are losing out the most as a result of this crisis” as some schools have been forced to limit access to the full range of subjects as a result of teacher shortages.
The TUI general secretary said the union has “made it clear” to the Department of Education what measures are needed to tackle shortages.
These include increasing teaching allocations to allow more full-time, permanent jobs from initial appointment.
A TUI study carried out in March found only 35% of those recently appointed received a contract of full hours upon initial appointment, and just 12% were offered a permanent position on appointment.
He also called for the two-year professional masters of education required to become a second level teacher to be cut down to one year.
Gillespie added that red tape that “hinders Irish teachers working overseas in returning” should be “eliminated, including awarding full incremental credit for their service abroad”.
He also cited the need to tackle the “ever-increasing workload, particularly that of a bureaucratic nature” that is a “demoralising factor” to teachers.
The study carried out by the TUI in March also found that over a quarter (27%) of teachers do not believe they will still be in the profession in a decade.
Of those respondents who had been a teacher for less than ten years, over half (51%) said they would consider leaving Ireland to teach in another country.
Of those who said they would consider a move abroad to teach in another country, the top three motivating factors were disillusionment with teaching in Ireland, a want to save money, and the unavailability/unaffordability of accommodation in Ireland.
Meanwhile, 81% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that teacher recruitment and retention difficulties in their school has had a negative effect on the service to students.
A Department of Education spokesperson said “the vast majority of sanctioned teacher positions are filled” and that the “rate of resignation and retirements is low by any standard”.
“The Department continues to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further, innovative measures to address teacher supply issues,” added that statement.
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I’ve huge respect for teachers and the work they do.. reading all the bitter and jealous comments makes me laugh.. I’m sure the teachers know the vast majority of the country values their work and supports their conditions improving…
@Stiles:
I’m not sure it’s jealousy, it’s just hard to listen to the constant whining from a group that really do have a handy number compared to most of us.
@Stiles: another teacher pretending not to be a teacher.
@Regular John: Easy content for the media, public sector is exactly that. Private businesses can do what they like and are never in the media. Unless you’ve been a teacher (you may well have been) then how much can you know about it?
@Stiles: a family member who is a primary school teacher always boasts of the extra money they rake in for after school clubs..they throw the kids some toys and sit back for an hour with a wad of cash in their pockets…and don’t get me started on 3 months summer holidays all paid for…
@Clare Power: I’d hazard a guess that family member is your fellas sister,.. she thinks shes great that one.. :)
@Willie Marty: if only Willie … I flunked out of a electronics course in colaiste ide, Finglas, 30 years ago… from that moment on I says to meslf im done with bleedin learning stuff..
@Thesaltyurchin:
No I’ve never been a teacher but I did actually go to school, believe it or not, so I have an idea what’s involved. What I do know is the hours they work and holidays they get.
@Regular John: Shame we don’t know everyones.
@Clare Power: i just had an epiphany there clare when I read your comment again..you’re being dishonest defo.. you wudnt say a “family member” if your name is really clare power cuz that would land you in bother if any relative happened across this article…. so you’re story is not to be listened to…spanner..
@Thesaltyurchin:
Just assume they do a hell of a lot more hours / days than teachers and you won’t go far wrong. Can you think of any other “full time” job that involves less hours or more holidays ?
@Stiles: Teachers needs some teaching
They could always get a second / summer job,?
@brian o’leary: Tell me you’ve no clue what your talking about without telling me.
@Thesaltyurchin: one of my teachers years ago used work construction in London during the summer and a current teacher neighbour of mine aslo works construction over the summer and also does grinds……. that’s what I know.
@brian o’leary: Get money, however you can! The legendary Irish ‘side hustle’, mad that as a ‘professional’ you need have a second or third job! Is this not the working poor? It’s pretty far away from a workable model.
@brian o’leary: 2 people
@Thesaltyurchin: Teacher are FAR from poor.
@Alex: how so? 40-ishk a year is in many circumstances not liveable
@brian o’leary: they already do , marking exams and grinds.
@Thesaltyurchin: better than the legendary Irish poor mouth. Cash poor, time rich maybe? Lots of professionals have to work hard and long hours, especially starting out. Unfortunately there is only a very limited amount of time available to teachers within their day job.
@John O Reilly: I only know one teacher that gives grinds.
@brian o’leary: @brian o’leary: I couldn’t I’m afraid. My summer home in Spain couldn’t be vacant for that long……asking for trouble.
Already overpaid and under worked
@John D Doe: John D Dole?
@John D Doe: Which explains the shortage.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: There’s only a shortage because once they get a permanent job, many of them take off around the world for a few years, knowing that when they get back they walk straight back into their permanent job.
@Max: That is the myth. They can only be released from a permanent job WITH THE PERMISSION OF THEIR PRINCIPAL. Without that permission it is treated as a resignation and there is NO job waiting on their return.
@Sean O’Dhubhghaill: either way, 2,375 Irish teachers are currently on a career break
@Eoin .h: Yep. But don’t assume all of those are off in Dubai or wherever. Many are doing further research/study, looking after sick/elderly relatives, etc.
More and more on the planes to the Middle East.
@Alan OConnor: To work for international private schools that charge 30k a year per pupil in countries swimming in oil with no income taxes. And your point is. Are those teachers being charged for their education that the taxpayer here has paid for?
I suppose they could do with the extra 2k for their for their extended holiday in the sun.
@Willie Marty: There must be a serious over supply of teachers if it’s so good and schools must have queues of applicants lining up to take vacant positions.
@Longlin: latest figures show 2,375 teachers are on a career break…
@Eoin .h: Don’t worry any experience gained is void if they decide to return! (pen pushing perfection, lol!)… Currently there are ’1084 teaching jobs posted’… mostly in places where housing isn’t available
Is there any point in working in this country the margin between wages and dole after expenses of getting to work and no free allowances is getting ever closer. Worst thing ever done was getting out of the bed to work should have sat back claimed everything got council house and got the lot,then maybe go do a few hours.
@Paddy C: my god, and to think someone called you a socialist in a post on an article earlier. You constantly hit down on the most vulnerable, be they on social welfare or immigrants
@Paddy C: the grip of finance is gloriously on the nose. Just enough oxygen to breath, tight enough to restrict movement. If only we were a corporation! the first would be more of a hand on the shoulder… The dividends would be mighty!
@Thesaltyurchin: *fist
@SYaxJ2Ts: hold on I was the one saying people worse off need help all I’m saying is the gap between working and not is closing. There is a certain amount of scroungers in the country like anything everyone on here is on about them the whole time. You seem to not want to point blame anywhere government or elsewhere just the poor fools working week to week struggling to shut up and take it. Worked well so far
They could follow in the footsteps of the Bertie Kisser get elected and forget about work for ever more.
This is a passing glance at a big problem for Irish classrooms (the largest in Europe) and a global shortage of teachers. Larger economies likely do exceptionally well from the highly educated Ireland. The abacus pushers in the Dept. of Finance really know how to torque the screw in favour of the exchequer.
Get rid of the 5 year career break. That will sort the problem.
@gregory pym:
So less people will want to become teachers, that will definitely work.
Bottom line it’s just like the property market, supply and demand.
For a lot of positions there more jobs than workers, private and public sector, so long as that is the case we will have stories like this.
Some day we will have a recession, and the shoe will be on the other foot.
There will no doubt be a catch when it comes to paying out the 2k. Also not a drop in the ocean when it comes to living costs associated with say dublin v jobs in dubai with accommodation attached. I dont under stand the government sometimes… this is one of them!!
A 22-year-old new teacher starts on 42k, now 44k. And it rises every year automatically. Their pension contribution is much smaller than the 15% that private workers pay out of their salary. Teachers in Ireland are very well paid. We can never match the tax-free salaries with free accommodation in Dubai. No point in trying.
have your say