1,847 teaching posts vacant amid ‘supply crisis' for new school year
teaching posts
were left vacant this year, while many schools in the
Greater Dublin Area
report that they are struggling to hire qualified staff in the run-up to the new academic year.
Principals say the housing crisis and
cost-of-living issues
mean it is difficult to find teachers in and around the capital, especially in schools located in more
deprived areas
.
A
Department of Education
review of teacher payroll in March of this year found there were 1,847 vacant posts across schools. Most unfilled teacher positions were at primary level (1,228 posts) compared to second level (619).
A similar review conducted in November last year found there were 1,600 vacant posts, indicating that more posts became vacant as the academic year continued.
READ MORE
Paul Crone, director of the
National Association of Principals and Deputies
, said many Dublin schools, as well as those in other large urban areas and some remote locations, were having difficulty finding qualified teachers in time for the new school year.
He said the situation was especially acute in subjects such as home economics, physics and engineering, while 'post-primary schools nationally are finding it impossible to fill positions to replace teachers on parental leave, paternity leave and even maternity leave'.
'In many of these situations, principals are covering this leave with the teacher extension scheme, supervision and substitution, PME [professional master of education] students or unqualified teachers,' Mr Crone said.
A department spokesperson said, overall, the number of unfilled teaching posts continues to be 'low' with vacancies accounting for 2.5 per cent of all 74,611 allocated posts in schools.
The payroll analysis was a 'snapshot at a point in time' and schools continually recruit throughout the year, the spokesperson added.
In an attempt to boost teacher supply, meanwhile, the department has extended several measures to assist schools in accessing additional teaching and substitute hours.
The 'teaching hours extension scheme' allows teachers on full teaching contracts of 22 hours to provide additional substitution cover of up to 35 additional hours for each term.
In addition, teachers who are job sharing will continue to be able to work as substitute teachers in any school, as long as they are off duty, while teachers who are on a career break can continue to work as substitute teachers at primary and second level.
Minister for Education Helen McEntee
said that while they were not long-term solutions, they will continue to support schools to access qualified teaching for the students in their schools.
'Teachers are at the heart of our schools and we are so lucky to have more teachers working in our schools than we ever have had before. However, in some areas there are teacher supply challenges and I am committed to tackling this,' she said.
Other measures due to come into force include fast-tracking newly qualified teachers into secure permanent contracts and helping teachers who have trained abroad apply for registration in the State.
Teacher unions, however, say a 'supply crisis' is being accentuated by the affordability of the profession for new entrants and unsustainable workloads.
The department said the new public service pay deal will mean salaries for new entrants climb to €46,000 and a maximum of €85,000 per year, which it said compares well internationally.
Some schools have also reported difficulties hiring principals in advance of the school year, with deputy principals obliged to 'act up' as a temporary measure.
While figures for 2025 are not available, last year 160 primary principals (5 per cent of all principals) and 35 second-level principals (7.5 per cent) retired. These numbers have remained relatively steady over recent years.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
an hour ago
- Irish Examiner
Beyond the exam hall: Reclaiming the purpose of Irish education
Ireland's education system is rightly celebrated for its commitment to access and quality. Yet the proliferation and prominence of private grind schools and online tuition providers requires greater attention. While these services undeniably offer supplementary learning, we need to turn a critical lens toward the unintended consequences, particularly their role in intensifying the Leaving Certificate points race, and their unique, unofficial status within our publicly funded system. For many families, grind schools can represent a perceived shortcut to success, a necessary investment in an increasingly competitive academic landscape. Indeed, recent media reports sometimes highlight these institutions, showcasing high-achieving students and impressive point tallies. This emphasis, however, inadvertently normalises a single, high-stakes metric — the Leaving Certificate points — as the ultimate arbiter of a student's potential and future. Ethically, this shifts the focus from genuine understanding and a holistic educational experience to a reductive pursuit of grades, transforming learning into a strategic game rather than an exploration of knowledge. The intense pressure generated by this points race is widely acknowledged to contribute significantly to student stress and anxiety. When success is so narrowly defined, and extra tuition is presented as a crucial component for achieving top results, it can inadvertently undermine the confidence of students who rely solely on their mainstream schooling. This creates a subtle, yet pervasive, message that regular school might not be enough, pushing students towards additional, often costly, external support. This educational pressure point is frequently echoed by educators within the traditional school system, who lament the external pressures distorting their classrooms and the very nature of learning itself. Crucially, grind schools and many online tuition providers operate outside the formal recognition and funding structures of the Department of Education. Unlike accredited schools, they are not subject to the same oversight, curriculum requirements, or accountability mechanisms. They are, in essence, private businesses offering an educational service. Yet, the disproportionate attention they receive in public discourse can blur this distinction, effectively further integrating them into the perceived mainstream of Irish education. Beyond the regulatory aspect, a deeper educational concern lies in the pedagogical approach often employed by these supplementary services. The intense focus on achieving exam points can lead to a narrow educational experience, heavily reliant on rote learning and the purported "holy grail of notes" — often condensed, exam-focused summaries. While this tactical approach can be effective for immediate exam recall, it frequently comes at the expense of fostering truly holistic education, critical thinking skills, and a deeper conceptual understanding of subjects. Furthermore, the transient nature of these engagements often means students receive limited pastoral care or the comprehensive personal and academic support that is foundational to the ethos of recognised schools. The emphasis shifts entirely to the academic transaction, rather than nurturing the wellbeing and broader development of the student. In my experience, teachers shoulder a far broader mandate than merely preparing students for exams. Their professional commitment extends to nurturing well-rounded individuals, fostering critical thinking, promoting social development, and providing crucial pastoral care. They design curricula that encourage deep understanding, creativity, and the development of life skills, often navigating diverse learning needs within a single classroom. While these dedicated educators strive to equip every student for academic success, their role is not confined to the narrow pursuit of points. Prominent voices in Irish education, such as those within teachers' unions, have consistently pointed to these concerns. They have long expressed disquiet over the impact of the points race on pedagogy, advocating for a broader curriculum that fosters critical thinking and well-rounded development, rather than rote learning geared towards examination success. These educational bodies often note how the "exam-focused" approach of grinds can neglect the foundational understanding and deeper engagement that mainstream schools strive to cultivate. Ultimately, this is not an indictment of individual students seeking extra help or the dedicated educators who provide it. It is, however, an urgent call for a more honest and balanced conversation about our educational priorities. As a society, we must reflect on whether our media landscape, by disproportionately amplifying the narrative of grind school success, unintentionally exacerbates student anxiety, undermines the invaluable work of publicly funded schools, and entrenches educational inequality. Instead of focusing on commercial ventures operating on the periphery, perhaps the significant page space in our national newspapers could be better utilised to champion the innovative teaching, diverse programmes, and inclusive environments within our Department of Education-recognised schools. A shift in public discourse, prioritising holistic development, critical thinking, and the intrinsic value of learning over a singular points outcome, could alleviate unnecessary pressure on students and foster a healthier, more equitable educational ecosystem for all. Nathan Barrett is principal of Stratford College Secondary School, Dublin Read More Colman Noctor: Student burnout is not limited to exam years
Irish Times
2 hours ago
- Irish Times
A grim prediction for teaching
Sir, – I have just stepped away from primary school teaching after 40 years of service. When I started teaching on September 2nd, 1985, little did I know how much the job would change in the interim. I have worked through two curriculums (1971 and 1999) and the newer Primary Language and Maths curriculums. I've avoided the department's newest offering, to be launched in September 2025. I've seen more change than most and not all of it for the best. I cannot see young teachers staying in this job for their lifetimes. The workload is unsustainable. The paperwork (all online) is beyond a joke and the salary? – it really is nothing to write home about. Grand if you're in my shoes, but not if you've a mortgage or rent and childcare costs. READ MORE I have always loved my job; I loved preparing the lessons and teaching in the classroom; I just hated the unnecessary extras that have been added over the years. If the Government is serious about keeping teachers in the profession, it needs to take a serious look at how much it actually values those who devote their lives to education and the demands it places on them. – Yours, etc, DEE DELANY, Raheny, Dublin 5.
Irish Times
6 hours ago
- Irish Times
Carl O'Brien: ‘Why grade deflation for Leaving Cert students might not be such a bad thing'
We asked recently what you'd like to know more about in the run-up to the Leaving Cert results. Many parents are keen for more details about the impact of the postmarking adjustment for the class of 2025. 'It's unfair - why should the class of 2024 have an advantage over the class of 2025,' said one parent. 'Thousands of students from recent years will have stronger grades. Surely there is fairer system?' wrote another. There's no doubt about it: this year's students are paying for the price of Covid-era grade inflation. Students' results this year will be inflated, on aggregate, by 5.5 per cent after marking is completed. This is 1.5 per cent lower than last year's 7 per cent postmarking adjustment. This, based on our rough calculations, could be the equivalent of roughly 10-12 CAO points for a higher level student. READ MORE Why is this happening? The Minister for Education wants to gradually return Leaving Cert grades to pre-Covid norms over the course of several years to maintain the integrity of the exam results. Many students are naturally worried that they will be disadvantaged in the hunt for CAO points compared to students on bumper grades from previous years. But will it really be so bad? After digging into the numbers, there are a few reasons to believe it might not necessarily be so unfair for many students. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 1. Lower grades may mean lower points There are several factors that influence the entry cut-off point for the CAO's round one offers in late August. They include the number of places on offer across individual courses, demand for these places and the points achieved by applicants. With so many candidates set to achieve lower points this year, on aggregate, it seems likely that CAO points will drop across many courses. Something similar happened in 2023. A particularly difficult higher level Leaving Cert maths paper meant the proportion of students who secured top grades fell significantly. For example, the proportion of students who achieved a H1 fell from 18 per cent in 2022 to 11 per cent in 2023. This meant there were thousands of fewer points washing around the system. This led to points falling across a majority – 60 per cent – of courses. More significantly, the proportion of students who secured their first-choice increased. John McGinnity, guidance counsellor with the Institute of Education, estimated at the time that the drop in the number of students who secured a H1 in maths was worth the equivalent of 20,000 points across the system. 'This drop in points had a ripple effect through the entire system given the interdependencies between courses as it cascaded down, reducing the points for those courses in the middle and lower ranges as it moved through,' McGinnity said in 2023. There is a chance, then, that with fewer points in the system this year, we could see points drop across many courses. It's not a given. In courses where there are increased applicant numbers – and no increases in places – there may be upward pressure on points. But there are reasons to be hopeful. A Leaving Certificate student checks their exam results via the online Department of Education hub. Photo: Bryan O'Brien Keywords: can leaving cert pass honours fail college education points 2. Fewer candidates with bumper results from last year The unfairness at the heart of grade deflation lies in the fact this the class of 2025 are competing against thousands of students from recent years with inflated results for the same CAO places. But how many? One higher education source tells me that data from early March shows that about 15 per cent of the 2025 CAO applicant cohort will be presenting Leaving Cert results from 2024. This is significantly down from the average of 17-18 per cent over the previous five years. These proportions are unlikely to have changed much since then, but the CAO should be able to provide more definitely data soon. How much impact this has across individual courses is another story. Either way, it is a positive indicator. Trinity College Dublin. Photograph: iStock. 3. Extra places in some courses New programmes and additional places may help to ease some points pressure across courses in very high demand such as dentistry, pharmacy and therapeutic areas this year. Last June, for example, the Government approved a significant expansion in training places for 'health and social care professions'. A total of 320 additional student places are being created in 2025 in physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech and language therapy, radiation therapy, radiography, podiatry, social work, medical science and dietetics. In addition, there is a new dentistry course offered by the RCSI for the first time this year (20 places reserved for Irish/EU students), as well as pharmacy at University of Galway – two areas associated with sky-high entry points. Again, there is no guarantee that points will drop in these courses, but additional places are a positive indicator when it comes to easing upwards points pressure. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw 4. What's up and what's down Later this week the CAO will provide a breakdown of general course preference trends among this year's applicants following the July 1st 'change of mind' deadline. This gives a clue about what's up and what's down this year in terms of CAO points. This, in turn, gives a clue about where points requirements are likely to rise and fall. If you can't wait for that, the figures as of March this year showed that applications for college degrees in areas such as construction, engineering and architecture increased considerably in 2025. Conversely, interest in third-level courses for languages and information and communication technologies (ICT) has fallen away. In the area of health studies, school leavers applying for degrees in medicine have increased by 4 per cent; dentistry and related subject applications had a 76 per cent increase; nursery and midwifery, which are skills in high demand. How were the exams for you? We'd love to hear your feedback on this year's Leaving Cert exams: what were the hardest?; what kind of toll did it take on students?; what changes would you like to see?; are you concerned about grade 'deflation' and its impact on CAO points? Please take a few minutes to complete our survey, below, and we'll share the results soon:
