11th November 2024
Outrage continues to grow across the country in response to the offensive comments from Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary, who disparaged the teaching profession in remarks that have sparked a groundswell of support for teachers from citizens, parents, and politicians across the political spectrum. This surge of solidarity with teachers underlines why education must take centre stage in this General Election, with long-overdue investment and reform needed to support Ireland’s educators and schools.
Over the past decade, it has become unmistakably clear to most politicians that the people of Ireland are demanding improved public services and are rallying against the bonus culture of big business and the unscrupulous profiteering that once crippled the Irish economy. During the austerity era and beyond, the significant sacrifices made by Irish citizens, including dedicated public servants, have been essential to Ireland’s economic recovery. Now, with record surpluses in the Irish Exchequer, the INTO is committed to making increased investment in education a central issue for all candidates standing for election to the 34th Dáil.
Instead of cutting taxes needed to fund essential public services, the next government should increase taxes on billionaires and corporate profits. Our political system must prioritise Ireland’s under-resourced children rather than enriching corporations. At the start of this school year, 4,401 children in Ireland were in emergency accommodation, over 2,000 children were in International Protection accommodation, and more than 100,000 children were on hospital waiting lists, with a fifth of them waiting over a year for treatment or assessment. Additionally, over 250,000 primary school children were in overcrowded classes of 25 or more, with 50,000 in classes exceeding 30. Despite these appalling statistics, Ireland’s teachers continue to make a profound impact on their students’ lives every day.
Recent data from the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) highlights a severe teacher shortage in Ireland’s primary and special schools, with 951 teaching positions currently unfilled and an additional 1,816 vacancies anticipated by January 2025 – totalling a projected shortfall of 2,767 teachers for the 2024/2025 school year. Over 50% of schools in Dublin, Wicklow, and Kildare report unfilled teaching posts, and 745 unqualified personnel have been employed to cover short-term absences, 284 of whom are based in Dublin alone. These figures underscore the urgent need for effective measures to address the recruitment and retention challenges facing Ireland’s education sector.
John Boyle, INTO General Secretary, stated:
Teachers are the backbone of our country, shaping futures, inspiring minds, and driving the success of our society. The remarks made by Ryanair’s CEO at Minister Burke’s campaign launch are both outrageous and deeply insulting to the dedication and hard work of Ireland’s teachers.
The INTO’s General Election manifesto calls for urgent government action to elevate Ireland’s primary and special education system to meet EU standards. It highlights 30 essential measures to achieve a world-class education system by 2030, including reducing class sizes, increasing school funding, expanding support for special education, and addressing the housing crisis that is hampering teacher recruitment and retention.
Boyle emphasised the significance of this election, stating:
Education is the passport to the future. The no frills approach might attract some hard-pressed airline passengers, but it certainly sells our schools short. This election must represent a turning point. The future of our children and our education system depends on the choices we make today. We need every teacher, every parent, and every voter to understand that the commitments made by those aspiring to govern in the coming years will shape Ireland’s educational future. We must invest heavily in the educational journeys of our children to guarantee future generations can fly high.
The INTO is calling for a 5% increase in the share of total government expenditure devoted to education by 2030, advocating for a bold strategy to address the current challenges facing schools, including enhancing infrastructure, increasing education resources and improving working conditions for teachers.
Boyle said:
Our vision for 2030 is ambitious, but achievable. It places the needs of pupils, teachers and schools at the heart of policy decisions. We are calling on every politician seeking election to support this vision and ensure that no teacher, no child, and no school is left behind.
The INTO General Election Manifesto is a call to action for the nation. The INTO is committed to securing ambitious investment and decisive action so that Ireland can lead in educational excellence by the end of the decade.