Mayo concerns over permanency of primary teacher roles

A Mayo Oireachtas member has raised concerns over the permanency of primary school teachers in their roles.

Senator Paddy Burke elaborated: "I understand from a number of those teachers that the vast majority of them are employed on a five-year contract basis.

"If that is the case, this provides no great permanency to them.

"These teachers want to settle down, buy houses and rear families.

"If people are on a contract for five years, the bank will not entertain them to get a loan and buy a house.

"So it has very serious consequences for people who are highly educated and have gone to secondary school and third level and gotten their degrees.

"In some cases they are more than adequately educated and have more degrees than are necessary for the profession they are carrying out.

"Even so, in many cases they find that being on a five-year contract, they cannot get a loan to buy a house, settle down and raise a family.

"This also raises questions about the Catholic schools management agency.

"It gives out the jobs in rural Ireland, in particular, although not solely there and they are agreeing the five-year contracts in many cases.

"I ask the Minister for Education to look at this. It should be changed.

"There should be a more permanent basis for people who are looking for jobs as primary school teachers and who, as I said, want to settle down in an area.

"If they want to move from a city to a rural area, that should be facilitated," he added.