Children in our most vulnerable educational settings cannot be left to pay the price for systemic teacher shortages, according to Social Democrats education spokesperson Jen Cummins.
Deputy Cummins said:
“The recent survey published by the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) reporting that over half of special schools, 43% of Irish-medium schools and 35% of DEIS Band 2 schools are operating with term-long teacher vacancies, including 24 special schools with long-term substitute vacancies and 150 unfilled part-time hours, is nothing short of alarming.
“The Government’s assurances regarding teacher supply in special and disadvantaged settings no longer stand up to scrutiny – in February I asked the Minister for Education what workforce-planning was in place to ensure that posts in special education were filled, and how many posts remained unfilled. The response I received was inadequate.
“In June, I again asked the Minister to provide detailed plans for forward planning to fill posts. The Department’s response was just a stock response, as I received the same response to a similar question in September – this is a clear lack of vision from the Department and we continue to see no credible strategy.
“Today’s survey reveals a stark reality: schools that serve children with additional educational needs, Irish-medium schools, and DEIS schools are disproportionately affected by teacher shortages.
“This undermines the right of every child to be taught by a qualified teacher in a fully-resourced setting – the gap between the Department of Education’s payroll data (which claimed only 3.1% of primary-level posts were unfilled in March 2025) and school-level reporting is simply unacceptable.
“It is time for the Minister to publish, without delay, the full figures for how many full-time and part-time teaching posts remain vacant in special schools, special classes in mainstream schools, Irish-medium schools and DEIS settings broken down by region and school type.
“The Minister must also commit to a clear timeline for filling these posts, and to a comprehensive incentive plan to recruit and retain qualified teachers in our most challenging environments.
“The Government must ensure that current teachers receive structured, accredited professional development in special-educational needs (SEN) and Irish-medium education so that we are not simply covering posts but ensuring expertise and continuity.
“The findings of the INTO survey are a red-flag moment for our education system. This crisis did not happen overnight; it has been brewing for years, and it is children in disadvantaged settings and with additional needs who are paying the price.”
November 3rd, 2025