Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 21 April 2026
543. Deputy Shónagh Ní Raghallaigh asked the Minister for Education and Youth if her Department has identified problems with the implementation of primary teacher supply panels; the measures being taken to enhance effectiveness of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28721/26]
View answerAs part of the COVID-19 supports provided to schools in 2020, additional funding of €41.2 million was allocated to provide primary schools with substitute staff.
This funding allowed for the expansion of the Substitute Teacher Supply Panel from a pilot scheme consisting of 6 Supply Panels to 132 Supply Panels nationwide, with almost 380 newly appointed Supply Panel teachers employed, providing substitute cover to over 2,500 schools across the country. The posts are allocated to the base schools in the cluster and teachers are employed by those schools.
The scheme has expanded continuously since then and currently there are 168 Supply Panel clusters, with 587 posts allocated to the scheme, providing substitute cover in 2,905 schools. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill the Supply Panel teaching posts is a matter for the individual base schools.
The Department of Education engages in a constant review process of existing panels to ensure effectiveness of those panels and to review the creation of new panels where viable.
