STUDENT teachers from Donegal are being forced to commute to Dublin because of the crippling cost of accommodation in the capital.
The Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) has warned how students undertaking the two-year Professional Master in Education (PME) are having to make the more than six-hour return journey so that they can do the course.
Ursula O Connor, Branch Chair, TUI, told the Donegal News that the availability and affordability of accommodation within a reasonable distance to schools is “a very real issue in all counties”.
The english and history teacher in Mulroy College said the accommodation factor is underpinning much of the recruitment and retention crisis in the education sector.
“The TUI is hearing anecdotally that while the issue is more pronounced in certain areas, the availability and affordability of accommodation within a reasonable distance to schools is a very real issue in all counties,” said Ms O’Connor.
“Even in those areas where accommodation issues might not be as severe as others, it can often be more difficult for a small rural school to attract teachers or for a Gaelscoil to employ qualified staff in key subject areas.
“Where we have noticed an issue is with student teachers from Donegal who are undertaking the Professional Master in Education (PME) two-year course and cannot afford Dublin accommodation. Some are trying to commute so that they can do the course.”
TUI’s Annual Congress 2023 concludes today. Ms O’Connor said the organisation was making it clear at the conference in Cork that contracts of full hours must be offered on initial appointment.
“Posts of responsibility must be restored to pre-cutback levels to tackle the current crisis.
“Currently, just 30 per cent of second-level teachers receive a full job upon initial appointment, while a generation of teachers has lost out on the promotional opportunities that longer-serving colleagues had available due to cuts to Assistant Principal posts.”
Meanwhile, a new survey conducted last month has found the housing crisis is a key factor in a growing problem of teacher shortages in the country.
Stark findings from a Red C Survey for the Association of Secondary Teachers’ Ireland (ASTI) reveals how teacher shortages have hit crisis point in post-primary schools.
With responses from 1,975 classroom teachers, 56 principals and 75 deputy principals, the survey found almost half (46 per cent) second-level schools have unfilled teaching vacancies, according to the survey.
The lack of housing and the cost of renting accommodation is widely blamed. Two in three (64 per cent) teachers stated that the housing crisis is causing emigration while two in five (41 per cent) principals reported that the cost of local accommodation was a deterrent to working in their school.
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