asked the Minister for Education if he is aware that there are a number of teachers employed by the County Cork Vocational Committee whose sole profession is the teaching of Irish, and yet are classed as part-time teachers; if, in view of the fact that these teachers are unable to follow any other calling by virtue of being at the whole-time disposal of the county committee, he will accede to the request made to him by the county committee to sanction the promotion of these teachers to the status and emoluments of whole-time teachers.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Status of County Cork Teachers.
I am aware that a number of teachers of Irish are employed by the County Cork Vocational Education Committee on a part-time basis; their employment on this basis is necessary because there are not sufficient Irish classes to provide full-time employment for them and they do not possess qualifications to teach other subjects. It is not correct to suggest that these part-time teachers are at the whole-time disposal of the committee, and are thus unable to follow any other calling.
One of the essential conditions for the appointment of a teacher on a whole-time basis by a vocational education committee is that he should be employed in teaching for a certain minimum number of hours per week throughout the year. Since it is not possible to provide such full-time employment for the teachers in question, the proposal to appoint them to the status of whole-time teachers cannot be approved. Moreover, the funds of the County Cork Vocational Education Committee are at present unable to bear the additional cost which this proposal would involve.