The Roadmap for the Full Return to School provided for comprehensive supports across a range of areas to allow for the safe reopening of schools, including additional funding of €41.2 million, to provide primary schools with substitute staff. This funding provides more certainty on the availability of substitutes for primary schools and cover substitutions that are not covered by existing schemes.
The Substitute Teacher Supply Panel has been expanded from a pilot scheme consisting of 6 base schools to 115 Substitute Teacher Supply Panels nationwide, with almost 330 newly appointed Supply Panel teachers employed, providing substitute cover to almost 2,300 schools across the country.
The proficiencies of the Substitute Teacher Supply Panels is being monitored throughout the school year and the schools involved in the supply panels have been informed that the panels will continue for the 2021/22 school year.