I have had meetings with the Catholic schools' managers association on the matter. They clearly told me they found it very difficult, despite the fact that they have drawn up rotas of qualified teachers within their respective areas, to locate or obtain qualified teachers in rushed circumstances. From what they have told me I am satisfied they have made every effort to do so. On the other hand, I have had several meetings with the INTO who have emphasised in their joint meetings with boards of management and the Department, that they wish to have qualified teachers only employed. Of course, that would be the wish of any education authority. I put it to Deputy Mac Giolla that the precise number of days on which substitute teachers are required to meet that need are, on the Deputy's admission, very uncertain. One never knows how often such disparities will occur. For example, in the year 1988 the number of school days on which such substitute teachers were required was 18,000 approximately whereas, in the year 1989, the figure was 9,325 only, demonstrating an amazing disparity between those two consecutive years. I should say that every effort is made by my Department to locate suitably qualified teachers in such circumstances.
As final evidence of what the Department are endeavouring to do in order to resolve this matter I should say that, at a recent meeting with the INTO — that is between their officials and myself — the matter of a panel system of qualified substitute teachers was raised, as it had been on an earlier occasion. At that meeting, which took place within the past few months, my Department gave a commitment to ascertain how a pilot scheme for such a substitute panel teachers arrangement could be put in place. Discussions are taking place between boards of management of schools, unions and ourselves on that matter.