Vol. 436 No. 7
221 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education if she has satisfied herself that the existing substitute teacher at a primary school (details supplied) in County Cavan is suitably qualified; if there are no unemployed qualified teachers available in the general area; and if all reasonable efforts were made to obtain the services of a qualified substitute.
Employment of substitute teachers in primary schools is a matter for the board of management of each school. My Department actively encourages boards of management to make every effort to employ trained teachers only. To this end, before payment is made to an untrained person, the chairperson of the board of management must certify that it was impossible for him or her to obtain the services of a qualified substitute teacher.
I am aware that the services of two untrained persons have been obtained in the case of the school referred to in recent times. In each case, however, confirmation has been received that it was not possible to obtain the services of a qualified substitute teacher.
