Madam, – I am a qualified teacher with much experience. I am lucky enough to have some subbing work at the moment on a day-to-day basis. How can Mary Coughlan, Minister for Education and Skills, justify her decision this week to employ teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) in schools without paying them (as part of a Fás work experience programme)?
She proposes to allow them to receive social welfare payments instead. This is an absolute disgrace. There is no way that the work of a teacher or an SNA could be justified with a payment of €196 per week, which is also set to decrease in the forthcoming budget. This proposal makes me very angry. It’s exploitation of people that have worked hard to gain their qualification. There is no forethought in the Department of Education and Skills.
Yes, there are many qualified teachers receiving social welfare at the moment as there are no jobs, but there has been no curtailment of the number of places on teacher training programmes. This makes no sense. I propose to Ms Coughlan that she do her job without getting paid but receiving a payment of €196 per week. – Yours, etc,