‘I don’t see any sign of things getting better’: Soaring rents and living costs take toll on teachers

When Conall Ó Dufaigh graduated from a two-year professional master’s in education several years ago, many of his former classmates immediately went to the UK in search of full-time work.

“There wasn’t work in Ireland. People are drawn to this profession because they’re adventurous and creative, but a lot go to teaching for job security,” says Ó Dufaigh, a post-primary teacher in his early 30s, based in Bray, Co Wicklow.

Teachers say, however, that job security is increasingly hard to find. Many are emigrating or leaving the profession.

“We’ve lost technology and science teachers, and any teacher of an optional subject is increasingly precarious if there aren’t enough hours of class to teach,” says Ó Dufaigh, a member of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI).

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“I’m not commenting on the rights or wrongs of this, but it does mean many can’t get full-time hours, and so have to leave their city, county or even country.”

When people saved in the 1980s for a house, they endured hardship but at least had a guarantee of a prize: a house at the other end. Today, you can save indefinitely but rent goes up and the threat of eviction is ever-present

Ó Dufaigh says teachers, like most middle-income workers, have been hit by rising prices and the housing crisis.

“My partner and I have lived together for five years, and we’re trying to save for a house, but the cost of rent and food makes this so difficult.

“I don’t like the competition between the generations, but when people saved in the 1980s for a house, they endured hardship but at least had a guarantee of a prize: a house at the other end. Today, you can save indefinitely but rent goes up and the threat of eviction is ever-present.

“My landlord is above board and fair, but ultimately we have to rely on a private system with no security. I don’t see any sign that things will get better.”

Soaring rents, the rising cost of living and teacher supply are just some of issues set to feature at this year’s teacher union conferences as the annual gatherings of the Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO), Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI), and Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) get under way. So, what can delegates expect to hear? And what prospect is there of meaningful action being taken?

The theme of this year’s TUI conference is “recruit, retain and reclaim”. TUI president Liz Farrell says, ever since the pay of new entrants to the profession was cut relative to their older colleagues at the start of the austerity years, teachers felt pay inequality would lead to an exodus from the profession.

The problem has worsened in recent years, with many primary and post-primary schools unable to find teachers. Teachers and unions say a confluence of factors is at play. These include the housing crisis and the difficulty of finding accommodation in the most populated areas – which have the most schools – as well as a sense of administrative overload and a lack of promotional opportunities since middle management was almost wiped out during the austerity years.

There is an all-enveloping cloud at this year’s conferences and it’s the cost-of-living crisis and reduction of spending power in middle Ireland. Teachers are middle Ireland

—  INTO general secretary John Boyle

John Boyle, general secretary of the INTO, says school principals have, in some instances, had to fill the gaps themselves, but this means they fall behind on paperwork and administration – of which they are required to do quite a lot.

“We’ve had special education teachers, who are there to support our most vulnerable children, have to cover for the class teacher, and we’ve had teachers who are there to support new entry pupils to learn English be pulled aside,” says Boyle.

To address this problem, a supply panel scheme was set up at primary level before Covid, but Boyle says teachers are “voting with their feet because they cannot afford rent or a house, so schools in rent pressure areas have been hard hit.”

Cost of living and housing

“This is an all-enveloping cloud at this year’s conferences, and it’s the cost-of-living crisis and the reduction of spending power in middle Ireland,” says Boyle. “Teachers are middle Ireland.”

The unions are likely to look for a pay increase that matches inflation across a full year. The promise of an additional pay rise in early 2024 may help ease the political pressure, but much will depend on whether inflation peaks or continues to climb.

“Dublin has chewed me up and spat me out, but I am fairly certain I will have more opportunities as a teacher in Australia”

—  Teacher Siobhán McHugh

Aisling, a TUI representative based in Dublin, says it is hard to get a contract, but even where teachers secure one, they may spend hours commuting. She estimates she spends a full day a week in her car because she can’t afford to live close to work, even if there was anywhere available.

Siobhán McHugh, an INTO member, has had enough. She is emigrating to Australia.

“I really like my school and would like to stay, but I’m in my 20s and living at home with little prospect of finding my own place. My parents have been great but, having lived out of home in Australia before, I had freedom. Here I don’t have much hope for change, and I’m sick of hearing about solutions that never happen,” she says. “Dublin has chewed me up and spat me out, but I am fairly certain I will have more opportunities as a teacher in Australia.”

Overload and lack of opportunity

Allowances for taking on extra jobs, additional rewards for teachers with master’s and PhD qualifications, incentives to stay as a special-education teacher: all were cut or scaled back during the austerity years.

Teachers have few promotional opportunities since middle-management posts were scaled back, often leaving principals overloaded with work.

“There is no financial incentive and, in fact, we are penalised for further learning,” says Aisling. “I looked at retraining as a guidance counsellor, where there are huge shortages, but it’d cost €6,000-€10,000. I’d have to move to part-time and my salary, pension and mortgage potential would be hit.”

At the same time, teachers complain of “initiative overload”. There’s a new primary curriculum on the way, but concerns abound that resources will not be put in place to support the roll-out.

“When they roll out a new initiative, there should be parking of other initiatives, particularly where we need to focus on getting the curriculum right,” says Boyle. “It takes time to get people involved, understand a new initiative and develop resources. There simply isn’t time to fulfil all the new initiatives – many of which are great – which leaves less time for planning classes.”

Senior cycle reforms

“We don’t call it ‘reform’, as to reform is to improve, and we don’t know yet if a changed Leaving Cert will be an improvement,” says Miriam Duggan, president of the ASTI.

“Whatever change comes about, it’s important that students are externally assessed, rather than assessed by their teachers. It’s not because we don’t want to work but because teaching is relational and about helping our students; that changes if you are marking your own students.

“We also want any changes to be the result of rigorous and independent research, and to advance student learning,” says Duggan. “All stakeholders need to be consulted but teachers are the practitioners on the ground and have real wisdom to offer.”

TUI members agree. At their conference last year, Minister for Education Norma Foley said there would be safeguards put in place if teachers assess their own students, but the level of opposition is fierce and could yet spark industrial action.

Education investment

“We talk so much about assessment, and less about investment,” says Duggan. “Our class sizes should be 21, but they’re 26 or more, and this makes it harder to differentiate students for different levels.

“We need more investment in special education, including better training for all teachers, and measures to ensure that the number of special-needs teachers matches the number of students who need them. Ireland also invests much less than the OECD average in education.”

Boyle also says day-to-day worries loom large, such as whether energy bills can be met if a higher capitation grant for schools is not retained.

At third level, Farrell says there has been an ongoing failure to invest. Lecturing is becoming increasingly casualised and, she says, lacks the promotional and pay opportunities that would make it an attractive profession for the best and brightest.