‘I don’t see myself ever being able to afford a home’: Teachers struggle with cost of living

‘I haven’t a hope of getting a mortgage on my own’

Aoife Flanagan

Gaelscoil an Eiscir Riada, Tullamore, Co Offaly

“The cost of living is a huge issue. I’m 28 and I haven’t a hope of getting a mortgage on my own. I don’t see myself ever being able to afford a home. I live in Kildare and drive 40 minutes to school and back. The price of diesel is huge. Electricity is gone up, everything. Our wages need to keep up with inflation.”

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‘There are teachers now using food banks’

Marie O’Shea

St John the Baptist primary school, Belleek, Co Fermanagh

“Cost of living is affecting all teachers. The last pay offer we had was way below the rate of inflation. The fact that you have less in your pay cheque makes it more difficult to make ends meet.

“There are teachers now using food banks. Some are on reduced hours because they can’t afford the cost of children. We’re now seeing teachers who are the working poor.”

‘We have about 30 pupils per class’

Noel McKeon

Scoil Mhuire National School, Newtownforbes, Co Longford

“Class sizes need to be reduced to European averages. While there was a recent decrease, it needs to go further. We have about 30 pupils per class. With fewer junior infants this year, we’re worried we’ll lose a teacher and have bigger classes or split classes.

“Children learn better in small classes where they get more attention.”

‘We worry about what’s coming next and if there will be more cuts’

Catherine O’Shea

Ballyfinnane National School, Co Kerry

“I’m principal of a two-teacher school. A big issue facing small schools like ours is uncertainty over accessing resources for our special educational needs students. We’ve different kids with different needs. Those supports make their daily lives a lot easier. We worry about what’s coming next and if there will be more cuts.”

‘We don’t have a right to disconnect’

Robbie O’Connell

St Brendan’s National School, Blennerville, Co Kerry

“We need more respectful, timely communication from the Department of Education on issues affecting schools, instead of it hitting the media before we get a chance to decipher it.

“It happens time and time again: we get 5pm circulars, often on a Friday or bank holiday. Parents are ringing, wondering what’s happening. We don’t have a right to disconnect. That needs to be addressed and managed better.”

Interviews conducted among INTO members at the union’s annual congress in Killarney.