The Teacher’s Union of Ireland has said that new stats on the use of unqualified teachers in schools show the depth of the supply problem.

Figures obtained for TG4's 7LÁ programme show 65% of Irish post-primary schools employed unqualified individuals in the 2023/2024 school year.

A recent survey from the union found one-in-five schools have been forced to drop subjects because there's no one to teach them.

TUI General Secretary Michael Gillespie said teaching graduates just aren't being encouraged to stay.

“Theoretically, we are qualifying enough teachers - the Teaching Council register has never been bigger - but we've got just more things that attract them,” he said.

“They are attracted to Australia for lifestyle, Canada for lifestyle.

“Because of the heavy workload in teaching, teachers are preferring to go into nine to five jobs where they have transferable skills, sometimes even for bigger salaries, so we can't keep them.”

Primary school girls are taught during a lesson by a male teacher. Image: Alamy