Cork principal: Teachers look for career breaks as soon as they get a permanent job

Cork secondary schools are struggling to fill permanent posts, with staff looking to take career breaks as soon as they get a contract, a Cork principal has said.

It comes as figures show there were nearly 100 unfilled secondary teacher jobs last year.

This week, The Echo revealed data showing 2.9% of primary teacher and 2.3% of secondary teacher jobs were not filled in March of last year, with education minister Helen McEntee saying that there were “recruitment challenges”, particularly in urban areas.

She explained that a recent analysis of the teacher payroll showed that, as of March 2025, there were 231.4 unused allocated posts during the 2024/25 school year, with 137.7 in primary and 93.8 in post-primary.

Aaron Wolfe, principal of Coláiste Éamann Rís, told The Echo that it was a struggle to fill short-term posts and even permanent ones.

“The teaching profession isn’t attractive anymore. People are getting their permanent contract and right away saying ‘can I take a career break?’ They’re going to Australia and Dubai for a better life,” he said.

The cost of living and cost of housing play a huge role in this as, particularly in cities, “rent gobbles up your entire paycheck”, he said.

Cork Labour TD and former secondary school teacher Eoghan Kenny told The Echo: “We have a crisis in teacher numbers across the entire country. For many years it has often been ignored as an emergency situation, but from experience, I know principals across the county who find it extremely difficult to fill vacancies and to get access to a substitute teacher. They often have to go into the class themselves and teach. This is putting serious strain on schools right across the county.

“There are many reasons for this. A serious shortage in public services like childcare is a prime example as to why parents can’t enter the profession or return to teaching, predominantly affecting women. The housing emergency is another.”