The Government and the Minister for Education and Skills promised to recruit more than 2,000 young teachers this year. However, I have read in the newspapers that retired teachers are being hired. I ask that all the young qualified teachers be taken on first.

Hear, hear.

Another category of young teachers affected are those who must travel many miles from their homes to get employment in other areas. I want to make sure these young teachers get jobs nearer home rather than hiring retired teachers.

It is true.

In the second case, we cannot direct that just because a person is born in a particular location he or she should get a job there.

The panel rights are very restrictive.

I accept that.

The Taoiseach might get one himself when he retires.

I am not sure of the details of what Deputy Healy-Rae is speaking about with regard to retired teachers being accommodated. The Minister has set out the programme and funding to recruit new teachers based on demographic increases, particularly increases in school-going populations, and this is being followed through. I will have the Minister send Deputy Healy-Rae a report on what has been stated in newspapers about retired teachers.

The Taoiseach is one of them himself.

They cannot be recruited as new teachers because they are already retired, obviously.