I raise the issue of lower paid teachers working in non-casual substitute teaching positions. We know they do not get paid for any holidays. They are badly treated but worse than that they do not get their proper pay at all, because since before Christmas, injury has been added to insult for them by the fact that this cohort of teachers has been subject to emergency tax deductions. Substitute teachers are put into the tax system and are restarted in their position every two weeks. One teacher told me she got €400 for two weeks work. It is happening throughout the country to hundreds of teachers. Will the Department of Education and Skills explain how this was allowed to happen and, more importantly, take steps to remedy the problem and ensure that excessive tax deductions are returned to those employees who are living hand to mouth? Worse still, the Department will not directly answer the teachers about their predicament.

This is an important issue and I know that a new system has been introduced with Revenue since the beginning of the year. There has been an issue with substitute teachers. Our officials are working on that with Revenue and we will ensure that we get through that. The Deputy's first point on substitute teachers' pay in general comes into the debate on teacher supply. We have major issues, particularly within the primary school sector, and what I am doing at the moment along with my officials is looking at teacher supply panels. I know that there were complications with this in the past but new systems have been introduced and there are new ways of doing business and of informing teachers, so now we might have a better and more coherent and efficient way of dealing with teacher supply panels and that is something I am very anxious to do.

Talk to the Minister for Finance.