Gaelscoil Phádraig in Loughlinstown in my area has had a lot to put up with. School authorities have been waiting 20 years in temporary accommodation to get into their new and permanent location, which is bad enough. From talking to them this week, my colleagues in my office were saying their big problem now is just getting teachers. While they have sanction for additional full-time posts, they cannot get anybody because of the accommodation crisis, etc., but they are prohibited, it appears, from getting on an interim basis substitute teachers or retired teachers to try to fill the gaps while they try and recruit for full-time posts. The Department will not let them do this. That seems lacking basic common sense. They should be allowed fill the gaps in order to provide teachers until they get full-time people who are willing to take on jobs.

I am pleased that Gaelscoil Phádraig is making progress in its building needs but I take the point that a school needs teachers, which is a vital component of any school. I can imagine the stress that it is causing for the principal and others there trying to fill those vacancies. I will ask the Minister, Deputy McEntee, to look directly at the issue the Deputy has raised on behalf of the school in terms of whether there is a temporary solution to allow the hiring of substitutes and retired teachers and she will revert to the Deputy directly.