We hear a lot about teacher shortages, and the Government rightly says it wants to attract experienced teachers home from abroad but the reality on the ground can sometimes tell a different story. Teachers returning from abroad, including places like Dubai, are finding that years and sometimes decades of experience simply are not being recognised on the incremental salary scale. The justification given is that this work was done in private schools, even where those schools operated under rigorous inspection and accountability systems. Quite frankly, this does not add up. On the one hand, we are asking teachers to come home and, on the other, we are effectively telling them that their experience abroad does not count.

There also appears to be inconsistency in how these rules are applied, which again can only add to the sense of unfairness and frustration. At a time recruitment and retention are already under pressure, this approach is not just unfair; it is counterproductive. Does the Taoiseach accept that the current system is asking as a barrier to teachers returning home? Will he commit to a clear review of how overseas experience is recognised so that policy matches the Government's stated ambition?

To be fair to Government, we have invested hugely in teaching and the teacher training colleges. Numbers have increased exponentially over the past number of years in teaching in Ireland. I understand the issue in terms of returning and not receiving incremental credit. On the other hand, the issue needs to be examined more but we do not want to create scenarios where we incentivise too many leaving the system immediately.

In education, we have, had a stronger position historically than we have had in health in terms of professionals staying within our system, generally speaking but I get the sense of unfairness if someone has taught for four or five years in the United Arab Emirates and then comes back and does not get any incremental credit. I will ask the Minister to examine that.

I am asking for increased State funding for supported care homes in my constituency of Carlow-Kilkenny. Supported care homes like Mount Carmel Supported Care Home, Callan, St. Fiacc's House, Graiguecullen and St. Lazerian's House, Bagenalstown, to name just three across the constituency that I have visited, provide a vital service to their communities, helping to prevent social isolation in elder years while maintaining an older person's independence. Without doubt, they truly are a home away from home.

Supported care homes, even though they are subject to Health Information and Quality Authority inspection and operate under HIQA standards, are, unlike nursing homes, deemed ineligible for funding through the previous residential safety improvement scheme and the current residential environmental enhancement, REE, scheme. They need to fundraise in the community to meet these costs. Can the Taoiseach review the eligibility for the current REE scheme so participation in the nursing homes support scheme ceases to be a requirement or introduce a separate funding scheme that supported care homes can avail of to help meet the financial costs of upgrades to their premises, improve resident comfort and meet regulatory standards?

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue. These are very significant centres and they do great work. About €3.5 million in recurrent funding is provided to about ten care homes in the south-east supported care homes. The Minister of State, Deputy Butler, enhanced that in 2024 with a €1.7 million increase in recurrent funding. A lot of work has been done in respect of it. We acknowledge the very significant role they play and, in fact, the role model they also represent in terms of different stages of care that people may require. We will keep that under review.