School principals urged to prioritise graduates

Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe has written to school principals asking them to prioritise hiring graduates over retirees.

The move follows the revelation that around 2,000 retired teachers, many of whom were receiving pensions from the State, continued to work as substitutes last year.

Fine Gael, which obtained the figures, said such jobs should be going to graduates who are currently being forced to go on the dole or emigrate due to the lack of teaching jobs in Ireland.

The Irish Primary Principals Network says it already has a website and text facility in place to help graduates get work as substitutes.