EDUCATION Minister Paul Givan has launched a timely and significant research report on the extra pressures faced by teachers in Irish-medium education (IME).
Commissioned by Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta (The Council for Irish-medium Education) and carried out by the Centre for Educational Underachievement (CREU) at Stranmillis University, the research which was launched in Stormont’s Long Gallery highlighted the significant extra workload that teachers in Irish-medium education face and offered a range of solutions to address the issues identified.
Entitled Teacher Workload in the Irish medium Sector – Evidential Insights, and supported by interviews with almost one-third of the entire IME workforce, the report highlighted the additional time spent by practitioners in the IM sector, above the 1,265 hours that all teachers are contracted to work and revealed some very concerning statistics, including that:
• Teachers in the IME sector work 46 per cent more on average than their contractual 1,265 hours. Moreover, four out of five (82 per cent) Irish-medium teachers work more than 40 hours per week, more than a quarter (28 per cent) work more than 50 hours per week, and one in twenty teachers (5 per cent) work more than 60 hours per week.
• 76 per cent of teachers feel unappreciated and 87 per cent believe that their remuneration is insufficient.
• 87 per cent of teachers find their workload excessive, 81 per cent consider it unsustainable, and 88 per cent believe it negatively impacts their teaching quality.
• 80 per cent of teachers report that their workload affects their physical health, while 90 per cent say it compromises their mental well-being.
Some of the audience attending the launch of the research report 
Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta CEO, Maria Thomasson, called for immediate action and for the recommendations made in the report to be actioned without delay.
"I urge the Education Minister to ensure the necessary funds are made available to progress this work and to implement the recommendations contained within this report as a matter of urgency for the benefit of Irish-medium pupils, staff and families," she said. "IME would not be the success story that it is today in 2025 without the relentless
dedication commitment and unwavering hard work of IME teachers and support staff.
"I do want to be clear however; Irish-medium educators deserve better than this.
We cannot and should not continue to rely on the passion these individuals have for education and the love of their native tongue and culture, as well as their commitment to providing successful immersion experiences to our young people to sustain these additional burdens, without acknowledgement, without support and without reward."
Professor Noel Purdy, Director of CREU and former chair of the 2020-21 expert panel on educational underachievement that published A Fair Start, commented: "Our research shows that Irish-medium teachers are working far in excess of agreed limits, with workload pressures driven largely by the constant need to create and adapt resources in the absence of sufficient and suitable Irish-language materials. Unless urgent steps are taken to address these challenges, there is a real risk to teacher wellbeing, recruitment and retention, and ultimately to the sustainability of this fast-growing sector."
Launching the research to a packed Long Gallery in Parliament Buildings, including Rang 1 children from the newly opened Irish-medium integrated school, Scoil na Seolta, the Minister for Education stated that he and Irish-medium schools were on a "shared journey" and acknowledged that some Irish-medium teachers face "considerable workload pressures".
Education Minister, Paul Givan, MLA, launching the research report on IM teacher workloads
The Minister added: "Through this research teachers have indicated that there are additional demands unique to the sector....the department is listening."
The Permanent Secretary and other senior civil servants from the Department of Education also attended along with political representatives from Sinn Féin, Alliance, SDLP and People Before Profit.
Also in attendance at the launch were members of the Independent Review of Teacher Workload Panel, commissioned by the Department of Education, to look at workload issues across education sectors locally. Ms Thomasson expressed hope that the Panel will have heard these clear messages and that they will form part of their much-anticipated report that is due to be published in November. Representatives from the main teaching unions were also present.
Ms Thomasson concluded by imploring all those in a position to do so, to now act on the recommendations contained in the report, which were described as realistic, achievable and affordable.
"Our ask of you all today is that you play your part within your respective roles and organisations to ensure that these messages are heard and the recommendations actioned for the betterment of Irish-medium pupils. Please use your voice to advocate for IM practitioners so that every child is enabled and equipped to reach their full potential."
