New figures show an unprecedented 389 principals retiring in 2009, with 400 others expected to follow suit this year.

This unparalleled exodus has been referenced to an untenable workload, inadequate support, and lack of middle-management structures.

The INTO says very little has been done to tackle the workload problem, in spite of promises from successive Education Ministers to do so. 

"A priority for the new minister, Mary Coughlan, should be to tackle the bureaucratic and administrative nightmare that principals face," a spokesman for the union said.

The escalating workload is the result of legislative and policy changes. Schools have to deal now with legislation covering equality, employment, and data protection.

They also have to deal with bodies such as the National Educational Welfare Board, the INTO spokesman said.

"They have to do this with the minimum of assistance," he added.

Moreover, only 30 per cent of primary school principals are 'walking principals', i.e. do not have teaching duties. The remaining 70 per cent – who generally have charge of schools with fewer than seven teachers – have regular teaching duties in addition to their administrative work.

Speaking at the IPPN Annual Deputy Principals’ Conference in Citywest Hotel Dublin on May 13, the organisation's president Pat Goff said "the exodus of more than one-fifth of all principals in just two years is creating a huge deficit in leadership experience in primary schools".

"More alarming is the growing reluctance of potential successors to apply for the position of principal," he added.

"Most recent research figures indicate that, on average, less than two candidates per position are applying for the post of principal when it arises. In a number of cases, there were absolutely no applications for what was once considered a desirable position," he said.

Research showed the low interest levels were due to the untenable workload, inadequate support and a lack of middle-management structures, he added.

“In the case of Deputy Principals, Ireland bucks the international trend with few if any Deputy Principals willing to take on a Principal’s role,” he continued. 

“This is due to the antiquated system whereby Principals and Deputies are paid on the same salary structure as teachers with an ‘allowance’ for their leadership role. 

“Because these allowances are linked to school size, most Deputy Principals would take a drop in total salary if they were to be appointed as a Principal in a smaller school. 

“The Department of Education & Skills (DES) has been aware of this anomaly for years and has failed to correct it during both benchmarking processes. This salary anomaly will continue to prevent Deputy Principals from seeking promotion,” the IPPN President continued.

He added that “unless training, support and development of potential successors are prioritised, the entire fabric of our education system is at risk.

“The government has already scaled down its support for school leaders with some leadership development agencies abolished in a recent restructuring," Mr Goff said.

The IPPN Annual Conference is currently the only leadership development opportunity available to aspiring leaders. 
(Sources: Irish Independent, IPPN)