There are quite of few of these allowances. Most of these should have been ended years ago in my opinion. A schoolteacher doesn't merit an extra €518 annual allowance.
As a PLC teacher I would like to respond to the expense query.
I use my own equipment in my college.
I have an App on my Iphone that tracks attendance and takes behavioural notes. I also use my Iphone to contact work experience employers for my students. I also use it to contact students in relation to work. I pay my own Bill. No expenses are received. My workplace rings and texts my personal phone in relation to work.
Indeed, my previous inept and rather useless CEO informed teaching staff that they were to use their personal phones at all times on college work to combat costs in the College. This despite the fact that she and management in the college were using Work mobiles.
I use my personal laptop to conduct exams In the college. This is used because the facilities provided are either not available when I need them or they are broken.
I also pay suppliers in advance for work materials required by my students. I often end up at a loss because they don't have the money or won't pay. I currently teach over 200 students in 6 different subjects.
I pay for my own external hard drive to save work for students.
I had to buy my own gadget(can't think of name) it cost me 70 euros to display PowerPoint Presentations for my students.
All in all, I think the allowance should be increased from the paltry level at present not necessarily for all teachers but certainly for those teachers at PLC Fetac 5 + levels.
How many people working in the private sector as employees would tolerate this?
Marion
This was a Particularly bad day for me as I received a dead mouse stuck to a pole on my desk. Thankfully they are not Love Hate aficionados I might have had the pleasure of a dead cat on my desk.