For many households back to school signals a return to routine and normality. But not so for everyone.

Earlier this week Independent Ireland chair and Cork North Central TD Ken O’Flynn called it out for what it often is: back to school chaos.

He said countless families are left in avoidable stress and uncertainty because of planning failures. Deputy Flynn cited rising costs, uniform expenses, so-called voluntary contributions, the cost of digital devices, a shortfall in school transport spaces and children left without any school place as examples of what can put families under severe pressure.

And rather than a seasonal problem, he said, the repeated nature of the crisis points to a failure of planning. And who can argue?

Every September without fail students are left high and dry without a seat on the school bus because the system is over-subscribed and there are not enough drivers. A move to raise the age limit for drivers is welcome but it does not go far enough in addressing the problem.

Every September hard-pressed parents are left counting the cost of everything from uniforms to tablets to school outings, and the voluntary contribution that is anything but voluntary.

But what of the teachers and school principals who are forced to ask for these voluntary contributions in order to keep the lights on because of a shortfall in funding from the Department of Education?

Therein lies another tale of stress and pressure. A report from Dublin City University published this week points to an alarming crisis in school leadership, with four in five school principals facing burnout and exhaustion, and more than half of them working more than fifty hours a week. In fact some are working 65 hours a week to shoulder what they describe as an ‘unsustainable’ workload.

More than a quarter of principals surveyed described their mental health as ‘poor’ or ‘very poor’ with some admitting it has negatively impacted their ability to lead their schools.

Leading a school is an emotionally demanding role – and their focus should be first and foremost on motivating their team of teachers and inspiring the next generation in their formative years of learning.

But too often this is forced to take a back seat to red tape, whether it be admin, paying bills, organising maintenance of school grounds, managing tenders, applying for funding, and no-end of other demands on their time.

Not all superheroes wear capes, as Leo Varadkar once said. So lest our patience wear thin in these back to school days of chaos, spare a thought for the teachers who often find themselves in the firing line with a hopelessly inadequate arsenal of resources at their disposal.

Constitution maker

IT was reassuring to once again see a large crowd gathered at the monument site at Béal na Bláth last Sunday to commemorate the 104th anniversary of the death of Michael Collins.

It is always a popular event and one can recall that around 12,000 people turned up for the 100th anniversary four years ago. While the crowds are smaller these days, his legacy remains strong in the minds of many people, some of whom travelled from outside the county, and the country, for the annual pilgrimage.

In the glorious sunshine, this year’s orator, broadcaster and historian David McCullough, admitted it was a surprise to him when he was asked by the organising committee to be the guest speaker. If people were wondering why he was standing there, he quipped, rest assured so was he.

He set out his stall from the outset informing attendees that as he is not a politician, this would not be a political speech. And he didn’t sway from that either.

It was an interesting oration where McCullough focused on how Collins rose to the challenge of compromise and how circumstances turned the ‘military organiser, the intelligence chief and the financial mastermind ‘into Collins ‘the diplomat, the negotiator and the constitution maker.’

It was also reassuring to see young people attending the commemoration, which even included six-year-old Shay Ryan who dressed as the Big Fella for the special occasion and knows all about Michael Colins thanks to his family.

Let’s hope that in years to come the likes of Shay and his ilk will make the annual pilgrimage to Béal na Bláth to commemorate one of the country’s greatest leaders.