Primary school principals will be able to avail of new training opportunities and obtain qualifications relevant to their posts under plans from the Department of Education and Science.
An induction course for newly-appointed principals familiarising them with account-keeping, the operation of boards of management, legal matters, planning, and conflict resolution will be created by the Department.
The Minister for Education, Dr Woods, told the national conference for primary school principals that the programme would be in line with a Government report - issued last year - on the role of the primary principal.
He said the programme would also help aspiring principals to gain skills in the management of schools.
However, Mr Raymond King, secretary of the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN), said the extra work put in by primary principals was still not recognised in terms of pay.
Mr King claimed 80 per cent of principals also taught, meaning many could not give sufficient time to other duties.
He said IPPN would work through the Irish National Teachers Organisation to ensure principals were rewarded for the extra time they put in.
The Department had made no provision in the timetable at primary level for staff meetings or parent-teacher meetings, so children had to be sent home to cope with these demands, the conference was told.
Mr King said principals and other members of boards of management at primary level were not allowed to claim expenses for attending meetings.
These issues would have to be dealt with and could not be solved by the general provisions for pay and conditions in the new national agreement, Mr King added.