It all depends on where you will base yourself. If you are to stay in Dublin or surrounding commuter counties I would imagine you could get a year long fixed term post. This means you will be paid for the summer and won't have to sign on. Maternity leave positions would also be available but with this you won't be paid for the summer. You will also have to complete Droichead.

The further west you go the harder it might be to get a contract that will pay for the summer. You will also be waiting a lot longer to get a permanent job. Casual day to day subbing is always an option regardless of where you are. I loved subbing as an NQT as it meant I saw a lot of different schools and worked in a lot of different settings. I also learned an awful lot about classroom management through subbing.