Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 December 2019
184. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to increase the management supports available to special schools by providing for the appointment of additional administrative deputy principals. [53765/19]
View answerThere are 124 special schools providing specialist education for approximately 7,500 pupils annually with over 1,400 teachers.
Budget 2020 provides for an additional 23 teaching posts for special schools, designed to meet expected increases in enrolments in 2020, providing over 8,000 pupil places in special schools. It also provides for the continued provision of administrative deputy principal posts in special schools with 15+ teaching posts, introduced in special schools for the first time from September 2019 - at present 22 special schools qualify for an administrative deputy principal post.
Where an administrative deputy principal is appointed, the school may appoint a replacement teacher. The average cost of a new entrant primary school teacher, inclusive of employer PRSI, is €46,487.
The allowance for administrative deputy principal, inclusive of employer PRSI, ranges from €3,967 up to €19,964, depending on the number of authorised teachers in the school.
