Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 July 2023
514. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the cost of restoring the outstanding approximately 2,400 posts of responsibility in primary and special schools, for AP1 to reach 1,605, and AP2 to reach 8,592; the current level of positions in each; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37022/23]
View answerI recognise the key role school leadership has in promoting a school environment which is welcoming, inclusive and accountable.
Budget 2017 allowed for the commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an agreed distributed leadership model and meant lifting the rigidity of the longstanding moratorium on these posts. The equivalent of approximately 1,300 middle management posts (Assistant Principal I and Assistant Principal II) were restored at both Primary and Post-Primary level. (2,600 in total)
The Department has committed to annually revising the allocation of Posts of Responsibility to take into account retirements during the school year which has ensured that the current level of Posts of Responsibility (PORs) are maintained in the school system. The Sectoral Bargaining process under Building Momentum for the primary sector has been used to increase posts of responsibility (POR) in primary and special schools by 1,450 posts. New POR threshold tables are produced each year to distribute these POR’s equitably across all school.
At Primary level, there is an approximate allocation of 1363 API's and 7698 APII's for the 2023/24 school year. The current annual rates for Assistant Principal I and Assistant Principal II posts are €9,611 and €4,252 respectively.
