Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2015
857. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of re-instating the previous policy on allocation of guidance counsellors to schools on a basis of one per 500 students; the cost of introducing this policy for non fee-paying schools only; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20241/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince September 2012 guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the standard staffing schedule allocation. In this way principals have discretion to balance guidance needs with the pressures to provide subject choice. The representative organisations for School Principals and school management developed a framework that assists schools on how best to manage the provision of guidance from within their staffing allocation. This approach puts a greater emphasis on group-work and class-based activity at senior cycle and maximises the amount of time available for those pupils that need one to one support.
The budget measure that required schools to manage the provision of guidance from within their standard staffing allocation was introduced as an alternative to an adjustment to the standard staffing schedule. Such an adjustment would be the equivalent of an 0.6 change in the staffing schedule. My Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations so that it is based on a ratio of 18.25:1 compared to the standard 19:1 – an improvement of 0.75 on the standard staffing schedule for these schools.
The net reduction in guidance provision as a consequence of this budget measure was of the order of 500 posts. The annual budget saving from this measure is over €30 million. This gives an indication of the cost involved if this budget measure was not in place. Confining such a budget measure to fee-charging schools would not significantly change this estimated cost.
I have no plans to return to a situation where there would be a separate allocation for guidance in schools. If economic recovery continues I hope the Government will be in a position to improve the standard staffing allocation to schools. However, I believe that it is desirable to give schools discretion on how to use those increased resources.
