Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 28 March 2017
183. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which guidance counselling hours will be allocated to secondary schools; when ex quota guidance counselling will be reinstated in every secondary school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15341/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMeasures announced by my Department as part of Budget 2016 and 2017 mean that 400 guidance posts, or two thirds of the guidance allocation that was withdrawn in Budget 2012, will be restored to schools from September 2017. The restoration of the remaining 200 posts will be considered in future Budgets.
I have made it clear that all these 400 posts are allocated separately and transparently and outside of the quota on the normal schedule of posts.
This means that there is now an obligation on schools to ensure that these hours are used for guidance activities. Schools can decide to allocate more hours to guidance than the amount allocated on the schedule. They cannot allocate fewer.
The guidance plan will outline the school’s approach to guidance generally and how students can be supported and assisted in making choices and successful transitions in the personal and social, educational and career areas.
However, my Department has made it clear that schools’ guidance plans should include specified time allocation for guidance counsellors to be available for one-to-one guidance counselling and time allocation for the role in supporting the organisation and work of the Student Support Team.
In line with best practice, and in line with practice in the Irish education system for almost 20 years, the allocation of these hours within the school take place in accordance with the Whole School Guidance Plan.
The guidance counsellor will form a central part of the plan, which sets out how the entire resources of the school will work towards achieving the best possible outcomes for the students in the guidance area. It is likely that the vast majority of these activities will be delivered by guidance counsellors; however, in many schools it will be decided that some activities may be delivered by other staff members – e.g. year heads. These decisions will depend on the specific needs of the student population.
