Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 1 May 2018
159. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional teaching posts provided in 2017; the number of these appointed to meet demographic needs; and the number that arose owing to changes to guidance. [18915/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 2017/18 school year saw an increase of over 5000 teaching posts in our schools compared to the 2015/16 school year.
Budget 2017 set out the resources available for schools for the 2017/18 school year. This Budget represented the start of a major reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade. The budget provided for over 2,400 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools for the 2017/18 school year. This included 680 additional teaching posts to meet demographic need and 100 additional posts for enhancements to guidance provision.
Measures announced by my Department as part of Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 mean that 500 of the 600 guidance posts that were withdrawn in Budget 2012, will be restored to schools from September 2018.
