Noel Dempsey (Meath, Fianna Fail)

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that as part of my recent announcement of an extension of the guidance enhancement initiative for a further two years, I am creating an additional 30 guidance posts under this initiative from the commencement of the coming school year. These 30 posts will be additional to the 630 whole-time equivalent career guidance posts already in place in the second level system.

Under current arrangements, my Department makes a specific ex-quota allocation of teaching posts in respect of guidance to schools in the second level system. In the case of schools in the free education scheme, the level of allocation ranges from eight hours per week in the case of schools with enrolments below 200 pupils to 44 hours per week — the equivalent of two whole-time posts — in the case of schools with an enrolment of 1,000 pupils or more. In the case of schools outside the free education or block grant schemes, 11 hours per week are allocated in respect of the schools in the 350-499 enrolment category and a full post is allocated in the case of schools with 500 or more pupils.

In addition to allocation based on enrolments, 50 whole-time equivalent guidance counselling posts were allocated in the 2001-02 school year under the guidance enhancement initiative. The focus of this initiative was to enhance the provision of guidance to young people at risk, to improve links between schools and the world of work and to improve the take-up of science subjects. A total of 103 second level schools benefited directly under the initiative.

My decision to extend the guidance enhancement initiative for a further two years and to allocate a further 30 posts to the initiative reflects the importance I attach to the area of guidance and my commitment to ensuring the continued development of our guidance services in schools.

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