Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 395: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she has assessed the impact of the suppression of the filling of posts of responsibility on the planning and supervision of pupil development programmes in curricular and non-curricular activities; and her plans to deal with this potential problem in education delivery. [17811/10]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 396: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she has assessed the impact of the suppression of the filling of posts of responsibility of pupil development programmes in curricular and non-curricular activities; and his plans to deal with this potential problem in education delivery. [17812/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 395 and 396 together.

When the moratorium was introduced the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal appointments in all primary and post-primary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium is therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion. I am conscious that the impact of the moratorium on middle management posts has applied unevenly in schools depending on the level of retirements. My Department is going to look at how some limited alleviation of the position might be applied for the coming school year for schools that have been acutely affected by the moratorium. In this regard my Department is in discussions with the Department of Finance regarding the detail of such alleviation measures and schools will be advised of the outcome in due course. It is a matter for school authorities to re-organise and prioritise, as best as possible, the appropriate duties for post of responsibility holders in the context of implementing the moratorium.