Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)

It is sad that in 2010 a Minister of State is saying that these are only promotional posts and that they serve no other purpose. It is regrettable that the Minister of State cannot recognise the functions and duties that were associated with these posts in the past and does not see their importance in the context of the effective running of schools. Year heads have the first opportunity to identify, at an early stage, any problems that may arise for students at primary or post-primary level. It is regrettable that the Minister of State associates posts relating to these individuals as merely promotional in nature.

Approximately 1,200 of the type of teachers to whom I refer have retired since March 2009. These people have been removed from the system. It is a pity that the Minister of State is unfamiliar with the reality that obtains in schools because the work these people did was necessary before they retired and it remains necessary now. Effectively, the middle management structure in schools has disappeared. Many of the jobs in question — the Minister of State referred to them as promotional posts — related to transition year heads and they have been all but removed from the system. I ask the Minister of State to reconsider the position and to restore these posts en bloc.

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