Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Labour)

I am taking this adjournment matter on behalf of my colleague, Deputy Ruairí Quinn, the Minister for Education and Skills who regrets he is unable to be present today. I thank the Deputy for raising this issue as it affords me the opportunity to outline the position with regard to the issue of posts of responsibility in post-primary schools.

When the moratorium was introduced, the Government exempted principal and deputy principal posts in all secondary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium is therefore limited to the director of adult education, assistant principal and special duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion. Vacancies at this level arise due to retirements in the specific grades and typically also from the knock-on effect of filling principal and deputy principal posts. Some further limited alleviation was introduced for post-primary schools most acutely affected by the impact of the moratorium and these alleviation arrangements are set out in Circular 42/2010. This provided some delegated sanction for post-primary schools to fill assistant principal vacancies if they fall below certain minimum thresholds.

Most of the limited alleviation focused at director of adult education and assistant principal level. I am conscious that the impact of the moratorium on middle management posts has applied unevenly in post-primary schools and the limited alleviation measures were aimed at helping those schools that have been significantly impacted by the moratorium. It is a matter for each school authority to re-organise and prioritise the appropriate duties for holders of posts of responsibility in the context of implementing the moratorium. Given the current budgetary position there is a public service-wide challenge about how to deliver public services with a reduced level of resources.

The Department will liaise with the Department of Finance regarding a limited alleviation of the moratorium on the filling of posts of responsibility for the 2011-12 school year.

This Government will endeavour to protect front-line education services as best as possible. However, this must be done within the context of bringing our overall public expenditure back into line with what we can afford as a country. The challenge will be to ensure the resources being provided are used to maximum effect to achieve the best possible outcomes for pupils. I thank Deputy O'Mahony for raising this issue.

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