Michael Kitt (Galway East, Fianna Fail)

I commend Deputy Smith on tabling this important Private Members' motion. All Deputies spoke of the student being the most important person in this debate. That was my view in my primary school teaching days. In the early 1970s a new primary school curriculum was introduced which was child-centred. If Members opposite argue the student is the most important person in this debate, they then must look at the effect of cuts in education on students. The Minister for Education and Skills has made a crude, blunt and badly thought-out decision on guidance counselling in schools. It gives no consideration to the essential nature of the advice and support provided by guidance counsellors for students who may have difficult decisions to make.

Subsuming the counsellor allocation into the overall allocation for second level schools will in effect increase the pupil-teacher ratio by almost one. Most people would prefer if the Minister were more honest and announced straight out he was increasing the pupil-teacher ratio. The Minister's proposals will mean second level schools will have to make an impossible choice on cutting back on guidance provision or drop subjects.

We have to stand up for young people's education. One cannot defend the education cuts announced in budget 2012 and I call on the Minister to reverse them. The Fianna Fáil Private Members' motion refers to 700 schools which will lose up to 1,000 guidance counsellors resulting in guidance provision being provided from within the standard teacher allocation. In fact, more resources need to be provided for career guidance counsellors. Some students have difficulties in adapting to courses at third level. An ESRI report, Improving Second Level Education, sees a role for guidance counsellors in helping such students adapting properly. It also raises concerns about the effect the removal of career guidance would have on going on to third level for young students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Who will provide guidance counselling in a school that chooses not to replace its guidance counsellor who retires either this February or in June? Schools are legally obliged to provide appropriate guidance under the Education Act 1998. It is important to ensure all second level students have access to career guidance given by professionally qualified counsellors. There is a need for safe and confidential counselling services for vulnerable students. I am impressed by the number of letters I have received praising guidance counsellors who do their work outside classroom hours.

Career guidance is not just about the leaving certificate but also about dealing with vital educational career activities, transition programmes and that element of counselling to which Deputy Neville referred.

I hope the Minister for Education and Skills will see he has made a mistake and will reverse these cuts.

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