Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)

I compliment my colleague, Deputy Brendan Smith, on tabling the motion and giving every Member an opportunity to debate this serious matter.

The Minister admitted on national radio last weekend that he is not at the top of his game and he has clearly demonstrated this by implementing savage cuts with no regard for the social implications of such cuts. This is evidenced by the reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio for small schools with fewer than 86 pupils, which mainly affects rural Ireland and minority faiths, the cuts to DEIS schools and the cut to guidance counsellors we are debating. This is a savage cut which will have a serious impact not only on the well-being of our pupils today but for a long time into the future. The Minister effectively stated last night that he has full confidence in the guidance service in schools because it is covered by legislation introduced by our party leader when he was Minister for Education but he failed to acknowledge how this can be provided. His budgetary decision to include guidance provision in the standard allocation is an effective increase in the pupil-teacher ratio from 19:1 to 19.8:1. The Minister is basically saying, "I am going to cut off one of your hands; you decide which one."

Many Government Members stated school managers welcome this cutback because they will have greater autonomy but they do not want to have to make decisions on whether to deliver a guidance service or maintain current subject provision and current class sizes. All three will not be maintained as a result of this cut.

Last night the Minister tried to have us believe that because 42% of schools did not have a full-time guidance counsellor, they had nobody providing this service. In his book, one needs to be a full-time counsellor to be recognised. When he shelves them, I do not know who he expects to provide this service in schools. The Minister did not refer to the guideline for second level schools on the implications of section 9(c) of the Education Act 1998 relating to student access to appropriate guidance, as published by the inspectorate in 2005. This document was prepared for school managers, guidance counsellors, staff, education partners and, most important, parents and students. It states that a school must provide access to appropriate guidance. It refers to identifying the needs of students in choosing educational programmes and offering appropriate guidance to ensure that, on leaving second level education, they are best placed to reach their potential, whether it be in further education, PLC or third level or if they wish to pursue an apprenticeship.

It also refers to personal and social education and developing coping strategies to deal with stress, personal and social issues and challenges posed by adolescence and adulthood. Many students feel they have to conform with their peers. They need somebody they can approach and in whom they can confide, trust and have belief in, somebody who will be there exclusively to listen to them. The document addresses educational disadvantage, early school leaving, disability and special education needs, non-national students, adult students and promoting inclusion. I urge the Minister to read this document.

I also urge the Minister to get into training quickly because the decisions he and his colleagues make are ones that will affect the future direction of their lives of men, women and children the length and breadth of this country. I urge Government backbenchers to talk to their Minister and ensure we get a reversal of this drastic cut.

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