Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

The step of moving the ex-quota allocation for career guidance is seen by those in the career-guidance sector - and also by those considering entering it - as an attack on the profession. It will undoubtedly have a very serious impact on the decisions being made by new graduates considering a career in career guidance. This profession was built up over many years to the point where we had 700 full-time career-guidance posts. We had guidance counsellors fully qualified and trained to provide counselling services as well as career-guidance services. Unless the Minister reverses his approach, we will see the decimation of that profession in coming years. I have no doubt we will see an effect in the numbers taking such third level courses. I hope we get those figures quickly.

I urge the Minister to use those figures when available to reassess where he is going in this regard. I strongly believe we need to re-establish an ex quotaallocation to show that there is a real and steady need for guidance counsellors into the future.

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