Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I have no plans at the moment to re-introduce a separate allocation of resources hours to schools for guidance counselling.

If economic recovery continues, I hope the Government will be in a position to improve the standard staffing allocation to schools. However, I believe that it is desirable to give schools some discretion on how to use these increased resources.

Guidance and counselling is a whole-school responsibility, with guidance counsellors playing their part within an overall team approach. Guidance counsellors have two distinct functions. The first is general career guidance and guidance on the educational opportunities a child or young person might pursue, while the second involves support for the well-being of students. The principal and leadership of a school have the best knowledge and experience to determine how exactly guidance resources and teaching resources should be allocated.

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