Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 107: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post primary teachers holding a post of responsibility who have retired since the introduction of the moratorium on promotion within the public service; the number of posts subsequently reinstated to schools as a result of the alleviation measures announced recently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33542/10]

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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Retirements at primary level since the introduction of the moratorium in March 2009 were 431 principals, 373 deputy principals, 201 assistant principals and 322 teachers with special duties posts of responsibility. The equivalent figures for the post-primary sector were approximately 157 principals, 128 deputy principals, 1,144 assistant principals and 290 teachers with special duties posts of responsibility. This is based on Department held data with a pro rata adjustment to include VEC schools.

Unlike other areas of the public service, teaching vacancies continue to be filled. Indeed, the number of teaching posts is increasing due to demographics and the allocation of the additional posts in the renewed programme for Government. When the moratorium was introduced, the Government exempted principal and deputy principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium is, therefore, limited to the assistant principal and special duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion. Vacancies at assistant principal and special duties level arise due to retirements in these specific grades and typically also from the knock-on effect of filling principal and deputy principal posts. What the school loses is the capacity to make a promotion by awarding the extra pay allowance to another teacher. The position whereby around 50% of all teachers have promotion allowances is simply not sustainable.

Some further limited alleviation was announced in July for schools that are acutely affected by the impact of the moratorium at assistant principal level. The alleviation arrangements are set out in the published Department Circular 42/2010. It provides some delegated sanction for post-primary schools to fill assistant principal vacancies if they fall below certain minimum thresholds. The filling of these posts will be notified by the relevant post-primary schools to the Department over the coming weeks. At this stage, the Department has been notified in respect of the filling of 29 assistant principal posts. Applications for alleviation in respect of 41 programme co-ordinator posts and ten director of adult education posts have resulted in 21 of these posts being filled. Applications for alleviation have also been received from over 110 primary schools and these are currently being examined and prioritised and the schools will be advised of the outcome in the coming weeks.

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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It is sad that in 2010 a Minister of State is saying that these are only promotional posts and that they serve no other purpose. It is regrettable that the Minister of State cannot recognise the functions and duties that were associated with these posts in the past and does not see their importance in the context of the effective running of schools. Year heads have the first opportunity to identify, at an early stage, any problems that may arise for students at primary or post-primary level. It is regrettable that the Minister of State associates posts relating to these individuals as merely promotional in nature.

Approximately 1,200 of the type of teachers to whom I refer have retired since March 2009. These people have been removed from the system. It is a pity that the Minister of State is unfamiliar with the reality that obtains in schools because the work these people did was necessary before they retired and it remains necessary now. Effectively, the middle management structure in schools has disappeared. Many of the jobs in question — the Minister of State referred to them as promotional posts — related to transition year heads and they have been all but removed from the system. I ask the Minister of State to reconsider the position and to restore these posts en bloc.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy. I am not sure if he posed a question. However, the thrust of my——

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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The Minister of State did not answer my original question.

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The final sentence of Deputy Burke's contribution may have been a question.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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——response to him is that this is a public service-wide challenge regarding how to deliver public services in the context of a reduced level of resources. The Deputy is well aware of that. I acknowledge that there is an uneven distribution of the reduction and that, in the context of attempts to alleviate difficulties, some schools have been impacted upon more than others. That is why we have introduced some limited alleviation to deal with such cases, while continuing to reduce the overall number of promotional positions.

I reiterate that I am not sure whether the Deputy asked a question. If he requires a further answer, I will supply it later.

Ulick Burke (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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I am asking that the Minister of State reconsider the position. We are concerned here with the effective running of schools and the demands that are made on teachers within school structures. The posts which were created in respect of the effective running of schools have disappeared. There will be a serious impact in the future if these posts are not restored as a matter of urgency. Will those posts be restored? I do not know how it is possible for Ministers to distinguish between particular areas. Every school can make an effective plea in respect of the restoration of the posts to which I refer.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
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I thank the Deputy. The suggestion that direct budgets to schools could in some way bring about a different outcome misses the point completely. As the Deputy is well aware, the level of resources allocated for middle management in schools must be reduced. This would be the case irrespective of the method used to provide funding.