Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students training to become a career guidance counsellor this year compared to last year in teacher training colleges; if any courses have been cut or any discontinued; the number of students that will be affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11973/13]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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My Department recognises a number of postgraduate qualifications offered by universities as acceptable for school guidance work.

The Higher Education Authority does not allocate funding for specific courses. It is a matter for each university to determine which courses are run and the number of places they wish to offer. As such decisions are usually determined by reference to overall resourcing levels and the likely demand from students. Variations from year to year are not unusual.

I am informed that the HEA does not yet have the relevant information for the current academic year to allow comparison with 2012 enrolments. I understand that there was a slight drop in enrolments in 2011-12 from the previous year. However, there has been a 58% increase in enrolments on these programmes since 2008-09.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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I am disappointed that we have not yet got the figures.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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So am I.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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On the Deputy's observation on the lack of figures at this point in the academic year, this is not confined to higher level education. It is also a problem at primary and second level. Our system is partially computerised and partially manual. We are dependent on the individual institutions returning data to us. In my view, this has not been satisfactory. I propose to take another look at this in the context of reform of the third level sector but it will also need to be done in the primary and second level sectors. For example, in response to a query to post-primary schools, the free voluntary sector, in regard to whether they operated book lending programmes, the response was poor. In terms of the information we can get for the Deputy, we are dependent on the active co-operation of the relevant institutions. I am not satisfied with the speed of the reply either.

The Deputy's reference to the decimation of the profession of guidance counsellors is somewhat extreme. The fact that guidance counsellors have been mainstreamed and are subject to redeployment by the principal, as distinct from their being ex quota, has caused disquiet among some guidance counsellors. There has also been a reaction to the recent health document published by myself and the Minister of State, Deputy Lynch, which provides that the well-being of the school population, including the mental health of students, some of whom may ultimately be suicidal, is the concern of the entire school community and not only guidance counsellors. This appears to be viewed by some guidance counsellors as an intrusion into their professional area. It is our view - I strongly support the group's conclusions - that the well-being of students is of concern to everybody. This matter was raised during Leaders' Questions this morning.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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I ask that the Minister request his officials to obtain those figures relatively quickly. There are only a small number of courses involved. It is important we get those figures.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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There are five institutions involved. The figure for last year is 54; for the previous year is 83 and for the year prior to that is 100. Five years ago the figure was 58. As such, there was a spike two years ago, which dropped off long before any changes were made to the budget.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I remind Members that on Other Questions only two minutes is allowed for the Minister's initial reply and one minute for supplementaries.