Paul McGrath (Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 52: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the ratio of second level students to guidance councillors; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27546/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department makes a specific ex-quota allocation of teaching posts in respect of guidance to schools in the second level system. This allocation is based on the pupil enrolment in September of the preceding school year. As a result of my decision to allocate an additional 100 posts to guidance from September 2005 an enhanced guidance allocation provision was put in place for 2005-06 school year. This enhanced provision means that in the case of schools in the free education/block grant schemes, the level of allocation ranges from eight hours per week for schools with enrolments below 200 pupils to 47 hours per week for schools with an enrolment of 1,000 pupils or more. In addition certain schools had previously been allocated hours in response to particular needs and-or as part of the guidance enhancement initiative, such schools have been permitted to retain this higher allocation for the 2005-06 school year.

In the case of schools outside the free education or block grant schemes, 11 hours per week are allocated in respect of schools in the 350 to 499 enrolment category and a full post is allocated in the case of schools with 500 or more pupils.