Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 149: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to correspondence (details supplied) regarding guidance counselling. [40955/11]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 154: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the impact on County Louth in cuts to guidance teachers or counsellors in schools including a list of any schools in which posts will be cut; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40974/11]

Billy Timmins (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 159: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the guidance counsellors hours (details supplied). [41048/11]

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 168: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the decision to cut the guidance counsellors service (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [41119/11]

Patrick Nulty (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 188: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the decision to cut the allocation for guidance counsellors in second level schools; his views that this will have a acutely detrimental effect on the educational and personal development of second level pupils, particularly those in disadvantaged areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41292/11]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 190: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review a matter (details supplied) regarding career guidance hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41297/11]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 242: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce a staffing circular instructing all post-primary principals to ensure that effective and sufficient guidance counselling services are offered in individual post-primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1080/12]

Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter regarding guidance councillors (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1331/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 149, 154, 159, 168, 188, 190, 242 and 249 together.

The change that has been announced gives schools greater autonomy in how they allocate staff resources to best meet the needs of their students, including how they provide for guidance and counselling. It is a change to how resources are allocated to schools not a policy decision to terminate guidance provision as some may chose to present it.

Until now, a specific resource was provided for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation to post primary schools. In future, schools must meet their guidance requirements from within the overall resource provided by that normal staffing schedule. Individually schools can continue to make provision for guidance and counselling. Decisions on how this will be done will be taken at school level in the best interests of students and to ensure the best use of resources available.

In this way, the main teacher allocation can be maintained at 19:1 for schools generally, while schools will have discretion to balance what they allocate for guidance against the competing demands of providing subject choice.

I have also provided for the filling of 300 Assistant Principal posts in second-level schools over the level originally planned. This will ensure that schools have sufficient management positions to ensure appropriate supports are available for all students.

A key priority for me is to continue to prioritise and target available funding at schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. All 195 second-level school in DEIS will be given targeted support by a more favourable staffing schedule of 18.25:1. This is a 0.75 point reduction compared to the existing PTR of 19:1 that applies in non fee-paying second-level schools. The budget measures, including those relating to guidance, come into effect from September 2012. Schools will be notified in the normal manner in relation to these changes. My Department will be issuing a Circular this month that will outline the staffing arrangements in schools for the 2012/13 school year. The Department will set out the position clearly and this should dispel any potential for misunderstanding the budget measure.