Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of schools that will have a dedicated full time guidance counsellor in September 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36320/12]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of schools whose guidance counsellor will return to subject teaching in September 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36321/12]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that are expected to offer one to one guidance counselling services from September 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36322/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 to 193, inclusive, together.

All schools must continue to provide guidance to their pupils however from the start of the new school year guidance provision will be managed by schools from within their standard staffing allocation. Circular 0009/2012 issued by my Department while informing post primary school management and staff of the revised arrangements confirmed the requirement to provide for guidance. This was in response to claims that schools would abandon guidance provision altogether.

Teacher allocations to post primary schools for the coming school year have effectively been settled at this stage and schools have autonomy on how best to prioritise their available resources to meet the requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to students.

I am confident that schools will act in the best interest of students when determining precisely how to use the teaching resources available to them.