Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
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129. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied with the current system regarding guidance counselling services in second level schools, in view of the fact that since 2011 the guidance provision is managed from within the standard teacher allocation, requiring principals to use their individual discretion in balancing subject provision and guidance counselling needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3374/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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The decision to provide for guidance from within the overall staffing allocation was a budget measure the alternative to which was to continue with a separate allocation for guidance and to reduce the general allocation. I believe that in a difficult time of reduced resources it was better to give schools flexibility in how best to use the available resources.

I do not believe there is any problem in having a system that includes guidance within having an overall allocation. That said, I am firmly of the belief that schools must use their allocations to support all of their students, including by offering appropriate guidance, counselling and pastoral care.

I believe that the change that is needed is to improve the general allocation of staff to our schools. The last Budget included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60m during 2015. I am determined that education will be prioritised for further investment in future years, and I believe that increasing the staffing and funding of our schools should be priorities for such investment.