Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

145. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondary schools that have a full-time guidance counsellor; the number that do not have a full-time guidance counsellor; the percentage of these that are fee-paying and that are non-fee-paying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25804/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Up until September 2012, an ex-quota allocation was provided for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation to post primary schools. This resource was allocated in accordance with pupil enrolment. 42% of second-level schools at the time were allocated at least 22 hours per week in respect of guidance (22 hours being the equivalent of one teaching post) while the remainder of the schools were allocated between 8 and 17 hours of guidance per week.

Since September 2012 at post primary level guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the staffing schedule allocation. Guidance is a whole school activity 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. This operates at local school level and therefore the information requested by the Deputy on the current position is not available centrally within my Department. The Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations.