Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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125. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills in the context of the significant reduction in posts of responsibility at primary school level since 2009, the steps he will take to address the issue of the pay parity award to principals that they are due since that date and to rebuild the appropriate structures to facilitate promotions within these schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28962/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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When the moratorium on the filling of posts of responsibility was introduced in 2009, the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools. These posts continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium was therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties posts of responsibility. There are limited alleviation arrangements in place for schools that are acutely affected by the impact of the moratorium at Assistant Principal level.

It is widely accepted that the quality of school leadership is a key determinant of school effectiveness and the achievement of good learning outcomes. Indeed international research indicates that school leadership is second only to classroom teaching as an influence on pupil learning.

The Centre for School Leadership (CSL) is a collaboration between my Department and the representative professional bodies for school principals. It has been created to offer professional and practical support to schools leaders. This support structure for leadership teams in schools will attempt to ensure that school leaders have opportunities to access, share and create knowledge and experience within their leadership roles.

The work of the Centre draws on best international practice and research in the professional development of school leaders. Priorities for the Centre include a new post graduate qualification for aspiring school leaders, a mentoring programme for newly appointed school principals, coaching support for serving principals who are facing new challenges in the role, a review and alignment of leadership programmes with Department standards and the development of a quality assurance framework for leadership provision.

In addition my Department has published Looking at Our School 2016, a quality framework for schools which is designed to support the efforts of teachers and school leaders, as well as the school system more generally, to strive for excellence in our schools.

The Deputy will also be aware that as part of Budget 2016, additional release days for teaching principals were provided for, as outlined in circular 12/2016 which is available on my Department's website.