Kathleen Funchion (Carlow-Kilkenny, Sinn Fein)
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183. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of restoring guidance counsellors to one per 500 pupils ex-quota at post-primary schools. [27538/18]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
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Measures announced by my Department as part of Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 mean that 500 of the 600 guidance posts that was withdrawn in Budget 2012, will be restored to schools from September 2018.

All of these 500 posts are allocated separately and transparently on the normal staffing schedule of posts for schools.  These posts have been ring-fenced so they can only be used for guidance activities and to meet the guidance needs of the school. 

The estimated cost of one guidance counsellor per 500 pupils would require in the region of 250 posts in addition to the 500 posts which have been restored in Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 at an estimated cost of €15.75 million per annum.