Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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452. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of career guidance teachers available to students in all secondary schools throughout north County Kildare; the extent to which these number have fluctuated over the past ten years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40473/20]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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announced by my Department as part of Budgets 2016, 2017 and 2018 mean that 500 of the 600 guidance posts that were withdrawn in Budget 2012 were restored to schools from September 2018.

As part of the COVID-19 operational supports to schools for the 2020/21 school year, approximately 120 additional posts were provided for guidance to support student wellbeing. These posts will bring guidance provision in schools back to the level last seen before the financial crisis in 2012.

In the current school year, there are 720 posts allocation in respect of Guidance Provision. This allocation is shown separately and transparently on the school's staffing schedule. These posts have been ring-fenced so they can only be used for guidance activities and to meet the guidance needs of the school.