Gary Gannon (Dublin Central, Social Democrats)
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802.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the plans in place to address the staffing crisis of deputy principals across the country. [32703/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Budget 2017 allowed for the commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an agreed distributed leadership model and meant lifting the rigidity of the longstanding moratorium on these posts. The equivalent of approximately 1,300 middle management posts (Assistant Principal One (API) and Assistant Principal Two (APII)) were restored in our primary schools.

My Department committed to annually revising the allocation of Posts of Responsibility to take into account retirements during the school year which has ensured that the current level of Posts of Responsibility are maintained in the school system.

Budget 2024 has also provided for an additional 1,000 posts of responsibility (500 APII posts in both primary and second-level) for the 2024/25 school year. A revised Post of Responsibility Schedule has issued to schools to reflect this increase in Assistant Principal II posts available to schools from September 2024. Today, 1 in 3 teachers hold management positions in our post-primary schools.

In the intervening period to enhance middle management structures in schools, enrolment thresholds for Deputy Principals were altered to allow for over additional Deputy Principals positions in our post-primary schools. The current number of posts allocated in respect of Deputy Principals has increased by over 630 when compared with the 2016/17 school year.

The school leadership framework introduced in 2017 allows for flexibility in identifying and prioritising the evolving leadership and management needs of schools. This shared leadership model supports school leaders in the overall management and operation of schools. It provides for the assignment and re-assignment of post holders to specific roles and responsibilities to meet a school’s evolving needs.

Effective school leadership, and governance, means effective schools. The existing models of leadership and governance of our schools, whilst very effective, also carry challenges for teachers, school principals, as well as boards of management, and the sector as a whole. Recognising these challenges, my department is now putting an increased focus on leadership and governance at school level and across the sector nationally. My officials, in conjunction and consultation with education partners will examine current policy and practice to see what elements are serving school communities well and what elements we can improve on. Any further improvement would have to be considered in the context of the overall budgetary process.