Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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867.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the criteria for allocating principal release time. [33683/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Prior to 2022, principal release days were allocated on the basis of the number of mainstream teachers in the school.

As part of Budget 2022 measures, I ensured that all schools with a teaching principal have a minimum of 37 Principal Release Days. i.e. one administrative day per week. Schools with one special class have 4 additional release days, a total of 41 in the school year and schools with 2 special classes have administrative principal status. These allocations are set out in Circular 26/2022, which superseded previous circulars 19/2020 and 14/2001.

Schools may employ a substitute teacher for the day to facilitate the principal’s release day. Alternatively, schools may cluster their release days with other schools in order to create a full-time fixed-term post. For the 2024/25 school year, schools may combine their Special Education Teaching (SET) hours with principal release days in order to create a full-time post. The inclusion of principal release days in cluster posts allows for consistency in the teaching cover provided to schools.

Any further improvement would have to be considered in the context of the overall budgetary process.

Sorca Clarke (Longford-Westmeath, Sinn Fein)
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868.To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the first- and full-year cost of providing for an additional 1,700 assistant principal posts of responsibility. [33684/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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The current annual rates for Assistant Principal I and Assistant Principal II posts are €10,074 and €4,457 respectively.

The cost of an additional 1,700 Assistant Principal I posts for the first year is approximately €2.5m, with a full year cost of approximately €7.5m.

The cost of an additional 1,700 Assistant Principal II posts for the first year is approximately €5.7m, with a full year cost of approximately €17.1m.

These costings will rise in line with the Public Sector Pay Agreement 2024-2026.