Steven Matthews (Wicklow, Green Party)
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179. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the restoration of posts of responsibility in primary schools, as called for by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37576/24]

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 and special 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. In 2022, the Sectoral Bargaining process under Building Momentum for the primary sector was used to increase posts of responsibility in primary and special schools by 1,450 posts.

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 issued to schools earlier this year to reflect this increase in Assistant Principal II posts available to schools in the current school year. Today, 1 in 3 primary school teachers hold management positions in our primary and special schools.