Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 14 May 2024
303. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Education her views on the lack of clear guidance on future options; if she will ensure that all schools and pupils have access to a guidance counsellor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21458/24]
View answer305. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Education how many guidance counsellors there are currently in schools in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21461/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 303 and 305 together.
Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment on the previous 30 September. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website (circular 0008/2024 0009/2024 & 0010/2024).
Each school receives an allocation in respect of Guidance Provision, calculated in accordance with published criteria and by reference to the approved enrolment.
For the current school year 2023/24 there are almost 930 Guidance Counselling posts allocated to our schools at a cost of over €68 million. The number of Guidance Counselling posts allocated to the 16 post-primary schools in Co. Clare is 18.83 whole time equivalents.
The allocation for Guidance Provision is provided separately and transparently on each 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 in accordance with the school’s Guidance Plan.
My Department has committed considerable resources towards the restoration of guidance counselling hours to post-primary schools, to the provision of CPD for guidance counsellors and to the provision of a national guidance counselling supervision service for post-primary guidance counsellors in recent times.
