Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 June 2026
370. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the estimated first- and full-year cost of increasing guidance counselling funding by 5%, 10% and 20% respectively, in tabular form. [49140/26]
View answer371. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total number of guidance counsellor posts allocated to schools for the 2025/2026 school year and the average annual cost associated with one guidance counsellor post, in tabular form. [49141/26]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 370 and 371 together.
Since 2023, and publication of the National Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance (2024-2030) the Department has committed considerable resources towards the restoration of the allocation for guidance to post-primary schools:
- Development of a Guidance Team within Oide, and provision of TPL to guidance counsellors and other school personnel;
- Funding to increase provision of guidance counsellor initial training courses,
- Extension of a national guidance counselling supervision service for post-primary guidance counsellors in recent times.
The allocation for guidance is provided separately and transparently on each school's staffing schedule. These hours are ring-fenced so they can only be used for guidance activities and to meet the guidance needs of the school.
There were 972 whole-time equivalent guidance counsellor posts in second level schools for the 2025/2026 school year.
The current average cost of a post-primary teacher (incl. Employer PRSI) is €81,640.
With regard to resourcing the allocation for guidance specifically, the estimated allocation for guidance for the 2026/27 school year will be circa €81 million.
Hence, as requested, the table below outlines the estimated first and full year cost of increasing guidance posts by 5%, 10% and 20% respectively.
|
% increase |
First year cost € |
Full year cost € |
|
5% |
1.3m |
4.0m |
|
10% |
2.6m |
8.1m |
|
20% |
5.4m |
16.2m |
The allocation for guidance is deployed in each local post-primary school as outlined in the associated staffing circulars 0026/2026, 0027/2026, 0028/2026 and circular 0001/2025. As noted within these circulars, ‘in deploying the guidance allocation, schools are encouraged to give due consideration to the pivotal role the qualified guidance counsellor plays in the implementation of the whole school guidance plan.
