Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 22 October 2024
358. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of "posts of responsibility" in primary schools and post-primary schools respectively in 2008 compared to the number in 2024; and the estimated additional cost of restoring the number of such posts to their pre-recession levels. [42887/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraPupil demographics is a key driver for teacher demand and teacher numbers have been increasing year on year with an increase of almost 9,500 teachers in primary and post-primary in the past five years. The number of Post of Responsibility positions in both sectors are calculated in accordance with the number of teaching posts allocated to each school and therefore with the increase in the number of teaching posts in schools, this automatically leads to an increase in the number of AP I and AP II positions within schools.
Budget 2024 provided for an additional 500 post of responsibility (Assistant Principal II) in both the primary and post-primary school system for the 2024/25 school year. These posts are effective from 01 September 2024. Budget 2025 has also provided for an additional 500 post of responsibility (Assistant Principal II) in both the primary and post-primary school system with effect for the 2025/26 school year.
At primary level there are currently 1,499 API posts and 8,298 APII posts allocated. This compares with 1,605 API's and 8,131 APII's in 2008.
In total, close to 40% of the primary teaching population hold a management position (Principal, Deputy Principal, API, APII) within our primary schools.
Additional measures were introduced in the intervening period in relation to School Management structures including:
* all teachers in two-teacher schools gaining Deputy Principal status as opposed to holding APII positions (reflected in number of APII above)
* Administrative Principal (178 – 169) and Deputy Administrative Principal (655 – 573) thresholds reduced.
* almost 30,000 additional principal release days at a cost of €9m per annum to allow for all teaching principals have one release day per week.
In relation to the post-primary numbers, data is provided in respect of the 476 voluntary and community and comprehensive schools (i.e. the Department's payroll). In these schools, there are currently 3,057 AP I's and 3,579 APII positions compared to 3,431 AP I and 5,276 AP II in 2008. It is expected that these numbers will increase in the next few weeks as the individual Post of Responsibility Schedules for each post-primary school issues in the next week.
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 in our second level schools. There are currently 688 posts allocated in respect of Deputy Principal positions in these schools compared to 232 posts in the 2007/2008 school year. Similar to the Primary sector, close to 40% of the teaching population hold a management position (Principal, Deputy Principal, API, APII) within our post-primary schools.
The current annual rates for Assistant Principal I and Assistant Principal II posts are €10,482 and €4,638 respectively.
