Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey says that the Budget announcement of 2,400 additional teaching posts nationally in 2017 will mean new teachers for schools in Clare.
“Local schools may also from benefit from additional resource teachers as the allocation includes 900 new resource teachers nationally. In addition, 115 new Special Needs Assistants will be hired nationally next year. The Budget also provides for the full year costs of 860 Special Needs Assistants recruited from September 2016.
“I am also delighted that the equivalent of 100 additional guidance posts will be restored across the country by September 2017,” Deputy Carey added.
“The Budget for the Department of Education and Skills will increase by €458 million in 2017, compared to the allocation for 2016 announced in last year’s budget. The total education budget for 2017 will be €9.53 billion, in excess of 16 per cent of total spending.
“Budget 2017 also saw the first significant additional investment in higher education in a decade – €36.5 million in 2017 and €160 million over the next 3 years,” he added.
“To provide for educational disadvantage, an additional package of €8.5 million will support over 3,000 disadvantaged students, including lone parents and Travellers, to attend higher level. The new Action Plan for Disadvantaged Schools which will be announced before the end of the year, include additional measures in areas like school leadership, teaching methods and clusters to improve the outcomes for students in these schools.
“The capital education budget for 2017 will be €690 million, an increase of €95 million on the 2016 allocation announced in last year’s budget. This capital fund will deliver up to 20,000 additional school places and support almost 8,000 construction related jobs,” Deputy Carey concluded.
