Mayo Fianna Fáil T.D. Dara Calleary has issued a stark warning about the consequences for local secondary schools as a result of Government cuts in Career Guidance and Counselling as announced in the Budget on December 6^th.

“I believe that this decision will not only lead to the end of the Guidance Counselling profession but its effect will be felt most by vulnerable and disadvantaged students particularly in rural constituencies such as Mayo,” said Deputy Calleary.

“This decision is an effective increase in the pupil/teacher ratio despite the Government trying to give the impression there was no increase.”

“Next year second-level schools will be faced with the choice to either let go of up to 1,000 Guidance Counsellors in 700 schools or let go of other teachers, maybe in the Science or Language disciplines, leading to reduced subject choice.”

“We may have bigger classes but likely casualties will also be foundation classes at Leaving Cert in subjects like Maths and Irish and again the weakest students will suffer.”

“Schools must now decide whether to deliver a Guidance service or maintain subject provision and current class size. Guidance Counsellors leaving the system before the next school year will not be replaced, this will have very serious consequences for the number of Guidance Counsellors in the school system within the next few years.”

“Guidance Counsellors have an enormous input and role in Educational Guidance; for example in the area of subject choice, transition year work experience choice, college applications, personal references and individual advice on further education.”

“A large proportion of students from the west of Ireland in particular apply for college courses in the United Kingdom through the UCAS system for courses such as pharmacy, medicine, physiotherapy – without the expert assistance of Guidance Counsellors, these applications will suffer severely – in fact the onus