THE EDUCATION SYSTEM will be boosted with an extra 2,500 teachers according to today’s Budget.
The ambitious plan, which includes 900 resource teachers, will come as part of €9.5 billion in education spending in 2017.
That figure represents 16% of the national budget.
The Budget as announced today will see the creation of 2,515 additional posts in schools in 2017, including 900 additional resource teachers and 115 additional special needs assistants. The remaining 1,500 posts are additional mainstream teaching posts arising from various initiatives.
Overall, the Department of Education and Skills’ budget will increase by €458 million.
An initial additional €160 million in total funding has also been committed to higher education over three years, the first significant expansion in government spending on higher education in a decade.
On top of the announced posts, over 3,000 students from disadvantaged groups will benefit from an additional package of €8.5million to support more disadvantaged students, including lone parents and Travellers, to attend higher level.
This includes the introduction of a full maintenance grant worth almost €6,000 from September 2017 for 1,100 postgraduate students in the lowest income category.
There is also funding to implement the recent agreement reached with the TUI and INTO on salary increases for new entrants and €690 million for building and renovating schools.
Education Minister Richard Bruton said that the funding was welcome.
“Education is at the heart of everything we are trying to deliver as a government – a strongly growing economy sustaining a fair and compassionate society.”
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