Almost 1,200 middle management posts have been left vacant in primary and second-level schools since the moratorium on filling promotional positions in schools was introduced a year ago.
The figures were provided to the Dáil by the Minister for Education this afternoon.
Batt O'Keeffe said that in the past year almost 2000 teachers holding management posts, including principals and deputy principals, had retired.
The retirements left 810 so called posts of responsibility unfilled at second-level, while 355 were vacant at Primary level.
Batt O'Keeffe said he acknowledged that the impact of the moratorium had hit some schools more than others.
He said he was in discussions with the Minister for Finance in relation to alleviating some of the difficulties facing those schools and he hoped to conclude those discussions in the near future.
Teachers holding these positions typically act as year heads, or take charge of exam timetabling or disciplinary issues.
The second-level teacher unions have banned their members from stepping in to fulfil these roles informally when they are left vacant.
Fine Gael's Brian Hayes said the moratorium was causing absolute havoc in some schools and he called for the introduction of a 'floor' in relation to middle management posts in schools, below which no school could fall.
