Secondary school principals have said the dismantling of middle management posts is threatening the effective running of secondary schools.
Principals are meeting in Galway for the two-day annual conference of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals.
NAPD President Padraig Flanagan told delegates that the moratorium on the filling of such posts in schools was the single biggest challenge to effective school leadership.
The middle management posts referred to include roles such as Year Head and Special Education Needs Co-ordinator.
Minister for Education Jan O'Sullivan addressed the conference today.
She told principals she will continue to listen to their concerns regarding the ongoing ban on middle management appointments.
Calls for a new model of middle management would need to be negotiated, she added.
Ms O'Sullivan said, however, it would never be possible to satisfy all of the demands of the education system at one time.
On Junior Cycle reform, Ms O'Sullivan said she would be meeting both second-level teacher unions next Wednesday.
The Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland and the Teachers’ Union of Ireland are threatening industrial action, including strike action, over the Government's reform proposals.
On the Budget, the minister said the education budget had been due to fall by €39 million this year.
She said months of intensive negotiations meant she had been able, with the support of Minister Brendan Howlin, to get an increase of €60 million instead.
