Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

In light of the reality that pupils in the high incidence disability categories of mild and borderline mild general learning disability and dyslexia are distributed throughout the education system my Department, in consultation with educational interests, developed a general model of resource teacher allocation to schools to support students in these disability categories.

My predecessor, Deputy Noel Dempsey, announced a model in 2004, which was due to come into effect this year but we have reviewed that model. The aim was to place a permanent resource in primary schools to cater for pupils in these categories. The model based on numbers and which takes into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and that boys have greater difficulties than girls was the one devised.

There are advantages to using a general allocation model. It ensures there is early intervention because the resources are in place in the school when a child enrols. It reduces the need for individual applications and supporting psychological assessments. It puts resources in place on a more systematic basis, thereby giving schools more certainty about their resource levels. It gives more security to special education teaching posts and makes special education teaching a more attractive option. It allows flexibility to school management in the deployment of resources, leading to a more effective and efficient delivery of services. It will automatically adjust a school's general allocation on the basis of changing enrolment. The principle of having a general allocation is a good one for the reasons I have outlined. However, the particular model which was announced indicated that there would be particular difficulties for small, rural and disadvantaged schools. For that reason, a review is under way which it is hoped will be completed over the next few weeks. This has involved consultation with the representative interests, including the National Council for Special Education.

In regard to resources next year for children in the lower incidence disability categories, resources will continue to be allocated on the basis of individual applications. It is important that where there is a particular special need in the low incidence category, these children are considered individually. These pupils are not evenly distributed among schools. Therefore, the general model would be inappropriate for them. However, the involvement of the National Council for Special Education and the special educational needs organisers will greatly enhance the speed of response to such applications.

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