Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

The general allocation of learning support-resource teachers to schools is intended to cater for children with learning support and high incidence special educational needs. Learning support-resource teacher allocations are based on pupil numbers, taking into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and the evidence that boys have greater difficulties than girls in this regard.

Disadvantaged schools eligible for additional staffing under the Giving Children an Even Break scheme have a preferential pupil-teacher allocation ratio of 80:1. Small schools have also been given preferential pupil-teacher ratios under the general allocation compared to larger schools.

The new system has several benefits associated with it, among which are that it facilitates early intervention as the resource is in place when the child enrols. It puts resources in place on a more systematic basis, thereby giving schools more certainty about their resource levels. It is also reduces the need for individual applications and supporting psychological assessments and allows flexibility to school management in the deployment of resources.

It is intended that a review of the general allocation model will be undertaken within three years of operation. While I am satisfied the general allocation system has been welcomed by the majority of schools, officials from the Department of Education and Science have recently discussed the concerns of a small number of north inner city Dublin schools with the Irish National Teachers Organisation. The school authorities are advised that they may send material that they feel supports a case for the allocation of additional special needs supports in respect of pupils with high and low-incidence special educational needs and learning support requirements to the Department. Departmental officials will consider each case on an individual basis and convey the outcome of this consideration to the relevant school authority as soon as possible thereafter.

Significant supports are made available to certain schools under disadvantaged programmes, including more favourable pupil-teacher ratios. These 15 schools enjoy exceptionally favourable pupil-teacher ratios, ranging from 6.9:1 to 14.7:1 with the average pupil-teacher ratio being 10:1.

A key element of the new action plan for educational inclusion, delivering equality of opportunity in schools, is the putting in place of a standardised system for identifying levels of disadvantage in our primary and second level schools. This is for the purposes of qualifying for resources, both human and financial, according to the degree of disadvantaged experienced. This standardised system will replace all existing arrangements for targeting schools for participation in initiatives to address disadvantage. The new action plan aims to ensure the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed and will involve an additional annual investment of €40 million on full implementation.

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