Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)

No pupil with a special educational need will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability. These special classes, which are to close, pre-date the 2005 general allocation model of allocating additional teacher support to schools to enable them to meet the needs of pupils with mild general learning disabilities and a number of other high incidence disabilities. All primary schools now have in place additional teaching support for this purpose.

All primary schools were allocated additional teaching resources under the general allocation model to enable them support pupils with high incidence special educational needs, including mild general learning disability, MGLD. Schools can decide how best to use this allocation based on pupils' needs. Most pupils with a MGLD are taught in ordinary classes with their peers and are supported by their class teacher. The curriculum is flexible so that teachers can cater for the needs of children of different abilities.

Teacher allocations to schools typically increase or decrease depending on pupil enrolment. In the case of classes for MGLD, the normal pupil teacher ratio is 11:1. However, my Department permits schools to retain a teaching post in respect of a class with a minimum of nine pupils. In the case of 128 classes in 119 schools, the number of pupils dropped below the minimum enrolment number. Therefore, these schools no longer qualify for the 128 teaching posts allocated to them. There are currently 534 pupils enrolled in these classes.

When the general allocation model was introduced, schools with additional teachers in classes for MGLD were allowed to retain those teachers. Effectively, these schools received a double allocation. The number of these special classes has decreased since 2005 in line with falling numbers as pupils were supported through the additional teaching allocation provided and integrated into age-appropriate mainstream classes. All of the other primary schools in the country who do not have classes for children with MGLD cater for these pupils from within the general allocation model.

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