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

On the first question, the reduction in posts will be approximately 550. This will be achieved through a combination of lower levels of immigration and the capping of language support at a maximum of two extra teachers per school, with some alleviation for the position of those schools where there is a significant concentration of newcomer pupils as a proportion of the overall enrolment. The reduction in posts is estimated to achieve a saving of up to €34 million in a full year and approximately €11 million in 2009.

When it came to dealing with language support, I was conscious of those schools with a high percentage of non-national children with English language requirements. When I was making a decision on language support services, I was conscious that certain schools take in a high percentage of non-national children with English language requirements.

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