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

Some of the other students did not have any assessed special educational need. The school has 89 pupils with a staffing of an administrative principal, 15 teachers, four teachers who provide special subject hours and 17 special needs assistants. In 2002-03, there were 122 pupils and the school had one teacher extra with the same number of SNAs. Even though there has been a drop in the number of pupils, the school has maintained the number of SNAs.

The fall in enrolment together with the large number of children who do not meet the official criteria for the school means that the current staffing of the school is excessive. The NCSE advised the school on 19 February last that four SNA posts would be suppressed. It has alerted the school to the possibility that a further four SNA posts will be suppressed with effect from 2 April.

None the less, it is anxious to work with the school to support the children with ASD and moderate GLD. For example, if the school were to open a class for children with autism, this would need one teacher and two SNAs.

No decision has been taken on teacher posts. Falling enrolments would be one of the factors to be considered in this context. However, any change in the profile of the pupils-----

See this speech in context