John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)

I thank the Deputy for providing me with the opportunity to outline the position on the allocation of resource teaching support in schools generally and in respect of the particular school referred to by him. As he will be aware, the Department of Education and Skills provides for a significant level of additional teaching support in schools for pupils with special educational needs. Additional teaching support is provided in primary schools through the general allocation model of teaching support, as well as through the allocation of additional resource teaching hours for children with more complex, low incidence special needs. The total number of whole-time equivalent posts provided this year for resource teaching and learning support posts, including under the general allocation model, is approximately 9,950, representing an increase of 350 on the figure for 2010.

The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education, through its network of local special educational needs organisers, SENOs, is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports. This includes the allocation of resource teaching hours to schools, as well as the establishment of special classes and the discontinuation of such classes where there is no longer a need. I understand that, with regard to the school referred to by the Deputy, the class for pupils with mild general learning disability will not be sanctioned by the National Council for Special Education for the coming school year because the school does not have the minimum number of nine pupils required to retain such a class. I understand there are only four pupils in this class. The children with mild general learning disability enrolled in the class will be able to receive additional teaching support through the teaching resources allocated to the school under the general allocation model.

I understand St. Catherine's national school has an allocation of one full-time teaching post under the general allocation model. If pupils with more complex low incidence special educational needs were enrolled in the special class, the school could apply to the National Council for Special Education for individual resource teaching support for the pupils concerned.

With regard to the allocation of individual resource teaching support, departmental Circulars 30/2011 and 37/2011 provide information for schools on the arrangements being put in place for the 2011-2012 school year. For the coming school year, an allocation of 90% of valid identified resource teaching allocations has been made to schools, in the first instance, to provide schools with the majority of their allocation, while also preserving enough capacity to deal with late applications and ensure the Department of Education and Skills remains within employment control framework obligations. In this context, I understand St. Catherine's national school has been allocated 21.6 hours per week individual resource teaching hours to date. Full-time resource teaching and learning support posts may only be allocated at 25 hours per week. Schools have been asked to forward any outstanding applications or additional outstanding materials to support incomplete applications to the National Council for Special Education for its consideration as soon as possible but, in any event, no later than 16 September.

I understand the school in question has submitted one application for additional resource teaching hours to the National Council for Special Education. Subject to this application fulfilling the qualifying criteria, it has the potential to increase the school's resource teaching hours allocation. Having considered all of the outstanding applications received from schools by 16 September and depending on the level of demand, the National Council for Special Education may be in a position to revisit the 90% allocation of resource teaching hours made to date for schools. Therefore, there is potential for the number of resource teaching hours allocated to the school in question to increase to the extent that it may qualify for a full-time post. However, at this stage it is not possible to indicate if that will be the case.

See this speech in context