Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Minister for Education and Skills held back more than 400 of these appointments so that they could be allocated in cases where they are absolutely necessary. I had occasion to make contact with the Department of Education and Skills recently about two individual cases. As the Deputy is aware, the professional assessor decides on the basis of professional qualifications the needs for any individual child, and the special needs officer of the Department discusses the use and the allocation of the SNAs to the school. I made the point before the summer that if particular cases arise, they should be brought to the attention of the professional qualified assessors of need for the children in question. The Deputy and I meet those affected. The matter causes enormous stress for people in certain households.

There has not been a cut in resource teachers. As the Deputy knows, resource hours for pupils with special educational needs who require particular supports are allocated by the National Council for Special Education. The number of resource teachers to be allocated in 2011 has increased over that for last year. There are more resource teachers than there were before. There were 9,600 whole-time equivalent posts for 2010. For the new school year, this will rise to 9,950, representing an increase of 350 resource teacher posts this year.

On the Deputy's question on mathematics, all second level schools were sent a questionnaire on 5 September relating to the qualifications of mathematics teachers. The results of the survey showed that of a total of 2,045 teachers teaching mathematics in 258 schools, 1,400 are fully qualified to do so, 596 have undergone some studies in mathematics and 49 have no third level qualifications or have conducted no studies in mathematics. I find it somewhat unusual that the employers - in this case, the boards of management and principal teachers - would not have queried the actual qualifications for teaching mathematics in the first instance. One is aware that the Minister for Education and Skills has announced a programme of up-skilling mathematics teachers, to start in January 2012. Having met various business representatives, I note some are very happy with the standard of students coming through while others are not. I was speaking to a businessperson some nights ago who was looking for 35 IT staff but who could not get anybody. There is a worldwide shortage of designers, planners and programmers. The Minister for Education and Skills is certainly considering this in the most serious fashion because it is fundamental to the well-being of our economy and the quality of our graduates over the coming years.

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