Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 9, 12, 16, 23 and 24 together.

I have authorised the NCSE to restore the level of resource teaching allocations to be provided for students with special educational needs to the 2012-13 levels. There will not now be a reduction in resource teaching time for these pupils for the coming school year. The first tranche of resource teaching posts have now been allocated to schools by the NCSE.

A number of additional posts will be required to ensure that allocations can continue to be made for valid applications for resource teaching support received for the coming school year. The full extent of this demand will not be known until September but it may require the allocation of up to 500 additional resource teacher posts.

The implications of this for my Department's employment control framework and Vote will be raised with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and will also be addressed in the forthcoming process in formulating budget 2014. The reality is that the allocation of 500 additional resource teachers could require additional expenditure of up to €22 million by Government in 2014. This is in addition to the pre-existing requirement to identify net savings of €44 million to meet the 2014 ceiling set out for my Department in the expenditure report 2013.

I am not in a position at this time to anticipate future budgetary decisions. All of these issues will have to be considered as part of the normal budgetary and Estimates process for 2014 and beyond.

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