Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent) | Oireachtas source

As I am sure the Minister is aware, there is chaos in many schools because of the proposed changes to the SET teacher allocations. A school principal in my constituency wrote to me about what he described as the fiasco of the new SET teacher allocations and the removal of the complex needs criteria. The school was confident it would see its hours being increased. However, because of the removal of the complex needs criteria and because the criteria for a new model was introduced, their hours were actually cut significantly, by five hours. This equates to a 20% cut for pupils with very complex needs. This is causing huge issues and uncertainty in many schools and, as we can understand, it is causing frustration, because schools want to meet the needs of all of their pupils, particularly those with special needs.

There are also issues around local arrangements for clusters where hours have to be arranged by the principal. The principal has to do that, but cannot give certainty to SET teachers unless they have the hours arranged and in place. I am asking for the new SET teacher allocation model to be suspended until all issues are addressed.

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