Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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Question 48: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will clarify her plans for proposed changes to special education support in view of the growing concern among parents and teachers at the implications of circular SP ED 09/04 for children with special needs; if she has consulted with schools on this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8091/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In light of the reality that pupils in the high incidence disability categories of mild and borderline mild general learning disability and dyslexia are distributed throughout the education system my Department, in consultation with educational interests, developed a general model of resource teacher allocation to schools to support students in these disability categories.

My predecessor, Deputy Noel Dempsey, announced a model in 2004, which was due to come into effect this year but we have reviewed that model. The aim was to place a permanent resource in primary schools to cater for pupils in these categories. The model based on numbers and which takes into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and that boys have greater difficulties than girls was the one devised.

There are advantages to using a general allocation model. It ensures there is early intervention because the resources are in place in the school when a child enrols. It reduces the need for individual applications and supporting psychological assessments. It puts resources in place on a more systematic basis, thereby giving schools more certainty about their resource levels. It gives more security to special education teaching posts and makes special education teaching a more attractive option. It allows flexibility to school management in the deployment of resources, leading to a more effective and efficient delivery of services. It will automatically adjust a school's general allocation on the basis of changing enrolment. The principle of having a general allocation is a good one for the reasons I have outlined. However, the particular model which was announced indicated that there would be particular difficulties for small, rural and disadvantaged schools. For that reason, a review is under way which it is hoped will be completed over the next few weeks. This has involved consultation with the representative interests, including the National Council for Special Education.

In regard to resources next year for children in the lower incidence disability categories, resources will continue to be allocated on the basis of individual applications. It is important that where there is a particular special need in the low incidence category, these children are considered individually. These pupils are not evenly distributed among schools. Therefore, the general model would be inappropriate for them. However, the involvement of the National Council for Special Education and the special educational needs organisers will greatly enhance the speed of response to such applications.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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I thank the Minister for her reply. This issue has been raised on a number of occasions. I am sure her back bench colleagues will have made her aware of the serious disquiet that exists on this issue. I recently attended a meeting in Scoil Coca Naofa, Kilcock, to which all the candidates were invited in the context of the by-election. We heard at first hand the concerns of parents and teachers, including special needs teachers and the principal of the school, that children who have been assessed as being in need of resources and who now have them will have them diluted. Has the Minister listened to some of these parents and teachers regarding their real and individual concerns?

The Minister said that children would receive the service appropriate to their needs. Does that mean that a child who has two and a half hours' one-to-one support and has been assessed as needing this support will continue to have that level of support from September 2005? There are concerns that where resources are in place and the system is working well on the basis of the figures in the weighted scheme, schools would lose teachers and resource hours and children would lose out. Will the Minister address these concerns and ensure children do not lose the resources they need?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I met the principal of the school to which Deputy O'Sullivan referred and also the principals and boards of management representing schools in west Limerick. I was happy to receive submissions from various groups to revise our thinking on the matter. I always believe in listening to people. I have received recommendations from organisations such as the National Council for Special Education and partners in education.

We said that children will receive a service according to their needs. The needs of children change each year. Just because a child needed a particular resource in senior infants does not necessarily mean he or she will need it in second class. I hope these children will not continue to need these resources and that their educational development will be such that they will be able to address their problems and issues. The aim is to ensure that children who need a service will receive it. The problem is trying to find an allocation that can cater for all the needs of small and rural schools in particular which share teachers. We want to address the problem of people having to drive from one end of a county to another.

An issue that came to light in some schools was the differential in the allocation between boys and girls. There should be a greater allocation for boys because all the international literature and all the national and international surveys indicate that there are greater needs and difficulties among boys than among girls. We must address that kind of evidence and information.

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick East, Labour)
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In her reply about children getting what they need, does it mean that the poor unfortunate principals will have to make a decision in September if they do not have sufficient resources? Where a child had two and a half hours' one-to-one support, will the principal now have to decide the child does not need it anymore or can they get the resources from the Department?

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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There are many instances where principals must decide on the deployment of resources. We appointed 2,600 additional resource teachers in recent years to deal with the issues and difficulties to which we have referred. A child who has a specific need and who falls within the low incidence or more severe category will continue to get exactly what was allocated to him or her. What we are talking about in this model is the mild and borderline mild general learning disability. We must cater for their needs by having that service in place. I hope to be in a position to announce the allocation over the next few weeks. However, it is proving quite difficult to come up with a model.