Dáil debates

Wednesday, 25 March 2009

1:00 pm

Photo of Joanna TuffyJoanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 45: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if his Department considers itself under a legal obligation to provide English language support to foreign students in order that they can participate fully within the school environment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12252/09]

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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The Education Act 1998 sets out the legislative framework for the provision of education to all pupils. There is no specific reference in that Act to English language support. In my view, language support must be approached from the perspective not of legal imperative, but of enabling pupils for whom English is not the mother tongue to access the curriculum and participate fully in the Irish education system. Language support is a measure that is integral to a policy of inclusion.

I recognise that the quality of supports pupils receive and the inclusive atmosphere cultivated in schools are important factors influencing the quality of learning obtained by newcomer pupils. Research is being carried out on a number of fronts to ensure that a quality service continues to be provided. To assist teachers with this work, resource materials, including intercultural guidelines and assessment kits for primary and post-primary schools, have been prepared and provided to all schools.

My Department supports an inclusive school environment that reflects values and affirms linguistic, ethnic and cultural diversity. Schools are encouraged to have in place policies and procedures that promote and facilitate the inclusion of all pupils. A school's commitment to creating an inclusive school environment should be evident in the school plan, the promotion of parental involvement, the provision of equality of access, the facilitation of professional development opportunities and in whole-school and classroom practice. Pupils should also be encouraged and facilitated in maintaining a connection with their own culture and language through curriculum activities and displays.

On supports for schools, I must operate within the level of funding provided by the Oireachtas. In light of the budget 2009 decision, my Department has now published a circular for schools which sets out how the new arrangements for the allocation of language support teachers from September 2009 will operate. The circular sets out a structured and transparent approach for the operation of the alleviation measures announced in the budget for schools that have a significant concentration of newcomer pupils. The alleviation measures provide that these schools can qualify for up to four language support posts with the possibility of additional posts also being approved through the independent staffing appeals mechanism.

Additional information not provided on the floor of the House.

Schools can apply in the normal way to my Department for language support posts. These posts are approved on a provisional basis initially and will be confirmed in September 2009 following receipt from the schools of actual enrolments of pupils requiring language support. It is estimated that, notwithstanding the budget measures, there will be more than 1,400 language support teaching posts in our primary and post-primary schools in September 2009 and up to approximately 500 other teachers in part-time posts. By any standards, this is a significant resource and the challenge will be to ensure that it is used to maximum effect.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Will the Minister confirm that the impact of the measures as originally announced will be the removal from the education system of 550 teachers who are providing language support, that this will result in a saving of approximately €33 million and that the words "unemployed" or "sacked" teachers will not appear anywhere else because these people are on contract? This is a cruel way of achieving a small, snappy reduction in expenditure.

I am sure the Minister's colleague, the Minister of State, Deputy Conor Lenihan, who is responsible for integration, has informed him that the experience in Denmark and, in particular, the Netherlands has been that children of foreign emigrants, born in the relevant country, who have English as a second language for which they do not receive support fail to obtain the level of education qualification required to enable them to progress into the adult labour market, resulting in them becoming a constant burden on the country's social welfare system. That has been the experience in Denmark and the Netherlands. The Minister is building the foundations of permanent discrimination and racial antagonism between newcomers and residents because the former will be handicapped at an early stage in their lives, will not be able to participate fully in the Irish labour market and will be deemed to be a burden on the State.

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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On the first question, the reduction in posts will be approximately 550. This will be achieved through a combination of lower levels of immigration and the capping of language support at a maximum of two extra teachers per school, with some alleviation for the position of those schools where there is a significant concentration of newcomer pupils as a proportion of the overall enrolment. The reduction in posts is estimated to achieve a saving of up to €34 million in a full year and approximately €11 million in 2009.

When it came to dealing with language support, I was conscious of those schools with a high percentage of non-national children with English language requirements. When I was making a decision on language support services, I was conscious that certain schools take in a high percentage of non-national children with English language requirements.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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We call them "the new Irish".

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I have assured the schools in question that they will be able to make a special case. It has been suggested that additional language teachers will be allocated to particular schools on the basis of nods and winks, etc. Before 2006, the number of language support teachers who could be allocated to each school was capped at two. I have made it clear I want to ensure that schools that have been seen to integrate such pupils will be given the additional resources they require.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Good.

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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We have put in place an independent appeals mechanism to ensure that appeals can be made if difficulties arise.

Photo of Brian HayesBrian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I will ask the Minister about the appeals mechanism he has just mentioned. I have read the circular that was posted on the Minister's website yesterday. I welcome the fact that the circular has brought some finality to this matter, at least, thereby ensuring that schools can start planning for next September. Can I ask the Minister about the existing appeals mechanism that applies to the staffing schedule? When a school makes an appeal, it has no chance of getting the decision overturned. Can I ask the Minister to ensure that the appeals mechanism to be put in place in respect of English language support teachers will be flexible and open and will take the concerns of the various schools on board? Between 40% and 50% of the children in certain schools in my constituency, like that of Deputy Quinn, do not come from English-speaking backgrounds. Such schools need a flexible appeals system.

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Yes.

Photo of Brian HayesBrian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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I appeal to the Minister to ensure the appeals system outlined in the circular that was posted yesterday will meet the needs of such schools in a genuinely flexible manner.

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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My intention, when dealing with the numbers of additional language support teachers that could be put in place, was to be open and transparent. I did not want to be accused of operating on the basis of nods and winks, or political interference. I was keen to put in place a clear benchmark for the appointment of additional language support teachers. That is what has been put in place. Everybody can see that. If a school wants to make an appeal under the revised system, which has been clearly set out, some 25% of its children will have to be newcomer children with English language support requirements. The basis on which appeals can be submitted has been made clearly known to schools. I will not tell the independent appeals body to be flexible — it is familiar with my position, which is that flexibility should be built into the appeals system in cases of schools which are willing to integrate and are seen to take in a high percentage of children who need language support.

Photo of Finian McGrathFinian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Can I ask the Minister about language support services for foreign students? Does he accept that education, specifically the language support system, must be part of any long-term strategy for turning our economy around? Is he aware that international experience suggests that children from foreign families or emigrants perform exceptionally well when language support services are made available to them in their host countries? Does he agree that such people can make a massive contribution to the development of Ireland and the Irish economy? Does the Minister accept that many well-off schools do not appear to have a balanced intake of foreign pupils? Does he have a plan for dealing with that issue?

Photo of Batt O'KeeffeBatt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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We have gone beyond the remit of the original question. It is important for me to make clear, in case people think we are denuding schools of all language support teachers, that our schools will continue to avail of the services of approximately 1,400 language support teachers. Approximately 500 other teachers will be in part-time positions within the language support system. I can inform the Deputy, in response to the second part of his question, that the Department has undertaken an audit of the systems of admission of various schools. While the audit found that such systems are fair and above board, by and large, it also indicated that enrolment practices in certain schools need to be addressed. It is my intention to do that.