Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

I am pleased to have this opportunity to speak on the allocation of language support and resource teachers for pupils with special needs in the context of the employment control framework. Since taking up his role as Minister For Education and Skills, Deputy Ruairí Quinn has made it clear in his responses to questions and in his speeches at a number of education conferences that there is a difficult road ahead of us. He has made it clear also that he does not intend to suggest the resources available for education can be improved, that earlier decisions can be changed or that further difficult decisions will not need to be made.

The various budgetary and other measures implemented in 2011 do little more than halt the growth in overall teacher numbers from increased enrolments and higher retention levels at post-primary level. The significance of this position is brought into sharp focus when one considers that approximately one third of those working in the public sector are in the education sector. As a result of this fact, education will be protected as far as possible, but it cannot be excluded from the difficult steps that have to be taken towards recovery. The national recovery plan provides for consultation with the education partners on how best to achieve a further reduction in teacher payroll costs from 2012. My Department recently invited the education partners to commence a consultation process to work on identifying such savings.

Some Senators may be aware that the number of students staying in the education system as a whole in the 2011-12 school year will be significantly higher than previously expected. The increase is in line with the Government's objective of reducing the incidence of early school leaving nationally. It also raises a challenge for us, however, as approximately 160 additional mainstream teachers are required, primarily to facilitate these additional numbers. As a result of the restriction on the numbers employed in the public service which has been imposed under the employment control framework, it is not possible for us to simply recruit more teachers. Therefore, we had to apply some restrictions to the allocation of language support teachers to schools to manage within the fixed ceiling on teacher numbers.

On language support, it is important to recognise that, despite the restrictions applied, significant support is still being provided for schools. The level of support for any school is determined by the numbers of eligible pupils enrolled and the assessed levels of those pupils' language proficiency. This is done through an annual application process in the spring of each year.

The Department circular sets out a structured and transparent approach for the allocation of language support teachers. The arrangements mean that 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 for schools with high concentrations of pupils in need of language support.

There are approximately 1,125 language support posts in primary schools and 275 at second level. These 1,400 posts are in addition to mainstream classroom teachers. They allow schools to withdraw pupils for varying amounts of time to concentrate on the teaching of English. The ongoing requirement for this level of language support in schools should start to reduce in line with lower levels of immigration and improvements in the levels of proficiency of pupils who have been in receipt of such support. The previous Government announced that this number would be reduced by 125 from September and by the same amount annually in the next three years, in other words, there would be a reduction of 500 posts over four years. Regrettably, we have had to take a decision to speed up this process. The result is that the number of language support teachers will be reduced by a further 125 posts from this September, leading to a total reduction of 250 posts this year. Most of this reduction will be at primary level, given that this is where most of the posts are based.

The reductions will impact in two main ways. First, schools where less than 25% of pupils need language support will limit that support to a period of two years. This change will affect about 2,500 students, all of whom have received support for two years. Second, schools that missed the deadline for the receipt of applications of 6 May will not be told until the autumn what support, if any, they will receive. In previous years applications were permitted all year round, but this year it will be very difficult to meet demand arising from applications received after the deadline, of which all schools were notified. Applications for part-time language support will also be considered in the autumn when a clearer picture will have emerged on how the Department is managing within the overall limits on teacher numbers.

My Department's approach has been to try as best as possible to minimise the impact for schools with high concentrations of pupils in need of language support, that is, greater than 25%. Pupils in these schools will continue to receive language support in the normal manner for up to three years. These schools can also make an appeal to the primary staffing appeals board for additional language support posts. In the past this resulted in some of the schools with very high concentrations having a total of up to five or six language support teachers. Owing to the constraints on teacher numbers, there will be a reduced number of posts available to the appeals board to allocate to these schools.

It is important that a whole-school approach is taken to language support. Schools should not regard the teaching of English as the sole responsibility of the language support teacher. All teachers, in particular, classroom teachers, have this responsibility.

On resource teaching hours, the House will be aware that these are allocated by the National Council for Special Education for students with special educational needs who require additional teaching support. The allocation of resource teaching hours is based on categories of special needs, up to a maximum allocation of five hours per week per child for children with the most complex special educational needs. The additional hours sanctioned for resource teaching collectively lead to the creation of whole-time equivalent teaching posts.

The number of resource teachers to be allocated in 2011 has increased by 350 posts on the number for last year to a total of 9,950. There will, therefore, be more resource teachers than last year and there has not been a cut in resource teacher numbers. However, arising from the fact that the rate of applications for resource teaching hours and posts had the potential to cause a breach of teacher numbers under the employment control framework, the allocation process was paused from the end of March this year. The pause was to ensure the available posts would be allocated on the basis of the needs of pupils and equity between schools and also to ensure the employment control framework was not breached.

Schools were asked to submit applications to the NCSE by 13 May and the NCSE has now considered the number of applications received to date. It has been calculated that, based on the number of applications received to date, an allocation of 90% of the identified resource teacher allocations can be made to schools in the first instance to provide schools with the majority of their allocations. This allows the Department and the NCSE to be in a position to cover late or emergency applications and account for any redeployment issues which arise. This proposal will ensure all schools and children who will be in receipt of resource teaching support will be treated the same. The effect of a 90% allocation would mean there would be a reduction of six minutes per hour for each hour of resource teaching allocated. Schools can make up additional time through the grouping and doubling of children and by more effective management of teaching time. If the level of demand turns out to be less than expected, the initial 90% allocation might be revisited and possibly increased.

The posts which have been built in to permanent primary schools through the general allocation model are not affected by this decision. Of 9,950 posts provided to provide resource teaching support in 2011, 3,760 are provided under the general allocation model and unaffected by this decision.

On special needs, it is important to note that, despite the financial difficulties, special needs support continues to be prioritised. Special needs support accounts for €1 billion of the Department's budget. We have managed so far to ensure there have been no cuts in the level of resources available for special needs. However, we must operate within limits which are still at an all-time high. Given the scale of increase in special needs spending in recent years, we have significant capacity to provide education for children with special educational needs. For example, spending on SNAs increased by a staggering 922% in the period between 2001 and 2009. We must ensure resources are directed at the areas of greatest need and that where resources are no longer needed, they are redeployed.

We will try to ensure the allocation of resources is equitable and prioritised. Schools have a major role in the management of these resources by ensuring they only seek resources when they are really needed, that the resources allocated to them are used to best effect and that they assist with the redeployment of resources to the areas of greatest need. Account will be taken of the particular needs of developing schools in the consideration of special needs resource allocations issues.

Our focus and that of my Department is to ensure we achieve the maximum from whatever resources we can make available to schools. It is only by taking the difficult but necessary corrective action on the public finances that we can have a sustainable basis for the allocation of resources to our schools into the future. I am confident that by good co-operation from all the stakeholders, we can focus on our common objective of providing the best possible education for all children within the limitations of the resources available to us in these difficult and challenging times.