Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)

Even when all of the phased increases are implemented, the threshold for a second teacher at 20 pupils will still be significantly lower than the minimum of 28 pupils that was required for the appointment of the second teacher in rural schools prior to the late 1990s. School communities should have no reason to feel that there will be a forced closure of their local school, and no school closes because it loses a teacher but rather schools close because of a loss of pupils. Small primary schools that have had to face closure in recent years are those that are no longer viable due to falling enrolments. We now have 3,300 primary schools across the country when at one time we had more than 6,000 schools. The enrolment in these small schools had typically fallen below a total of eight pupils for two consecutive school years. This Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities, and will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. This does not mean, however, that small schools can stand still or never have their staffing levels changed to something that is more affordable and sustainable in these very difficult and challenging times.

Senator Healy Eames suggested that a number of schools were taken aback and surprised by the proposed loss of posts as a result of the budget measure. Schools have very little time to prepare for the increased pupil-teacher ratio. The Department is considering how it will deal with schools that are facing that challenge and will allow schools that can show an upwards trend in enrolments for the next number of years, although they face losing a teacher because of their current numbers, to make their case. We are putting in place an appeals process for small rural schools to make a case to retain their teacher. The full details of the appeals process will be set out in the Department's forthcoming circular on the staffing arrangements for the 2012-2013 school year and will be issued in the next two to three weeks.

In special education we have managed to maintain the overall number of special needs assistants, SNAs, and resource teachers at current levels. We are very conscious that the staffing allocation for many schools under the general allocation model, GAM, has not been updated since it was first introduced in 2005. As part of the reforms to the teacher allocation process, it will now be updated and simplified from September 2012 for all schools through a redistribution of the existing resources. The combined resources available for the general allocation model, GAM, and language support - currently 4,700 posts - will be used to create a single simplified allocation process to cover the general allocation model for learning and language support. Schools will have autonomy on how to deploy the resource between language support and learning support depending on their specific needs and any clustering arrangements between schools will be managed at local school level. The new arrangements also provide for additional permanent teaching posts to be given to schools with high concentration of pupils that require language support. Further additional temporary English language support will also be provided, as necessary, to schools that will have high concentrations of pupils that require English as an additional language support in the 2012-13 school year. These allocations will be made on the basis of appeals by any of these schools to the staffing appeals board.

On supports for pupils with low incidence special needs we are putting in place a network of about 2,450 full-time resource posts in over 1,600 base schools throughout the country that will be allocated on a permanent basis. This builds on the interim arrangements that operated in 2011 but in a more structured and transparent manner. The teachers in these full-time resource posts will undertake NCSE approved low incidence resource hours in the base schools or in neighbouring schools. Schools are typically notified of their NCSE approved resource hours in the late spring-early summer period but also throughout the school year. Through his or her role in allocating resources the local SENO will have an oversight role in relation to the sharing arrangements between schools so that they can operate as efficiently as possible and any time loss due to travel between schools can be kept to a minimum. This is an issue that principals in rural school raise time and time again. Schools that are unable to access their NCSE approved resource hours from this network of full-time resource posts will be allocated mainly part-time temporary posts. The overall objective of the reforms is to enable the teacher allocation process to operate more smoothly and efficiently within the new climate of fixed ceilings on teacher numbers and to facilitate redeployment and recruitment. They also reflect a commitment in the programme for Government to provide schools with greater autonomy over how resources are used. The Department will be working with schools and the relevant education partners to ensure that the new arrangements operate as efficiently as possible and minimise any time lost due to travel between schools.

The motion refers to the arrangements for the provision of guidance to second level schools. As part of budget measures guidance posts at post-primary level will no longer be allocated to any post-primary school on an ex-quota basis. Until now, a specific resource was provided to all second level schools for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation. Broadly this equated to an additional allocation of about one teacher for every 500 pupils. By bringing about the budget reduction in the number of second level teachers in this way we can maintain the main staffing allocation at 19:1 for schools generally and allow schools discretion in balancing what they allocate for guidance against all other competing demands. I have already alluded to the fact that all 195 DEIS second level schools are sheltered with the introduction of a new more favourable staffing schedule of 18.25:1 for DEIS schools. This means that the DEIS schools will be better positioned to manage the changes in guidance provision within their increased standard staffing allocation. The departmental circular which is due to issue shortly will make clear that while the change provides schools with greater autonomy over the use of resources they cannot ignore the statutory obligations under the Education Act. Section 9 of the Education Act 1998 sets out a wide range of functions for schools of which section 9 (c) relating to guidance is but one. The Minister has not changed the Act and has no plans to change it.

School principals are being given greater autonomy over resources in line with the stated intention in the programme for Government to do just that. This is a change to how resources are allocated to schools not a policy decision to terminate guidance provision as some may choose to present it.

In higher education, the Government's priority is to preserve access to undergraduate higher education courses despite the difficult circumstances in our public finances. As a result, no changes were made to the eligibility criteria for undergraduate students in the recent budget. It is also worth emphasising that 41% of all undergraduate students currently receive a grant and pay no student contributions. Nevertheless, in the context of the necessary but difficult expenditure reduction measures announced in budget 2012, new students entering postgraduate courses from the 2012-2013 academic year onwards will not be entitled to any maintenance payment under the student grant scheme. Existing postgraduate students will not be affected. Those students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant will be eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit under the student grant scheme. In access terms, the requirement to pay a fee is considered to be a greater obstacle to entry than lack of maintenance support at postgraduate level. This is why the Government opted to maintain the fee payment ahead of maintenance payments for postgraduate students. In addition, a further limited number of students who would previously have qualified under the standard grant thresholds will qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the costs of their fees. It is estimated this will help an additional 4,000 postgraduate students. This will require a new income threshold for this payment which will be lower than the existing standard grant threshold. The income threshold for this level of grant is currently being determined in the context of the formulation of the student grant scheme for the 2012-13 academic year. In addition to these supports, the student assistance fund will continue to be made available through the access offices of third-level institutions to assist students in exceptional financial need. Tax relief is also available on postgraduate tuition fees. While it is regrettable that any changes need to be made to student support, the Government believes that this approach will continue to provide resources for a relatively wide number of post-graduate students and allow us to maintain the high level of supports provided to undergraduate students.

On reforms to the grants system at third level, plans are well under way to replace the 66 existing student grant awarding bodies with one single grant awarding authority. The Minister has appointed the City of Dublin VEC to operate the centralised authority commencing operation for all new grant applicants for the 2012-2013 academic year and implementation arrangements are well advanced for this purpose. It is intended therefore that the new grant awarding authority will accept all new student grant applications from the 2012-13 academic year onwards. The existing 66 grant awarding bodies will continue to deal with the renewal of applications for their existing grant-holders for the duration of their current courses. This will wind down the involvement of the existing grant awarding bodies in the student grants function over a three to four year period. The Government regards this is a positive example of genuine public sector reform. I believe it will ensure a better level of customer service for all those who use the student grant system.

At a time of great strain in our public finances we have to ensure that the very valuable but limited resources available to the education system are used in the best way possible. The Government is trying, as best as possible to protect front line services in the education sector at a time of rapidly rising enrolments in our schools. It is also trying to advance other reforms including giving increased control to schools over how they use resources. The Croke Park agreement has at its heart a fundamental trade off across the entire public sector. In return for commitments not to cut their pay public servants including teachers undertook to continue to deliver public services with reduced numbers by being flexible and adaptable. It is in all our interests that we make the best use of our available resources to achieve the best possible educational outcomes for our students.