Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the special needs teaching model now in place will be allowed to continue into the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8298/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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In 1998, the Government took a decision that has transformed the level of provision for pupils with special educational needs, including those with mild and borderline mild general learning disabilities and dyslexia. Pupils with such needs are entitled to an automatic response to meet those needs and the allocation of resources to meet those needs no longer depends as in the past on the limited resources that were available. The response is instead based on the nature of the disability involved and once the required supporting professional assessments are made available the resources are automatically allocated. It was this decision which gave rise to an enormous expansion in resourcing levels in schools.

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. This model, which was announced by my predecessor in 2004 to come into effect from September 2005, was designed to put in place a permanent resource in primary schools to cater for pupils in these categories. The model was constructed so that allocations would be based on pupil numbers, taking into account the differing needs of the most disadvantaged schools and the evidence that boys have greater difficulties than girls in this regard.

In light of the possible impact on small and rural schools I have asked my Department to conduct a review of the general allocation model. The review will be completed in the coming weeks and its outcome will be announced in time to be implemented for the next school year.

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 and special need in the low incidence category these children are considered individually. These pupils are not evenly distributed among schools and a general allocation model would not be appropriate. However, the involvement of the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, and the special education needs organisers will greatly enhance the speed of response to such applications.

I am confident that the advent of the NCSE will prove of major benefit in ensuring all children with special educational needs receive the support they require when and where they require it.