Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 248: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when a school (details supplied) in County Cork will be granted the resource teacher applied for. [11321/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The school referred to by the Deputy currently has the services of a shared learning support teacher based in the school together with part-time resource teaching hours.

I take it that the Deputy is referring to the resource teacher allocation that will be available to the school following the introduction of the proposed new model of resource teacher allocation. 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.

The advantages of using a general allocation model are as follows: it facilitates early intervention as the resource is in place in the school when the 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 and it will automatically adjust a school's general allocation on the basis of changing enrolment.

I have made it clear that while I am in favour of using a general allocation model for the reasons I have just given, I am conscious of the particular difficulties that the model announced last year could cause for small and rural schools if implemented as originally announced.

For this reason I have asked my Department to conduct a review of the model announced last year. 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. At that stage all schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, will be informed of their allocation for the 2005-06 school year.

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Question No. 43 of 3 February 2005, the conclusions of the review into resource teacher supports in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11356/05]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 250: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action she is taking to ensure that no primary school pupil has less resource teacher support in 2005-06 academic year when compared with the current year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11357/05]

Denis Naughten (Longford-Roscommon, Fine Gael)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the action she is taking to ensure that children with dyslexia receive adequate resource teacher support in 2005-06 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11358/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 to 251, inclusive, together.

The review of the proposed model of resource teacher allocation to primary schools is ongoing. The outcome of the review will be announced in the coming weeks, in time to be implemented for the next school year. My objective is to ensure that the revised model provides an automatic response for pupils with common mild learning disabilities, including dyslexia, while at the same time ensuring that pupils currently in receipt of service continue to receive a level of service appropriate to their needs.