Tom Hayes (Tipperary South, Fine Gael)
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Question 347: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if a person (details supplied) will automatically avail of the services of a resource teacher under the new scheme recently announced. [16999/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm that an application for resource teaching support for the pupil in question was considered by my Department. Resource teaching support was not granted, as it was considered that the assessed intellectual ability was not in the required range that would allow the pupil to qualify for such support.

Correspondence regarding this matter has been received in my Department. My officials will liaise with the special educational needs organiser, or SENO, regarding this case, and further contact will be made with the school authorities in due course.

I recently announced the introduction of a general allocation model to provide for resource teaching supports for pupils in the high-incidence disability category and for pupils with learning support requirements. The new model replaces that which was notified to schools in June 2004, which has been reviewed to take account of difficulties that it may have caused for smaller schools.

The introduction of this new system will involve the provision of an estimated additional 340 permanent posts in primary schools from September next. A further 320 posts are being provided on a temporary basis to facilitate the transition to the new system. It is a matter for schools to make arrangements to provide teaching support to those pupils who qualify for such support from their general allocation.

My Department has now issued a letter to all primary schools notifying them of their general allocation and their clustering arrangements, if appropriate. The allocation for the school referred to by the Deputy is 0.4 of a post. My Department is also finalising a circular for schools which will contain detailed information on how the new system will operate. It is intended that the circular be issued before the end of the current school year.

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 348: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if special needs assistance will be arranged for a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17010/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy has indicated that the pupil in question has a specific learning disability. That disability falls into the high-incidence disability category. With regard to teaching supports for pupils in the high-incidence category, my Department has now completed its review of the general allocation system of resource teaching support. The new model replaces that which was notified to schools in June 2004, which has been reviewed to take account of difficulties that it may have caused for smaller schools.

The introduction of this new system will involve the provision of an estimated additional 340 permanent posts in primary schools from September next. A further 320 posts are being provided on a temporary basis to facilitate the transition to the new system.

My Department has devised school clusters in respect of allocations to be made under the general allocation system. Those have recently been notified to schools, where appropriate, along with the details of each school's individual allocation. The allocation for the school referred to by the Deputy is 0.4 of a post. My Department is also finalising a circular for schools which will contain detailed information on how the new system will operate. It is intended that the circular be issued before the end of the current school year.