Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 447: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the reason resource teaching hours will be withdrawn from 1 September 2005 for a person (details supplied) in County Galway; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that the proposal to have this person included under a special education teacher will dramatically reduce the amount of individual tuition urgently needed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18228/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I understand that the special educational needs, SEN, of the pupil in question fall within the high incidence disability category and therefore these SEN will be catered for from within the general allocation system of resource teaching support recently communicated to all primary 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. However, the general allocation model does not preclude the provision of support on a one-to-one basis for those children with high incidence special needs or learning support needs who require such intervention.

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 0.9 of a post. The school has also received a transitional allocation of 0.2 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 this circular will issue before the end of the current school year.