Séamus Healy (Tipperary South, Independent)
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Question 698: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will restore the supernumerary allocation of 2.5 posts to south Tipperary VEC to alleviate the difficulty arising from the closure of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19167/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its teaching time-table and subject options having regard to pupils needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation.

The rules for allocating teaching resources provide that where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department will consider applications for additional short-term support.

Tippperary South Riding Vocational Education Committee applied for curricular concessions for the 2005-06 school year and following consideration of the application, my Department granted 3.69 wholetime equivalent teacher posts. In addition, the VEC has been allocated 1.98 wholetime equivalent posts to cater for Traveller and non-national pupils enrolled.

An independent appeals committee is available to school authorities who wish to appeal the adequacy of their teacher allocation. Tipperary South Riding VEC appealed to this committee and have been granted a further 1.50 wholetime equivalent posts. Decisions of the appeals committee are final.

Brian O'Shea (Waterford, Labour)
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Question 699: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she considers that the recent changes which she announced in the weighted system for allocations for special needs children, whereby in large girls' schools, particularly those designated as disadvantaged, the ratio changed from two teachers to 400 to two teachers to 395, represent any real improvement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19171/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has issued a letter to all primary schools notifying them of their teaching allocation under the new general allocation model for the 2005-06 school year. The letter also includes details of clustering arrangements that may apply.

The general allocation 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. Under the new model a new ratio has been introduced for small schools, with a lower appointment ratio for the first full post for each type of small school.

As differing pupil-teacher ratios apply to boys' schools, mixed schools and girls' schools, for the purposes of the general allocation system a small school in the case of boys' schools is defined as a school with fewer than 135 pupils; in the case of a mixed schools as a school with fewer than 145 pupils and in the case of a girls' school as a school with fewer than 195 pupils. Small boys' schools will now qualify for their first post at 100 pupils. Small mixed schools will qualify for their first post at 105 pupils. Small girls' schools will qualify for their first post at 150 pupils.

All allocations up to the point for the first full post will be made on a pro rata basis. If a small boys' school has just 50 pupils, for example, it will get 0.5 of a post. The allocations between the point of the first full post and the cut-off enrolment point for small schools will stay at one post, that is, a small boys' school with between 100 and 135 pupils will get one full post. These changes represent a substantial improvement for small schools on the original model.

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 and to ensure continuity of service for children who have previously been given an individual allocation until those children leave the primary school system. It is also the case of course that pupils with lower incidence special needs, such as autism, will continue to be catered for on an individual application basis.

My Department is 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. It is also intended that this circular will address issues that have been raised by schools with my Department since the system was notified to schools in mid-May.

I am satisfied that the introduction of the new system will greatly benefit schools and the children in schools that need additional support.