Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 307: To ask the Minister for Education and Science her Department's disposition towards the small complement of permanent teachers with restricted recognition and who are now being placed on the special education panel; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20143/05]

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 any clustering arrangements that may apply.

One of the objectives of the general allocation model is to maximise the extent of full-time permanent posts available to support the needs of pupils with higher-incidence special educational needs, SEN, and learning support teacher requirements. Clustering facilitates the assignment of experienced teachers as well as allowing for better training of resource teachers on the basis that permanent posts will retain teachers for longer periods. This ultimately benefits the pupils.

Schools have been advised that where they currently have a permanent resource teacher and where they have adequate hours to warrant the continuation of a full-time post through a combination of general allocation hours and-or low incidence hours and-or transitional hours for the coming school year, they may retain the existing teacher for the school year without the status of the teacher having to change.

Ultimately, where a school is due to lose a resource teaching post and where the teacher filling this post has restricted recognition, this teacher is entitled to special education panel rights. They are then eligible to fill any special education teaching post that may arise in special schools or in special classes attached to mainstream primary schools.

My Department is currently 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.