Seymour Crawford (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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Question 464: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of additional resource and remedial teachers which were in place on 1 October 2005 as against the 1 October 2004; if she has satisfied herself that the needs of small rural school are being catered for taking into account the actual needs of the school based on independent assessment rather than just the number of pupils on the roll; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27936/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The Deputy will be aware that the allocation of resource teaching hours to schools to meet the needs of children with low incidence special needs is based on the individually assessed needs of these pupils. Hours are sanctioned for these children by the local special educational needs organiser who then informs my Department of the allocations. As many additional allocations will have been made recently and staffing allocations are still being finalised, my Department in consultation with the National Council for Special Education will be in a position to supply up to date figures to the Deputy as soon as possible.

There are now more than 5,000 teachers in our primary schools working directly with children with special needs, including those requiring learning support. This compares with fewer than 1,500 in 1998. One out of every five primary school teachers is now working specifically with children with special needs.

As the Deputy is aware, my Department announced the introduction of the new general allocation system last May with a view to it being implemented in all primary schools with effect from the start of the current school year. The general allocation scheme is designed to ensure that each school has enough resource teaching hours to meet the needs of children with high incidence special needs, such as dyslexia and children with learning support needs. Resource teaching hours for children with low incidence special needs, such as hearing impairment, will continue to be provided on the basis of an individual application for each child.

Addressing the concerns of small and rural schools was among the reasons I initiated a review of the general allocation model as originally announced. Following this review, a special improved ratio for small schools has been introduced to ensure that they are given resource teaching hours on a more favourable basis.

My Department has recently issued a comprehensive circular, Sp Ed 02/05, to all primary schools regarding the organisation of teaching resources for pupils who need additional support in mainstream primary schools. The main purpose of this circular is to provide guidance for schools on the deployment and organisation of the teaching resources that were allocated under the general allocation model. Reference is also made in this circular to the deployment of additional teaching resources that are allocated to schools for the support of individual pupils with low incidence disabilities.

In introducing the general allocation system, transitional arrangements were also introduced whereby transitional hours would be given to schools to cater for children that had previously been allocated individual teaching resources but which it would not be possible for the school to provide under their allocation under the general allocation model. In the circumstances no child should have experienced a loss of resource teaching hours.

I am satisfied at this stage that the general allocation system is working well in schools and has been generally favourably received by schools. My Department will continue to work with schools and the education partners with a view to ensuring that this remains the case going forward.