Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 660: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which she has examined the requirement for remedial, resource and special needs teachers throughout County Kildare at both primary and second level; her plans to respond to these requirements in 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33184/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 666: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which she will be in a position to meet the requirements in terms of accommodation, staff, remedial, resource or special needs teachers and classroom assistants in each of the schools, primary and post-primary in Naas, County Kildare, in the course of the next 12 months arising from the provisions in the recently published Estimates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33190/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 667: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which she will be in a position to meet the requirements in terms of accommodation, staff, remedial, resource or special needs teachers and classrooms assistants in each of the schools, primary and post primary in Maynooth, County Kildare in the course of the next 12 months arising from the provisions in the recently published Estimates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33191/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 668: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which she will be in a position to meet the requirements in terms of accommodation, staff, remedial, resource or special needs teachers and classroom assistants in each of the schools, primary and post primary in Leixlip, County Kildare in the course of the next 12 months arising from the provisions in the recently published Estimates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33192/05]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Question 669: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which she will be in a position to meet the requirements in terms of accommodation, staff, remedial, resource or special needs teachers and classroom assistants in each of the schools, primary and post-primary in Celbridge, County Kildare in the course of the next 12 months arising from the provisions in the recently published Estimates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33193/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 660 and 666 to 669, inclusive, together.

Since 1997, the Government has dramatically increased the number of teachers in our schools. At primary level, more than 4,500 additional teachers, including nearly 2,500 resource teachers, have been employed. At post-primary level, approximately 1,900 additional teaching posts have been allocated during this period. These additional teaching posts have been used to reduce class sizes, to tackle educational disadvantage and to provide additional resources for children with special needs.

The pupil-teacher ratio, which includes all the teachers in the school, including resource and learning support teachers, has fallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to a projected 17.1:1 in 2004-05 at primary level and from 16:1 in the 1996-97 school year to 13.6:1 in the 2003-04 school year at post-primary level. At primary level, average class size has been reduced from 26.6 in 1996-97 to 23.9 in 2003-04. Significantly smaller classes have been introduced in disadvantaged schools involved in the Giving Children an Even Break — Breaking the Cycle programme, with approximately 47,700 pupils in 243 participating schools availing of reduced class sizes of either 15 or 20 pupils per class.

The Deputy will be aware of the new action plan for educational inclusion, Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, DEIS. The plan, which will be introduced on a phased basis starting during the current school year aims to ensure that the educational needs of children and young people, from pre-school to completion of upper second-level education — three to 18 years — from disadvantaged communities are prioritised and effectively addressed. The new plan is the outcome of the first full review of all programmes for tackling educational disadvantage that have been put in place over the past 20 years and will involve an additional annual investment of some €40 million on full implementation. It will also involve the creation of approximately 300 additional posts across the education system generally. This action plan will result in the reduction in class sizes of 24:1 at senior level and 20:1 at junior level in 150 primary schools serving communities with the highest concentrations of disadvantage.

Regarding providing for children with special educational needs, 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 to under 1,500 in 1998. One out of every five primary school teachers is now working specifically with children with special needs. Significant progress has also been made in respect of increasing the number of special needs assistants, SNAs, in our schools who specifically cater for the care needs of children with special educational needs. At this stage, there are approximately 6,650 whole-time equivalent SNAs in our primary and second level schools supporting children with special needs.

Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved annually by the Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The rules for allocating teaching resources provide that where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments, the Department will consider applications for additional short-term support. An independent appeals mechanism is available to school authorities that wish to appeal the adequacy of their teacher allocation.

Improvements have been made under various schemes in recent years. In 1999, an ex-quota allocation was made to all second level schools in the free education scheme in respect of remedial education and the home-school-community liaison scheme was extended to all schools designated disadvantaged. In 2000, a decision was made to reduce the general pupil-teacher ratio for appointment purposes from 19:1 to 18:1 and additional posts were also provided for leaving certificate applied, junior certificate programme and the guidance enhancement initiative resulting in approximately 1,000 additional posts in the sector.

The number of teaching posts allocated to cater for pupils with special educational needs has increased from 559 whole-time equivalents, WTEs, in 2001-02 to 1,599 WTEs in the current school year. The number of teaching posts allocated to schools to cater for non-national pupils with significant English language deficits has also increased from 113 WTEs in 2001-02 to 242 WTEs in the current school year. In addition, the Department has provided for an additional allocation of 100 posts to guidance from September 2005. I am confident that, with this significant investment, schools throughout the country, including those in the areas referred to by the Deputy, will be in a position to meet their pupils' needs.