Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 161: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many primary schools with high numbers of children with special learning needs have lost teachers as a result of the introduction of the weighted system; if teachers will be restored to those schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32756/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the general allocation of learning support-resource teachers, LS-RTs, is intended to cater for children with learning support and high incidence special educational needs. The system was constructed so that LS-RT 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.

The new system has a number of benefits associated with it. It puts resources in place on a more systematic basis, thereby giving schools more certainty about their resource levels; it facilitates early intervention as the resource is in place when the child enrols; it reduces the need for individual applications and supporting psychological assessments; and it allows flexibility to school management in the deployment of resources, leading to a more effective and efficient delivery of services.

In introducing the general allocation system transitional arrangements were also introduced whereby transitional hours were allocated to schools to cater for children for whom individual teaching resources had previously been allocated but which it would not have been possible for the school to continue to provide from its general allocation. In the circumstances no child should have experienced a loss of resource teaching support.

It has always been the case, however, that schools in receipt of resource teacher support in respect of pupils with special educational needs would lose teacher support, either full posts or part-time hours, when the pupils that triggered the extra support left the school.

In the circumstances I do not propose to restore learning support-resource teachers to schools that no longer need them. It is intended that a review of the general allocation model will be undertaken within three years of operation.

I am satisfied that at this stage the general allocation system is working well and has been 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.

I would add that 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 fewer than 1,500 in 1998. Indeed, one out of every five primary school teachers is now working specifically with children with special needs.