Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 219: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the maximum support and assistance in staffing and funding will be given for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 9. [33727/05]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved each year by the Department of Education and Science in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. Each school management authority is required to organise its timetable and subject options with regard to pupil needs within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. As long as it meets requirements relating to the provision of core subjects, the curriculum offered in individual second level schools is a matter for each school's authorities, having regard to its approved teacher allocation. The rules for allocating teaching resources provide that if a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments from within its approved allocation, the Department will consider applications for additional short-term support, for example in the form of curricular concessions. An independent appeals mechanism is available to school authorities which wish to appeal the adequacy of their teacher allocation.

The Department allocates additional teaching support and special needs assistant support to second level schools and vocational education committees to cater for pupils with special educational needs. Since 1 January 2005, the National Council for Special Education, through its network of locally based special educational needs organisers, is responsible for processing applications for additional special educational needs resources. When a pupil with special educational needs enrols in a post-primary school, it is open to the school to apply to the local organiser for additional teaching support or special needs assistant support for the pupil. I am confident that the advent of the national council will prove of major benefit in ensuring that all children with special educational needs receive the support they require, when and where they require it.

There have been significant improvements in the level of funding for second level schools in recent years. Not only have voluntary secondary schools benefited from the increases in the standard per capita grant, which stands at €286 per pupil since last January, but they have also gained from the introduction of grants under the school services support initiative. The standard support services grant, which was increased to €103 from January 2005, was increased further to €145 per pupil in the case of voluntary secondary schools. The increased grant of €42 per pupil is paid in addition to the range of equalisation grants of up to €15,554, or €44.44 per pupil, per annum which have been approved for voluntary secondary schools. The significant increases in the funding of post-primary schools represent a clear demonstration of my commitment to prioritising the available resources to address the needs of schools, including that referred to by the Deputy.