David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 234: To ask the Minister for Education and Science when the general allowance threshold for appointing learning support teachers was last reviewed; her plans to carry out a further review in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40690/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Deputy will be aware that my Department implemented a general allocation system of learning support/resource teachers to schools with effect from September 2005. The system is intended to cater for children with learning support and high incidence special educational needs.

It is a matter for each school to determine the pupils with learning support and high-incidence special education needs that will receive supplementary teaching support. Each school will have enough resource teaching hours to provide its pupils with a level of support appropriate to their needs. The school can use its professional judgement to decide how these hours are divided between different children in the school, to ensure that all their needs are met.

It is intended that a review of the general allocation model will be undertaken after three years of operation.