Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 507: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of language support teachers that can be employed in schools where numbers of international students attend, who have little or no English and who are therefore eligible to receive language support in circumstances (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6404/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 509: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the date on which she made her decision to end the two year cap on language support teaching being available to eligible pupils; if she will confirm that such support can continue beyond that period until competence is assessed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6406/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 510: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will confirm the date on which she changed the rule whereby language support teachers are appointed on a 14/1 basis where eligible pupils are involved; the number of language support teachers that may be appointed to a school where 98 eligible pupils require language support and are eligible to receive it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6407/07]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 511: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of language support teachers to be appointed to a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, in view of her having changed the criteria for eligibility for approval of extra language support teachers; when these extra teachers can take up duty; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6408/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 507, 509, 510 and 511 together.

In order to meet the language needs of students in our schools whose first language is not English, additional support is given to their schools which can take the form of financial assistance, additional teaching posts or portions of posts.

The level of extra financial or teaching support provided to any school is determined by the numbers of eligible non-English speaking students enrolled. The additional language support to an individual pupil is generally given for a period of two years.

Under current arrangements, schools with 14 newcomer pupils, who are eligible for language support, are entitled to one language support teaching post while schools with 28 or more eligible pupils are entitled to two posts.

I indicated at the conference of the Irish Primary Principals Network on 26th January, 2007 that the two teacher rule and the two-year rule will no longer apply.

There are now approximately 1,250 language support teachers in our schools. More than 400 of these teachers have been allocated in the current school year alone. As I announced last November, 200 extra posts were approved by the Government for 2007, bringing to 1,450 the number of language teachers that will be working in our schools this year. This compares with just 262 posts in the 2001/02 school year.

In line with the Government's commitments under the 'Towards 2016' partnership agreement, a further 350 language support teachers will be provided between 2008 and 2009. In allocating additional teachers, I will be addressing in particular the position of those schools catering for significant numbers of newcomer children.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 508: To ask the Minister for Education and Science further to Parliamentary Question No. 560 of 13 February 2007, the locations where the 200 extra language support teachers are currently being trained; when their training will conclude; when they will be eligible for employment in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6405/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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All language support teachers are qualified primary teachers and training is provided as part of PCSP in service.

Teachers are provided with in-service training through Integrate Ireland Language and Training Limited (IILT). IILT provides training seminars for language support teachers, part-time or wholetime, along with classroom materials, including the European Language Portfolio, to assist them in meeting the English language needs of their pupils/students.

All literacy programmes in the Colleges of Education contain appropriate elements to address the various needs of pupils in the classroom, there is no specific module but there is an all inclusive approach to student's whose first language is not English.

The following initiatives are part of the Colleges of Education response to the growing need for training to teach language in Primary Schools.

Intercultural Education

Modules in the teaching of language, and oral language development

Intercultural Education Language Acquisition, which deals with issues regarding second language acquisition.

A new course is planned for October 2007 in one of the Colleges of Education "Teaching English as an additional language: an intercultural approach for the classroom". All students will have an opportunity to opt into this course.