Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 1020: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the number of immigrant children currently enrolled in primary and post primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1905/08]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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My Department estimates that there are in the region of 28,000 pupils in our schools whose first language is not English or Irish.

In order to meet their language needs, my Department in May 2007 issued a circular, reference 0053/2007, to the managerial authorities of all schools — both primary and post primary — to assist them in providing an inclusive school environment to meet the needs of pupils for whom English is a second language. The circular outlines the resources that are available to assist schools in this task. The circular is accessible on the website of my Department.

The level of extra financial or teaching support provided to any school is determined by the numbers of eligible non-English speaking students enrolled. An individual school may be allocated up to six language support posts under the arrangements now in place. There are now over 1,900 language support teachers in our primary and post-primary schools.