Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 261: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the schools in the Dublin South-Central electoral area which will be affected by the decision to cut funding to support English language teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37735/08]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions included reducing the level of language support teachers from a maximum of six extra teachers per school to a maximum of two teachers per school, as was the case before 2007. However, the budget measures also provide for some alleviation for the position of those schools where there is a significant concentration of newcomer pupils as a proportion of the overall enrolment. This will be done on a case by case basis.

The allocation process for language support teachers is an annual one and existing provision is not rolled over automatically. Schools will be applying afresh in the spring and early summer of 2009 for the 2009/2010 school year, based on their assessment of the prospective needs of existing pupils and any new pupils they are enrolling. The position of schools making application to the Department, including those referred to by the Deputy, will fall to be considered at that stage.