Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 253: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will address the concerns of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 6W where the loss of two teachers will have a negative impact on the ability of the school to deliver the quality of education required by students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6702/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. In accordance with these rules each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.

In accordance with existing arrangements, where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department considers applications for additional short term support i.e. curricular concessions. This concession is available as a short term support to enable essential curricular provision to continue.

The allocation processes also include appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. The Board of Management of a school can submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeal Board which was established specifically to adjudicate on appeals on staffing allocations in post-primary schools. This Board operates independently of my Department.

Discrete allocations are also made to post-primary schools to cater for pupils with Special Educational Needs and those with Language difficulties for example and these allocations can alter the ultimate position of the school in relation to any over quota position.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 254: To ask the Minister for Education and Science his views on whether it is appropriate that each of the nine primary schools in the Dublin 10 area will lose a learning support teacher, and one school will lose two teachers; his further views on the impact this decision will have on the pupils and teachers in these schools which all have DEIS status. [6703/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the deputy that all primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to enable them support pupils with high incidence special educational needs including mild general learning disability (MGLD). All primary schools were given these additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model of learning support/resource teaching introduced in 2005. Schools can decide how best to use this allocation based on the needs of the pupils. Most pupils with a MGLD are included in ordinary classes with their peers and are supported by their class teacher. The curriculum is flexible so that teachers can cater for the needs of children of different abilities.

The Deputy will be aware that allocations to schools typically increase or decrease depending on pupil enrolment. In the case of classes for MGLD the normal pupil teacher ratio that applies is 11:1. My Department however allows for a small reduction in this number and permits schools to retain a teaching post where it has a minimum of 9 pupils in the class. In the schools in question, the number of pupils dropped below this minimum. These schools therefore are no longer entitled to the teaching posts in these classes.

In 2005 when the General Allocation Model was introduced, schools with additional teachers in classes for MGLD were allowed to retain the teachers for these classes. Effectively, these schools received a double allocation. The number of these special classes has decreased over the years and schools have integrated the children into age-appropriate mainstream classes.

All of the other primary schools in the country who do not have classes for children with MGLD cater for these pupils from within the General Allocation Model.

Specifically in the case of schools with DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) status, the Deputy will be aware of the additional resources available to these schools under the DEIS scheme. In the case of the schools referred to by the Deputy, these schools are all in DEIS Urban Band 1 and so benefit from a reduced pupil teacher ratio as well as additional supports which include:

additional non-pay/capitation allocation based on level of disadvantage;

financial allocation under schools books grant scheme;

access to numeracy / literacy supports and programmes;

access to Home School Community Liaison services;

access to School Completion Programme.