Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 225: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the way children in special needs classes at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5 will be accommodated from September 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20764/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I take it that the Deputy is referring to my Department's decision to suppress a special class for pupils with a mild general learning disability (MGLD) in the school in question.

I wish to assure the Deputy that there will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a MGLD.

Teacher 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 permits schools to retain a teaching post where it has a minimum of 9 pupils in the class. This minimum was not fulfilled in the school referred to by the Deputy. Therefore, the school no longer qualifies to retain the class.

These special classes which are to close pre-date the 2005 General Allocation Model of allocating additional teacher support to schools to enable them to meet the needs of pupils with mild general learning disabilities as well as a number of other high incidence disabilities. All primary schools now have additional teaching support in place for this purpose.

All children with MGLD who are in the classes being suppressed will be able to receive teaching support through the teaching resources allocated to primary schools under the General Allocation Model. Schools decide themselves how best to use this allocation based on the needs of the pupils and how to adjust their support in line with the changing needs of pupils as they mature. My Department provided a circular SP ED 02/05 to schools to assist them in deploying the General Allocation Model resources.

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. I wish to reiterate that pupils with a MGLD have, and will continue to have access to additional teaching resources to support their education.