John Perry (Sligo-North Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 483: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if he will reverse the decision to cut three teachers and a classroom assistant from a school (details supplied) in County Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24468/09]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I have consistently said that the 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure, could not be totally spared. The various impacts at school level were included in the Budget day announcements and in view of the ominous financial circumstances that we are facing I am not in a position to reverse any of the decisions taken.

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 is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the Board of Management of the school.

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. An application for curricular concessions was received in my Department from the school referred to by the Deputy. The school has been notified of the outcome.

The allocation processes also include appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against their allocation of teachers. 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. The school in question did not lodge an appeal.

Discrete allocations are also made to schools to cater for pupils with Special Educational Needs and those with Language difficulties for example. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible through its network of local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.