Written answers

Tuesday, 3 May 2011

Department of Education and Skills

Special Educational Needs

9:00 pm

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 191: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of resource teacher Traveller posts currently in existence; the number of schools that have been informed by communication from him as to the withdrawal of these posts and or teaching hours for Traveller pupils; and the number of posts in all that are being withdrawn. [9066/11]

Photo of Richard Boyd BarrettRichard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 192: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list of all schools that have been informed by communication from him as to the loss of posts or teaching hours for Traveller pupils; and the number of teachers to be withdrawn itemised per school. [9067/11]

Photo of Ruairi QuinnRuairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 and 192 together.

The decision to remove resource teacher for Traveller posts from schools is just one of a range of measures included in the National Recovery Plan 2011-14 to secure savings in the 2011-12 school year. I do not intend to revisit the decision of the previous Government to withdraw resource teacher for Traveller posts. The Deputy will understand the economic situation means difficult decisions have had to be taken. The requirements to make expenditure savings and to ensure staffing numbers remain within the public service employment control framework prevent me from revisiting this decision. Resource teacher for Traveller posts and teaching hours for Traveller pupils will be withdrawn with effect from 31 August 2011. Traveller pupils who are eligible for learning support teaching should receive this tuition through the existing learning support provision in schools. A departmental circular, No. 17/2011, advised all schools of this decision on 3 March 2011. I will arrange for details of the overall number of resource teacher for Traveller posts and details of the teaching which are being withdrawn, itemised per school, to be sent to the Deputy.

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