Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of gaelscoileanna that have received communication from him as to the withdrawal of a teacher due to budget changes in the allocation for gaelscoileanna and the number of posts that are being withdrawn as a result of this measure. [9068/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The standardisation of the staffing schedule for gaelscoileanna so that it is the same as that which applies to primary schools generally was one of a number of measures introduced in budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil and Green Party Government to control and reduce teacher numbers. These changes are effective from September 2011. Given the financial constraints in which this country now finds itself, it is not possible to reverse these changes. This change will result in a reduction of the order of 50 posts in gaelscoileanna. There are over 1,500 teaching posts in these schools. The gaelscoil movement is well established and I do not believe that the growth of gaelscoileanna will be impeded by way of this measure. The actual impact at individual school level is determined as part of the allocation process for 2011-12 school year and schools were notified in the normal manner. My Department's Circular 19/2011 includes the criteria under which a school may appeal its staffing allocation and the process for same. This Government will endeavour to protect front line education services as best as possible. However, this must be done within the context of bringing our overall public expenditure back into line with what we can afford as a country. All areas of Government, including gaelscoileanna, will have to manage on a reduced level of resources. The challenge will be to ensure that the resources that are being provided are used to maximum effect and in a fair manner.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 194: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if any other communication has been made to individual schools as to the withdrawal of other teaching staff and or special needs assistants as a result of budget measures and if so, the number of posts in both categories being withdrawn. [9069/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The budget measures set out the detail of the reduction in teacher numbers and the revised arrangements for special needs assistants. These changes are effective from September 2011. Given the financial constraints in which this country finds itself, it is not possible to reverse these changes. My Department has advised schools through circulars of the changes and where applicable, schools have also been contacted directly. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers for allocating resource teachers and SNAs to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support, which now includes a requirement for the NCSE to have regard to an overall cap on the number of SNA posts. This number is 10,575 whole-time equivalent posts. This is a significant number of posts and unlike other areas of the public sector vacancies are being filled up to this number. It also represents continual increases in the number of SNAs over recent years. For example, there were 10,543 whole-time equivalent SNA posts in place at the end of 2010 and 10,342 at the end of 2009. It is important to understand that SNA allocations are not permanent. The level of SNA support allocated to a school increases or decreases as pupils who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. They also decrease when a child's care needs diminish over time. The recruitment and deployment of SNAs within schools are matters for the individual principal or board of management. The board is the SNA's employer and the terms of employment are subject to the conditions of the contract of employment.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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Question 195: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of English as additional language posts he estimates will be withdrawn from individual schools as a result of budget measures. [9070/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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A phased reduction in the number of language support teachers was one of a number of measures introduced in budget 2011 by the previous Fianna Fáil and Green Party Government to control and reduce teacher numbers. These changes are effective from September 2011. Given the financial constraints in which this country now finds itself, it is not possible to reverse these changes. This change will result in a phased reduction of 500 over four years in the number of language support teachers through a demand reduction and, if necessary, a change in allocation rules over the period of the national recovery plan. A first year reduction of some 125 posts is targeted with effect from September 2011 as a result of this budget measure.