Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein)
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Question 18: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional staff that have been allocated for Traveller pupils under DEIS for the 2011/2012 school year; and the number of teachers that have been allocated for this purpose for each of the past three years. [9830/11]

Seán Sherlock (Cork East, Labour)
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2057No additional posts were allocated for Traveller pupils under DEIS in each of the past three years because Traveller pupils in all schools, including those in the DEIS programme, were supported under the Resource Teacher for Travellers scheme, which, the Deputy will be aware was discontinued by the previous Government.

However, up to this year, Traveller pupils were not included in the valid enrolment for the purposes of implementing the more favourable Pupil Teacher Ratios in DEIS schools. As I indicated in my response to his question of 24 March, Traveller pupils have been included in the valid enrolment for the purpose of allocating additional staffing under DEIS from the 2011/12 school year. I can now advise the Deputy that 81 posts have been provided for this purpose.