Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 76: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills with a view to planning for the next school year, when school principals will be made aware of their allocation of special needs resource teachers for the school year 2011-2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10789/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teaching hours to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

The Deputy will be aware that the Department of Education and Skills (DES) is required to ensure that the overall allocation of teaching posts does not exceed the targets set out in the Governments Employment Control Framework.

The DES had planned for a certain amount of increased growth in teacher numbers across the school sector in 2011, in line with increased demographic growth. In respect of resource teaching hours for children with special educational needs, allowance was made for growth in 2011 over and above normal demographic increase levels.

In 2010, the total number of Whole time Equivalent (WTE) posts provided for resource hours teaching (including under the General Allocation Model) was approximately 9,600 WTE posts. By comparison approximately 9,950 WTE posts are provided for 2011.

My Department requested the NCSE to provide data on the numbers and rate of application for additional resource teaching hours to date this year so that this information can be considered in the context of the Departments Employment Control Framework obligations. The NCSE has also been asked to pause sanctioning additional resource teaching support hours to allow for collection and consideration of this data by the DES, in conjunction with the NCSE. It should be noted that this is a temporary suspension of the allocation process in order to allow for consideration and analysis of this issue prior to any decisions being made.

The NCSE issued a Circular to schools advising them that the final date for schools to submit any outstanding, completed, applications for resource teaching supports is 13th May 2011. On receipt of all outstanding applications the DES and NCSE will be in a position to consider resource allocation for the coming school year, in the context of the Departments Employment Control Framework obligations. Schools will be notified of their allocations as soon as possible.

In the interim, children who are eligible for resource/ learning support teaching can receive this tuition through the existing learning support provision in schools.

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 77: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a child's application for a place to enrol in a special speech and language class at a school (details supplied) in County Cork.. [10798/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local special educational needs organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports. This includes applications for the establishment of special classes. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

Responsibility for enrolment to these classes rests with the individual school authority. In circumstances where a child meets the criteria for Specific Speech and Language Disorder, as outlined in my Department Circular 0038/2007, and who is not enrolled in a special class for SSLD the child may qualify for additional teaching support where he/she is enrolled in a mainstream school. Applications for such support may be made to the NCSE through the local SENO. Pupils with mild speech and language difficulties may qualify for supplementary teaching support from within the school's general allocation of learning support/teaching 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.