Seán Ó Fearghaíl (Kildare South, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 54: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the retention of resource teachers for Travellers in DEIS 1 schools; the change in the number of such posts in each school in the next school year; and his plans to update the general allocation model to ensure that travellers are counted. [14515/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision to withdraw Resource Teacher for Travellers was taken by the previous Government as part of the last Budget. The requirement to make expenditure savings and to ensure that staffing numbers remain within the Public Service Employment Control Framework prevent me from re-visiting this decision.

Resource Teacher for Traveller posts/Teaching Hours for Traveller pupils will be withdrawn, effective from 31 August 2011.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. All schools should select students for learning support on the basis of priority of need. Limited alleviation or adjustment measures are being provided to assist schools that have high concentrations of Traveller pupils who were previously supported by Resource Teachers for Travellers.

In respect of DEIS Urban Band 1 schools, Traveller enrolments have been included in the valid enrolment for the purpose of allocating additional staffing under DEIS from the 2011/12 school year. The schools involved have already received their staffing allocations for next year.

A total of 81 posts have been allocated to DEIS schools, following the inclusion of Traveller enrolments in the valid enrolment under DEIS from the 2011/12 school year. I will arrange to have details of the breakdown of these posts sent to the Deputy. A review of the General Allocation Model has now been completed. The findings and recommendations of this review will be considered in the context the Government's Employment Control Framework and competing demands on teacher numbers.