Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 114: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the recently published circular on learning support and resource hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16212/11]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 115: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to review the circular on learning support and resource teaching hours that will now prevent principals from proceeding to attempt to organise hours for pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16213/11]

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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Question 116: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will lift the clause in the allocation of resource hours recently published in the circular on learning support and resource teaching hours and allow principals the time necessary to sort staff for the next academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16214/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 114, 115 and 116 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that Circular 37/2011 provides information to schools regarding the arrangements which are being put in place for the 2011/12 school year for the allocation of Resource Teaching hours for children with assessed special educational needs.

The main elements of the arrangements outlined in the Circular are that for the coming 2011/12 school year, an allocation of 90% of valid identified resource teaching allocations will be made to schools, in the first instance, to provide schools with the majority of their allocation, while also preserving enough capacity to deal with late applications and ensure that the Department of Education and Skills can remain within Employment Control Framework obligations.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have now notified schools of their allocations for the coming school year, which allows schools to manage and organise staffing arrangements. Schools have also been asked to forward as soon as possible any outstanding applications, or additional outstanding materials to support incomplete applications, to the NCSE for consideration, but in any event by no later than 16th September 2011. Following consideration of all of the applications received, if the level of demand permits, the initial 90% allocation may be revisited and increased.