Brendan Ryan (Dublin North, Labour)
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Question 104: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the changes to the general allocation model in relation to learning support teachers has disproportionately affected Church of Ireland schools; if an analysis has been conducted regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6067/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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The new simplified approach to the General Allocation Model of support for schools will make it easier to automatically update it annually in line with the changes in the number of classroom teachers in each school. Schools will also have autonomy on how to deploy the resource between language support and learning support depending on their specific needs. All schools are being treated equally irrespective of the type of patronage. The overall objective of the reforms is to enable the teacher allocation process to operate more smoothly and efficiently within the new climate of fixed ceilings on teacher numbers. The previous allocation model was based on enrolments in schools from 2003 and did not account for changes in pupil numbers in schools since that time. The arrangements for the staffing allocation under the General Allocation Model (GAM) are specifically designed to facilitate GAM hours being clustered into full-time posts, either entirely within their own school or with a nearby neighbouring school. These reforms are intended to be neutral in relation to the overall number of teaching posts allocated to schools. As many of the changes are designed to bring a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools, it is inevitable that some schools that will lose posts and other schools will gain posts. My Department will notify schools in the coming weeks of the new staffing arrangements for the 2012-13 school year.