Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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59. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the situation regarding the allocation of learning support to schools; if he will consider making this allocation on the basis of the number of pupils in a school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23542/14]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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60. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements and facilities provided separately by learning support facilities and resource facilities in primary schools; if the allocation of staff will be mixed between learning support and resource teaching; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23582/14]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 59 and 60 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that all mainstream primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model (GAM) to cater for children with learning support needs and high incidence special educational needs, including mild, borderline mild general learning difficulties and specific learning disabilities. GAM resources also provide for the provision of English Additional Language support.

Details of the manner in which GAM resources have been allocated to schools for the 2013/14 school year are set out in my Departments Circular 0013/2013. This Circular sets out that resources are allocated to schools based on the number of mainstream class teaching posts in each school in the preceding year, which are themselves based on school enrolments. The GAM is updated for schools annually based on the number of mainstream teaching posts in each school in the preceding year and based on the provisions set out in Circular 0013/2013. Once these resources have been allocated to schools, it is a matter for schools to then determine the manner in which these resource teaching/learning support resources are utilised to provide additional teaching support to eligible pupils. Guidance to support schools in this regard is set out in my Departments Circular 02/05.

I wish to advise the Deputy also that the NCSE report on Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs has recommended that a proposed new allocation model be developed for schools whereby a quantum of additional special educational needs resource teaching support would be allocated to schools based on the profiled need of each school. The NCSE established a Working Group to develop a proposal for consideration for a new Allocation Model based on the educational profile of all schools, which is set out as one of the principal recommendations of the report. The Report of this Working group has been submitted to my Department and is currently under consideration.