Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

483. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many schools use their allocated learning support teacher to support both learning support pupils and English as an additional language; if her further attention has been drawn to the fact that no matter how many EAL pupils are in a school, there are no extra resources for language support; her plans to enable more schools to qualify for a language support teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38049/14]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

484. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to relax the requirements set out in circular 15/2009 to enable more schools to qualify for a language support teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38050/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 483 and 484 together.

Teacher allocations are approved annually in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.

Reforms introduced in the 2012/13 school year created a single simplified allocation process to cover both learning and language support. At primary level, GAM/EAL (learning/language support) hours are allocated on the basis of mainstream classroom teaching posts in the school. At post-primary level, learning/language support is allocated on the basis of pupil numbers. Schools have autonomy to deploy this resource between language support and learning support depending on the specific needs of the school.

The new arrangements also provided for additional permanent teaching posts to be given to schools with high concentration of pupils that require language support. Further additional temporary EAL support is also provided, as necessary, to schools that have high concentrations of pupils (at least 20% of total enrolment) that require language support. These allocations are made on the basis of appeals by any of these schools to the Staffing Appeals Board. The appeal criteria are set out in the published staffing arrangements.