Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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462. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which the new allocation system for special educational needs resources will be in place in all schools. [7050/15]

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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463. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the time frame provided to her Department officials to design a pilot of the new model allocation system for special educational needs resources in schools; and the number of schools she envisages participating in the pilot scheme. [7051/15]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 463 together.

The Deputy will be aware that last week I announced that I am not proposing to change the way teachers are allocated to schools for children with Special Educational Needs for the coming school year.

In making this decision to retain the current model for allocating resource and learning support teachers for the coming year, I have been guided by the advice of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Working Group report, which recommended that sufficient time should be allowed for further consultation to take place with the education stakeholders before the new model is implemented in schools.

Through consultations which have already taken place, there was a broad welcome for the proposed new model from Parents, disability groups, schools and stakeholders. However, while there has been significant consultation in relation to the proposed new model, there has not been sufficient time to address fully all of the concerns which have been raised in advance the September 2015 school year.

In particular, a robust mechanism for identifying children with complex special educational needs has yet to be finalised. Similarly it will be important to ensure that the concerns that successful schools continue to receive appropriate levels of support to ensure that their successes can be maintained are addressed.

Work will continue in the coming months to develop the proposed model and to address the range of concerns which were identified through the consultations which have taken place so far.

I have asked my Department to design a pilot of the new model which schools could opt into on a voluntary basis. Continuing consultation with stakeholders form a vital part of the ongoing work.

The timescale for the development of the pilot project and the number of schools likely to participate in this pilot will be considered during consultations with stakeholders.

The timeframe for the implementation of the proposed new model will take into account both the results of the pilot project and the consultation process.