Conor McGuinness (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
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568. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the reason only children who have entered the country in the last two years can be counted when schools apply for additional EAL teaching posts; the reason the allocation is not made on the number of children who do not speak English (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23468/25]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Department has prioritised enhancing English as an Additional Language (EAL) support, recognising the critical role of language proficiency in successful integration and academic achievement. The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses the Language Support (EAL) allocation that schools were allocated in previous years. All schools are advised in the first instance to review whether the needs of newly enrolled pupils can be met from within existing allocations.

The Department has adapted to the dynamic landscape of student enrolment. This has been particularly effective in the context of the pace and volume of newly arrived students fleeing the war in Ukraine and the ongoing increase in students, who require EAL supports to fully access the curriculum. These supports to schools, based on application process, are provided for new-entrant pupils (i.e., pupils arrived in the country in the last 2 years with an EAL requirement).

Similar to previous years, supports may also be provided for schools with a high concentration of pupils that are not classified as new-entrant pupils but who have an EAL need i.e., those pupils with less than 3 years EAL support and register less than B1 in an English proficiency test.

The Department's policies enable flexible resource allocation to ensure that the resources follow children in the event of them changing schools. Schools may also apply for further language support during the school year, should their circumstances change.