I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to raise this important matter. The matter I wish to address concerns the need for the Minister for Education and Science to detail his plans for the provision of extra resource teachers and learning support teachers for primary schools, which he announced last month, and the need for new teachers to be appointed and deployed at the earliest date to allow schools to plan properly for the coming school year and to ensure that extra teachers are of maximum benefit to all pupils and schools on the basis of need.
The plight of children with special needs is one of the most pressing issues faced by our education system and our society as a whole. The preliminary results of a survey carried out by the Department of Education and Science in primary schools last October show the extent of need among tens of thousands of children throughout the State. Currently there are some 2,600 resource teachers to cater for this large number of pupils who need special attention. The Minister for Education and Science has promised 350 extra resource teachers and has committed to deploy them as soon as possible.
I welcome the news that agreement was reached between the Department and the Irish National Teachers' Organisation on the deployment of special needs teachers. The INTO had expressed concern that the Department might be opting for deployment based on an arbitrary ratio of one special needs teacher per 150 pupils. Independently of the INTO's concern, I was aware of at least two schools in my immediate area in which such speculation was causing real worry. It was thought that the implementation of such a quota could see some schools losing out and emerging with a diminished service. I hope the agreement with the INTO now means no such scenario will occur and that deployment will be based only on need.
I ask the Minister of State to confirm, on the record, the headlines of the agreement as announced by the INTO. These are as follows: special education staffing in primary schools is to be maintained and no further teachers will be placed on redeployment panels in this school year other than those already notified; the outstanding applications will be processed as a matter of urgency and decisions will issue as soon as possible; the Department of Education and Science will meet the INTO over the coming weeks to discuss a weighted model which will, as far as practicable, take account of gender and disadvantage and will give flexibility to small schools; there will be full implementation of this model by September 2005; in the interim, new appointments will be considered on the basis of the weighted model and specific cases — these cases will be judged on an individual basis; the 350 new teachers will be allocated to deal with special needs as soon as possible on the basis of a weighted model; and the Department of Education and Science has agreed to consult the INTO on a notification to all schools.
I ask the Minister of State to ensure that all schools are fully informed so they are in a position to plan properly for the coming school year. I acknowledge there is little time left in which these plans can be properly put together.
I again emphasise the need to make much greater progress on the issue of class sizes in primary schools, which is important. Only a dramatic reduction in class sizes through recruitment of more teachers, can ensure that each child receives more individual attention and that those with special needs are allowed to participate fully in their classes and schools.