School Staffing.

Thursday, 24 June 2004

Questions (109)

Paul Connaughton

Question:

109 Mr. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that two teachers who have been employed by a school (detail supplied) in County Galway for the past three years are not being made permanent; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that this school is not being allocated its full quota of resource teaching hours and that some students who had been in receipt of resource teaching hours in national school have not been allocated such a benefit when they attended same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18894/04]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

My Department approves an annual teacher allocation for each VEC based on the number of schools and the enrolment in the schools on 30 September of the previous year. Teacher allocations are made to the individual VEC scheme rather than individual school and it is a matter for the chief executive officer to arrange for appointment of teachers to individual schools within the VEC.

My Department also allocates resource teacher posts and special needs assistant posts to second level schools and vocational education committees to cater for pupils with special educational needs. Applications for such support are made to my Department by the relevant school authority. Each application is considered on the basis of the assessed needs of the pupil or pupils involved and the nature and level of the support provided is determined after detailed consideration of the supporting documentation provided, including the recommendations made by NEPS, and having regard to the overall level of resourcing available to the school to address special needs issues.

My Department has approved an allocation of 25 additional teaching hours and 22 hours special needs assistant support for the school in question to cater for the special educational needs of pupils in the school.