Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 May 2023
304. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education if she will address the insufficient allocation of English as an Additional Language support hours for a school (details supplied) to teach and integrate diverse children into a small rural school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24594/23]
View answer308. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education if she will consider changing the principal at a school (details supplied) from teaching to administrative, or an additional classroom teaching post within the school to align the classrooms across the four curricular planning bands for increase enrolment of children with additional needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24598/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 304 and 308 together.
The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final. Information on the appeals process and application forms are available in Circular 0006/2023.
My Department provides specific English Language support to schools with pupils newly arrived into the country that have English as an additional language.
The school referred to by the Deputy has an allocation of 20 hours per week based on the number of new entrant pupils enrolled, as set out in the NE-EAL application form.
