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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 3

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Mary Upton

Ceist:

389 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science when a learning support teacher will be appointed to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 10, in view of the fact that this school is entitled to this additional support. [20242/02]

Mary Upton

Ceist:

412 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Education and Science the extra learning supports available for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 10; if this school will be allocated the services of an educational psychologist; and his views on correspondence (details supplied). [20592/02]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 389 and 412 together.

All second level schools in the free education scheme have an entitlement to an ex-quota allocation in respect of learning support teaching. The allocation to an individual school for a particular school year is determined by its enrolment at the end of the preceding September. Schools with an enrolment of 600 or more are entitled to a full post and those with an enrolment below 600 are entitled to the equivalent of one half of a post for learning support teaching. Individual schools, which had been allocated an ex-quota learning support post by my Department prior to 1999, retained that entitlement even if the enrolment in the school was below 600.

The approved teacher allocation for the school referred to by the Deputy includes an allocation of a full ex-quota learning support post for the current school year. The appointment of teachers, including learning support teachers, is a matter for the school authorities.
My Department allocates resource posts, special needs assistant posts and concessionary teaching hours to second level schools to cater for special needs pupils. Applications for such support are made to my Department by the relevant school authorities. Each case is considered on its merits and determined on the advice of the National Educational Psychological Service. An application by the school in question for additional resources has been referred by my Department to NEPS for a report. On receipt and consideration of this report, my Department will advise the school of the decision in the matter.
The school has been without an assigned NEPS psychologist for some months due to the sad death of the psychologist concerned. During these months the school has been eligible to avail of the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments and NEPS management has arranged to deal with requests in relation to allocation of resources. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a newly appointed psychologist who has just completed her induction training has been assigned to the school and will shortly be making her initial visit there.
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