Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 February 2010
493 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the names and addresses of primary schools where the number of English as an additional language teachers is less in September 2009 that it was in September 2008 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8740/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra494 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the names and addresses or primary schools where the number of English as an additional language teachers was the same in September 2009 as it was in September 2008 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8741/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra495 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the names and addresses or primary schools where the number of English as an additional language teachers was greater in September 2009 than it was in September 2008 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8742/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra496 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of English as an additional language teachers in primary schools in September 2008 and in September 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8743/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra497 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the names and addresses of primary schools where the number of resources teachers is less in September 2009 than it was in September 2008 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8744/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra498 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the names and addresses of primary schools where the number of resource teachers is greater in September 2009 than it was in September 2009 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8745/10]
Amharc ar fhreagra499 Deputy Brian Hayes asked the Minister for Education and Science the names and addresses of primary schools where the number of resource teachers was the same in September 2009 as it was in September 2008 on a county basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8746/10]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 493 to 499, inclusive, together.
The level of extra teaching support provided in respect of language support to any school is determined by the numbers of eligible pupils enrolled and the associated assessed levels of these pupils' language proficiency. This is done through an annual application process in the Spring/Summer of each year.
Following on from the Government decision in Budget 2009 in relation to language support provision my Department published Circular 0015/2009 which sets out a structured and transparent process for the allocation of up to 4 language support teachers to schools.
The Department's circular also states that additional support is available for those schools which have at least 25% of their total enrolment made up of pupils that require language support. Such applications for additional language support are dealt with through the Staffing Appeals process.
The total number of whole time equivalent Language Support posts in place at primary level in the current school year is 1,182. The challenge for schools is to ensure that this very significant resource is used to maximum effect. In the 2008/09 school year there were 1,620 language support posts at primary level.
The general allocation system of learning support/resource teachers provides teaching resources to schools to enable them to cater for children with high-incidence special education needs. It is a matter for the individual school to use its professional judgement to identify pupils that will receive this support and to use the resources available to the school to intervene at the appropriate level with such pupils. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers to schools to support children with special educational needs. The number of resource posts in individual schools change from year to year based on changes in the number and needs of their pupils.
The number of whole time equivalent learning support/resource teacher posts at primary level in the current school year is 6,192. There were 5,842 posts in place in the 2008/09 school year.
The level of detail sought by the Deputy in respect of each individual school would take some time to collate within my Department. My Department's Teacher Allocation Section is currently focused on the initial work for the allocation of staffing for the coming school year and I do not propose to divert them from this work at this key time in the allocation process.
