Gary Gannon
Ceist:360. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of expanding the 15 additional teaching hours to all children seeking sanctuary from conflict and war. [33510/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThursday, 23 June 2022
Ceisteanna (360)
Freagraí scríofa
The staffing arrangements for primary and post primary schools for the 2022/23 school year are set out in Circular 0025/2022 (primary) and Circulars 0022/2022, 0023/2022 and 0024/2022 (post primary), and are available on the Department website.
The Special Education Teaching allocation, as outlined in Circular 0020/2022, (primary schools) and 0021/2022 (post primary schools) provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses the Language Support (EAL) allocation that schools were allocated in previous years.
All schools are advised in the first instance to review whether the needs of newly enrolled pupils can be met from within existing allocations.
The Department is working with all relevant authorities, education partners and school communities to ensure Ukrainian children of school-going age, who are beneficiaries of the Temporary Protection Directive, are provided with access to appropriate supports to allow them to continue their education in Ireland. Schools have been advised of the English Language supports available for those Ukrainian students who require supports on an urgent and unforeseen basis.
Where circumstances change, schools can apply for additional supports through an appeals process which is available to all schools, where they feel that their staffing allocations is not reflective of their needs.
Schools that experience sudden unforeseen increases in enrolments similar to the unprecedented unforeseen enrolments of Ukrainian children can contact the Department for further guidance and support.