Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 8 February 2023
233. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education her plans to provide schools in Leixlip, Celbridge and Maynooth with additional resources to assist with their ability to provide education for persons seeking international protection. [5967/23]
View answerThe 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 also provides specific English Language support to schools with pupils newly arrived into the country that have English as an additional language.
Further language support may also be provided, through the staffing appeals process, to schools that have a high concentration of pupils enrolled who have received less than 3 years EAL support and currently have less than B1 (level 3) proficiency in English.
Staffing arrangements for the 2023/24 school year, including information on EAL supports available to schools, have been published on the Department website.
