School principals and teachers' unions have expressed concern that children with learning disabilities will receive reduced support in September as a result of new restrictions on the allocation of resource teachers.
The Government has placed a cap on the number of resource teachers that can be employed in schools.
It says the restriction is necessary in order to comply with the European Union/International Monetary Fund bailout deal.
The Government has capped the number of resource teachers at 9,950 for this year, but already it seems that demand for this service will far exceed this figure.
As a result, the Department of Education has suspended indefinitely the allocation of any new resource teachers.
It has also told schools they must give a final figure on their resource teacher needs by 13 May.
Schools fear they will not be given adequate supports for new pupils with learning impairments who enrol in September.
The Irish National Teachers' Organisation and the Teachers' Union of Ireland say they are gravely concerned.
The TUI says the measures will discriminate especially against second-level schools that enrol a high proportion of children with learning disabilities.
