I am aware of the situation to which the Deputy refers.
My Department's first priority has been to ensure that all schools have access to a remedial teacher service. This was achieved from September 1999 when the service was extended to every primary school in the country with a pupil teacher ratio of 10:1 or above. Schools with lower pupil teacher ratios may also seek remedial support from my Department where the level of their particular need warrants a service.
The special education review committee recommended that the general criteria for establishing remedial need should relate to pupils identified as being below the tenth percentile on standardised tests in basic literacy and numeracy. The committee also recommended that the caseload of a remedial teacher catering for a single school should be 40 pupils. Where the post serves a cluster of schools, the committee recommended that the caseload be reduced by two for each school which is additional to the base school, subject to a maximum reduction of eight pupils.