asked the Minister for Education if, in view of the continuing serious repercussions that have occurred since the withdrawal of a remedial teacher from a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5, he will immediately restore the appointment for the benefit of the large number of pupils requiring very special attention attending this school.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Dublin Remedial Teacher.
10.
There are two national schools with similar names in Donnycarney referred to respectively as Our Lady of Consolation Girls, roll number 17684 and Our Lady of Consolation Infants, roll number 17685. The girls school has had a remedial teaching post and teacher since March 1969.
The infants school has never had a remedial teaching post assigned to it. There is, however, an application from the school for such a post and this is being considered in the context of the priority of need in schools generally and the availability of such posts in the current school year.
The Minister has given an identical reply to that which I received in October last to the same question regarding the same school. Nothing has changed since then. Could I ask the Minister if his Department have been made aware that this school is in dire need of a remedial teacher? There is a trained remedial teacher on the staff but, due to the teacher/pupil ratio, the teacher has not worked in that context. I would also ask the Minister if he is aware that in this school there are at least eight to ten pupils in each class who urgently need remedial teaching and in each class there are a similar number of pupils who cannot even read in spite of the fact that they have been at school for a number of years? In those circumstances, would the Minister accept that the services of a remedial teacher are very badly needed at this school?
I accept that there is a need for remedial teachers. There are approximately 300 applications before the Department. These have to be examined by the Department's inspectorate. Remedial teaching at primary level is a matter in the first instance for the child's class teacher. The temporary ninth assistant was allowed exceptionally in this school for the 1983-84 school year. I understand that teacher was assigned to remedial duties by the school authorities. A special remedial teacher was never appointed to the school, but an application is now before the Department. I am sorry if the reply is the same as the one which the Deputy received earlier, but I can assure him that the matter is being looked at urgently. I will keep him informed of what is happening.
Could I ask the Minister how long that application is before the Department?
I do not have the exact date but I will communicate that information to the Deputy.
I would like to advise the Minister that it has been before his Department for three years and nothing has transpired since then. I ask the Minister to bear in mind that we are dealing with a very deprived area which very badly needs this type of facility.
That is not a question.
Will the Minister convey this information to his Department officials? It is absolutely necessary, if further problems are to be avoided in this area, that a remedial teacher be appointed to this school as soon as possible.
The information requested in the Deputy's previous question was that the principal teacher made an application for a remedial teacher in February 1984. As I have said, there are 300 such applications before the Department. While the disadvantaged areas scheme is a separate question, I will keep the Deputy informed of the position.