The post of child care assistant in the school in question is subject to the embargo on the filling of posts in the public service.
The Government directive applies to all areas of education with the exception of teaching posts which are subject to pupil teacher ratio rules. In the circumstances it is not possible to authorise the appointment of a replacement child care assistant for the school in question.
The school, however, enjoys the pupil-teacher ratio applicable to schools for moderately mentally handicapped pupils. As such for a school population of 65 it has a principal and six assistant teachers and one extra teacher for a class for severely and profoundly mentally handicapped pupils.