Vol. 412 No. 1
148 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education the reason, in view of her repeated statements in support of travellers and on the education of the disadvantaged sector in society, her Department insist on a pupil/teacher ratio of 25:1 for St. Kieran's national school for travellers, Old Connaught Avenue, Bray, County Wicklow, when the ratio in all other special provisions for travellers is 15:1.
149 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education the reason the seventh assistant teaching post was not restored to St. Kieran's national school for travellers, Old Connaught Avenue, Bray, County Wicklow in September 1991, when her Department guarantee of relieving the numbers situation in St. Kieran's, on making extra provisions in other schools in the area, did not materialise.
150 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education if she will confirm that her Department made a comment to a journalist that attendance at St. Kieran's national school for travellers, Old Connaught Avenue, Bray, County Wicklow did not justify the appointment of an additional teacher; and if it is now her policy to sanction appointments on the basis of attendance rather than enrolment.
154 Mr. S. Barrett asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the acute staffing problems in St. Kieran's national school for travellers in Bray, County Wicklow; if she will agree to reduce the pupil/teacher ratio for this school from 25:1 to 15:1 in line with precedent and other special classes; if she will also agree to the restoration of the seventh assistant teaching post at St. Kieran's in view of the fact that the Department's guarantee to relieve the numbers situation in the school by setting up special provision in other schools in the local geographical area did not materialise; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 148, 149, 150 and 154 together.
It is the policy of my Department to actively encourage the integration of travellers children into mainstream education and where appropriate, resources are deployed in a manner which facilitates this process.
In the case of travellers' children from the south County Dublin/north Wicklow area, my Department have been concerned at the extent to which such children have been travelling out of their local areas to attend St. Kieran's school for travellers in Bray.
In recent months, my Department's inspectorate have been seeking to arrange the placement of such children in their locally based national schools in an integrated setting and this process is continuing.
Consideration of the ongoing staffing needs of St. Kieran's must have regard to the above development. It is also necessary to recognise the reality that in such a school, the real level of actual attendance can be significantly and consistently below the numbers enrolled. The need to have regard to these factors, in the context of St. Kieran's School, was mentioned in comments made by an official of my Department to a journalist who inquired into the matter.
However, because progress in securing greater integration of these children at local level has not been achieved as quickly as was hoped, it is now intended to allow the temporary appointment of an additional teaching assistant to St. Kieran's and the school is being so advised.
The pupil/teacher ratio in the school recently has been of the order of 16.5 to 18:1. The temporary appointment will serve to reduce this further.
The ongoing needs of the school will be monitored in the context of the above developments.
