Vol. 424 No. 2
140 Mr. Ryan asked the Minister for Education if he will make a statement on the joint application from the boards of management of the national schools at Garristown, Naul and Ballyboughal in County Dublin for a shared remedial teacher; and if he will sanction such an appointment as a matter of urgency given the needs of the pupils and the fact that these schools have been waiting for over three years for this teacher.
The creation of additional remedial teacher posts in national schools in a particular year depends upon the teaching resources which can be made available in that year.
There are almost 1,000 approved posts of remedial teacher currently in primary schools. Three hundred teaching posts were provided this year under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress. By agreement with concerned interests, all of these posts were used to reduce class sizes and, accordingly, it was not possible to increase the number of remedial teachers.
When additional resources become available, the needs of schools, including the schools mentioned by the Deputy, will again be considered.
