Liz McManus
Question:217 Ms McManus asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a concessionary teacher for Scoil Diarmada, mixed national school, Castledermot, County Kildare, on the basis of their need for such a teacher.
Written Answers. - Allocation of Concessionary Teacher.
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:235 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education if she will allocate a concessionary teacher at Scoil Diarmada, Castledermot, County Kildare in view of the recent submission to her Department by local interests; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 235 together. As the Deputies may be aware, concessionary teaching posts are allocated to primary schools who are included in the scheme of assistance for schools in designated areas of disadvantage.
Applicant schools are assessed and prioritised in order of need by reference to a range of socio-economic indicators. The factors taken into account include the incidence of unemployment, local authority housing and medical card holders among parents of the children concerned. Account is also taken of the views of my Department's inspectorate on the relative levels of need between schools and the prevailing pupil-teacher ratios.
This year an additional 68 posts were allocated under this scheme using the above criteria. This brings the total number of concessionary posts to 293 at primary level. The question of a further expansion of the scheme to embrace additional schools is being kept under review and the needs of all schools, including that mentioned by the Deputies, will be considered in this context.