Vol. 456 No. 2
23 Mr. Gregory asked the Minister for Education the measures, if any, she intends to take in response to the special needs of Saint Gabriel's Primary Schools, Cowper Street, Dublin 7, in view of her letter (details supplied). [12878/95]
The Deputy will be aware from my recent letter that it did not prove possible to include the schools in question in the recent expansion of the early start pre-school programme and the recent pilot initiative under which I deployed a number of teacher counsellors to schools in disadvantaged areas. However, I can assure the Deputy that I am conscious of the problems faced by the Cowper Street schools in dealing with disruptive pupils. The needs of these schools will be taken fully into account in the context of any further expansion of the programmes.
In the meantime, I would point out that my Department is currently engaged in discussions with both schools with a view to their amalgamation. Significant progress has already been made in this regard. I would see such a development as offering a particular opportunity for addressing the problems to which the Deputy refers. An amalgamation would enable the schools to combine their available resources and direct particular attention to the problems to which the Deputy refers. These resources include the full-time services of remedial teachers for both schools and ex-quota teaching posts in each school, by virtue of their inclusion in the disadvantaged areas scheme.
