Godfrey Timmins
Question:63 Mr. Timmins asked the Minister for Education if she has fully used up the allocation for the appointment of remedial teachers in the current school year; and if not, when she will make additional appointments. [9570/96]
Written Answers. - Remedial Teachers.
All available remedial teacher posts for the current school year have now been allocated. I allocated 55 additional remedial posts to the primary sector with effect from September 1995. A further 73 posts were allocated to the second level sector.
As a result of these latest allocations, the number of remedial teachers in the primary sector has now reached 1,188. A total of 350 such teachers are in place at second level. I am not in a position at present to make additional remedial teacher posts available.
I am keeping the position regarding remedial needs under ongoing review. Any decision on further remedial teacher allocations will be taken in the light of the level of identified need and resource availability. Given the level of competing demand in the special needs area, I regret it is not possible to meet the demands of all pupils for remedial teaching. Unfortunately, I do not have access to unlimited resources.