Vol. 465 No. 6
180 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Education if she will restore the services of a remedial teacher (details supplied) to St. Kevin's boys' national school, Kilnamanagh, Dublin 24; and if she will also appoint a home/school liaison teacher and school counsellor to this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10072/96]
St. Kevin's boys' national school currently has the services of one full-time remedial teacher and also a shared remedial teaching post.
Remedial posts are sanctioned subject to review of the level of need in a given area. After careful consideration by my Department's primary inspectorate, it has been decided to extend the remedial service being provided by one of the remedial teachers at St. Kevin's boys' national school, Kilnamanagh, to include St. Kevin's girls' national school Kilnamanagh.
When I am in a position to extend the remediation service; the further needs of St. Kevin's boys' national school will be given every consideration.
Under present arrangements, the home school community liaison scheme is focused on schools in designated areas of disadvantage. Schools are invited to participate in the scheme on the basis of priority of need as assessed by my Department's inspectorate.
In selecting schools for inclusion in the scheme, particular regard is had to the prevailing levels of pupil participation in the education process and the level of parental involvement in the affairs of their local school.
The home school community liaison scheme at primary level has been expanded in the current school year by the inclusion of an additional 49 schools. A total of 181 primary schools are now included in the scheme and are served by 105 co-ordinators.
The pilot scheme of teacher-counsellors is intended to offer special targeted support to selected disadvantaged schools which are encountering particular difficulty in coping with disruptive and disturbed pupils.
A total of 27 teacher-counsellor posts have been allocated under the pilot phase of this intiative.
