Michael P. Kitt
Question:107 Mr. M. Kitt asked the Minister for Education if she will appoint a remedial teacher to a school (details supplied) in County Galway. [21386/96]
Written Answers. - Teacher Appointments.
I am not in a position at present to allocate additional remedial teachers to primary schools.
Since my appointment as Minister for Education, I have allocated an additional 241 remedial teachers to the primary sector. A total of 1,188 remedial teachers are now in place and the percentage of pupils who have access to a remedial service has increased from 77 per cent to 87 per cent.
However, as Minister for Education, I have to consider how best to deploy available resources across a wider range of special needs. I have to determine priorities and try to allocate resources to best effect.
In the current year, I have adopted a particular focus on children who suffer from educational disadvantage and have sought to target resources into this area in an effort to break the cycle of disadvantage. As part of this approach, I recently launched a major new initiative aimed at bringing special targeted assistance to children in selected urban and rural areas who suffer serious educational disadvantage.
I am satisfied that since my appointment as Minister for Education I have achieved substantial advances across the entire spectrum of special needs, including the remedial area. It is my intention to continue this process.
When I am next in a position to extend the remediation service, the needs of the school in question will receive every consideration.
Noel Dempsey
Question:108 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Education if she will approve the appointment of a career guidance counsellor and a resource teacher for St. Fintina's post-primary school in Longwood, County Meath. [21396/96]
The allocation of ex-quota posts to second level schools in respect of guidance is determined by the enrolment in the school.
The teacher allocation for the County Meath Vocational Education Committee for the 1996-97 school year includes an allocation of 0.2 wholetime teacher equivalents in respect of guidance in St. Fintina's post-primary school. An additional ex-quota allocation in respect of guidance for this school is not warranted at this time.
I understand that an allocation has also been made to the school in respect of pastoral care. The question of allocating further teaching resources to the school from within the overall approved teacher allocation for the vocational education committee scheme is a matter for the Chief Executive Officer of the vocational education committee.
With regard to the question of allocating a resources post to the school, the position is that in 1995 I allocated 56 resource posts to second level schools to cater for the needs of handicapped pupils. The posts were allocated on the basis of information supplied by individual schools on a specially designed application form.
It was not possible to allocate a post to St. Fintina's school on that occasion. However, the position of the school will be considered when next it is possible to allocate additional resource posts.