Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 26 Nov 1996

Vol. 472 No. 1

Written Answers. - Remedial Teachers.

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

219 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education, in the context of preparing for the 1997-98 academic year, if she will give a commitment to provide a remedial teacher to a national school at Muff, County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22686/96]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

220 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education, in the context of preparing for the 1997-98 academic year, if she will provide at least one remedial teacher for the cluster of five schools in Buncrana, County Donegal, which are currently without such a facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22687/96]

Cecilia Keaveney

Question:

221 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education the current position in relation to extending the remedial service to encompass the 74 schools without such a facility in County Donegal in the 1997-98 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22688/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 219, 220 and 221 together.

I am not in a position to make any commitment at present in relation to future allocations of remedial teacher posts. My capacity to allocate such posts in any school year is dependent on the availability of resources in that year and the level of competing demand from other special needs areas.

As Minister for Education, I have to consider how best to deploy available posts across a wide range of special needs. I have to determine priorities and try to allocate resources to best effect.

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. 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 a 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 as resources permit. When I am next in a position to extend the remediation service, the needs of the schools referred to by the Deputy will receive every consideration.