Micheál Martin
Question:84 Mr. Martin asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a remedial teacher to the Carlingford-Omeath parish in north County Louth. [24183/96]
Written Answers. - Teacher Appointments.
I am not in a position to allocate additional remedial teacher posts to primary schools. Remedial teachers are allocated to schools on the basis of priority of need as determined following the collection and anaylsis of data from schools by my Department's inspectorate. The allocation of such posts is also subject to resource availability in any given year.
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 schools in the Carlingford-Omeath area will receive every consideration.