Noel Dempsey
Question:306 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for Education if she will urgently appoint a remedial teacher for Clonalvy national school in County Meath. [25203/96]
Written Answers. - Teacher Appointments.
Mildred Fox
Question:318 Ms M. Fox asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the lack of remedial services to Stratford on Slaney national school, Grangecon national school, Stratford Lodge national school, Donaghmore national school, Kiltegan national school and Bigstone national school, all in the Baltinglass area of County Wicklow; the plans, if any, she has to rectify this unacceptable situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1027/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 306 and 318 together.
I am aware of requests for a remedial service from the schools mentioned by the Deputies. I am not in a position at present to allocate additional remedial teachers to the primary sector.
Remedial teacher posts are allocated on the basis of priority of need as determined by my Department's inspectorate following the collection and analysis of data from schools. Such allocations are 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 school 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 schools in question will receive every consideration.