Vol. 476 No. 2
142 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education whether additional remedial teaching hours will be provided for children (details supplied) in County Mayo in view of the fact that they are finding it difficult to manage and are behind the other students in writing and reading skills. [6465/97]
I understand that the local schools' inspector has recently carried out a review of the remedial teaching service in the area in question. This has resulted in the children mentioned by the Deputy receiving a service from a remedial teacher. In addition, the school has devised an individual educational programme to cater for the special needs of the children in question.
My capacity to make additional remedial support available to primary schools in any given year is governed by resource availability in that year. I am not in a position at present to make additional remedial teachers available to primary schools.
I will continue to review needs in this area and consider how best these needs can be addressed within available resources. The needs of the children in question will be considered in this context.
