Vol. 483 No. 6
491 Mr. U. Burke asked the Minister for Education and Science the provision, if any, he has made or intends to make, to provide national schools in County Galway, with the professional services of resource and remedial teachers; and if he will provide these allocations on a shared basis or grouped basis where small rural schools are in question. [21354/97]
503 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Education and Science when he will provide a remedial teacher for Inniskeen and Blackstaff national school. [21463/97]
504 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Education and Science when he intends to appoint a remedial teacher to Scoil Mhuire, Rockcorry, County Monaghan. [21464/97]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 491, 503 and 504 together.
At present, a total of 55 remedial teachers and 12 resource teachers are deployed in primary schools in County Galway. In March 1997, the outgoing Minister for Education agreed staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 1997-98 school year with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation.
These agreed arrangements were based on the allocation of surplus posts available for redistribution from the demographic dividend for the 1997-98 school year and included the allocation of 51 remedial and 26 resource teacher posts to primary schools with effect from September 1997. Remedial and resource teacher posts are allocated on the basis of priority of need. Such posts are allocated on a shared basis where the level of need in an individual school is not such as to warrant a full post.
