Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 28 Jan 1998

Vol. 486 No. 1

Written Answers. - Teacher Appointments.

Olivia Mitchell

Question:

826 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will sanction the provision of a resource teacher for Our Lady's national school, Ballinteer, Dublin 16 to facilitate the integrated education of the many children with special needs attending this school. [2278/98]

Noel Ahern

Question:

909 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Education and Science the current position in relation to the request for a resource teacher for children with special needs for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 11; the number of children with special needs registered in the school; the allocation for new appointments which have been made for 1998; the position of the school on the list for the additional post; when a decision will be made in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1714/98]

Alan Shatter

Question:

932 Mr. Shatter asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will sanction the provision of a resource teacher for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 16 as requested by the parents association of the school in order to ensure that the school can provide an inclusive and integrated teaching service for its pupils, in particular those children requiring specialist tuition who have a variety of difficulties ranging from behavioural problems and language difficulties to Down's Syndrome. [2069/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 826, 909 and 932 together.

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 arragements were based on the allocation of the surplus posts available for redistribution from the demographic dividend for the 1997-98 school year. A total of 32 resource teacher posts were allocated to primary schools with effect from September 1997. Accordingly, I am not in a position at present to allocate additional resource teacher posts to primary schools.

With regard to the school mentioned by Deputy Ahern, I understand there are four children with special needs registered at this school.

No decision has yet been taken on the question of additional resource teacher posts for the coming school year. Any such allocation would be made on the basis of priority of need as determined by my Department's inspectorate. As part of this process, regard would be had to the prevailing levels of special need among applicant schools at the time of the allocation. Applicant schools are not ranked in advance of this process.

However, I can assure the Deputies that the needs of the schools to which they refer will be considered in the context of any allocation which may be undertaken.