Vol. 486 No. 1
914 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a remedial teaching service was withdrawn from a school (details supplied) in County Meath due to objections from the INTO; and if he will re-appoint a teacher to cater for the needs of the school. [1767/98]
I am aware of the issue to which the Deputy refers.
My Department's inspectorate has been engaged in a review of the issues surrounding the provision of a remedial service to the school in question. The report of the inspectorate, which has been received in recent days, puts forward proposals aimed at delivering a remedial service to the school.
915 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science when a resource teacher will be appointed to a school (details supplied) in County Galway. [1848/98]
My capacity to allocate additional resource teachers in any year is dependent on the availability of posts arising from the demographic decline in the primary system. Such posts as became available for the 1997-98 school year were largely allocated by my predecessor as part of an agreement with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation on overall staffing arrangements, and included the allocation of 26 resource teacher posts with effect from September 1997.
I will continue to review provision across the special needs area, including the resource teaching service, to ensure that all available resources are deployed as effectively as possible. I assure the Deputy that the needs of the schools to which he refers will be fully considered in the context of any additional allocation of resource teachers which may be undertaken.
