Michael Ring
Question:391 Mr. Ring asked the Minister for Education and Science when a primary school (details supplied) in County Mayo will be allocated a second teacher or a teaching assistant. [6940/98]
Written Answers. - Teacher Appointments.
In March 1997 the outgoing Minister for Education agreed staffing arrangements for primary schools for the current school year with the Irish National Teachers' Organisation. These agreed arrangements were based on the allocation of all surplus posts available for redistribution from the demographic dividend.
The Deputy will be aware that An Action Programme for the Millennium contains a commitment to give primary education a clear priority in allocating resources. In this context, the programme specificially states that one teacher schools with ten or more pupils will receive a second teacher. There are currently 103 one teacher primary schools with ten or more pupils in the country, including the school referred to by the Deputy.
As there are no teaching posts at present available to me for allocation to these schools, I am currently examining a range of options with a view to identifying the most appropriate way to fulfil the Government's commitment to one teacher schools.