Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 22 Apr 1998

Vol. 489 No. 7

Adjournment Debate. - Remedial Teacher Appointment.

Mr. Finucane

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for selecting this matter and I also thank the Minister for coming into the House to hear my views.

I urgently request the Minister to appoint a shared remedial teacher for Gaelscoil O Doghair, Monagea and Ahalin national Schools in County Limerick. These three combined co-educational schools have 402 children on the roll. As a result of various tests it has been determined that an average of 14 per cent of pupils in each school are in need of remedial teaching. The numbers involved are 31 pupils in the gaelscoil, 13 in Monagea and 11 in Ahalin, making an overall total of 55 pupils.

The three schools are situated in close proximity to each other. The gaelscoil is currently situated in the grounds of the community centre in Newcastle West, while Monagea school is three miles away and Ahalin is approximately five miles from the town centre. Because of the proximity it is envisaged that the remedial teacher would be in a position to function effectively and efficiently with the minimum amount of time being lost in travelling between schools. Also, this proximity would allow the principals to develop an effective strategy, in consultation with the teacher, to cater for the specific needs of the pupils requiring remedial attention in their schools.

There is already close co-operation between the different schools which will be further strengthened by the appointment of a permanent remedial teacher. These three schools have been making a combined application since 1995. Indeed two of the schools, Monagea and Ahalin, have been requesting a remedial teacher for the past ten years.

It is now imperative that a remedial teacher is provided for these schools and I ask the Minister to deal with the current unfair situation which prevails where these schools are concerned. I trust the Minister will appoint a remedial teacher to these schools in the near future. The children who need remedial teaching deserve to have the facility of a remedial teacher, otherwise they will go on to second level education at a considerable disadvantage.

Mr. Martin

I thank the Deputy for raising this issue and I agree that remedial teaching is a key component part of our education system. There is an absolute need to improve remedial services in national schools throughout the country. I have said on a number of occasions that I am concerned to ensure that all schools should have access to a remedial resource. This is a major challenge and will take time to achieve.

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 arrangements were based on the allocation of surplus posts available for redistribution from the demographic dividend for the 1997-8 school year. A total of 54 remedial teachers were allocated for the 1997-8 year bringing the number of remedial teachers in place to 1,242. Of the 3,227 ordinary national schools throughout the country, 2,459 schools now have the services of a remedial teacher either on a full-time or on a shared basis. This means that approximately 74 per cent of pupils attending ordinary national schools in County Limerick currently have access to a remedial service. I acknowledge that in the shared cases some schools may only have access to a remedial teacher for a number of hours, but that is the current position.

It is estimated that 90 per cent of the total number of primary school pupils have the possibility of access to a remedial teacher but we need to do much more to extend that service.

I am currently engaged in discussions concerning staffing issues for national schools for the next school year. As part of this, I am reviewing provision across the special needs area, including the provision of remedial services. As Minister for Education and Science I obviously have to consider demands for improved services across a wide range of special needs. Unfortunately I am not always in a position to meet all these demands.

I assure the Deputy that the needs of Gaelscoil O Doghair, Monagea national school and Ahalin national school will be fully considered in the context of any additional remedial teacher allocations which may be made in respect of the staffing schedules for next September. I have taken on board the Deputy's comments in relation to the collective needs of the schools.

The Dáil adjourned at 9.20 p.m. until 10.30 a.m. on Thursday, 23 April 1998.