asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of remedial teachers he expects to be in a position to appoint in 1998; when he will announce these appointments; if his attention has been drawn to the urgent need for the appointment of a remedial teacher to Scoil Uí Riada in Kilcock, County Kildare; his position in relation to this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18133/98]
Written Answers - School Staffing.
257
Liam Aylward
Question:260 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, he has to extend the remediation service to a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny in view of the submission made by Deputy Aylward to his Department outlining the urgent need for the services of a remedial teacher in this school. [18175/98]
Bernard J. Durkan
Question:266 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the requests for a remedial education teacher at Scoil Uí Riada, Kilcock, County Kildare; if he will respond positively to this request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18221/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 257, 260 and 266 together.
I am aware of the cases made by the schools in question for a remedial teacher service. My capacity to allocate additional remedial teacher posts in any given year is dependent on resource availability and the level of competing demand from other special needs areas. I recently allocated an additional 60 remedial teacher posts to national schools with effect from September 1998. There are now 1,302 remedial teacher posts in place in the primary system. I can assure the Deputies that the needs of the schools to which they refer will be fully considered in the context of any additional remedial teacher allocations which may be undertaken.