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Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 6 Oct 1998

Vol. 494 No. 4

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Richard Bruton

Question:

450 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) which is located in a highly disadvantaged area has a shortage of teachers resulting in first class pupils being mixed with senior infants pupils which seriously undermines the capacity of the school to give time to pupils and risks damaging the educational progress of the children involved; and the steps, if any, he will take to deal with this matter. [18738/98]

The enrolment at the school in question on 30 Septemer 1997 was 468 pupils. This warrants a staff of a principal and 15 assistants for the current school year. While I appreciate that the loss of teaching posts can cause a certain disruption, this must be viewed in the context of a reduction of 56 pupils in the school's enrolment.

I am aware that this school serves a disadvantaged area, but I should point out that, in addition to the mainstream staff, the school also has the services of two concessionary teachers because of its disadvantaged status, two remedial teachers, two resource teachers for travellers, one teacher counsellor, one home-school liaison teacher, two Early Start teachers and six teachers under the Breaking the Cycle Initiative. In the circumstances, I regret that there is no basis for the allocation of any additional staff to this school.

Richard Bruton

Question:

451 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will give details of the movement of primary teachers, in the current school year, showing the total number of schools which lost one or more teachers; the number of teachers involved; the number of schools designated disadvantaged which lost one or more teachers and the number of teachers involved; the number of schools in the breaking the cycle programme which lost one or more teachers and the number of teachers involved; the number of teachers released as a result of the population dividend; the distribution of these released teachers showing the number that were allocated to one teacher schools, remedial teaching, home school community liaison, resource teaching special schools, teaching counsellor services, early start, breaking the cycle and so on. [18739/98]

The information requested by the Deputy is currently being extracted from records within my Department. I will arrange to have the information forwarded as soon as it is available.

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