Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 24 Nov 1998

Vol. 497 No. 2

Written Answers - School Staffing.

David Stanton

Question:

398 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has received a request from Presentation primary school, Midleton, County Cork, to appoint a home school liaison teacher and a concessionary resource teacher; the action, if any, he has taken or will take in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24671/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I am aware that the school in question has applied for a home-school-community liaison co-ordinator, a concessionary teaching post and a resource teacher post.

Concessionary teaching posts were traditionally allocated to schools which secured disadvantaged area status. However, such status has not been granted additional primary schools for some years. A study of educational disadvantage conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre in 1996 concluded that disadvantaged status should be confined to 16 per cent of the school-going population. The study noted that such status had already been extended to 17 per cent of pupils. As an alternative to further expanding the disadvantaged areas scheme, the study recommended that available resources be focused on schools already included in the scheme.

The home-school-community liaison scheme is targeted on schools which already have disadvantaged status. I recently allocated 26 additional co-ordinator posts to this service. A total of 133 coordinators are now in place in the home-school-community liaison scheme and serving 225 national schools.

Resource teacher posts are allocated to support ordinary teaching staff in catering for special needs children in integrated settings. I recently allocated 26 such posts to national schools. These posts were allocated on the basis of priority of need.

I recently announced a major new development in the provision of special education services. A key element of this initiative is the introduction of a formalised system of special support for all children attending school on an integrated basis who have been assessed as having a special need. Under this initiative, all such children whether in groups or in isolated settings, will have an entitlement to special support. The nature and level of support will be determined by the specific needs of the children.

The case made by the school in question for a resource teacher post will now be considered in the context of this new development in special needs provision.

I can also assure the Deputy that the needs of this school will be be fully considered in the context of any additonal resource allocations which may be undertaken to address educational disadvantage.