On Wednesday, 22 April 1998 I raised the need to appoint a shared remedial teacher to the combined schools Gaelscoil O'Doghair, Caisleán Nua, Monagea and Ahalin national schools. According to the Minister's reply, the matter would be fully considered in the context of the remedial teacher allocation in September. There was understandable bitter disappointment in all these schools when they were not allowed a remedial teacher. The three schools have a combined co-educational enrolment of more than 400.
As a result of various tests, it has been determined that an average of 14 per cent of the pupils in each school are in need of remedial teaching. It is estimated that more than 50 pupils are in need. The three schools are in close proximity to each other and because of that a remedial teacher should be able to function effectively with the minimum of time lost in travelling between the different schools. There is close co-operation between the schools and, understandably, they are losing pupils because they do not have a remedial teacher.
Since 1995 they have been making submissions to the Department of Education and Science. Two of the schools, Monagea and Ahalin national schools, have been requesting a remedial teacher for the past ten years. Of a total of 146 national schools in County Limerick, 125 or 86 per cent have the services of a remedial teacher and 21 or 14 per cent do not have a service. Of the 21,428 pupils attending primary schools in County Limerick, 19,937 or 93 per cent have access to a remedial teacher.
It is totally unjust that the other schools, which combine 1,431 or 7 per cent of the total in County Limerick, do not have access to a remedial teacher. Surely it is grossly unfair that the combined schools of Gaelscoil O'Doghair, Caisleán Nua, Ahalin and Monagea national schools, should be deprived of a remedial teacher. It is totally unjust that some of those pupils because their schools do not have a remedial teacher will go on to second level at an educational disadvantage. I call on the Minister to rectify this injustice and ensure a remedial teacher is appointed in the next round of appointments of remedial teachers.
