Vol. 498 No. 4
453 Mr. J. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Science when he will sanction the appointment of a second teacher to Ballymoney national school, Ballineen, County Cork, in view of the commitments given in relation to one teacher schools with ten or more pupils on roll. [27833/98]
An Action Programme for the Millennium contains a commitment to give primary education a clear priority in allocating resources. In this context, the programme specifically states that one teacher schools with ten or more pupils will receive a second teacher.
In the current school year a total of 67 schools, which would otherwise have been one teacher units, are operating as two teacher units as a consequence of my supportive initiatives for one teacher schools.
Unfortunately, Ballymoney national school is not among these schools. However, in the context of considering staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 1999-2000 school year I am examining a range of options with a view to identifying the most appropriate way to fulfil the Government's commitments to one teacher schools.
