Vol. 500 No. 6
127 Mr. Power asked the Minister for Education and Science when a second teacher will be appointed to St. Joseph's national school, Halverstown, Kilcullen, County Kildare (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4714/99]
The enrolment of St. Joseph's national school, Halverstown, County Kildare on 30 September 1997 was 14 pupils with the result that the school is staffed in the current school year by a principal teacher only. The Deputy will be aware that An Action Programme for the Millennium contains a commitment to prioritise primary education in the allocation of resources. 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 are operating as two-teacher units as a consequence of my supportive initiatives for one teacher schools. In the context of finalising staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 1999-2000 school year, I can assure the Deputy that the Government will fully implement this promise and I intend making a further move in this respect in the coming school year.
