Vol. 503 No. 6
266 Mr. S. Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will respond favourably on the application from Donabate boys' national school for a full remedial teacher; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10705/99]
280 Mrs. Owen asked the Minister for Education and Science the plans, if any, in place to appoint a remedial teacher to St. Patrick's boys' national school, Donabate, County Dublin, in view of the fact that when the part-time remedial teacher was appointed on a shared basis there were 14 teachers between the two schools and now there are 14 teachers in each school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10958/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 280 together.
My priority is to ensure that all schools which currently have no remedial service will be given access to this service from September next. Arrangements to put this extension of service in place are currently being made in my Department.
I assure the Deputies that the needs of the schools to which they refer will be fully considered in the event of additional resources becoming available to improve existing remedial services.
The Deputies will note that both schools will have the services of an extra classroom teacher from this September.
270 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Education and Science if St. Brigid's primary school, Haddington Road, Dublin 4, will receive a full-time remedial teacher; the way in which the new resources allocated to his Department will affect this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10710/99]
The school to which the Deputy refers currently has a remedial teacher service on a shared basis. To the extent that additional remedial teacher posts have become available for allocation, my priority at present is to utilise these posts to extend the service to those schools which currently do not have remedial teacher support.
I assure the Deputy that the remedial needs of the school to which she refers will be fully considered in the event of resources becoming available to improve existing remedial services in schools.
Apart from the additional resources being made available to extend the remedial teacher service to all first and second level schools, extra resources are also being deployed to extend the home-school-community liaison service to all first and second level schools which have disadvantaged status.
Extra resources have also been made available to support a major development in special needs provision under which all children with disabilities within the primary system are now entitled to an automatic response to their needs. The response in question may take the form of additional teaching or child care support, or both, depending on the needs of each child.
All primary schools, including the school to which the Deputy refers, are entitled to make application to my Department for support under the new development in respect of any children with disabilities who may be attending the school.
