Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 17 Jun 1999

Vol. 506 No. 4

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Ivan Yates

Question:

99 Mr. Yates asked the Minister for Education and Science if a home and school liaison teacher and a resource teacher will be appointed to Bridgetown vocational school, Bridgetown, County Wexford (details supplied); and, if so, when. [15655/99]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

The Deputy will be aware that some months ago I announced a major new funding initiative for the education sector. As a core element of this, a total of 225 new second level teachers will be appointed this year. These new teachers will enable the extension of the home-school-community liaison scheme to all second level schools currently designated as disadvantaged.

In the current school year, of the 762 schools at second level, 190 schools have been allocated disadvantaged posts and qualify for disadvantaged status on that basis.

A study of educational disadvantage conducted by the Combat Poverty Agency and the Education Research Centre in 1996 concluded that disadvantage status should be confined to 16 per cent of the school-going population. The study noted that such status had already been granted to 17 per cent of pupils. As an alternative to extending the disadvantaged areas scheme to additional schools, the study recommended that available resources be targeted on the most disadvantaged schools.

While I have no proposals at present for designating further schools as disadvantaged, I can assure the Deputy that the position of Bridgetown vocational school will receive full consideration in the context of any future review of the disadvantaged and home-school-community liaison schemes.

With regard to the allocation of a resource post, my Department's psychological service has been asked to report on the application from County Wexford VEC for the allocation of such a post to Bridgetown vocational school to cater for the needs of special needs pupils attending the school. As soon as the report is received and considered, my Department will advise the VEC of the decision.