Vol. 517 No. 3
318 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps, if any, he will take to ensure that a full-time permanent teacher is appointed to a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9832/00]
The appointment of a permanent fully qualified teacher to a primary school is a matter for the board of management of the school.
The post must be filled from the relevant panels or, in the event that the panels are clear, by advertisement and open competition.
319 Mr. Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has received correspondence from a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath regarding the appointment of a permanent teacher from 1 September 2000; if he will agree that this appointment is warranted in view of its disadvantage status and the increased numbers enrolled in 1999 and likely to enrol in future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9833/00]
The school in question is included in the disadvantaged areas scheme at primary level for funding only and has recently been included in the home-school-community-liaison scheme through the allocation of a part-time post.
I have allocated £194 million to tackle educational disadvantage at all levels. A key objective of this initiative is to ensure that support services for disadvantaged pupils are properly targeted at those most in need.
It is my intention that all primary schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, will be surveyed to identify the precise distribution of disadvantaged pupils across the system. This survey, which undertaken by the Education Research Centre, is already under way.
In response to the levels of disadvantage identified through the survey, additional supports will be made available to schools to meet the needs of their pupils.
The level and nature of the support services made available will vary depending on the level of need identified.
320 Mr. Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of untrained substitute and temporary teachers respectively being paid by his Department in the primary school sector. [9861/00]
There are currently seven hundred teachers employed in a temporary capacity being paid at the untrained rate of pay. The details regarding the number of untrained substitute teachers employed will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
