Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 18 Oct 2000

Vol. 524 No. 3

Written Answers. - Education Matters.

Róisín Shortall

Question:

187 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will outline, in regard to the primary sector for the year 2000 or the most recent year for which figures are available, the building maintenance grants per capita paid to schools and the total cost involved, the number of remedial teachers in primary schools, the criteria for the allocation of remedial teachers, the average number of students per remedial teacher and the number of other support teachers, for example, home and school liaison. [22534/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

For the 1999-2000 school year, all primary schools received £3,000 per school plus £10 per pupil under the grant scheme of minor works to national school properties. The total cost involved was £14.3 million.

There are currently 1,480 remedial teachers in primary schools. All schools with a pupil teacher ratio of 10:1 or above currently have access to remedial teaching support. Schools with a pupil teacher ratio below 10: 1 can apply directly to my Department for remedial support.

The Special Education Review Committee Report recommended providing supplementary remedial teaching support to all pupils at first level, who score at or below the 10th percentile on standardised tests of basic literacy or numeracy or who perform at an equivalent level.

Details of the average number of students on the current case-loads of remedial teachers are not available in my Department.

In addition to the remedial teacher service, pupils with special needs are also supported by the resource teacher service and the special needs assistant service. Since October 1998 the number of resource teachers in the primary system has been increased from 104 to 560 full-time post equivalents. The number of special needs assistants has also been increased from 299 to more than 1,400 over the same period.

The following ex-quota posts have been allocated to disadvantaged primary schools: 293 disadvantaged concessionary teacher posts, 176 home school community liaison posts, 42 support teachers posts under the support teacher pilot project, 56 early start teachers and 56 child care workers in the early start pilot project, and 102 teachers-co-ordinator posts have been allocated under the Breaking the Cycle pilot project.