Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 1 Feb 2001

Vol. 529 No. 3

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Richard Bruton

Question:

37 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the reason he will not establish a statutory board under the Education (Welfare) Act, 1999; and if he will indicate the additional staffing requirement in 2001 which will be necessary to deliver service to children with school attendance problems. [26761/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The Education (Welfare) Act provides for the establishment of a National Educational Welfare Board and a nationwide educational welfare service with a view to ensuring that each child attends a recognised school on a regular basis or otherwise receives an adequate level of education.

As an initial step in the implementation of the Act, I am establishing a designate board on a non-statutory basis for an interim period, to draw up detailed plans for implementing the various functions to be assigned to the board under the Act. As part of its work, the board will advise on the resources, including the staffing resources, required to implement the provisions of the Act.

Following this interim period, the board will be put on a statutory footing and the various provisions of the Act will be commenced as appropriate. It is envisaged that membership of the designate board will, as far as possible, mirror that of the statutory board.

I am fully conscious of the importance of this legislation in tackling the problems of school absenteeism on a structured basis and I can assure the Deputy that the early establishment of the board is a matter of priority for the Government. Nominations to the board have been received from the education partners and relevant Government Departments with whom consultation is required under the legislation and I hope to be in a position to establish the board very shortly.

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

As the Deputy is aware the staffing of primary schools is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. This is in accordance with guidelines agreed between my Department and the education partners.

The enrolment at the school in question on 30 September 1999 of 191 pupils warrants the staffing of a principal and six mainstream classroom teachers for the current school year. In addition to this, my Department has allocated significant additional teaching resources to the school over and above the mainstream allocation. The school has the services of a learning support teacher, a disadvantaged concessionary teacher, a special class teacher and a shared home school liaison teacher. In addition, a post of resource teacher was recently allocated to the school.

The Department, through the national centre for technology in education, is providing training for all teachers in primary schools so that they can develop children's skills in the use of information and common technology. There are no proposals at present to allocate ex quota IT posts in primary schools.