Vol. 545 No. 1
318 Mr. Creed asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will increase the annual grant of £250 for learning support teachers where these teachers are attending a number of schools, so that they would receive £250 per school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29582/01]
An initial start-up grant of £500 for materials and equipment is allocated to the base school when a learning support teacher post is first allocated on a shared basis. This is followed by the annual grant to which the Deputy refers.
In the last school year an information technology grant of £700 issued to schools which have the service of a learning support teacher and resource teachers to facilitate the purchase of relevant hardware-software packages. Arrangements are currently under way in my Department for the issue of a further grant of £500 in the current school year.
Arrangements are also being made for the allocation of an additional grant of £150 for materials and equipment for learning support teachers in conjunction with training on the learning support guidelines.
The level of funding allocated to learning support teachers for the purchase of materials and equipment is kept under review in my Department.
