Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 7 May 2003

Vol. 566 No. 1

Written Answers. - Disadvantaged Status.

Finian McGrath

Question:

277 Mr. F. McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will introduce an allowance for teachers working in disadvantaged schools; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that almost 50% of the teaching staff have moved out of these schools over the past few years. [11371/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

An Agreed Programme for Government sets out a commitment to implement changes to retention and support policies, which will assist schools in areas of significant disadvantage to recruit and retain teachers.

My Department is committed to providing support for teachers in all primary schools. Indeed, following negotiations with teacher representatives, there have been many improvements in the conditions of service of teachers in recent times. These include the introduction of release time for teaching principals, improvements in conditions for the appointment of administrative principals, the introduction of payments in respect of supervision duties and the provision of increased substitute cover for absences.

My Department is in ongoing discussion with the teachers' representatives concerning the conditions of service of primary teachers.

The recruitment and retention of teaching staff is a difficulty for many boards of management at present due to the current shortage. The difficulty is not confined to disadvantaged schools alone. The action being taken to increase the teacher supply generally will ensure that the current difficulties with regard to teacher supply will be eliminated. The difficulties currently being experienced are aggravated by the number of teachers currently availing of the career break and job sharing schemes. While the action being taken to increase the teacher supply generally will also be of assistance to schools in areas of disadvantage, my Department will consider other possibilities. In this regard and in the context of the commitment referred to in the programme for Government, I have just recently received the report of a subgroup of the statutory committee on disadvantage. This group examined the issue of recruitment and retention of teachers within schools in disadvantaged areas. This report is currently being considered in my Department and, following this process, my officials will be consulting with the partners in education in this regard.