Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 7 Oct 2003

Vol. 571 No. 4

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

John Perry

Question:

269 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a person (details supplied) in County Sligo who is preparing for the junior certificate does not have access to a remedial teacher; the steps he will take to ensure that it is put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21977/03]

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

My Department allocates remedial teaching posts based on the school's enrolment of the previous September. The school in question had an enrolment of 527 pupils in September 2002 and my Department approved an allocation of 0.5 wholetime teacher equivalent remedial allocation for the current school year.

My Department also allocates resource teaching posts, special needs assistant posts and con cessionary resource teaching hours to second level schools to cater for pupils with special needs. Applications for such support are made to my Department by the relevant school authorities. Each application is considered on the basis of the professionally assessed needs of the pupil(s) in question and the nature and level of the support provided is based on the advice of the national educational psychological service.

The student mentioned by the Deputy is one of a number of students with special needs in respect of whom an application for special support was received by my Department. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that an allocation of 37.41 hours resource teacher support per week has been made to the school in question to cater for these students.