Thank you for giving me the opportunity to raise this important matter on the Adjournment. It concerns the need to appoint a remedial teacher to the primary schools in Bodyke, Broadford, O'Callaghan's Mills, Ogonnolloe, Kilbane and Tuamgraney. These are all rural schools with two or three teachers and, as is the case in every primary school, a number of their pupils require remedial teaching. That proportion could be as high as 23 per cent but the average is 20 per cent.
The schools submitted an application to the Department of Education for the provision of a remedial teacher. They are not being very demanding in their request as they would appreciate the provision of one teacher for the six schools. These are rural, isolated schools which are within a reasonable distance of each other. Their pupils have no access to any remedial services in the surrounding area and they need some in-house help in the schools. I appeal to the Minister of State to recognise the needs of these children in rural areas, many of whom have limited means. Some parents are in a position to pay for after school remedial teaching, which costs about £10 an hour. However, most parents cannot afford to provide such a service on an extensive basis.
In view of the circumstances, particularly the rural isolation of these children, there is a very strong case for the provision of such a teacher. I implore the Minister of State to recognise the circumstances and to assess the application very positively with a view to appointing a teacher in the near future. The six schools are within a reasonable distance of each other and a teacher could commute between them.
The Minister of State will agree that children who do not get a proper primary education have very little chance of succeeding at second level, never mind proceeding to third level education. The least we owe our children, particularly those with special needs, is to provide the services which give them extra assistance so that they can proceed through their lives without any great difficulties. Unless corrective action is introduced at primary level by the provision of a remedial teacher to take care of the special needs which only become apparent at that stage, such children will have great difficulties at second level.
I think the Minister appreciates that, but while much great work has been done at first, second and third levels, we must never lose sight of the fact that every citizen is entitled to be taught the three Rs — reading, writing and arithmetic. We will not meet that target unless we provide special services for pupils who require such assistance in the form of a remedial teacher. I appeal to the Minister, in view of the circumstances of this application and the relatively minor demand which is being made, to seriously consider the provision of a remedial teacher for those schools.