asked the Minister for Education if any decisions on improved staffing have been taken in regard to St. Laurence's national school, Kilmacud, County Dublin, since officials of his Department met representatives of the parents on 1 February 1978.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Kilmacud (Dublin) School Staffing.
4.
The request for improved staffing made at the meeting in question related to the school year 1978-79. This request is being considered in conjunction with the general question of improved pupil-teacher ratio for national schools.
I should like to thank the Minister for taking care that I knew about the meeting which I take to be a courtesy. I appreciate it. I should like to ask the Minister whether he expects to have his mind made up about this school shortly having regard to the fact that several of its classes have more pupils in them—some substantially more—than his own guidelines?
I should like to point out that the pupil-teacher ratio in that school is very good, taking the national situation into consideration. In fact, the ratio is 33.6 to 1 in that school. That school is in an area which is not educationally or economically deprived. It has a remedial teacher. There are some schools, one of which was mentioned by Deputy Browne yesterday, which should have priority in regard to remedial teachers. I admit that there is one class in the school which is much too large, the class which is leaving this year. Needless to say decisions will be made in good time for the academic year 1978-79. I should add that the enrolment is going down and has been since 1969. It started at 767.7 average in 1969 and in 1977 it was down to 624. This in itself presents problems, but as I have told the Deputy, it is not really as serious a case as some other schools in the city.
I appreciate what the Minister said and I will not take issue with him in regard to what he said about the area and other details in regard to the school, but I urge the Minister to make sure that by the time the new school year starts all the classes will be within his guidelines.
Is the Minister aware that there is a substantial volume of new housing going up and recently completed in the area? This will substantially alter the enrolment in the school in the near future. Will the Minister take this into account in deciding on the staffing of the school in the academic year 1978-79?
I know the area, the school and the headmaster very well, and I will take all relevant factors into consideration.
Will the Minister provide secretarial assistance under the new scheme for that school?
I can assure the Deputy that secretarial assistance will be available to the school on its own or in conjunction with other schools in the area in accordance with the new scheme.