asked the Minister for Education if it is intended to introduce a scheme of paid sabbatical leave for teachers to allow them to partake in industrial-commercial experience courses or refresher-research courses and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Sabbatical Leave for Teachers.
43.
There are no plans at present for the introduction of a special scheme of paid sabbatical leave for teachers for the purposes referred to by the Deputy. The existing regulations allow for the approved absence on certain conditions of individual teachers to attend appropriate further courses of study.
44.
asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to the totally inadequate expenses granted to each primary school-teacher, particularly in the context of providing materials for art, craft, music and other subjects.
Provision for school materials is included in the annual capitation grant towards the operating costs of schools. From this grant, the board of management makes the appropriate allocation for expenditure on school materials. The Department of Education has no function in relation to the decision on the amount of the allocation for this purpose.
Question No. 45 postponed.