Vol. 377 No. 8
asked the Minister for Education if she will sanction the appointment of a temporary assistant teacher, pending the findings of the review of primary education at present being undertaken, to a senior primary school (details supplied) in Tallaght, Dublin 24 which is a developing school in a disadvantaged area, where the strict operation of Rule 88 has necessitated three third classes being formed with over 40 pupils in each class.
53.
asked the Minister for Education if she will sanction the appointment of a temporary assistant teacher, pending the findings of the review of primary education at present being undertaken, to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 which is a developing school in a disadvantaged area, where the strict operation of Rule 88 has prevented the sanction of an appointment made by the school of a teacher who was successful at interview and necessitated three third classes being formed with well over 40 pupils in each class.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 and 53 together.
The enrolment at this school does not warrant the appointment of an additional teacher under the rules for national schools. My Department have already advised the school board of management on the reorganisation of classes to avoid any class-groups of over 40 pupils.
In answer to another point raised in the question it is worth noting that although the school is described in the question as a developing school it has not grown in pupil numbers or in the number of staff employed since September 1984.
I should like to point out to the Minister that I received information in the last few days that there are 430 pupils on the roll of the school, thereby justifying the appointment of a temporary assistant teacher. Will the Minister acknowledge that the school is in a disadvantaged area in Tallaght, has an unemployment rate of more than 60 per cent and that the people of the area face real problems? Will the Minister accept that for those reasons the area demands special attention, apart from the fact that the school has sufficient pupils to qualify for the appointment of an extra assistant teacher?
The information in my reply was supplied to my Department and I cannot comment on what has happened in the last few days. I must state that the school has not grown in numbers or in teacher staff employed since September 1984. The school has applied for assistance under the special scheme for additional teachers for schools in disadvantaged areas and that matter is under consideration.
I am disappointed with the Minister's response. When referring to schools in disadvantaged areas earlier the Minister mentioned some of the factors that are taken into account and I should like to remind her that in this area the unemployment level is more than 60 per cent and that the number of single parent families is about 35 per cent. Will the Minister accept that the school should qualify under the special measures operated in the Department for disadvantaged areas? If that is so, the appointment we seek could be made and I should like to ask the Minister to consider that seriously.
The school has applied for assistance and the matter is being considered.
The Minister has told us that pupil numbers have not grown in recent years but I should like to point out to her that there is a real problem in that area, and in other districts, where the grant for first time purchasers of new houses was availed of. Those who were able to move out of the area by availing of that grant did so but now the position has been reversed, the school is growing and the principal can show that he expects more pupils this year and next year from the junior school. Will the Minister accept that it is a growing school in a disadvantaged area? Will the Minister commit herself to look at our request from that point of view?
I take the Deputy's point that the position may have changed in the last few days.
It changed in the last few months.
However, the facts presented to us by the principal of the school and entered on the school roll, which are definitive, indicate that since 1984 the school has not grown in either pupil numbers or in the number of staff employed. We cannot get away from that fact. However, I have noted the case made by the Deputy and I am aware how the £5,000 surrender grant led to many local authority tenants leaving their local districts to buy new houses. The cessation of that grant has meant that more people are staying in their local authority houses. If the numbers are as the Deputy has outlined that information will be forwarded to the Department and I will consider it.
