asked the Minister for Education the number of remedial teachers appointed to primary schools in 1987; if it is her intention to sanction the appointment of remedial teachers to primary schools in 1988; if she will define "remedial pupil" as used by her Department; if she will establish a specific pupil-teacher ratio for this category of student and provide a specific basis for the provision of remedial teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Primary Schools Remedial Teachers.
44.
Each application for the services of a remedial teacher is considered on its merits and posts are allocated in accordance with priority of need. In assessing the need my Department have regard to the professional advice of its inspectorate. Thirty extra posts were created in 1987. No decision has yet been made on the allocation of new posts for 1988.
The size of the remedial problem in any particular school would depend on a number of factors such as the number of pupils needing remedial teaching and the degree to which each such pupil had fallen behind his peers. These in turn could be affected by the wider social and economic factors in the population catered for by the school. In these circumstances it would not be possible to devise a specific formula on the basis of which remedial posts could be created.