Written Answers. - County Kildare Schools.
Bernard J. Durkan
Ceist:
282
Mr. Durkan
asked the
Minister for Education
(a) the number and location of requests she has received from educational authorities in County Kildare for extra accommodation at post-primary schools (b) the number and location of requests for the provision of extra teachers in such schools and (c) the current pupil-teacher ratio in (1) vocational education committee schools and (2) other secondary schools in County Kildare; if she has any plans to improve the pupil-teacher ratio in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
With reference to (b) the allocation of teaching staff to vocational education committees in respect of full-time day courses in second level vocational schools is made by my Department on a committee scheme basis and not in respect of individual schools.
The County Kildare Vocational Education Committee appealed to my Department for an increased teacher allocation in respect of the current session under a number of headings including increased enrolments, and I am happy to inform the Deputy that an increased allocation is being sanctioned and that the vocational education committee is being notified accordingly.
With regard to (c), it would not be in accordance with the normal practice of my Department to divulge detailed information of the type sought relating to the teacher allocation of an individual vocational education committee.
Secondary schools are private institutions and it would not be in accordance with the normal practice of my Department to disclose details of the type sought by the Deputy.
The whole question of increased teaching resources for post-primary schools, including improvements in the pupil-teacher ratio, is the subject of further discussions in relation to the programme for economic and social development and I do not wish to pre-empt those discussions.
In the current year my Department have processed or are processing applications for additional post-primary accommodation from schools in the following County Kildare areas: Kilcock, Naas (2), Celbridge, Leixlip, Kildare, Curragh, Newbridge.
