Vol. 410 No. 2
209 Mr. Flanagan asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the urgent need to appoint a remedial teacher to Daingean national school, County Offaly; and if she will make a statement on her intentions in this regard.
210 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Education when a remedial teacher will be appointed to the national schools of Templeorum Parish (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter.
219 Mr. Garland asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the serious situation at Daingean primary school, County Offaly where there are several children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy and spina bifida who need constant attention and a resource/remedial teacher is required to give the necessary added attention to these children; if she will sanction the employment of such a teacher, even on a shared basis, possibly with the nearby school at Cappagh; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
228 Mr. Moynihan asked the Minister for Education if she is in a position to approve the appointment of a remedial teacher to cater for ten rural schools in the Caherciveen area of County Kerry; and if so, if it is proposed to have an appointment made.
238 Mr. Gilmore asked the Minister for Education if she has any plans to arrange for the appointment of a remedial teacher for the Archbishop McQuaid senior national school, Loughlinstown, County Dublin.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 209, 210, 219, 228 and 238 together.
Decisions regarding the allocation of the 80 additional remedial teaching posts, which became available under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, have now been taken and the schools selected have been notified. These appointments have been made following the collection of data and information by my Department's primary inspectorate from schools. These schools have been selected on the basis of priority of need. I will be keeping the question of further need in this area under review.
I understand that there are two children with physical handicap in Daingean national school at present. My Department are keeping the special needs of these children under review.
211 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Education if she will appoint a second teacher to Ahanlish national school, County Leitrim for the school year commencing in September, 1991; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
As the Deputy will be aware, the staffing of a national school is determined by the enrolment on 30 September of the previous year. This is in accordance with the agreement on staffing made between the Government and the INTO.
In the case of Ahanlish national school there were 26 pupils enrolled on 30 September 1990, which warrants a staff of principal only for the 1991-92 school year.
212 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education the criteria under which the ten teachers, to be provided for schools in disadvantaged areas which have full-time teaching principals, will be allocated among the schools (details supplied) ranked under these criteria.
I presume that the Deputy is referring to the 30 additional posts which have become available under the Programme for Economic and Social Progress for distribution to primary schools in disadvantaged areas.
These posts, which will be allocated for the 1991-92 school year, will be distributed on the basis of criteria agreed with schools' management and teachers. The criteria in question are based on socio-economic indicators of disadvantage and include such factors as unemployment levels, local authority housing, medical card holders and information on basic literacy and numeracy. In addition, in assessing the relative levels of disadvantage among applicant schools, account is being taken of prevailing pupil/teacher ratios and the presence of existing ex-quota disadvantaged posts in schools.
All applicant schools, including the one mentioned by the Deputy, are being prioritised on the above basis and successful applicants will be advised in the very near future.
