Vol. 467 No. 7
196 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Education when she will grant special status recognition and appoint a remedial teacher to primary schools (details supplied) in the Tullow area of County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14063/96]
197 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that an application by the boards of management of schools (details supplied) in County Carlow for a remedial teacher will be given priority when further appointments in this area are being made in view of the fact that this is their fourth application to her Department and their exceptional position has already been outlined in detail. [14064/96]
198 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Education when a remedial teacher will be appointed on a shared basis to three schools (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will ensure that this application, which is with her Department for some years now, will be given priority on this occasion. [14065/96]
200 Mr. Aylward asked the Minister for Education when she will appoint a remedial teacher to schools (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and whether these schools are on a priority list. [14067/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 196, 197, 198 and 200 together.
I am not in a position to make additional remedial teacher posts available to the schools referred to by the Deputy or to any primary schools. It would not be appropriate for me to grant priority status to any individual application for such a post.
Since my appointment as Minister for Education, I have allocated an additional 241 remedial teachers to the primary sector. A total of 1,188 remedial teachers are now in place and the percentage of pupils who have access to a remedial service has increased from 77 per cent to 87 per cent.
I consider that substantial improvements which I have already achieved in this area provide practical confirmation of my commitment to the needs of the children in question.
However, as Minister for Education I have to consider how best to deploy available resources across a wider range of special needs. I have to determine priorities and try to allocate resources to best effect.
During the period 1994-95, in addition to allocating an extra 155 remedial teachers. I adopted a particular focus on the needs of children attending special schools and classes. In addition to reducing the pupils teacher ratios in all such facilities, I provided a very substantial increase in the special capitation rates applicable in such cases.
In the current school year, I have adopted a particular focus on children who suffer from educational disadvantage and have sought to target resources into this area in an effort to break the cycle of disadvantage. As part of this approach, I recently launched a major new initiative aimed at bringing special targeted assistance to children in selected urban and rural areas who suffer serious educational disadvantage.
