Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 26 Sep 1996

Vol. 469 No. 2

Written Answers. - Remedial Teacher Posts.

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

118 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education if she will give a breakdown in numbers and locations of the allocated remedial teachers for the 106 out of 178 schools in County Donegal; and the locations of the other 72 primary schools as promised in her written replies to Parliamentary Question No. 128 of 12 June 1996 and Parliamentary Question No. 472 of 25 July 1996. [17147/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I regret the delay in providing the information to the Deputy. However, I understand that the Deputy recently received the material in question.

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

119 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education the current position in relation to having a remedial teacher appointed to Scoil Naomh Bríd, Muff, County Donegal. [17148/96]

Cecilia Keaveney

Ceist:

120 Cecilia Keaveney asked the Minister for Education the current position in relation to having one remedial teacher appointed to a group of five schools (details supplied) in County Donegal which wish to share a facility. [17149/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 119 and 120 together.

I am not in a position at present to allocate additional remedial teachers to primary schools. 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 the 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. In the current year, I have adopted a particular focus on children priorities and try to allocate resources to best effect. In the current 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.

I am satisfied that since my appointment as Minister for Education I have achieved substantial advances across the entire spectrum of special needs, including the remedial area. It is my intention to continue this process. When I am next in a position to extend the remediation service, the needs of the schools in question will receive every consideration.