Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 10 Oct 1996

Vol. 469 No. 7

Written Answers. - Resource Teacher Services.

Joe Walsh

Ceist:

122 Mr. J. Walsh asked the Minister for Education the current position regarding the sanction of a resource teacher between schools (details supplied) in County Cork; and the current position regarding the provision of a resource class for children with moderate learning disabilities to a school (details supplied) in County Cork. [18141/96]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach):

The school to which the Deputy refers and another adjacent school have submitted a joint application to my Department for the provision of a resource teacher post, a special class for mildly mentally handicapped children and a special class for moderately mentally handicapped children. My capacity to allocate resource teacher posts in any year is determined by the resources available in that year and the level of competing demand from other special needs areas. In the current year, a number of resource teacher posts are available for allocation to primary schools. The process of selecting schools for receipt of these posts is now at an advanced stage. I expect to be in a position to announce details of the schools selected for these posts shortly.

The Deputy will be pleased to note that my Department has recently sanctioned the establishment of a special class to cater for pupils with mild mental handicap attending the schools in question. My Department's primary inspectorate is currently investigating the need for a special class for children with moderate mental handicap at the school referred to by the Deputy.