Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 13 May 1997

Vol. 479 No. 2

Written Answers. - Teacher Appointments.

Mary Wallace

Ceist:

196 Miss M. Wallace asked the Minister for Education the number of resource teacher posts on a county basis at primary level; the reason there are no such posts at primary level in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12569/97]

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

There are 46 resource teacher posts at primary level at present. These posts are distributed as follows:

County	Number of posts
Cavan	1
Clare	1
Cork	7
Donegal	2
Dublin	10
Galway	10
Kerry	3
Kildare	2
Limerick	1
Mayo	1
Tipperary	4
Waterford	1
Wexford	2
Wicklow	1

Resource posts are allocated on the basis of priority of need following the collection and analysis of data by my Department's primary inspectorate. All applications received by my Department, including those from schools in County Meath, are considered as part of this process. My capacity to allocate resource teacher posts in any year is determined by resource availability in that year and the level of competing demand from other special needs areas.

I am currently considering the possibility of allocating additional resource teacher posts to primary schools for the forthcoming school year.

I can assure the Deputy that the needs of schools in County Meath will be considered in this context.