Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 10 Mar 1998

Vol. 488 No. 4

Written Answers - School Staffing.

Michael Moynihan

Ceist:

296 Mr. M. Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Science if a decision has been taken in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork in relation to the application made by her mother and her national school for a classroom assistant for her. [6399/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I am not in a position at present to allocate a child care assistant post to cater for the needs of the child in question.

My Department's capacity to allocate child care assistant posts in any year is dependent on resource availability and the level of competing demand across the special needs area. Where such posts do become available, they are allocated on the basis of priority of need. In recent years, available posts have generally been allocated to special classes which cater for children with a severe or profound learning difficulty.

I am at present reviewing provision across the special needs area to ensure that all available resources, including child care support, are deployed as effectively as possible. I can assure the Deputy that the needs of this child will be considered in this context.