I wish to share my time with Deputy Timmins.
Adjournment Debate. - West Wicklow National Schools.
Is that agreed? Agreed.
I am grateful for this opportunity to raise an important issue for many of my constituents. Among local people, there is a view that west Wicklow is ignored when it comes to the provision of services and resources. It is a deeply held view which has many examples to support it. Nowhere is this inequity more acute than in the area of education.
Many of the primary schools in west Wicklow are small two and three teacher schools. Standards of teaching are high but inevitably, the fact that many classes are mixed with different years combined in the same classroom, creates particular demands on staff. Inevitably too, there are children in these schools, as there are in all schools, who require the special attention that only a remedial teacher can provide.
Six schools in west Wicklow are in the position that they cannot provide remedial teaching for their children in need of it. They are Stratford on Slaney national school, Grangecon national school, Stratford Lodge national school, Donoughmore national school, Kiltegan national school and Bigstone national school.
I pay tribute to the management and staff of these schools for their initiative in coming together to address this key need. They have co-operated closely to put the best possible case on behalf of their children. All these schools were represented at a meeting held recently to lobby public representatives of the county. It was attended by Deputy Timmins and myself. The position was outlined, and it was perfectly clear that the numbers of children in need of remedial teaching would justify at least two such teachers. Sharing remedial teachers between schools does require an amount of travelling time which has to be factored into the provision for the numbers of children whose needs are to be met.
The schools have prepared the ground, not only in terms of making the case, but also in providing space in the schools for a remedial teacher. All that is left to be done is for the Minister for Education to allocate the teachers. To put it into context, I have been told that nationally 95 per cent of national schools have access to remedial teaching if they need it. There are 14 national schools in west Wicklow. Out of that number, six are without a remedial teacher.
There are 81 national schools in County Wicklow, 69 of which have the services of a remedial teacher. Of the 12 who do not have that service, half are located in a particular part of west Wicklow. This is unjust to those local rural communities who are entitled to the services and standards that urban communities take for granted. More importantly, it is unjust to the children, some of whom have severe problems that need to be addressed urgently.
At a time when our economy is booming and school enrolments are decreasing, it is intolerable that the system is failing these people. Learning problems must be attended to at a young age, otherwise they will have a permanent effect. The Minister and his Department are failing these children badly. The inequality being experienced by these people and the six west Wicklow national schools must be put right immediately.
I thank Deputy McManus for sharing time with me. I note the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, has been wheeled in once again to deal with the problem of remedial teaching.
We cannot over emphasise the importance of putting resources into primary education. It is the foundation of our education system. Irrespective of the amount of money put into the system at a later stage, it is worthless if we do not get the basics right. Teachers do not have the time to deal with pupils' remedial needs within the scope of the normal teaching service. Remedial teaching should be viewed as a basic requirement rather than an additional resource.
In his election manifesto, the Minister for Education and Science gave a commitment to provide remedial teachers, but he is now trying to hide behind the decision of his predecessor. It is not satisfactory to deal with the needs of the schools in west Wicklow in the context of any additional remedial teacher allocations that may be undertaken. The appointments should be made now. The best investment this Government can make in Wicklow is to supply these teachers immediately.
Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil leis na Teachtaí McManus agus Timmins as an deis seo a bheith agam freagra cruinn beacht a thabhairt faoi oideachas speisialta do leanaí óga Chill Mhantáin atá ag freastal ar scoileanna náisiúnta.
As has been indicated to the House in the past, remedial education at primary level is a matter in the first instance for the ordinary class teachers. The majority of pupils with remedial needs would, therefore, be helped within the scope of the normal teaching service. However, it is acknowledged that remedial teachers constitute the main additional resource for addressing the problem of underachievement in primary schools.
In March 1997, the outgoing Minister for Education agreed staffing arrangements for primary schools for the next school year, which ends on 30 June, with the Irish National Teachers Organisation. These arrangements were based on the allocation of surplus posts available for redistribution from the demographic dividend for the 1997-8 school year.
A total of 54 remedial teachers have been allocated for the 1997-8 school year, bringing the total number of remedial teachers in place to 1,242. Of the 3,227 ordinary national schools throughout the country, 2,459 have the services of a remedial teacher, either on a full-time or on a shared basis. Of the 81 ordinary national schools in County Wicklow, 69 have the services of a remedial teacher, either on a full-time or shared basis. This means that approximately 96 per cent of pupils attending ordinary national schools in County Wicklow currently enjoy a remedial service. It is estimated that 90 per cent of the total number of primary school pupils have the possibility of access to a remedial teacher.
My Government colleague, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Martin, must consider demands for improved services across a wide range of special needs. Unfortunately, these demands cannot always be met. The Minister has to decide priorities and try to allocate available resources to best effect. A review of the provision across the special needs area is currently being carried out, including current responses to remedial needs, to ensure that all available resources are deployed as effectively as possible.
I assure the Deputies that the needs of the schools in the area to which they referred will be fully considered in the context of any additional remedial teacher allocations which may be undertaken by the Minister on behalf of the Government.
The Dáil adjourned at 4.15 p.m. until 2.30 p.m. Tuesday, 24 March l998.