Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 2 Dec 1998

Vol. 497 No. 6

Written Answers - School Staffing.

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

259 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science the extent to which he has received information regarding the remedial teacher requirement in the various schools, primary and post primary, in north Kildare; the proposals, if any, he has to meet these requirement in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26090/98]

Bernard J. Durkan

Ceist:

260 Mr. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Science if he as received an indication relating to the resource teacher requirement in the various schools in north Kildare; the way in which he proposes to respond to this requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26091/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 260 together.

There are 27 applications for the post of remedial teacher, and three applications for resource teacher posts from primary schools in County Kildare.

Three second level schools in the county have submitted requests for additional remedial and resource provision for the 1998-9 academic year.

My capacity to allocate additional remedial teacher posts in any given year is dependent on resource availability and the level of competing demand from other special needs areas. I allocated an additional 60 remedial teacher posts to primary schools with effect from 1 September 1998. The number of remedial teachers in place in the primary system now stands at 1,302. I am currently examining the scope for further development of the remedial service in keeping with my objective to ensure that a remedial service is made available to every national school in the country.

I recently announced a major new initiative in the special education area under which all children assessed as having special educational needs will be entitled to an automatic response to those needs. The response may take the form of full or part-time teaching or child care support, or both, depending on the number of children involved and their special needs. In the context of this new development, my Department is currently considering all applications on hands for resource teacher support.