Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 8 Dec 1998

Vol. 498 No. 1

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

John Bruton

Ceist:

356 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science if he will appoint a full-time resource teacher to Kilbride national school, Clonee, County Meath (details supplied) where 13 children require the services of a resource teacher; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26418/98]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. Martin)

I recently announced a major 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 level and nature of the response in each case will depend on the assessed needs of the child or group of children involved. 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 the nature of their needs.

The school in question is one of a number of schools which have applied to my Department for the services of a resource teacher. All such applications are now being considered in the context of this new arrangement and I expect that additional allocations of special teaching support will commence in the near future and continue through 1999.