Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 8 Feb 2000

Vol. 513 No. 6

Written Answers. - Remedial Teaching Service.

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

414 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science the number of cases in County Mayo where a remedial teacher has a case load involving seven individual schools; the schools in question; if he has satisfied himself that a satisfactory service can be given in these cases, taking into account the location and distance between schools and the numbers of pupils involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3040/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

The information requested by the Deputy on the number of incidents in County Mayo where a remedial teacher serves seven schools is not readily available in my Department. However, I have arranged to have the information compiled and forwarded to the Deputy in due course.

In September 1999, the remedial teacher service was extended to all primary schools in the country with a pupil teacher ratio of 10:1 or above. Schools with lower pupil teacher ratios may also seek remedial support from my Department where the level of their particular need warrants such a service.

The special education review committee recommended that the general criteria for establishing remedial need should relate to pupils who have been identified as being below the tenth percentile on standardised tests in basic literacy and numeracy. The committee also recommended that the caseload of a remedial teacher catering for a single school should be 40 pupils. Where the post is shared by a cluster of schools, the committee recommended that the caseload be reduced by two for each extra school involved, subject to a maximum reduction of eight. My Department makes every effort to adhere to the above arrangement and to take account of distances between schools.

I can assure the Deputy that the needs of the schools to which he refers will be fully considered in the event of additional resources becoming available to improve existing remedial services.

Enda Kenny

Ceist:

415 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science if a post has been sanctioned in respect of remedial teaching serving a cluster of ten schools in County Mayo; the name or old numbers and addresses of the schools in question; his views on whether this situation can give a satisfactory service in view of the location and distance between schools and number of pupils involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3041/00]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

In September 1999, the remedial teacher service was extended to all primary schools in the country with a pupil teacher ratio of 10:1 or above. Schools with lower pupil teacher ratios may also seek remedial support from my Department where the level of their particular need warrants such a service.

The schools referred to by the Deputy were already in receipt of a remedial service and were not therefore considered in the context of this latest expansion which was focused on addressing schools which had no service.

The ten schools in the cluster referred to by the Deputy are:

RollNo.	School
18754	S.N. Naomh Seosamh, Bunnacurry
14873	Dukennella N.S., Achill
16052	S.N. Naomh Padraig Saile, Gob a Choire, Cathair na Mart
16113	S.N. Toin na Gaoithe
16295	S.N. An Chorrain, Gob a Choire
16379	Valley N.S., Dugort, Achill
17596	S.N. An Doirin, Gob a Choire
18082	Dumhach N.S., Cathair na Mart
14863	Achill Sound Convent N.S.
14866	Bullsmouth N.S., Bunnacurry

The Deputy's concerns in relation to the level of remedial service currently available to the schools in question have been noted. I can assure him that the needs of these schools will be fully considered in the event of additional resources becoming available to improve existing remedial services.