Gerry Reynolds
Ceist:237 Mr. G. Reynolds asked the Minister for Education and Science when he will provide a resource teacher to a primary school (details supplied) in County Leitrim. [2962/01]
Written Answers. - School Staffing.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has sanctioned part-time resource teaching support for two pupils with special needs attending the school in question. Officials of my Department are currently considering the possibility of allocating a full-time resource teacher post on a shared basis to cater for special needs pupils attending a number of schools in the area, including the school in question. A decision will be taken on this matter in the near future and the school will be advised accordingly.
Seán Haughey
Ceist:238 Mr. Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Science if an extra teaching post can be sanctioned for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2967/01]
Schools participating in the new programme are eligible to receive a range of additional supports including teacher posts and other non-teaching supports to be targeted at disadvantaged pupils. The additional supports to be provided reflect the level of concentration of pupils from educationally disadvantaged backgrounds in each school invited to participate in the programme.
The school in question is included in the urban dimension of the programme and is eligible to receive supplementary grant aid of £750 towards the provision of suitable educational supports for the pupils concerned.
To assist schools in making the best use of the extra resources now being provided, I am appointing a director of programmes to tackle disadvantage, assisted by a support team. This team will provide training in the understanding of educational disadvantage and the delivery of targeted supports.
Schools invited to participate in the new programme were identified through a survey of educational disadvantage in primary schools carried out by the Educational Research Centre for my Department last year. Where individual schools are concerned about the outcome of the survey in respect of their school, they may make a submission to my Department outlining their circumstances. These submissions will be referred to the ERC for consideration. The situation of these schools will then be considered further.