Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 22 Feb 2001

Vol. 531 No. 2

Written Answers. - School Staffing.

Jack Wall

Ceist:

200 Mr. Wall asked the Minister for Education and Science if his attention has been drawn to the problems concerning payments for a special needs assistant in a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will ensure that this school receives the payment on a monthly basis on receipt of their application form. [5252/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

I am aware of the issue to which the Deputy refers.

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that all outstanding payments in respect of the case in ques tion have now been made to the school authorities.

I understand that the regrettable delay in issuing payment which arose in this case was due to the large volume of payments for special needs assistant services being processed by my Department's special education section during the period in question. The growth in the volume of activity in this area is reflected in the fact that the number of special needs assistants in the primary system has increased from less than 300 at the end of 1998 to close to 1,700 at present.

My Department is currently in the process of reviewing its procedures for processing payments in respect of special needs assistants with a view to ensuring that delays of the type referred to by the Deputy are avoided in the future.