Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 568: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the cost of employing a DEIS adviser and a DEIS rural co-ordinator; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27615/10]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 569: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills if she will give details of a DEIS adviser and a DEIS rural co-ordinator; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27616/10]

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 569 together.

The average annual cost of employing a DEIS advisor is €70,130. This includes pension costs but excludes accommodation and other associated costs. The Primary Professional Development Service is responsible for the implementation and co-ordination of literacy and numeracy strategies under DEIS. These include Reading Recovery, First Steps, Maths Recovery and Ready Set, Go Maths. These programmes have all been identified as areas for expansion under the DEIS action plan. The PPDS staff responsible are called DEIS Advisors (formerly Cuiditheoirí)"

The duties of the DEIS Advisor include: - engaging with principals, in-school management teams, small or whole-staff groups - advising on curriculum planning in the areas of literacy and numeracy - assisting schools in prioritising and setting targets for literacy and numeracy achievement - supporting schools in adopting whole-school, group and individual pupil approaches to literacy and numeracy - working with teachers and demonstrating exemplars of effective teaching and learning strategies, approaches and methodology. - assisting in the implementation, integration and co-ordination of National programmes such as First Steps, Maths Recovery and Ready, Set, Go-Maths - facilitating networking between schools - advising and supporting schools in the development of self-evaluation practices, in school development planning - working with Education Centres on: organising optional courses; building capacity; designing and organising summer courses as well as initiating and facilitating teacher support groups in areas of special interest, e.g., Infant Education, Early Intervention and Prevention Programmes, Oral Language, Assessment, Use of Maths Games.

The average annual cost of employing a DEIS Rural Coordinator is €60,000 excluding accommodation and other associated general costs. The Rural Coordinator works with children, parents, teachers and community representatives under the general direction of the National Coordination Team for Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) The Rural Coordinator: - regularly visits the schools in the cluster. - visits parents of children at risk. - works with school staff on the development of the DEIS action plan. - supports the implementation of literacy and numeracy measures under DEIS with special emphasis on parents. - identifies parents' developmental needs and facilitate the meeting of those needs. - encourages, devises and supports transfer programmes between primary and post-primary schools. - works with other relevant agencies and links with Local Committees and Cluster Meetings of the HSCL Scheme, and with the School Completion Programme.