43 Mr. M. McDowell asked the Minister for Education the reason the embargo on visiting teacher posts for the travelling community has been retained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21190/96]

56 Miss Flaherty asked the Minister for Education when she will sanction the further development of the visiting teacher programme for travellers; and whether she will meet with representative groups to discuss this and other issues related to travellers. [18951/96]

115 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education if she will lift the embargo on appointments for visiting teachers to the traveller community in view of the fact that interviews for these posts were held in the summer of 1995. [21468/96]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 43, 56 and 115 together.

The embargo to which the Deputy refers was a general public sector recruitment embargo which affected a range of services in 1995, including the visiting teacher service for travellers.