Written Answers Nos. 499-511
499. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will give due consideration to delivering free schoolbooks to second level students, beginning with a pilot programme in 2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56642/23]
View answerAs Minister for Education, I believe it is crucially important that children and young people are actively supported to access education in its fullest forms. This Government recognises that the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a cause of financial difficulty and worry for many Irish families.
As part of Budget 2023, I announced a major investment of over €50 million to provide free schoolbooks in recognised primary schools and special schools. This was a landmark moment in Irish education and one that furthers our goal to provide free education for all and ensure that every child can benefit from free education.
The introduction of this measure directly addressed our commitment under the Programme for Government to commence a free schoolbooks scheme pilot in September 2020 and expand the scheme to schools nationwide, as resources allow.
To further the delivery of our important government commitment, I recently announced that funding is allocated under Budget 2024 to extend the free schoolbooks scheme to all students in junior cycle years in public post primary schools. The total funding available for this extension of the scheme is €67 million.
The grant for this scheme will be paid to all recognised public post primary schools and is based on the previous year’s validated enrolment figures which, for the 2024/25 school year, will be the enrolment numbers for the current 2023/24 school year.
The most recent validated enrolment figures which is held by my Department on junior cycle enrolments show that 208,736 students were enrolled in junior cycle years in the 2022/23 school year.
It is estimated that up to 213,000 students, in over 670 schools across all counties, will benefit from this new measure, which will commence from September 2024.
Guidance on the new junior cycle free schoolbooks scheme will be developed over the coming period as part of our engagement process with schools, parent and management bodies and other stakeholders. It will ensure that value for money is achieved, and that schools will be supported to implement the scheme in a way that has the best learning outcomes for junior cycle students. Similar to the scheme at primary level, administrative supports will be provided to schools in order to roll out the scheme.
The grants will be paid to recognised post primary schools as early as possible. I am conscious of the need for post primary schools to have sufficient time to implement the scheme in advance of the start of the 2024/25 school year. Schools are not required to apply for this grant funding as the grants will be paid directly to schools in line with the actual student enrolment on 30 September 2023.
As Minister for Education, I am acutely aware of the various costs faced by families upon the return of their children to school each September and am confident that this new provision will further and significantly reduce the back to school financial burden for many families.
500. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will ring fence dedicated funding to enable children suffering from economic disadvantage to participate in in-school activities such as drama, music, educational and cultural school trips; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56644/23]
View answerMy Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Participation in school activities such as drama, music, and educational and cultural school trips is an important factor in the education of children and young people in Ireland.
Building on the success of the Creative Ireland Programme 2017-2022, the Government extended the programme for another five years to 2027. As one of the 5 Pillars of the Programme, the cross Departmental new Creative Youth Plan 2023-2027, which was launched in March last year, will further embed and integrate creativity in all its different forms to support the hardest to reach children and young people. The Creative Youth Plan is designed to enable the creative potential of every child and young person.
The new Creative Youth Plan provides everyone from birth to 24 years with even more opportunities to experience and to enjoy all that art and creativity can bring. Within the Department of Education, programmes such as BLAST and Creative Clusters are key in-school programmes developed under Creative Youth and have shown us the benefits creative engagement can bring for children and young people.
In October I announced the latest updates to BLAST and Creative Clusters as part of the Creative Youth Plan 2023 – 2027.
Creative Clusters is an initiative of my Department, led by and in partnership with the Education Support Centres Ireland (ESCI). Creative Clusters provide schools with access to creative people, skills and resources that will support them to draw on their own skills and experiences and those within their wider communities.
In October I was also pleased to announce that 425 schools have been selected to take part in the BLAST 2023 initiative under the Creative Youth Pillar of the Creative Ireland Programme. I welcome these schools into the new initiative in 2023 which brings live arts to students and teachers. To date over 1,500 schools have successfully applied for a BLAST residency since its inception in 2021.
The BLAST initiative will provide additional opportunities for schools to collaborate with established artists and creatives, supporting our children and young people to collaborate and engage in creative and critical thinking, all crucial skills for their futures. The aim of this scheme is to give pupils in schools all over the country the opportunity to work with a professional artist on unique projects. These bespoke residency projects will be originated and planned between the artist, teacher and the school under the coordination of the ESCI network of 21 full-time Education Centres. Each residency is worth €1,100 which is fully funded by the Department of Education and the local Education Centre will pay the Artist for a 20-hour residency which will be delivered throughout the academic year, from September 2023. I look forward to seeing how these exciting artist in residency opportunities in schools develop over the coming year.
The primary Arts Education curriculum is for all children from junior infants to sixth class and consists of three subjects: Music, Drama and Visual arts. The curriculum enables children to explore and express ideas, feelings and experiences through music, drama and the visual arts.
The current curriculum was introduced as part of the Primary School Curriculum (1999). The primary curriculum is under review and redevelopment with the Primary Curriculum Framework published in March 2023. The new Arts Education specification is under development which is subject to robust research and consultation. A public consultation on the arts specification along with other specifications for the primary curriculum will commence in spring 2024. It is expected that the specifications will be introduced into schools in the 2025/2026 school year.
DEIS is the main policy initiative of my Department to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. Schools in the DEIS Programme are required to develop and implement three-year improvement plans as a condition of their participation in DEIS. Targets are set under key themes, such as attendance, retention, progression, literacy and numeracy, partnership, transition, wellbeing and examination attainment (post-primary).
My Department spends €180m annually in supporting schools in the DEIS programme, of which, over €20m is allocated to schools by way of a DEIS grant.
The DEIS grant should be utilised to attain the targets set in the school's three year improvement plan across the DEIS themes. It is a matter for the Board of Management of each school to allocate DEIS grant funding so that it targets those students deemed most in need. This may include allocating a proportion of the DEIS grant funding towards the cost of school activities such as drama, music, educational and cultural school trips.
My Department recognises the crucial role that regular school attendance plays in achieving educational and social inclusion. With this understanding, I announced the Attendance Campaign Support Grant for the academic year 2023/24. This grant is a once-off payment provided to all primary and post-primary schools across Ireland last October.
The objective of this grant is to bolster the National School Attendance Campaign run by my Department. The grant has a dual focus: it aims to enhance regular school attendance while also targeting individuals and groups at higher risk of educational disadvantage due to poor attendance records.
Schools have the flexibility to use this grant within the current academic year or spread it over a longer period to align with their individual School Self-Evaluation Report and Improvement Plan or their DEIS Action Plan for Improvement. This could involve early years settings, primary schools, and post-primary schools working together to address issues related to attendance, especially among children and young people at risk of educational disadvantage. This may include allocating a proportion of the Attendance Support Grant funding towards the cost of school activities such as drama, music, educational and cultural school trips.
The Attendance Support Grant is designed to address attendance issues in a targeted and equitable manner. The progressive universalism inherent in its allocation ensures that while all schools benefit, those with the greatest needs receive the most support. This grant is a testament to my Department's ongoing commitment to fostering an education system where every child has an equal opportunity to achieve their potential.
501. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will set aside funding for the purposes of expanding mental health and wellbeing supports for secondary school students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56650/23]
View answerThe area of wellbeing and the promotion of positive mental health is a priority for the Department of Education. The Department of Education’s approach to supporting wellbeing and mental health is set out in its Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice.
The approach in the Wellbeing Policy is founded on research and best international practice in relation to how schools can best support the wellbeing and mental health of children and young people. The approach proposed is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include:
Providing children and young people with opportunities to build core social and emotional skills and competencies
• Providing children and young people with opportunities to experience supportive relationships within the school setting and to learn through those relationships
• Providing children and young people with opportunities to be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe, an environment in which children and young people feel a sense of belonging and connectedness, in which they feel their voice is heard, and they feel supported.
• Schools are encouraged to use a reflective, school self-evaluation approach to identify and prioritise the needs of its own school community in relation to the promotion of wellbeing and mental health, and to respond to meeting those needs.
A dedicated wellbeing portal can be accessed via ‘Wellbeing in Education’ on Gov.ie, bringing together all the wellbeing supports and resources that have been developed by the Department and the Department’s support services.
NEPS provides a comprehensive, school-based psychological service to all primary and post primary schools through the application of psychological theory and practice to support the wellbeing, academic, social and emotional development of all learners.
NEPS provides a casework service to schools through the assigned NEPS psychologist, Individual casework service involves a high level of psychologist collaboration with teachers and parents, often also working directly with the child/young person. NEPS may become involved with supporting individual students where the school’s SET team or Student Support Team (in post-primary) feels that the involvement of the psychologist is needed. Psychologists may provide consultation in relation to therapeutic informed approaches to be delivered in the school setting and engage in direct work with an individual student as appropriate. In the event that the need for a more targeted counselling or a specialised intervention is identified by the NEPS psychologist, a referral is made to an outside agency for evaluation and ongoing support. The NEPS psychologist can identify the most appropriate referral pathway and supports school with the onward referral to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Team (CAMHS), HSE Primary Care/Community Psychology teams, or an identified local community based specialist mental health service.
NEPS’ Support and Development work involves the provision of applied psychology services for teachers and school communities to build and maximise their capacity to respond to the needs of all students and those with particular needs.
The Department has been examining the matter of how NEPS can continue to recruit adequate numbers of suitably qualified psychologists and continue to respond to the educational psychological needs of children in recognised schools across the country in both primary and post-primary settings.
Since January of 2023, NEPS is supporting bursaries for students who are enrolled in the University College Dublin (UCD) Professional Doctorate in Educational Psychology and the Mary Immaculate College (MIC), Professional Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology for Trainee Educational Psychologists. Those in receipt of a bursary commit to joining NEPS upon graduation. The Public Appointments Service (PAS) undertook a recruitment campaign for Educational Psychologists for NEPS in 2023 and a second recruitment campaign is currently open for 2024. Panels of psychologists have been created. There are currently 235 whole-time equivalent NEPS educational psychologists employed across the 8 NEPS regions, delivering a psychological service to our schools which will increase with the intake from the 2024 recruitment and bursary graduates joining the service in the years to come. The budget for the operation of NEPS is €31.7m.
As Minister for Education in June 2023, I announced the establishment of a programme of counselling and wellbeing/mental health supports to be piloted in over 650 primary schools across 10 counties and secured a commitment of €5million in Budget 2023. I was also pleased to announce funding in Budget 2024 to continue the counselling in primary school pilot, until June 2025.
The pilot project has two strands. Strand 1 comprises the provision of one-to-one counselling to support small numbers of children experiencing mild to moderate levels of emotional distress. All primary schools in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan and Tipperary are included in the first strand of the pilot.
Strand 2 of the pilot comprises of 72 schools in Cork, Dublin 7, Dublin 16 and Carlow and will see the establishment of a new type of support from Education Wellbeing/Mental Health Teams for clusters of primary schools. This Strand will also see the introduction of Wellbeing Practitioners, who will work under the direction and supervision of NEPS.
The focus of the support to be provided under Strand 2 is on strengthening whole school preventative approaches. This includes the provision of psycho-education support for parents and teachers, and the provision of early intervention to groups of children or individual children with mild/emerging need, using low-level therapeutically-informed approaches.
502. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education to take the necessary steps to phase out the system of voluntary contributions by increasing capitation grants to schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56660/23]
View answerMy Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. €20 million in funding was issued during the mid-term break last term, to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme. This funding is the first tranche of an overall additional €60 million funding announced as part of Budget 2024 measures designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. A further €40 million in funding will be delivered this year.
Budget 24 will provide targeted funding for school communities with an increase in capitation of over €81 million. The current standard rate of Capitation grant is €183 per pupil at Primary level and will be paid to schools in January & June 2024 for the 2023/24 academic year.
Budget 2024 provided €21 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This will support a permanent restoration of funding for all primary and post-primary schools from September 2024. This will bring the basic rate of capitation grant to the pre-2011 level of €200 per student in primary schools and to €345 in voluntary secondary schools. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with Special Educational Needs. This represents an increase of circa 9.2% of current standard and enhanced capitation rates.
Voluntary contributions may be sought from parents, provided it is made clear to parents that there is no compulsion to pay. The manner in which such voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management, however their collection should be such as not to create a situation where either parents or pupils could reasonably infer that the contributions take on a compulsory character.
504. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the amount that will issue to a family (details supplied) in relation to the special transport interim grant; and when the grant will issue. [56690/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils traveling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
There has been an overall increase in both applications and tickets issued for the 2023/2024 school year in comparison to the 2022/2023 school year.
Bus Éireann, who operate the School Transport Schemes on behalf of the Department, has advised a number of difficulties have arisen in putting services in place for the start of the new school year in some localities with a small number of contracted services. However, they are working to ensure that transport arrangements are in place as soon as possible.
The Interim Special Transport Grant has been offered to the family to assist with the cost of alternative transport arrangements for the duration they have been without a school transport service..
The rate of grant payable will be calculated as follows; 39.12 cent per kilometre for the first 6,437 kilometres and 21.22 cent per kilometre thereafter. Transport grants are payable from the date your application was made.
This grant is calculated based on the number of days a child attends school which is confirmed by the school completing a statement of attendance form. This form must be signed by the school principal and forwarded to the School Transport Section in advance of any payment being made. If the family has any queries on the issue they can contact the School Transport Section at school_transport@education.gov.ie.
505. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Education when school transport for children with special educational needs will be reinstated for a student (details supplied) currently attending a school who has had no transport supports for the past seven weeks and who is not attending school as a direct result of having no transport supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56704/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils traveling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
Under the current terms of the scheme, a pupil with special educational needs is eligible for school transport if they are attending their nearest recognised mainstream school, special class, special school or unit, that is or can be resourced to meet the child's special educational needs under Department of Education criteria.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. When considering applications for school transport in respect of pupils with special educational needs the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).
I am pleased to advise that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible under the terms of the scheme and Bus Éireann is continuing to try and ensure transport arrangements can be sourced and put in place as soon as possible. The family will be contacted directly once a contractor and vehicle have been sourced for this route.
Both the Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for students with special educational needs. Families of children who are eligible for these services may therefore apply for the Special Transport Grant which is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place and is to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until services are finalised. The family of the child referred will be contacted directly by School Transport Section of my Department with an offer of the Special Transport Grant until the transport service commences.
506. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education to examine a case (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56705/23]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
In 2023, my department spent over €2.6 billion on special education and further progress will be made this year as an additional €113m will be dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs.
This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
In 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
Special schools funded by my department are classified as primary national schools and are intended, in accordance with the provisions of rule 64(1) of the Rules for National Schools, to cater for children and young persons with special educational needs from the age of 4 years until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year.
Special schools may however seek approval from my department for an exemption from rule 64(1) in respect of students over the age of 18 who are pursuing courses leading to accreditation on the National Qualifications Framework (e.g. Junior Certificate/Leaving Cert Applied/FETAC 3).
A request for an exemption from rule 64(1) can only be made by a school where:
The student is pursuing a course leading to accreditation on the National Qualifications Framework (e.g. Junior Certificate/Leaving Certificate Applied/FETAC 3)
The student requires one additional year in order to complete their course
Retaining the student in the school for another school year will not prevent a younger pupil being enrolled there and
Plans are in place to transition the student to a post-school setting at the end of the 2023/2024 school year
Special schools are invited each year to make applications to my department for exemptions from rule 64(1) in respect of pupils who meet the above criteria. Where the criteria is met, my department will approve the exemptions.
My department is committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
507. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she will consider adding some additional terms and conditions to the supplementary panel for primary school teachers in order that fully qualified teachers, who have garnered teaching experience overseas, can also be eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56738/23]
View answerThe core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers.
The redeployment arrangements are reviewed and agreed annually by my Department and the Education Stakeholders, including Teacher Unions.
The criteria, reviewed annually with the Education Partners, are published on the Department website. Circular 57/2023 sets out the arrangements for the Supplementary Panel for the 2024/25 school year.
508. Deputy Chris Andrews asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that resources are made available to a school (details supplied) to carry out all necessary repairs as a matter of urgency. [56750/23]
View answerThe school to which the deputy refers has recently applied for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS). This application is currently being assessed by the Professional & Technical (P&T) side of the EWS team. My Department is aware of the urgent nature of the works and the school will be kept informed throughout this process.
509. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education for an update on a project for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56792/23]
View answerI am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme has issued to the school in question for the provision of two projects.
The first project, for a Mainstream Modular classroom, is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme. This programme provides project management supports to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and helps to ease the administrative workload for individual schools in relation to the management and delivery of the project.
Kerrigan Sheanan Newman Construction Consultants (KSN) has been appointed, from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project. This consultant is leading the project through the various stages of planning process and construction. The School Authority has devolved responsibility for delivery of this project.
This modular accommodation is due on site on the 15th January 2024 with an expected completion date of Q1 2024.
The second project is for 2 Classrooms Special Educational Needs Base (SEN) 439m2 and rental of one 100m2 modular classroom under the Department's traditional ASA stream. A revised Stage 1 and 2a report was received by the Department which is under review by officials in the Department’s Professional and Technical team. The School Authority will be advised on the outcome of the review when completed.
510. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the progress of a permanent building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [56814/23]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme.
The brief for this project is to provide a new 8 classroom primary school and accommodation, including 2 classrooms, for children with special educational needs.
The project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT Programme which uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning, to Tender and Construction.
The Department will continue to keep the school and its patron body informed of the progression of this project.
511. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education for an update on the plan to build a permanent extension at a school (details supplied) in light of the initial design difficulties that have resulted in significant delays. [56816/23]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers, was approved a project to cater for a school with 1,300 students, which was devolved for delivery to Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB).
My Department officials have met with DDLETB in order to review significant technical challenges identified on the site and to assist DDLETB progress the project forward. DDLETB are now engaged in identifying options to advance the project to the next stage.
In order to address the immediate enrolment requirements of the school, my Department approved modular accommodation comprised of three mainstream classrooms - a home economics room, and an art room. This is expected to be practically completed shortly.
It is not possible to give a time frame for the delivery of the permanent accommodation at this time. However, as indicated, my Department has and will continue to work closely with the school authority and DDLETB in order to identify the most appropriate solution for the wider education community in the area and to ensure that any essential interim accommodation is put in place as required.
