Emer Higgins
Question:301. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education how many students from Newcastle, County Dublin are receiving secondary school education. [7825/24]
View answerDepartmental Data
Questions (301)
Written answers
Based on the CSO's urban area of Newcastle from the 2022 Census, there are 473 post-primary students that provided a postal address located in the Built-Up Area for 2023-24 school year.
Departmental Data
Questions (302)
Emer Higgins
Question:302. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education how many students from Rathcoole, County Dublin are receiving secondary school education. [7826/24]
View answerWritten answers
Based on the CSO's urban area of Rathcoole from the 2022 Census, there are 391 post-primary students that provided a postal address located in the Built-Up Area for 2023-24 school year.
Departmental Data
Questions (303)
Emer Higgins
Question:303. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education how many students from Saggart, County Dublin are receiving secondary school education. [7827/24]
View answerWritten answers
Based on the CSO's urban area of Saggart from the 2022 Census, there are 464 post-primary students that provided a postal address located in the Built-Up Area for 2023-24 school year.
Departmental Data
Questions (304)
Emer Higgins
Question:304. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education how many students from Celbridge, County Kildare are receiving secondary school education. [7828/24]
View answerWritten answers
Based on the CSO's urban area of Celbridge from the 2022 Census, there are 1,795 post-primary students that provided a postal address located in the Built Up Area for 2023-24 school year.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (305)
Paul Donnelly
Question:305. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education for an update on the emergency works at a school (details supplied). [7830/24]
View answerWritten answers
The school to which the deputy refers submitted a request for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) regarding Roof Works. My Department has been engaged in ongoing consultation with the school since this application was received. The EWS team has recently given approval for a leak detection test to be conducted. Once this test had been conducted and the subsequent report has been received, the EWS team will review the information and issue approval for the next stage of the project, as appropriate. My Department is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the process.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (306)
Paul Donnelly
Question:306. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education if a new school building is being considered for a school (details supplied); and can she provide an update. [7831/24]
View answerWritten answers
I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
An ASA application from the school to which the Deputy refers is currently being assessed along with a review of the current situation at the Junior school as they share a site. When this is completed the school authorities will be notified of the decision.
In context of the consideration of a new school building as mentioned by the Deputy. The Department has to priorities its limited capital resources, in the context both of the ongoing requirement for additional school places, including SEN places, and the high construction inflation which has significantly impacted on the cost of projects that we must deliver.
The main focus of the department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics.
Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 690 school building projects, and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects.
School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have 200 modular accommodation projects that are very well advanced for delivery or at construction stage. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.
This significant investment is intended to allow us to move forward with certainty on modernising our school infrastructure with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland.
Officials in my Department will liaise directly with the school authority once the ASA assessment has been complete.
School Enrolments
Questions (307)
Francis Noel Duffy
Question:307. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Education the plans to provide support to schools (details supplied) to increase capacity considering parents are unable to secure school places for their children in their local catchment area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7922/24]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
It is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not always be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
• Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
• School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
• Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils
• External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
The schools to which the Deputy refers are located in the Rathfarnham and Newcastle_Rathcoole School Planning Areas respectively. Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity and identifies any requirement for additional provision.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
There are currently a number of active projects at primary level in the Rathfarnham and Newcastle_Rathcoole School Planning Areas which will increase local capacity, including new school buildings for Gaelscoil Cnoc Liamha providing 16 classrooms currently at Stage 5, Scoil Chrónáin, Rathcoole, providing 16 classroom school and 2 SEN currently at Stage 2, Gaelscoil Lir to provide new 16 classroom primary school and 2 class SEN at Stage 3 and Rathcoole ETNS providing 16 classrooms and 4 SEN at Stage 2b.
The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, may be viewed on my Department's website at, www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (308)
Francis Noel Duffy
Question:308. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Education for an update on the emergency works application for a school (details provided) regarding school safety systems, and why it remains unresolved and awaiting assessment since March 2023. [7923/24]
View answerWritten answers
The school to which the deputy refers submitted a request for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) regarding Life Safety Systems in December 2023. My Department has been engaged in ongoing consultation with the school since this application was received. The EWS team is currently awaiting further information in respect of this application, once this information is received the EWS team will review the information and issue approval, as appropriate.
My Department is aware of the urgent nature of the works required and will keep the school informed throughout the process.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (309)
Pa Daly
Question:309. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 268 of 13 February 2024, if she will consider making SNAs in current positions permanent before any new cohort of SNAs qualify this year, to prevent the redundancy of existing senior SNAs and their replacement by newly qualified SNAs. [7945/24]
View answerWritten answers
As indicated in the response to Parliamentary Question No. 268 of 13 February 2024, before an employer opts to recruit further persons as SNAs, they must ensure that all existing part-time SNAs in standard posts in their employment, in order of seniority, have been offered a full-time position in the school or, in the case of ETBs, a full-time position in a school within the ETB scheme. After that process has concluded, schools must abide by the SNA Supplementary Assignment to facilitate eligible SNAs who are being made redundant by one employer in filling SNA vacancies that may become available in another school / ETB. It is only following the conclusion of these processes that the recruitment of new SNA’s should commence.
As the Deputy will be aware, the number of SNA posts allocated to a school in any individual school year is a matter for the Special Educational Needs Officer (SENO) and that function resides within the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). The number of standard SNA posts varies according to the requirements of each individual school population: these requirements will change from year to year, as the student population changes and as the needs of students within that cohort may change according to factors such as treatment interventions and supports external to the school environment. Therefore, it is not possible to guarantee that a standard post will be available to each SNA currently employed.
There were 142 standard SNA vacancy documents submitted to the Department by schools in the 2022/2023 school year. These Process Verification Documents (‘PVDs) include the increased allocation of hours to convert previous part-time posts to standard posts, as well as new standard posts granted by the NCSE.
Of the vacancies advised to the Department, 33 PVDs related to instances where schools reported giving additional hours to existing part-time SNAs to provide them with an increase to their existing contracted hours; 2 vacancies were filled through Supplementary Panel arrangements and 99 of the vacancies advised received no applications from current SNA’s whose posts were not guaranteed for the following school year. This suggests that the majority of posts were filled through the awarding of additional hours to existing staff, with new recruits backfilling the remaining quantum of hours available. This is substantiated by the number of SNA’s who notified the Department that they had taken up a new post or requested their redundancy payment be triggered via an opt-out clause in the Supplementary Assignment Panel Circular Letter, which in 2022/2023 amounted to 78% of SNA’s whose posts were redundant at the end of the 2021/2022 school year.
Finally, I note that the Deputy makes reference to SNA qualification in his question. At present there is no mandatory specialist qualification for SNA’s, although I acknowledge and applaud the many individuals who have completed appropriate courses, whether the Department funded training programme with UCD or other Further Education courses, to enhance the knowledge, expertise and skills they bring to these essential roles. As mentioned in my response to the Deputy’s previous question, my Department is currently working on the first Special Needs Assistant Workforce Development Plan (the plan), which will introduce policy developments which will bring clarity and direction to the SNA service. Minimum qualifications and continuous professional development will be considered in the work undertaken on Pillar 3 Learning & Development of the plan.
The plan will be developed in consultation and collaboration with stakeholders including school leaders and the SNAs, giving all parties an opportunity to provide input and share views on the future development and direction of the SNA service.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (310)
Catherine Murphy
Question:310. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the number of primary and secondary school build and extension projects that are paused; and if she will provide the locations of same. [7957/24]
View answerWritten answers
Since 2020, my Department has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 800 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 33 new school buildings.
These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn.
There are also circa 90 projects currently at the tender stage including a further 28 new school buildings. All of these new school buildings are flagship projects in their area and transform the education infrastructure for those school communities.
This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.
The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector include:
• demographic growth, particularly at post primary level
• increased demand for special educational needs provision
• alignment of school place provision with new housing development
• climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit.
My Department has always operated a tightly prioritised approach to the school building programme, focused over recent years on the delivery of additional capacity where required. This will continue to be the case.
All departments, including the Department of Education, have to control the timing and scope of capital projects to remain within agreed budgetary parameters.
Our priorities in 2024 are:
• Support the roll-out of urgent school building projects, 300 currently in construction, 90 at tender and a further circa 200 in advanced stage of planning & design
• Ensure the availability of a school place for every child for the coming school year through engagement with patrons and schools, optimising use of existing capacity and providing additional accommodation where a requirement has been identified
• Respond to the increased requirement for special education provision through the provision of circa 50 new special classrooms in special schools and additional accommodation for 150 special classes in mainstream schools.
• Roll out the Solar PV programme, with all schools invited to apply before the end of the year. The first phase of Schools Solar PV Programme involved over 1,600 schools and to date 89% have expressed interest in the scheme and 86% of the schools have commenced the tender process.
• Completion of Deep Energy Retrofit Pathfinder projects, in partnership with SEAI, 25 projects ongoing during 2024
• Roll out of Minor Works Grant and ICT grants to support schools
• Continued support small scale maintenance funding through Emergency works & Summer works programmes
• Support schools in respect of furniture and equipment, assisted technology and Universal Access to support pupils with special education needs
• Manage additional accommodation needs arising from the enrolment of circa 18,000 children from Ukraine in our primary and post primary schools.
The current status of all projects and completions are listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
School Curriculum
Questions (311)
Michael Creed
Question:311. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education if her Department will continue with the curricular adjustment put in place during the Covid-19 pandemic of the reduction in the number of sraith pictiúr for Leaving Certificate students of Irish in 2025 and future years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7963/24]
View answerWritten answers
The sraitheanna pictiúr, or picture sequences, are a component of the common Irish Oral test for Higher Level and Ordinary Level candidates, with the Oral test accounting for 40% of the overall marks for Leaving Cert Irish.
In response to issues highlighted in National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta & Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) research about the sraitheanna pictiúr and the conversational elements of the Oral Irish exam, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) introduced adjustments to the structure of the Common Oral examination for the 2020 exams and thereafter. These aim to create greater opportunity for candidate-examiner interaction and so give the candidate scope to display their competence while keeping a balance between the different parts of the oral exam. However, the oral exams did not take place in 2020 as a result of the pandemic.
Since then there have been adjustments to assessment arrangements in light of the pandemic’s impact on teaching and learning. These adjustments have been made with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, in relation to student-to-student, subject-to-subject, and year-to-year comparisons. They include a reduction in the number of sraitheanna pictiúr that each candidate must prepare from 20 to 10. On the 16th of May 2023, I announced that these adjustments would apply again in 2024.
A decision has not yet been made in relation to assessment adjustments for 2025. The details of any assessment adjustments which may apply to the 2025 examinations will be communicated to schools once a decision is made, and schools will be asked to ensure that all students are made aware of these changes.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (312)
Carol Nolan
Question:312. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education to address concerns around the adverse impact of proposals to cut the number of SET hours within schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7975/24]
View answerWritten answers
Enabling 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).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers.
The allocation model for 2024/25 distributes the total available number of Special education Teacher posts in line with each school’s profile of need. The model makes an allocation on the basis of a number of inputs, including enrolment numbers. It also uses school-level data from standardised tests in order to reflect relative levels of overall needed.
It seeks to distribute teaching resources in the fairest possible manner, taking into account as much evidence as possible in respect of individual schools and evidence in respect of the best possible use of resources. Of schools across the country, 67 % of schools have either increased their allocation or retained their previous allocation. Of those schools whose allocation has been decreased, 70 % of these schools have reduced their hours by 5 hours or less.
I would be the first to acknowledge that every school is different, and that schools can experience unique circumstances that may be difficult to reflect in any standardised method. This is always a challenge when we seek to make allocations in respect of 4,000 schools. It is for this reason that we have also streamlined the review process for Special Education Teachers and schools who feel that they have received an inappropriate allocation can make this application to the NCSE.
The Department is cognisant that it is possible that unique circumstances may present in a school which could require an urgent review. In such circumstances, the school may apply for this process through the NCSE. Reviews will be conducted by the NCSE, between March and May each year, to better enable schools to plan for the following September.
Appendix 1 of Circular 002/2024 & 003/2024 clarifies what constitutes unique circumstances and provides further information on the SET Review process.
Application forms for schools to apply for a SET Review will be available on the NCSE website from the week commencing the 19th February 2024.The NCSE will begin accepting applications for SET Reviews on the 1st March 2024 with a closing date for applications of SET Reviews on the 22nd March. Schools must submit their completed application forms through the online portal on the NCSE website.