Olwyn Enright
Question:1 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science her proposals for the release of information regarding the way in which schools operate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27796/05]
Priority Questions.
Schools Evaluation.
As the Deputy will be aware, I am determined to provide more information, for parents in particular, about our schools in a way that ensures a fair and comprehensive picture of all the different activities in a school. As I said on many occasions, I am strongly opposed to the publication of crude league tables based solely on examination or test results. Such tables provide an unbalanced and grossly limited indication of a school's performance.
In contrast to school league tables, school inspection reports from whole school evaluations and other inspections, when read in their entirety, can provide balanced and well-informed information on schools. The whole school evaluation process involves an examination of all the varied activities of a school, from the quality of teaching and learning to the availability of extra-curricular activities and the implementation of policies in areas such as bullying and health and safety. The inspection process also includes consultation with the school's board, parents and staff members, and at second level, with the school's students. These reports can, therefore, provide valuable information on the educational and social opportunities provided by a school. The comments they contain are fully sensitive to the context in which the school operates in a way that is not possible with league tables.
Given the breadth of the contents of whole school evaluation reports, the publication of these and other school inspection reports could go a significant way to addressing the real needs of parents, students, teachers and others for better information on schools. The type of information provided will help parents who need accurate and balanced information. They also contain valuable information that will be of interest to schools who may wish to learn from the experience of others.
I am determined to progress this matter in a sensible and responsible way and to ensure that the views of all the education partners are considered before the publication process is finalised. During the summer, I put in place a mechanism whereby this can take place. The inspectorate of my Department has held no fewer than 20 meetings with interested parties over the past month and is preparing draft guidelines for the publication of inspection reports which will be circulated shortly to the education partners. Responses to the draft guidelines will then be sought and a final draft of the proposals will be submitted to me in December.
I intend that the publication of school inspection reports will commence from January 2006 for all inspections carried out from the start of the calendar year that year. While I do not want to pre-empt the outcome of the consultation process, the discussions held to date have been fruitful and constructive. Each of the partners realises the need to address the information deficit that exists at present in terms of ensuring full public access to balanced information on schools. This is especially important to those like myself who are opposed to the publication of league tables based on results and want to find a better way. I am confident the considered and responsible approach we are taking to the publication of inspection reports will lead to much greater availability of information on schools without inadvertently pitting schools serving entirely different communities against each other in crude comparisons of academic performance alone.
I welcome the progress that will be made by January 2006. The Minister referred to whole school evaluation and other reports. What does she mean by "other reports"? How far does she intend to go with whole school evaluation reports? I acknowledge what they will contain but I am concerned parents will not be given a clear enough picture. Information about the ethos of a school and boards of management should be included. Witnesses attending the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Science highlighted difficulties parents faced in obtaining information from boards of management. I support the concept of whole school reports, as everything will be open, but it is important that parents should have access to all information, including details of results in schools to which they may send their children. I agree that crude league tables should not be developed but information about everything in a school cannot be given to parents if one of the core parts of education, the examination process, is ignored.
Whole school evaluation and subject inspection reports will be published. A significant number of subject inspection reports take place each year whereby all the teachers are inspected. These reports will be published, as will thematic inspection reports on, for example, Gaeilge, English and mathematics in the primary curriculum. The chief inspector's report referred to these topics this year. Composite reports will also be published, for example, on Gaeilge in the second level curriculum. These reports will give us a broad view of individual schools and the teaching of subjects throughout the system.
I appreciate the Deputy's comments on school ethos and boards of management but the reports take account of the context of the school, which comprises not only its geographic environment or catchment but also the ethos and the situation in which it is working. Many schools are good at issuing brochures and general information that captures that. However, they do not issue information that will be contained in the whole school evaluation reports. The Deputy commented previously about the publication of results. It would be naive to expect that we would not end up with league tables based on results if schools were to publish their results but schools have become open in their dealings with parents and parents, rightly, are demanding of schools regarding the information they provide. I hope, by going down this road with the Department providing the information it has nationally, which is professionally compiled in conjunction with schools, the schools will be encouraged to provide extra information of value to parents. They should not, however, provide information on results.
There are ways and means to prevent the publication of crude league tables. However, I refer to the "rate my teacher" fiasco earlier this year. Has the Minister considered giving a role and a say to students in the publication of the various reports so that a positive environment can be created for them to give their opinions on what is happening as distinct from publishing anonymous ratings on a website?
One of the central parts of the whole school evaluation of second level schools is the involvement of students, who will meet inspectors and fully participate in the process. This reinforces the fact it is a whole school evaluation because it involves everybody. I look forward to the valuable process that will commence in January.
School Transport.
Jan O'Sullivan
Question:2 Ms O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Science if she will establish a commission to review catchment boundaries for school transport in view of the huge demographic changes that have taken place since these boundaries were put in place in the 1960s; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28018/05]
Paul Nicholas Gogarty
Question:3 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Education and Science if, in the wake of recent comments at the Joint Committee on Education and Science, she will carry out a full review of school bus catchment areas and boundaries; if she will make a decision in terms of recommendations made as a result of such a review in view of the fact that no full review has been made since 1969 and that children are still without seats in several parts of the country following the welcome ending of the three for two scheme; the effects the short timeframe has had on thousands of parents in planning school transport for their children in August and early September 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27754/05]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.
Catchment boundaries have their origins in the establishment of free post-primary education in the late 1960s and were determined following consultation with local educational interests. For planning purposes, the country was divided into geographic districts, each with several primary schools feeding into a post-primary centre with one or more post-primary schools. The intention was and continues to be that these defined districts facilitate the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs. They also facilitate the provision of a national school transport service, enabling children from remote areas to access their nearest schools.
I do not propose to hold a general country-wide review of catchment boundaries. A review of specific catchment boundaries in particular areas can, however, be appropriate in certain circumstances. A number of these has been carried out over the years where, for example, a new post-primary school is established in an area where previously there was none or where a sole provider school closes due to declining enrolment.
The area development planning initiative, involving an extensive consultative process carried out by the commission on school accommodation, will also inform future revisions to catchment areas. An area development plan takes account of demographic changes and projects future enrolments for existing schools and new schools if required. Catchment boundary changes will be made where the implementation of the recommendations in an area development plan requires such adjustments.
Catchment boundaries have provided and continue to provide a very useful tool in facilitating the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs and the operation of the national school transport service.
With regard to the phasing out of three for two seating arrangements, Bus Éireann has indicated that only 31 out of a total of 2,500 post-primary services are now operating on the basis of a seating capacity in excess of one for one. This represents rapid progress and the end of term deadline for full implementation should be met. At primary level, I expect that one for one seating arrangements will be in place by December 2006.
I am disappointed the Minister of State has refused to carry out a full catchment boundary review in view of the fact that boundaries were established in the 1960s and that significant demographic changes have subsequently taken place. There is neither rhyme nor reason to many of the catchment boundaries currently in existence. In terms of population, some areas have grown enormously since the 1960s but there have been no changes to their catchment boundaries. The entire system is a monument to ad hoc provisions. I ask her to review her decision on the matter.
I have raised the specific concerns of Pallaskenry, County Limerick on a number of occasions. I thank the Minister and the Minister of State for organising a meeting between parents and representatives of the Department last Friday. Was any decision made subsequent to the meeting, which lasted for approximately three hours? What is the status of the letter sent by the Department in 2001 that explained that the status quo would remain and the bus would continue to come from the city side until the catchment boundaries were changed?
I have before me a list of feeder schools to a Limerick city school which comprises a greater number of schools from without the city's catchment boundary than from within. Feeder schools are located in Counties Clare, Tipperary and Limerick. A statement was made that the school bus is being discontinued because there are sufficient places within the city. I put it to the Minister of State that many of these places are being taken by children who live outside the city's catchment boundary. I ask that the situation in Pallaskenry be reviewed.
I concur with the comments of my colleague, Deputy O'Sullivan, with regard to Pallaskenry. I will not go over old ground because of time constraints. I hope that following the meeting this matter will be resolved. I ask the Minister and Minister of State to make themselves aware of other situations throughout the country. While it appears nothing will be done for this year, the possibility of doing something next year must be examined.
The Minister said that where school closures arise they will be examined and dealt with. In 1969, men were sent to the moon with less computer power than I have in my phone, and there has been much tinkering with computers since then. The Minister said that while she would not necessarily make any changes on the basis of new school populations or people wanting more choice, she did acknowledge the possibility that she could make changes following a full scale review. Will the Minister carry out a review with a view to making her own decision on it? There is no harm in carrying out a review, the first since 1969. She is in Government and can decide to disregard any report but such a review is crucial at this stage.
To answer Deputy Gogarty's questions first, I am a little confused by his questions because I made it clear in the Joint Committee on Education and Science the week before last that I would not initiate a general review of the catchment boundaries. People may say that such boundaries were introduced in the 1960s when times were very different and that a change was needed but we must examine the reasons for their implementation.
The boundaries were implemented because of the introduction of a very different education system where post-primary education was available to all but it also refers very much today in that these boundaries are in place to ensure there is a proper strategic approach to planning and accommodation throughout the country when it comes to school buildings. In terms of school transport, therefore, people may believe that changes in boundaries might alleviate some problems that may exist but many more Members would complain of difficulties with people not being eligible under the new system. Obviously it would have consequences for any change but the main reason for having the boundaries in the first place is to ensure proper school planning and accommodation.
We must ensure also that the boundaries protect declining schools, so to speak, as well as rural schools because if poaching were allowed to occur in those situations, we would see the decline of certain schools. The boundaries exist to protect those schools in both rural and urban areas. The question of teachers also arises. These boundaries are in place to ensure we have the right teachers and the correct structures for education. That is the reason I do not propose to change the boundaries system at present.
Deputy O'Sullivan referred to demographic changes but as I explained to her in the joint committee, certain changes have been made with regard to the demographics and all the other issues to allow for the provision of new schools or the closure of others in exceptional circumstances. That provision is not ad hoc. If we did not have such a system we would descend into an ad hoc situation and neither I nor the Deputy would want that.
With regard to the question of Pallaskenry, I had the opportunity of answering that question last year and also the week before last on the Adjournment. I have also answered many questions that were put to me by Deputy O'Sullivan and others in the committee and my decision on that matter stands. There is no reason to extend the debate on that matter because my decision is made.
To return to the question of ad hoc provision, I will give an example from my area. Many of the children coming from areas outside the Limerick city catchment have bus tickets. The same must be true in other parts of the country. The transport liaison officer in each county makes these decisions in which many parents see no logic. They do not know why one child receives a ticket and another does not.
This problem will be worse next year. I urge the Minister of State to consider the question again. It has caused much trauma this year and will cause more next year.
What is the status of the letter of 2001 to the Salesian college, Pallaskenry, to the effect that the status quo would prevail until the catchment boundaries were reviewed?
The Department of Education and Science ruined the summer holidays of many parents and children. Parents in Limerick, Galway, Sligo and other parts of the country now have to drive a child in a car, and chase a bus.
The Minister of State says there is no need to change the system that exists to protect a certain status quo. Between the 1970s and 1990s new education models were introduced, including educate together, Gaelscoileanna, and community colleges, which changed the educational system. Rather than stick plasters here and there, the Minister of State needs to take a holistic approach to the system, then based on the finance available decide who will and will not suffer. The system is patently unfair and does not take cognisance of the society in which we live.
I disagree with the Deputy's views. He used the word "panic". There was certainly unnecessary reaction but I do not blame the parents for that. Much of it was politically whipped up because these false rumours——
That is not true.
That is not fair.
This happens every year because it takes time for the eligible pupils to apply for, and receive, their tickets. There are eligible pupils who have yet to apply for their tickets. Until we know the exact position, the catchment areas, including the catchment boundary pupils, cannot be facilitated because they are concessionary pupils. The eligible pupils must be facilitated first.
The only difference between this year and last year is that we accommodated a situation and very quickly improved the seating arrangements on buses in order to have a one for one arrangement. No matter how people view that change, everyone in this House believes it was a priority. It seems to surprise Members on the other side of the House that this is being done quickly.
The catchment boundaries are not ad hoc. They exist to ensure there is a strategic approach to school accommodation and the provision of teachers. It is most important that we take that into account. There have been certain changes on catchment boundaries, as I have explained, with regard to new schools or where schools have closed.
There was an interesting example of this in County Wicklow. In September 2003 Kilcoole opened as a sole provider for the area of Kilcoole-Newtownmountkennedy and environs. The level of accommodation provided was based on the projected enrolment, and primary schools within revised catchment areas. Discussions took place with other post-primary schools in determining the provision. It was decided to continue to provide transport only to pupils who had already commenced post-primary education.
That is happening already in Pallaskenry because I have allowed it as a particular concession to that school.
Garda Vetting Procedures.
Olwyn Enright
Question:4 Ms Enright asked the Minister for Education and Science when a register of persons considered unsafe to work with children and vulnerable adults will be established; when all personnel with access to children and vulnerable adults in the education system will be subject to vetting by the Garda central vetting unit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27797/05]
Ensuring the protection, health and welfare of children is a key concern for the Government, for parents, for agencies that work with children and for society generally and I assure the Deputy that the Government is determined to do all that we can to keep our children and vulnerable adults safe.
In improving our child protection procedures, the Government has focused on extending the capacity of the Garda vetting unit to ensure greater availability of vetting checks for employers who want to check the background of prospective employees.
While the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform has primary responsibility for Garda vetting, I am happy to outline the progress being made in the expansion of the service.
My colleague Deputy Brian Lenihan, Minister of State with special responsibility for children at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, has already announced a doubling of the number of staff employed in the unit to ensure they can handle a greater volume of requests from employers. The unit will commence the augmentation of its existing vetting arrangements upon decentralisation targeted for mid-November this year. The provision of additional staff resources will enable the Garda Síochána's vetting services to be extended to all persons working with children and vulnerable adults, including teachers and caretakers.
In the education sector, vetting is currently available in respect of requests for clearance from my Department regarding bus escorts and special needs assistants provided to children, and to staff working in children's detention schools.
It is worth pointing out that, irrespective of whatever additional arrangements may be introduced in this area in future, criminal record checks, while in the appropriate circumstances being capable of making a significant contribution to ensuring that unsuitable persons do not secure positions of trust, are not the sole answer to ensuring applicants' suitability for posts.
There will continue to be a particular onus of care on employers to maintain good employment practice, both during the recruitment stage, for example, good interviewing practice and checking references, and to ensure adequate supervision arrangements after recruitment.
The issue of establishing a non-Garda, employment-related vetting register to provide information on those previously dismissed, suspended, moved or made redundant from posts for harming children or vulnerable adults in the health and education sectors is also being considered. A working group made up of representatives from the Departments of Education and Science, Justice, Equality and Law Reform and Health and Children is carefully considering the best way forward in that respect.
The Minister has said this is a key concern for the Government. However, it has not taken any action to show that. She stated that a working group is examining this issue, but last year another working group reported on the same issue. Is this working group in addition to the last one?
I accept that the Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Deputy Brian Lenihan, announced almost a year ago that he would double the staff of the central vetting unit, but they have still not come on stream. I am sure the Minister is aware that a convicted sex offender operated as a school bus driver in County Laois this year. What checks has her Department and she carried out to ensure that the same thing is not happening elsewhere? That is the most important point.
When does the Minister intend to make the necessary legislative changes to ensure that we establish a register of persons considered unsafe to work with children? They are still listed in section C of the legislative programme. I accept the Minister's point, which I also made in the House when Fine Gael debated this issue two years ago this December. We were told that progress was being made. We are very close to the second anniversary of that debate, which sadly coincided with the case of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman in England. Unfortunately, the Minister has yet to take this issue seriously and ensure that something of that sort could not happen here. I ask her to outline to the House when she intends to prioritise those issues.
The difference between the two working groups was that the first set out recommendations, and the second is deciding how to implement them. It is very much an action group, being chaired by the Garda Síochána, and has representatives of the Departments of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Education and Science and Finance, as well as the Office of the Attorney General and the chief executive officer of the ISPCC. It is targeted at implementation.
The decision was taken on the recommendation of the working group to go ahead with doubling the numbers of staff employed by the vetting unit. That was a very practical way of ensuring that people could get the clearance. That will occur from mid-November and will offer a service to children and other vulnerable groups. Like the Deputy, I was appalled at what happened in Laois, where it was reported a convicted sex offender operated as a school bus driver. We understand that the private contractor changed the driver on the service without informing Bus Éireann, something that it is required to do under the terms of its contract. Bus Éireann immediately rectified the situation. Not only was the driver immediately withdrawn from the service, but the contract with the firm concerned was also terminated. The action taken proves that the children's safety is the priority.
The legislation regarding a register was always designed to be implemented on a cross-Border basis so that it would cover the entire island, owing to the movement of people from one jurisdiction to another. This is the way it should progress because that hiatus remains in our cross-Border working arrangements.
The system in place in Northern Ireland is effective. The authorities there have not allowed the inadequacies of the system in the South to delay them in implementing developments in this regard.
Our aim is to establish a register that will cover both jurisdictions. Progress can be made in this regard when the Northern Ireland system is back on track and a full working relationship between authorities on both parts of the island is restored. In the meantime, the vetting unit will be doubled in size and will be capable of vetting increased numbers.
The Northern Ireland system is very much on track. It may not function on an all-island basis but it is unfair to suggest it is not on track. The Minister has not answered one of my questions. Has she instructed all bus operators to ensure that the situation which arose in Laois cannot recur elsewhere?
One hopes it cannot recur but we are dealing with a situation involving a number of bus companies, private contractors and large numbers of individual drivers. The important issue is that Bus Éireann will, on our behalf, ensure the correct procedures are put in place. Where issues have come to light, the company has dealt with them efficiently.
I did not mean to imply that the system in Northern Ireland is not working well. My point is that cross-Border co-operation in this regard is not effective. Progress will be made on this when the cross-Border bodies are functional once more.
School Transport.
Seán Crowe
Question:5 Mr. Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Science the steps she has taken to prevent another child being left on the side of the road, as happened recently in New Ross and was reported widely in the media, due to Bus Éireann’s policy of no ticket, no travel. [27828/05]
I am aware of the case referred to by the Deputy. A report on the circumstances of the case has been requested from Bus Éireann, which organises the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department. When this report has been received, the Department will advise the Deputy of the position.
In regard to the general administration of the school transport scheme, Bus Éireann issues tickets or travel permits to pupils who have been approved for transport on a service. In addition to specifying the pupil's name, the pick-up and set-down point and the period of validity, the permit specifies that pupils must carry tickets at all times when travelling to and from school. In addition, the invoice issued by Bus Éireann in respect of tickets specifies that only those pupils in possession of a valid permit will be carried on a transport service. In line with transport systems in general, this is deemed to be the most appropriate method of identification and allows drivers and other personnel to control travel and regulate loadings.
I am advised by Bus Éireann that listings of pupils who have been issued with tickets for the current term will be issued to bus operators in mid-October. Such an arrangement is not possible in the case of pupils who avail of scheduled public transport services. The issue of listings at an earlier date is not possible due to the number of late applications and late payments received in school transport offices throughout the country. It would be of little benefit issuing such lists until Bus Éireann is satisfied the vast bulk of tickets have been issued and that the listing represents a true reflection of all pupils who are authorised to travel.
More than 134,000 pupils are carried by in excess of 3,000 vehicles under my Department's school transport scheme. In view of the recent focus on safety measures for school transport and the obvious administrative burden in operating a scheme of this size, the Deputy will appreciate the importance of ensuring only those pupils who have been approved transport can avail of the service and that additional pupils who may compromise safety measures are not carried.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. A situation whereby a child is left on the side of the road, with the consequent risks to his or her safety, is tantamount to criminality, according to the headmaster of Ramsgrange community school. When does the Minister of State expect the report on this incident to be published? I presume she does not have the details of this particular case but the point of major concern for parents is that a child should be abandoned on a roadside. According to media reports, the driver knew that the child in question had a ticket but had forgotten it that morning.
What assurances can the Minister of State give parents that this will not happen again? The school transport scheme caters for more than 130,000 children but we must focus on those cases in which problems have arisen. When will the report on this incident be available? What assurances can the Minister of State give parents who leave their children to the bus that they will actually get on the bus? Is there any assurance that such an incident will not happen again? Has the Minister of State met Bus Éireann on this case and laid down a marker for the future that no child should be left on the side of the road? Parents have enough concerns about their children going to school without this extra concern. I was contacted by a number of families who were concerned the same would happen to their child.
I understand the Deputy's concern and am aware of the case. I look forward to hearing from Bus Éireann when its report is to hand.
On the operational matter, there is a practical difficulty for drivers in many cases because they may not necessarily be able to identify all the children. Bus operators operate on a panel system of nominated drivers and are interchangeable. Therefore, they may not necessarily know the identity of all pupils. As I said in my reply, the child must have a ticket to travel which must be in his or her possession. The invoice issued by Bus Éireann states that a child can only travel if he or she has a ticket. I have been asked if there is a possibility of providing a list which could be made available to the drivers. The drivers could immediately check the list and that might circumvent these issues.
While that is one way of dealing with the issue, there can be a number of problems with that system in that a large number of late applications and those who are eligible and make late payments cause difficulties. Although they are eligible, they may not have made an application or if they have made an application, they have not paid. Therefore there is a delay at the beginning of a term which causes difficulty. Perhaps we should look at the question of a timeframe for receipt of applications by the Department. A list system is of little use unless the bulk of the children have tickets and the names are available. I am informed that the names for this term will be available in mid-October which is any day now.
Some 10,000 pupils travel on various types of scheduled services for whom it would not be feasible to have listings. However, I take the Deputy's point seriously. We are having discussions with Bus Éireann — we have regular positive contact with it — to consider specific operational matters, especially the operation of tickets, with a view to seeing what can be done in a case such as that outlined by the Deputy.