Written Answers Nos. 79 - 84
79. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied regarding the adequacy of resources available to his Department to meet in full the requirements of the special needs educational sector throughout the year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16987/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to the protection of frontline services for pupils with special educational needs. The level of resources devoted to supporting children with Special Educational Needs has been maintained and increased for this school year. This now includes provision for up to 10,965 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs), over 10,700 Learning Support and Resource Teachers, over 740 Special Classes attached to mainstream schools at reduced pupil teacher ratios, enhanced capitation for special schools and special classes and provision for special transport arrangements and assistive technology support. The policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs should be included in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. All schools and all school places are therefore available for children with special educational needs to be enrolled to. Supports will continue to be allocated to schools to support pupils with special educational needs. In circumstances where children with special educational need require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available. 740 Special Classes are being provided for mainstream schools for the current school year. This includes 118 new special classes which have been opened this year. The Deputy will be aware that the previous Government capped the number of SNA posts at 10,575 in December 2010. In December 2013, this Government agreed to increase the cap on SNAs by 390, increasing by 170 posts to 10,745 at the end of 2013, and by a further 220 posts to 10,965 at the end of 2014. These additional posts provided will enable the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to continue to allocate support to children who need it in order that they may fully participate in and benefit from their education. The Deputy will also be aware of my decision last June to authorise the NCSE to maintain the level of resource teaching allocations to be provided for students with special educational needs for the current school year to the 2012/13 levels. This decision resulted in the subsequent allocation of an additional 455 posts in October to maintain resource teaching provision at the same levels as last year. The level of investment being provided will ensure that provision can continue to be made to provide for the educational requirements of children with special educational needs, enrolled in all schools, to ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to have access to educational facilities in line with their requirements.
80. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects the entire educational sector to achieve progress in the current year by way of enhancing the potential of the educational sector to meet the ever increasing demand and competitiveness in the international marketplace with a view to ensuring the ability of the educational sector to make a major contribution to the economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16988/14]
View answerThe education sector's contribution to Ireland's economic recovery and international competitiveness lies in ensuring that the system meets Ireland's human capital needs. The economy requires an output of creative, adaptive skilled individuals. As enterprise sectors develop and expand, demand for employees with core technical and specialist expertise across a range of disciplines continues to grow. Employers also equally value more generic skills such as creativity, critical thinking, communication and interpersonal skills, and problem solving abilities. The fostering of these attributes and the development of core foundational skills in numeracy and literacy is built through the experience of students at both primary and second level. A key objective of the reform programme underway across the education and training sector is to seek to further improve the quality of the teaching and learning experience for all students and to ensure the ongoing supply of high quality graduates for the workforce. In relation to higher education specifically, one of the core objectives under the new Performance Framework for the higher education system is meeting Ireland's human capital needs across the spectrum of skills areas through both core funding and specifically targeted initiatives. The Deputy can be assured that meeting the requirements of industry is a high priority for the education and training sector.
81. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the full extent of training, re-education or further education places likely to be available through the aegis of his Department in 2014; the extent to which this will compare with 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16989/14]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, SOLAS, the new Further Education and Training Authority, was established in October 2013.SOLAS has recently submitted for my consideration a draft integrated Further Education & Training Services Plan for 2014, which was prepared with the full co-operation and participation of the 16 Education & Training Boards (ETBs). It provides, for the first time, integrated information on a common basis, of the full range of further education and training funded by the Department of Education & Skills. This plan presents a detailed picture of how the State's investment of some €826 million in 2014 is being applied by ETBs and SOLAS against current policy objectives. According to that plan, it is expected that circa 88,000 unemployed persons will become new entrants to Further Education and Training in 2014 and that SOLAS, working with the ETBs and Institutes of Technology, will also lead and manage training for an estimated over 2000 new apprenticeship registrants and provide for the existing apprentice population of approximately 7,000. In total, it is expected that over 340,000 beneficiaries will avail of further education and training provision in 2014.
82. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects his Department to be in a position to address the question of youth unemployment in the current year having regard to the special emphasis on the subject throughout Europe; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16990/14]
View answerThe development of Ireland's Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan was co-ordinated by my colleague, the Minister for Social Protection. My Department had a key role to play in contributing to the development of the Plan. There are five main approaches being taken to tackle youth unemployment: education, training, job search assistance/guidance, work experience, and encouraging job creation. These actions range across a number of Departments and Agencies and the contribution of the education and training sector is set out in the Plan.
83. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary schools in County Kildare awaiting approval in respect of replacement of buildings or provision of new structures or other facilities; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to meet such requirements in the current year, notwithstanding the ongoing budgetary position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16991/14]
View answer84. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of post-primary schools in County Kildare awaiting approval in respect of replacement of buildings or provision of new structures or other facilities; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to meet such requirements in the current year, notwithstanding the ongoing budgetary position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16992/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 83 and 84 together. The current status of all projects, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this will be updated regularly throughout the year. The Deputy will be aware that the Five Year Construction Plan, that I announced on 9 March 2012, outlines the major school projects that will commence construction over the duration of the Plan. The primary aim at the core of the Five Year Plan is focussed on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. Given the need to meet demographic growth, the delivery of new schools, together with extension projects, to meet future demand will be the main focus of the Department's budget for the coming years. My Department will also consider applications by schools for funding for additional classrooms where an immediate enrolment need is arising. Details of capital grants approved by my Department to all schools, including grants for additional classroom accommodation, grants for prefab replacement initiatives which replaced prefab units with permanent accommodation and grants awarded under the Summer Works Schemes 2014 may also be viewed on the Department's website.
