Written Answers Nos. 49-54
49. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current number of apprenticeships here by class and by participant per each class; his views on whether there are a sufficient number of apprenticeship places available here; his plans to reform the number of places on offer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16835/14]
View answerThis is a day to day operational matter for SOLAS. The statistical data requested by the Deputy is set out in the attachment to the question. It should be noted that apprenticeship is entirely demand-led with the State providing off-the-job training for all apprentices registered by approved employers.
The recently published Review of Apprenticeship Training in Ireland proposed a framework which provides scope for an expanded range of apprenticeships operating at any level of the National Framework of Qualifications, from Level 5 upwards. An independent review of apprenticeship training in Ireland was published in January. The review includes recommendations for change in the existing model as well as a number of detailed recommendations regarding the expansion of apprenticeship into other sectors.
My Department is currently undertaking a consultation process with stakeholders with regard to the implementation of the review group's recommendations. An implementation plan is expected to be finalised by the middle of the year.
Apprentice Registrations by Trade and Family Mar-14
|
- |
Jan-14 |
Feb-14 |
Mar-14 |
|
- |
YTD |
YTD |
YTD |
|
Trades |
- |
- |
- |
|
CONSTRUCTION |
- |
- |
- |
|
Brick & Stonelaying |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
Cabinetmaking |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Carpentry & Joinery |
9 |
10 |
13 |
|
Floor & Wall Tiling |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Painting & Decorating |
0 |
0 |
1 |
|
Plastering |
0 |
1 |
1 |
|
Plumbing |
38 |
44 |
14 |
|
Wood Manufacturing & Finishing |
0 |
2 |
1 |
|
Total |
47 |
59 |
31 |
|
ELECTRICAL |
- |
- |
- |
|
Aircraft Mechanics |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Electrical |
81 |
72 |
77 |
|
Electrical Instrumentation |
10 |
8 |
11 |
|
Electronic Security Systems |
0 |
4 |
0 |
|
Instrumentation |
0 |
1 |
0 |
|
Refrigeration & Air Conditioning |
5 |
6 |
3 |
|
Total |
96 |
92 |
91 |
|
ENGINEERING |
- |
- |
- |
|
Mechanical Automation & Maintenance Fitting |
25 |
9 |
13 |
|
Farriery |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Industrial Insulation |
0 |
2 |
0 |
|
Metal Fabrication |
14 |
13 |
14 |
|
Sheet Metalworking |
3 |
1 |
4 |
|
Toolmaking |
4 |
2 |
3 |
|
Total |
46 |
27 |
34 |
|
MOTOR |
- |
- |
- |
|
Agricultural Mechanics |
1 |
0 |
2 |
|
Construction Plant Fitting |
14 |
4 |
1 |
|
Heavy Vehicle Mechanics |
8 |
5 |
9 |
|
Motor Mechanics |
17 |
31 |
24 |
|
Vehicle Body Repairs |
2 |
1 |
2 |
|
Total |
42 |
41 |
38 |
|
PRINTING |
- |
- |
- |
|
Print Media |
1 |
0 |
0 |
|
Total |
1 |
- |
- |
|
Grand Total |
232 |
219 |
194 |
50. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 342 of 25 March 2015, if he will provide a list of the entire range of autism specific interventions that he is referring to in his response, not including applied behaviour analysis, treatment and education of autistic communication handicapped children and picture exchange communication system. [16842/14]
View answer51. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the specific peer reviewed research that supports and demonstrates the effectiveness of the treatment and education of autistic communication handicapped children approach. [16843/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 51 together. As outlined to the Deputy previously, my Department's position is that as each child with autism is unique, they should have access to a range of different approaches to meet their individual needs with access facilitated to individualised education programmes and fully qualified professional teachers who may draw from a range of autism specific interventions. Teachers have access, through the Special Education Support Service (SESS), to continuing professional development (CPD) in a range of autism specific interventions, including those referred to in my previous response. However there is not an exhaustive list of autism specific interventions. Teachers can contact SESS directly or can access information on an ongoing basis on the SESS website www.sess.ie which includes a comprehensive calendar of CPD events. The Deputy will be aware from my previous response that my Department's child – centred approach to the education of children with special educational needs including autism is based on advice from my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS); the Inspectorate, the report of the Irish Task Force on Autism which takes full account of advice from a range of international experts on autism, and research and reviews published by international and national experts and not just one specific piece of research. The National Council Special Education (NCSE) is currently preparing policy advice on the education of children with autism. The Policy Advice will be delivered in the spring of 2015 and will draw upon findings gathered from an extensive consultation process which has already commenced. The advice will also draw upon the research commissioned by the NCSE as well as any other research which may be available and which the NCSE considers merits consideration. It will be open to all interested parties to contribute to the consultation process and I expect that the NCSE final report will reflect the broadest possible range of views and provide recommendations which will assist the development of policy for future years.
52. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of hours of training that are provided to teachers and special needs assistants before they are deemed qualified to use the treatment and education of autistic communication handicapped children approach. [16844/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware of this Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. I am satisfied that current arrangements are adequate to ensure that teachers receive the necessary initial education and have access to quality continuous professional development (CPD) programmes during their career so that they are in a position to meet the needs of students. All primary teachers are qualified to teach in any primary or special school classroom. Teachers have access, through the Special Education Support Service (SESS), to continuing professional development in a range of autism specific interventions, including Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS). In relation to TEACCH, SESS works with Division TEACCH, University of North Carolina, USA to provide access to teachers to either a two-day or five-day course. The two-day TEACCH course consists of 14 hours training and the five-day TEACCH course consists of 35 hours training.
I wish to advise the Deputy that SNAs and teachers have separate yet complementary roles. The class teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in his/her class, including any pupil with a special educational need. In this task, the teacher may be supported by a learning support teacher and/or resource teacher. SNAs are allocated to schools to enable them to support pupils with disabilities who also have significant care needs. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. If specific training is required, the board should liaise with the Health Service Executive in order to ensure that the HSE provides guidance and/or training that enable the SNA to meet the care needs of the pupil in an appropriate manner.
53. Deputy Dara Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will commit to funding a school (details supplied) regarding it lease for the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16846/14]
View answerI understand that the school to which the Deputy refers has advised my Department that it wishes to enter a further lease in respect of its current school accommodation. My Department has been in contact with the school authorities to obtain further clarity in relation to the lease arrangements concerned and also to obtain the Patrons views, whose approval to the lease is also required. Once a response has been received, the matter can be considered further.
54. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Kildare has applied for funding to expand its physical capacity; his Department’s policy in relation to the size of the school’s intake as to determining when it will fund expansion; if construction of a general purposes room will be considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16859/14]
View answerI can confirm that the school in question applied to my Department for major capital funding for the replacement of prefabricated accommodation with a permanent structure and also for the provision of a General Purpose Room. The school has not applied for funding to facilitate its growth beyond its current core staffing level of a Principal and seven mainstream teachers. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that funding for the replacement of the prefabricated accommodation was provided under the 2012 Prefab Replacement Scheme. In view of the constraints imposed by the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential classroom accommodation, my Department is not in a position to provide funding for a General Purpose Room at this time. The Deputy will be aware that the over-riding objective of Education capital expenditure is to meet the demographic challenge facing the education system, whereby total pupil enrolment in both primary and post-primary schools is expected to grow by around 107,000 additional pupils between 2012 and 2019 - over 70,000 at primary level and over 35,000 at post primary - and will continue to rise at post primary level to the year 2026, at least. The 5 Year Construction Plan prioritises major school projects in areas where future significant demographic changes have been identified. The Forward Planning Section of my Department will continue to analyse demographic trends and monitor enrolments in all areas to determine the level of additional school provision which will be required into the future. It is open to a school experiencing significant demand for school places that would warrant an additional mainstream teacher to consult with my Department should it not be possible to accommodate the additional teacher in the school's existing accommodation.
