Written Answers Nos. 171-177
171. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to meet the requirements in respect of special needs teachers at primary and secondary level schools; if she has identified the locations most seriously challenged in this regard; her plans to deal with the issue in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22680/15]
View answer172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which sufficient resources remain available to her Department to meet the special needs teacher requirements in all schools at primary and secondary level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22681/15]
View answer180. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which primary and secondary level schools throughout County Kildare continue to have the necessary number of classes, accommodation and teachers to meet the needs of children with autism spectrum disorder, or similar needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22690/15]
View answer183. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which her Department has received requests for extra special needs teachers or special needs assistants in County Kildare; her plans to address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22693/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 171, 172, 180 and 183 together. The Deputy will be aware that this Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including pupils in Co. Kildare, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. Many pupils with special educational needs will be able to attend a local mainstream school, whereas for pupils who have needs which require more specialist interventions, special class and special school placements are provided for. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will increase its allocation of Resource Teacher Posts to schools by over 9%, by allocating 6,454 resource teacher posts to schools for the start of the coming school year, which is an increase of 554 posts since September 2014, while over 120 new special classes will open for 2015/16 school year. Resource Teachers and SNAs are allocated by the NCSE in response to qualifying applications received from schools and accordingly these allocations reflect the needs as they arise throughout the Country. Overall the resource teacher posts have expanded by 22% since September 2013 – from 5,285 to 6,454 posts in schools. In addition, 11,330 SNA posts, an increase of 365 posts, or over 3%, are available to the NCSE to allocate to the end of 2015, which is also a greater level than has ever previously been available, to reflect demographic growth and increased demand for SNA support. This year we have again increased the number of Resource Teachers and SNAs which will be allocated to schools, which is in excess of demographic increases in 2015 of approximately 1.8% at primary level and 1.2% at post primary level. This means that more children than ever before are receiving resource teaching and SNA support in schools. It ensures that schools can continue to provide the additional teaching and SNA supports required to assist the meaningful inclusion of pupils with special needs in mainstream schools.
173. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which her Department has identified locations currently experiencing the most serious needs in terms of class size and classroom overcrowding; her plans to address the issue within a reasonable time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22682/15]
View answerMy focus in Budget 2015 was on obtaining the additional funding that was necessary to provide for demographic growth. The last Budget included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60m during 2015.
This funding will be used to provide 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs for our schools, as well as to fund prioritised reforms, such as implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy, reform of junior cycle, and the introduction of education focused pre-school inspections. The improvements in the Primary Staffing Schedule for small schools which I announced in February last are the only changes that I will be making to the staffing arrangements for schools for the 2015/16 school year. My Department is currently carrying out a nationwide demographic exercise to determine where additional school places might be needed over the next number of years. On foot of this review, arrangements will be made to provide additional accommodation where this is needed. My Department continues to review the most up to date demographic information to ensure that any emerging school accommodation shortfalls are identified and met in a timely manner. The Government's approach to restoring the economy has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth over a sustained period that will enable us to move to a point where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about further improvement in PTR, class size and support for classroom teachers. The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.
174. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which her Department has examined the submission for a Gaelcholaiste in North Kildare, with particular reference to the strong case made by the local feeder schools; her views on the commitment and dedication of the local groups in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22683/15]
View answerMy Department is currently examining the extent and location of additional post-primary places that will be needed on a nationwide basis from 2017 onwards. This will include an examination of the north Kildare area. A submission received from a Patron body in relation to all-Irish provision in north Kildare will be taken into consideration as part of this examination. In the meantime, my Department has clearly indicated that it is open to the idea of the establishment of an independent Gaelchólásite for the north Kildare area. My Department has already committed to consider this if sufficient and viable demand for education through the medium of Irish in an Aonad in a post-primary school in the area is demonstrated over a four-year cycle.
175. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which her Department continues to support the various smaller denominational and non-denominational rural and urban schools, with a view to ensuring that the highest possible standards in education remain available to children in all areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22684/15]
View answerMy Department is very aware of the importance of small schools to rural communities, and particularly the most dispersed and remote communities. To sustain such communities, I recently announced two new policy measures. The first measure provides for improved changes to the staffing schedule for small schools that are more than 8 km distant from the next nearest school of the same type of patronage and language of instruction. The second measure is the development of a voluntary amalgamation protocol for the very smallest schools that have reducing enrolments and are located within an 8 km distance of a school of similar patronage and language of instruction. Both these measures are intended to provide rural communities with security about the future of their small schools.
176. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the number of incidents of school bullying continue to be made known to her Department; if she is satisfied that adequate safeguards remain in place to ensure early detection, and where necessary, corrective action; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22685/15]
View answer177. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which her Department continues to be alerted to incidents of bullying of children after school hours; if she is satisfied that adequate protection exists for children in such circumstances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22686/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 176 and 177 together. There is no requirement on schools to report bullying incidents to my Department. The Deputy will be aware that my Department published new anti-bullying procedures for all primary and post primary schools at the beginning of the 2013/14 school year. These procedures are designed to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour amongst its pupils. All Boards of Management are required to adopt and implement an anti-bullying policy that fully complies with the requirements of the procedures. A template anti-bullying policy which must be used by all schools for this purpose is included in the procedures. The procedures outline key principles of best practice for both preventing and tackling bullying and require all schools to commit to these principles in their anti-bullying policy. In particular, they emphasise that a cornerstone in the prevention of bullying is a positive school culture. In that regard, the procedures set out the need for schools to encourage and strengthen open dialogue between all school staff and pupils and to ensure they provide appropriate opportunities for pupils to raise their concerns in an environment that is comfortable for the pupil. The procedures also recognise the importance of good supervision and monitoring systems to prevent bullying and facilitate early intervention. The school's anti-bullying policy must explicitly confirm that appropriate supervision and monitoring policies and practices are in place to both prevent and deal with bullying behaviour. In relation to reporting bullying behaviour, the procedures make clear that a pupil or parent my bring a bullying concern to any teacher in the school and individual teachers must take appropriate measures regarding reports of bullying behaviour in accordance with the school's anti-bullying policy. The procedures require that all reports, including anonymous reports of bullying must be investigated and dealt with and that it should be made clear to all pupils that when they report incidents of bullying they are not considered to be telling tales but are behaving responsibly. The procedures include specific requirements in relation to the consistent investigation, follow up and recording of bullying behaviour amongst pupils. There is a requirement in the procedures for the school Principal to report regularly to the Board of Management in relation to the overall number of bullying cases and provide confirmation that they are being dealt with in accordance with the anti-bullying procedures. The Board is also required, under the procedures, to undertake an annual review of the school's anti-bullying policy and its implementation by the school. Written confirmation that the review has been completed must be made available to the Parents' Association and published on the school website. Arising from commitments made in the Action Plan on Bullying, my Department's Inspectorate is placing a stronger focus on the actions schools take to create a positive school culture and to prevent and tackle bullying. For example, parent and student questionnaires issued as part of whole school evaluations, include, since January 2014, additional questions to get a clearer picture of how the school deals with bullying. Furthermore, the Inspectorate's plan for 2015 provides for collaborative research to be conducted in a sample of primary and post primary schools on how schools provide for pupils' wellbeing. This will culminate in a research report which will highlight best practice. This is also an issue that will need to be considered in the context of developing a Parent and Students Charter that each school will be obliged to have. An important aspect of the Charter will be how parents receive information and feedback on the operation of school policies and how parents concerns are addressed.
