Wednesday, 17 Jun 2015

Written Answers Nos. 192 - 201

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Questions (192)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

192. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school children who were in classes of 30 or more during the 2014-15 school year, by county. [23968/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Provisional data on the number of pupils in classes of 30 or more for the 2014/2015 school year is available by individual primary school on my Department's website at the following link - http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Data-on-Individual-Schools/. This list includes the county council of the school. Final data in relation to the 2014/15 school year will be published later in the current school year.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (193)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

193. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding home tuition in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Kerry who was referred to a unit that has not been built yet; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23978/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement and provision is made for early educational intervention for children with autism. Eligibility for children seeking an educational placement is determined in consultation with the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO).

In the case referred to by the Deputy, the SENO has confirmed that there are places available in a local autism class for the 2014/2015 school year and therefore an application for home tuition was refused. The child's parents were advised accordingly last month.

In relation to the Deputy's reference to a new class being established the SENO has confirmed that a separate autism class has been established in another school which will be operational from September 2015.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Questions (194)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

194. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the timeframe it would take and cost to reduce pupil-teacher ratios to 20:1, at the rate of reducing class sizes by one pupil per year, taking into account growing number of students in the next few years. [23983/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The staffing schedule at primary level operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools.

Each one point adjustment to the current 28:1 schedule at primary level is estimated to cost of the order of 250 posts (€15m).

My 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 focussed 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.

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 an improvement in PTR, class size and support for classroom teachers.

Departmental Correspondence

Questions (195)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

195. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue to an interim reply (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24020/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise that my Department has recently contacted the school referred to by the Deputy to seek clarification in respect of the issues arising. On receipt of this clarification, the matter will be considered further.

I will issue a separate final response to the Deputy reflecting the above position in the coming days.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (196)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

196. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when she received additional plans from a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; when a reply will issue from her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24022/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Major Building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of Architectural Planning - Stage 1 - Preliminary Design which involves the initial sketch scheme for the project.

A Pre Stage 1 Stakeholder Meeting was held in December 2014. Based on the information presented at the meeting, the Department and School Authority were of the view that there were a number of issues which needed resolution before the Design Team developed the initial sketch proposals to completion of Stage 1. Following resolution of these issues the Board of Management and their Design Team prepared the Stage 1 submission which was received by my Department earlier this month for review.

On completion of the review, and subject to no issues arising, the Board of Management and its Design Team will be authorised to progress to Stage 2a, Developed Design Stage.

This project is included in my Department's five year construction programme announced in 2012.

Physical Education Facilities

Questions (197)

Derek Nolan

Question:

197. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that a school (details supplied) in County Galway has done significant fundraising for a new sports hall on its campus; if she will consider part-funding sports halls for schools considering the increased focus on, and importance of, physical education for children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24024/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy is aware, my Department devolved very significant funding to the school in question in 2010 and 2011 to provide additional general classrooms, specialist rooms and ancillary accommodation to meet the school's accommodation needs.

I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve Physical Education facilities for all pupils attending schools within the constraints of the available funding.

I also wish to advise the Deputy that the Physical Education curriculum has been designed on the basis that facilities in schools may vary. Practically all schools have outdoor play areas which are used for teaching different aspects of the P.E. programme. In addition, many schools, including the school in question use local facilities, which can include public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.

As the Deputy is also aware, due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not possible at this point to provide an indicative timeframe for the provision of funding towards a multi-purpose/PE hall for the school concerned.

However, if the school has a co-funding proposal that it wishes to submit to my Department, it is open to the school to submit that proposal for consideration.

School Transport Provision

Questions (198)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

198. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the distance in kilometres, as determined by Bus Éireann, from Urris to Carndonagh Community School in County Donegal, and the distance in kilometres, as determined by Bus Éireann, from Urris to either Crana College or Scoil Mhuire in Buncrana in County Donegal, using the main routes, and not the road through Mamore Gap; if she is aware that Bus Éireann has confirmed to families that it will not be using Mamore Gap when transporting students from Urris to their nearest secondary school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24067/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has confirmed that Buncrana post primary education centre is the nearest education centre to families residing in the Urris area.

Distance eligibility for school transport is determined by measuring the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the nearest education centre.

The Deputy will be aware that the shortest traversable route between a child's home and the nearest education centre may be either a pedestrian or vehicular route, and it is not necessarily the route that the school bus takes.

The terms of the school transport scheme are applied equitably on national basis.

Schools Refurbishment

Questions (199)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

199. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a final reply will issue further to her interim reply (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24068/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, this school made an application to my Department for funding for a GP room. The current status of all projects on the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this is updated regularly throughout the year.

Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, imposed by the need to prioritise funding available for the provision of essential additional classroom accommodation, my Department is not in a position to indicate at this point when a GP room for the school in question will be progressed.

I will issue a separate final response to the Deputy reflecting the above position in the coming days.

School Management

Questions (200)

Martin Heydon

Question:

200. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department provides specific guidelines to primary schools on the times they should start school every morning and when premises should be open and available for children to be dropped off; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24075/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Rules for National Schools require that a school must be open to receive pupils not later than 9.30 a.m. Subject to this requirement, the decision with regard to the actual opening time of a primary school is a matter for the Board of Management of the school concerned.

My Department has not issued any guidelines to school in relation to when the school premises should be open for children to arrive in advance of the official opening time. This is a matter for each individual school having regard to its own specific circumstances.

School Staff

Questions (201)

Seán Fleming

Question:

201. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Garda Síochána clearance is required for all persons teaching and working in schools; if this procedure applies to members of the boards of management of schools and to bodies that oversee the provision of schools, such as Educate Together, Gaelscoileanna and other national organisations; if Garda Síochána vetting is required for board members in these situations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24079/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The current arrangements for Garda vetting of teaching and non-teaching school staff were introduced in September 2006. In late 2010, my Department issued Circular 0063/2010 which updated and clarified the requirements for Garda vetting as part of recruitment procedures for all teaching and non-teaching positions. This circular also set out the vetting requirements of non-employees such as volunteers, sports coaches etc. In relation to non-employees, the key criterion in determining whether a vetting requirement arises is whether the person will have or may have unsupervised access to children in the school. This would not normally be the case in the case of board of management members or persons employed by the bodies referred to by the Deputy.

The existing Garda vetting arrangements for the recognised schools sector operate on a non-statutory basis. However, the Deputy will be aware that the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012, will, when commenced, put in place statutory requirements for vetting of persons involved in working with children and vulnerable adults, including those working in schools.