Written Answers Nos. 1301 - 1320
1301. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills when approval will be given to the upgrade and extension of a school (details supplied) in County Galway; the reason for the delay with this project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31582/15]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for capital funding for an extension.
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has reviewed the scope of the project and has recently finalised the accommodation brief for the school in question. In that context, the project will shortly be progressed into the architectural planning process.
The next step involves the appointment of a Design Team and my officials will be in contact with the school in this regard shortly.
1302. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department supports the introduction of out-of-hours care service provision in primary schools; if her Department is aware of the number of primary schools under its remit currently providing out-of-hours care services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31584/15]
View answerMy Department does not have a remit in relation to the establishment of after-school childcare services. In general the day to day management of school buildings is carried out at local level and school authorities have a considerable degree of autonomy in relation to how their premises are managed and utilised. It should also be noted that the vast majority of primary school buildings in the country are in private ownership.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs administers a number of programmes which provide after-school childcare, including:
- The After-School Childcare (ASCC) Programme, which provides after-school childcare for primary school children of eligible parents for a period of 52 weeks. This Programme contributes €40 per week for an after-school place or €80 per week in situations where the childcare service provides a pick-up service that collects the child from school. The Programme also provides a full day care rate of €105 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. In all cases, the maximum fee payable by parents is €15 per week per child. Eligibility for this Programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection.
- The Community Employment Childcare (CEC) programme, which is targeted specifically at participants in the Community Employment (CE) schemes operated by the Department of Social Protection. Under this programme, €80 per week is provided for pre-school places for children up to the age of 5 and €40 per week for after-school places for primary school children up to the age of 13, with a set charge of €15 per week to the parent in either case. The programme also provides a part time day care rate of €80 per week, for a maximum of 10 weeks, to cater for school holiday periods. Places are approved for 50 weeks. Eligibility for the CEC programme is determined by the Department of Social Protection.
- The Childcare Education and Training Support (CETS) programme, which provides childcare places, including part-time and after-school places, to qualifying Solas or Education and Training Boards (ETB) trainees or students for the duration of their courses. Eligibility for the CETS programme is determined by the Department of Education and Skills.
- The Community Childcare Subvention (CCS) programme, which provides funding to community childcare services to enable them to provide quality childcare, including after-school care, at reduced rates to disadvantaged and low income working parents.
The recent Report of the Inter-Departmental Group on Future Investment in Early Years and After-School Care and Education sets out a range of options for future investment to enhance affordability, increase the accessibility and improve the quality of after-school childcare, including the development of quality standards for after-school childcare, consultation with children on after-school childcare, a subvention system to amalgamate existing funding programmes and a capital fund to support the development of after-school childcare on school premises. The options in the Report of the Inter-Departmental Group are currently being considered as part of the Estimates Process for 2016.
1303. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding to make a school yard safe for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31585/15]
View answerThe school in question applied for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme for the works to which the Deputy refers.
As the scope of works is outside the terms of this scheme, the application cannot be considered for funding. The school authority has been informed of this decision. It is open to the school authority to apply for funding under a future Summer Works Scheme.
1304. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the requirement of any organisation wishing to provide additional services or classes within a primary school to obtain a licence from the school patron; the cost of securing this licence; to whom the licence fee is paid; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31587/15]
View answerIn 2005, my Department issued a circular to Trustees, Boards of Management and Principals of Primary and Voluntary Secondary Schools (Circular Letter Prim 16/05) to encourage Trustees and Boards of Management to make their facilities available where possible for community, education and recreation purposes. This circular specifies, inter alia, that where facilities are made available a licence agreement should be put in place.
In general, school authorities have a considerable degree of autonomy in relation to how their premises are managed and utilised at local level and in that regard licence arrangements are a matter for the relevant school authorities. It should also be noted that the vast majority of primary school buildings in the country are in private ownership.
1305. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a design team will be appointed to a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31612/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that a Major Capital Project in respect of the school, to which he refers, is being progressed into the architectural planning process.
The proposed project will include the complete replacement of prefabs with permanent classrooms in addition to a significantly enhanced level of permanent specialist and ancillary accommodation. The project brief is currently being finalised. Once this process is completed, the design team appointment process will commence.
1306. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the allocation of a third teacher for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31626/15]
View answer1310. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine an appeal by the board of management of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry regarding the need for replacing the third teacher in the all-boys school which is located in the Gaeltacht with a delivering equality of opportunity in schools Band 2 status and where there is no allowance for the weighted system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31650/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1306 and 1310 together.
The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie.
The circular sets out the improvements to the staffing schedule for the 2015/16 school year for small schools. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for isolated one-teacher schools.
An appeals process is also available to small schools. Details of the appeals criteria are set out in the published staffing arrangements. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the October, 2015 meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Schools that have submitted an appeal will be informed of the decision of the Board after this meeting takes place.
The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
1307. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on discussions held between the board of management of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry and development officials in respect of the urgent need for alterations to some existing landscaping plans to enable a school bus turning area and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31643/15]
View answerAn application for funding to address traffic management issues at the school to which the Deputy refers is currently being assessed in my Department. A decision will issue to the Board of Management as soon as it is available.
1308. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on progress with regard to the development of a new school (details supplied) in County Donegal; when planning permission will be sought; the likely timeframe for completion of the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31645/15]
View answerThe project referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of the Architectural Planning process. The Board of Management and their Design Team are currently working on completing the Stage 2a which is the Developed Design Stage. Upon successful completion of stage 2A and subject to no issues arising the project will then be authorised to proceed to Stage 2B of Architectural Planning, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents.
Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was not possible to include this project in the 5 year construction programme announced in March 2012.
School building projects, including the project referred to by the Deputy, which have been initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages of architectural planning in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to the Department in the future.
1309. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress with a submission by the board of management of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry for a new school due to the deterioration of the existing school's structural condition, which is a mid-19th century build; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31646/15]
View answer1331. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a new school building will be provided for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32044/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1309 and 1331 together.
I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to provide a new school building.
My Department was in contact with the School Authorities in respect of their proposal and will be in a position to assess the proposal further when a response to the queries raised is received.
1311. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expected commencement date for construction of a school (details supplied) in County Galway; if the tender process is complete; if all the legal issues with the site are sorted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31653/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will appreciate, due diligence must apply in relation to any site acquisition.
With regard to the proposed site for the school referred to by the Deputy, issues outside the control of my Department arose during the conveyancing process. These issues have now been addressed which will enable the conveyancing process to be progressed.
In the interim period the Department had been progressing plans for the delivery of the school building. Planning permission has been obtained and assuming no further issues arise, the Department expects to be in a position to advance the project to construction once the conveyancing process has been satisfactorily concluded.
1313. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on previous correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31667/15]
View answerMy Department approved funding to the school referred to by the Deputy for a building project to provide a one classroom Special Needs Unit together with a secure hard/soft play area and parking associated with the new unit. A once-off set up grant for the Unit was also approved and I understand the project was completed in early 2013.
The school sought additional funding in respect of the project earlier this year. My Department sought clarification in respect of the funding request in order to consider the matter further. Additional information was received, however further clarification is required and my Department contacted the school recently in this regard.
Once the additional clarification required has been received the matter will be considered further.
1314. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the precise role of physical education in the new junior cycle short course of well-being; the exact allocation of hours that will be given to PE; if the current 132 hours allocated will be reduced to 100 hours under the short course model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31719/15]
View answerThe Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 which was published in August sets out a clear vision of how teaching, learning and assessment in the Junior Cycle will be reformed to ensure a learning experience for young people that is highly engaging for them and appropriate to the needs of the 21st century.
In relation to the role of physical education, under the new Framework I have asked the NCCA to consider the Wellbeing Area which will, inter alia, address the content, skills and learning outcomes in CSPE, SPHE and Physical Education. My Department has recently issued a circular to post primary schools on the Promotion of Healthy Lifestyles which provides advice on a number of areas including the importance of physical education and physical activity.
1315. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason special needs assistant contracts of 15 hours are not available to employees in receipt of carer's allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31742/15]
View answerThe position is that the provisions of the Job Sharing Scheme for Special Needs Assistants in Recognised Primary and Post-Primary Schools are outlined in my Department's Circular Letter 41/2014.
In accordance with the Circular, Special Needs Assistants may apply to share a wholetime post on a 50:50 basis i.e. 16 hours per week in both Primary and Post Primary Schools. The terms of the scheme were agreed with the School Management Bodies and the relevant Trade Unions and have general application to all Special Needs Assistants.
Rules pertaining to social welfare payments are a matter for the Department of Social Protection.
1317. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the elements of the standard curriculum at secondary level that have been implemented to tackle the high rate of teenage suicide; her plans to make such a policy form a mandatory part of the curriculum; her views that there are lessons to be learned from a comparative programme designed to address teen pregnancy rates; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31855/15]
View answerI am aware of the serious problem of youth suicide and of the role that schools can play in prevention.
My Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of positive mental health awareness in both primary and post-primary schools. The Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health and to supporting those with a broad range of problems, behavioural emotional and social.
The process spans the curriculum in schools, whole-school ethos, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, student support and pastoral care and the provision of professional development for teachers. It also involves other supports such as educational psychological services and guidance and counselling services, and the interface with other agencies, both nationally and locally.
Schools are assisted by Well-Being in Post-Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention (2012), which was developed to implement Action 2.1 of Reach Out: the National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention 2005-2014 (HSE, 2005).
The Guidelines are for all members of the school community, boards of management and in-school management teams who play a central leadership role in mental health promotion. They are also useful for parents' associations, student councils, health and other personnel who are seeking an understanding of how to work in and with schools.
It is also important that this message is conveyed to pupils at an early age. To this end, Wellbeing Guidelines for Primary Schools have been recently produced by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. The guidelines are informed by consultation with key Education and Health partners and by the findings of current research. They provide practical guidance to schools on how they can promote mental health and well-being in an integrated school-wide way and they also provide evidence-based advice on how to support young people who may be at risk of suicidal behaviour.
The Guidelines build on the significant work already taking place in primary schools, including through the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum, the whole-school guidance plan, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) continuum of support model and the HSE, Health Promoting Schools Process. Information is also provided on how to access support from the SPHE Support Service and other external agencies and support services.
The new Framework for Junior Cycle (2015) also places a clear emphasis on overall student health and well-being. This Framework is underpinned by eight principles, one of which is "Well-being". It also has eight key skills which are to be embedded in every new Junior Cycle subject and short course including the key skills of "Managing Myself" and "Staying Well". In addition, the 24 'Statements of Learning' that a student should experience during their Junior Cycle programme involve the student taking action to safeguard and promote their own well-being and that of others.
One of the innovative features of the Junior Cycle Framework is the introduction of short courses that schools can choose to implement. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has developed a new short course in SPHE, which may be delivered for certification purposes and will involve an increase in the time allocation for SPHE at Junior Cycle up to 100 hours over the three year cycle. The new short course is now available to implement in post-primary schools, should they wish to do so, as part of their Junior Cycle programme. It includes strands such as "Minding Myself and Others" and "My Mental Health", and deals with issues such as mental health and mental ill-health, dealing with tough times, loss and bereavement.
My Department is also working with the Department of Health to promote participation by primary and post-primary schools in the 'Health Promoting Schools' initiative, which is supported by the Department of Health. This European-wide programme aims to strengthen schools' capacity to be a healthy setting for learning and working by focusing at whole-school level on all the conditions that affect health and well-being.
All schools are required to develop and implement a Relationships and Sexuality (RSE) programme at junior cycle and senior cycle in post-primary schools. RSE includes the acquisition of knowledge and understanding, and the development of attitudes, beliefs and values about relationships, sexual identity and intimacy, and includes the topics of pregnancy, and unplanned pregnancy.
1318. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if and when the necessary steps will be taken to enable the education and training boards to become patrons for community national schools. [31874/15]
View answerCommunity National Schools (CNSs) represent a new policy initiative approved by Government to deal with increasing societal diversity and demand for greater choice in education provision at primary school level in Ireland. There are a total of eleven CNSs, located in counties Cork, Dublin, Kildare, Meath and Wicklow.
The Community National Schools are currently under the interim patronage of the Minister for Education and Skills. Cork, Dublin & Dun Laoghaire, Kildare & Wicklow and Louth & Meath Education and Training Boards (ETBs) are patrons-designate for the schools. The arrangements for the transfer of patronage of the schools to the relevant ETB are currently being considered by my Department.
1319. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason phase 2 of development work on a school (details supplied) in County Dublin has not yet commenced, despite assurances that it would be completed in time for the 2015-16 academic year; when phase 2 will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31878/15]
View answerThe Major Building Project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The school's Design Team are currently working on Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which involves obtaining planning permission, fire certificate and disability access certificate and the completion of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.
Once the Stage 2b Tender documentation is submitted, the Department will carry out its review and subject to no issues arising the project will then progress to tender and construction stages.
1320. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding professional registration in respect of a person (detail supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31913/15]
View answerSince 2006 the Teaching Council is the statutory regulator and standards body for the teaching profession.
One of the functions of the Council is to register teachers in Ireland. The Council is independent in the discharge of its regulatory functions.
Accordingly, this matter should be raised directly with the Council.
