Written Answers Nos.216-227
216. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills to have a special needs assistant assigned to a person (details supplied) who cannot attend school due to requiring a personal special needs assistant whom the school has been unable to provide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33710/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs.
The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support, which is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.
All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2015/16 school year by 18th March 2015. The NCSE also continued to accept applications after this date in recognition that enrolments may not have been completed or where assessments were not completed.
The NCSE has now published details of SNA allocations for schools for September 2015 on its website at www.ncse.ie.
Once allocated, 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. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
Details of the manner in which a school or parent may appeal the level of SNA or resource teaching allocation which has been made to support a child in school, to the NCSE, is set out on the NCSE website.
All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, while Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available the NCSE website.
As this question relates to an allocation for an individual child, I will arrange to have the matter referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
217. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for funding for a school extension (details supplied) in County Mayo; when a decision is expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33719/15]
View answerI am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved a devolved grant to the school in question for the provision of 5 new permanent general classrooms to replace existing prefabs. This additional accommodation will greatly enhance the accommodation available to the school and the school authority has been advised accordingly.
218. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to expedite a long-awaited schools building project for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if she is aware of the current need to upgrade and replace much of the school's ageing facilities and equipment, particularly given that enrolment numbers for the 2015-2016 academic year have seen a marked increase by comparison with previous years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33747/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that architectural planning has commenced for a building project at the school to which he refers. The project is at an early stage of the architectural planning process, Stage 2(a) - Developed Design Stage. The next stage involves my Department meeting with the Board of Management and their Design Team for the Stage 2a Stakeholder meeting and this will take place shortly. Following this meeting and subject to no issues arising, the project will be authorised to progress to Stage 2b – Detailed Design Stage which includes the applications for Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. Planning permission has already been secured.
In view of the need to prioritise the provision of mainstream teaching accommodation in areas of significant demographic growth, it was not possible to include this project in the current 5 Year Construction Programme. However, the project is being progressed to the final planning stages so that it will be well placed for consideration in the context of future construction programmes.
219. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason an application for a laptop for a child (details supplied) in County Cork, which was recommended by the Health Service Executive, has been refused; if she will request that the matter be reconsidered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33750/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology is required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in making recommendations for support, which is set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013.
In order to qualify for equipment under the assistive technology scheme, a child must have been diagnosed with a physical or communicative disability and must also have a recommendation in a professional assessment that the equipment is essential in order to allow the child to access the curriculum. It must also be clear that the existing I.T. equipment in the school is insufficient to meet the child's needs.
I can advise the Deputy that an application for assistive technology support for the child referred to in his question has been received in my Department. A response will issue to the school shortly following consideration of the application.
220. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current average waiting time for a child to be assessed by the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will provide, in tabular form, the average waiting times for each individual year from 2010 to 2014. [33751/15]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
NEPS does not keep waiting lists for assessments of children but in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution focused consultative approach to maximize positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties.
Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention. This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention. This process has been embedded by NEPS psychologists in the Primary sector with the production by the Department of Special Educational Needs – A Continuum of Support guidance and resource materials which has been distributed to all schools since 2007/8. In late 2010 similar support documentation was produced in relation to Emotional and Behavioural difficulties in the Primary sector and in relation to a formal Post-Primary Continuum process.
The continua described above all involve a graduated problem solving model of assessment and intervention in schools processes which moves from basic classroom based interventions to more specialised and individual interventions and comprise three distinct school based phases characterised as follows:
Classroom Support – is an intervention which is co-ordinated by the Class Teacher and is carried out in the regular classroom,
School Support - is an assessment and intervention process which is usually co-ordinated by the learning support/resource teacher working alongside the class teacher. Interventions at this stage will be additional to those provided through classroom support.
School Support Plus – is generally characterised by the school requesting the involvement by the relevant external service (predominantly NEPS) in more detailed assessment and development of intervention programmes. This level of intervention is for children with complex and/or enduring needs and whose progress is considered inadequate, despite carefully planned interventions at previous levels.
The staged model recognises that pupils present with a wide range of issues and difficulties and allows for their amelioration and intervention at the level most appropriate to the particular need. The continuum approach ensures that pupils presenting within this range are dealt with quickly and at the appropriate level without the establishment of a waiting list for formal assessment.
221. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the development of a new building for a school (details supplied) in County Galway; if Galway County Council has completed the takeover of a road leading to the proposed development site; the outstanding issues, if any, before construction can commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33754/15]
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.
222. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average waiting time for the registration of teachers with the Teaching Council of Ireland, given the necessity for a person who has trained as a primary school teacher abroad to be certified as competent to teach Irish, through Marino College in Dublin 3, where registration is required by November 2015. [33758/15]
View answerThe Council is obliged under the terms of EU Directive 2005/36/EC to grant registration to teachers who have completed 'regulated education and training' and are deemed fully qualified as a teacher under the terms of the Directive in another EU/EEA Member State. The Council published requirements in this area in a notice of compliance with the Directive in May 2010.
The processing time for an application for registration varies on the type of application and whether an assessment of qualifications is required (to determine if the qualification(s) meet the Council's registration criteria). Applicants, including newly qualified teachers (NQTs) who have provided full documentation and have completed the Garda vetting process at the time of application, are typically registered within one/two weeks of the date of application. However in cases where requested documentation remains outstanding, where qualification(s) assessment is required, where the outcome of the Garda vetting process is not returned in a timely manner, or where the Evidence of Character Panel is required to consider the outcome of the Garda vetting process, the registration process may be considerably longer.
The Council processes applications from teachers who have completed their initial teacher qualifications in EU Member States under the terms of Council Directive 2005/36/EC. The processing timeframes for such applications are set out under Article 51 of the Directive and the Council endeavours to remain compliant with the stated timeframes.
The Council is independent in the exercise of its regulatory functions, including the processing of applications for registration, and accordingly my Department does not have the details sought by the Deputy.
223. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will support and facilitate the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre in conducting a second Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland study. [33760/15]
View answerMy Department has been requested to provide support for the completion of a second SAVI (Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland) Study. The request is currently under consideration by officials within my Department.
224. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional classroom accommodation will be provided at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33763/15]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy recently made an application to my Department for capital funding for the provision of additional accommodation. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school as soon as the assessment process has concluded.
225. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the first-year and full-year cost of extending the school books grant scheme to all students in primary and post-primary schools. [33774/15]
View answerThere is a School Books Grant Scheme already in place that provides assistance for books for students in all recognised primary and post-primary schools within the Free Education Scheme. Under this scheme, my Department provides funding of €15 million annually to all these schools. The issue of extending this scheme does not therefore arise.
The arrangements in relation to this scheme are set out in Circular 0046/2013 which is published on my Department's website.
In addition, Budget 2014 provided funding of €5 million per annum for three years to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that did not operate such schemes. Under this additional funding, DEIS schools receive €150 per child and non-DEIS schools receive €100 per child in seed capital to establish book rental schemes. The schools which qualified for funding under this scheme received 70% of their funding in 2014 and received the remaining 30% in May 2015.
Primary schools that were operating book rental schemes prior to 2014 will also benefit from this funding. These schools will receive €18 per pupil in mainstream schools and €20 per pupil in DEIS schools over two year period or €7 or €8 per pupil in 2015 and €11 or €12 in 2016. These arrangements are set out in Circular 0030/2015.
Every primary school has now been given the opportunity to benefit from the funding secured for the School Book Rental Scheme.
226. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to the Exchequer of increasing the capitation grant to primary and post-primary schools by 2%; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33784/15]
View answer234. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of 5% and 10% increases in capitation funding for primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33906/15]
View answer235. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of 5% and 10% increases in capitation funding for secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33907/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 226, 234 and 235 together.
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. That increase has provided funding for 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs to be recruited for our schools, as well as funding important reforms. However, it was not possible to secure the funding which would be required to also increase the rates of capitation paid to our schools. I am aware of the impact budgetary decisions taken in our economic crisis have had on capitation and related grants to our primary and second level schools.
The detailed information sought by the Deputy can be gauged from the fact that each 1% increase in capitation and related grants would cost approx. €3.6m. (€1.9m at Primary Level, €1.7m at Second Level).
I am determined that education will be prioritised for investment in the coming years, and I believe that increasing the staffing and funding of our schools should be priorities for such investment.
227. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the situation in a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; if she will sanction approval for the school to retain current teacher numbers as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33788/15]
View answerThe 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. There is no change to the staffing of the school referred to by the Deputy for the 2015/16 school year. Based on an enrolment of 56 pupils on 30th September 2014, the school retains a mainstream staffing of Principal and 2 mainstream classroom teachers. In addition, the school retains the resource post and GAM/EAL post which it had in the 2014/15 school year.
The staffing arrangements for the 2016/17 school year will be published early in 2016.
