Written Answers Nos. 595-615
595. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will clarify a situation in regard to a school project (details supplied) in Dublin 6W; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36360/15]
View answerThe publicly-stated policy on patronage divesting is to use existing educational infrastructure to facilitate provision of diversity in areas where there is no demographic imperative to establish new schools. My Department can approve start-up divesting schools in commercial properties only where there is reasonable certainty of a school building or State-owned property coming on stream within a one or two-year period of a school start up. My Department is committed to working constructively with patron bodies to move forward the patronage divesting process in all areas, including Dublin 6 and Dublin 6W.
596. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding school extensions in County Kildare; if she will provide the information in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36361/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is finalising a nationwide demographic review to determine where additional post-primary school places might be needed from 2017 onwards. This includes an examination of the areas in County Kildare where the schools referred to by the Deputy are located. On foot of this review, arrangements will be made to provide additional post-primary accommodation where this is needed.
In the meantime, a building project is under construction to provide for approximately 480 additional post-primary school places in the fourth named school referenced in the details provided by the Deputy.
597. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue to her interim response (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36387/15]
View answerA response issued recently to the representation to which the Deputy refers.
598. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in a pupil (details supplied) in County Kilkenny receiving an assessment from the special educational needs officer regarding the allocation of a special needs assistant; and the steps that are being taken to ensure that the pupil is receiving assistance with education in the meantime. [36388/15]
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 are 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.
I understand that the pupil in question transferred from a school where SNA support had been in place and enrolled in a new school on 14th September, 2015.
The NCSE has advised that it received an application from the new school for SNA support for the pupil on 22nd September. The NCSE are currently considering this application and have advised that they will notify the school of its decision regarding the application for support this week.
I understand also that the NCSE has advised the parent of the pupil in question of the allocation processes, including the timeframes and deadlines which apply in this regard.
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.
599. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria attached to the announcement earlier in 2015 that 600 new special needs assistants are to be put in place; if these will be full-time and permanent posts, for primary and secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36389/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, in July last I announced that an additional 610 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts are being made available to the National Council for Special Education to allocate to schools to support children with special educational needs for the current school year.
From the beginning of September, there are 11,820 whole time equivalent SNA posts available in Primary, Post Primary and Special schools to support children with special educational needs with assessed care needs. This is the highest level of SNA allocation that we have ever had and builds on the increases of 365 additional SNA posts provided for in last year's budget announcement and the 390 additional SNA posts announced in December 2013. In total there has been an increase of 11.7% in SNA posts available for allocation to schools since this Government came to office.
These extra posts will ensure that the Government's policy of ensuring that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support.
I wish to advise the Deputy also 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 are set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.
Special Needs Assistant posts are allocated annually to schools to support pupils who have assessed care needs and who are attending the school and are therefore reviewed each year.
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 SNA allocations to schools for 2015/16 are available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.
600. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address the starting pay scales for teachers introduced in 2011, which have led to severe inequity and stress on new teachers, and will cause problems in the schools system going forward. [36414/15]
View answerSince the beginning of the financial crisis, there has been a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure. The previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable of all new entrants to public service recruitment grades (including teachers) by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011 and required that such new entrants would start on the first point of the applicable salary scale.
Subsequently, following the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments, the Government decided to withdraw or modify allowances for new beneficiary public servants with effect from 1 February 2012. Under this decision, certain allowances were withdrawn for new beneficiary teachers, including qualification allowances. However, the Government partially compensated for this by deciding that new entrant teachers would henceforth commence on a new salary scale which had a starting point higher than the starting point of the old scale.
These measures were implemented at time of very difficult financial and budgetary circumstances for the State.
Alleviation of the salary imbalance between those who entered the public service since 2011 and those who entered before that date began under the Haddington Road Agreement. Improved pay scales for post-1 January 2011 and post-1 February 2012 entrants to teaching were agreed and implemented under the terms of that Agreement. In addition, allowances payable to post-1 January 2011 entrants and such allowances as remain payable to post-1 February 2012 entrants were restored to pre-2011 levels.
The Lansdowne Road Agreement has, through salary increases and a reduction in the Pension-Related Deduction, begun the process of restoring the reductions to public service pay which were implemented over recent years. The issue of equalised pay scales was not one which could be resolved in the discussions which lead to the Agreement. However, the flat-rate increases contained in the Agreement will be proportionately more favourable to new entrants to teaching (who are lower on the pay scale) than to longer serving teachers.
601. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to further advance inter-institutional collaboration between institutes of higher education; the progress that has been made to ensure that greater consolidation, with regards to course delivery and service provision within the sector, is carried out on an all-island basis; her plans to introduce legislation which will give recognition to the establishment of strategic alliances between individual institutions, which willingly agree to enter into a cluster agreement; if she has considered the economic and societal benefits which such legislation will potentially yield, in terms of higher educational attainment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36432/15]
View answer602. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the findings and recommendations in a report compiled by Indecon International Economic Consultants in March 2009, entitled North West Gateway Strategic Alliance (NWGSA) Scoping Study, which was prepared for Letterkenny Institute of Technology and the University of Ulster, in which the delivery of higher education in the region is discussed; the progress that has been made to further advance co-operation between the institutions involved in the study; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36433/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 601 and 602 together.
Furthering inter-institutional collaboration was a major objective of the National Strategy 2011 and substantial progress has been made in this regard. In 2013, following the receipt of advice from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on the future landscape of higher education, my predecessor set out the policy framework for the establishment of clusters of higher education institutions (HEIs). These clusters have commenced work in the designated priority areas of academic planning and student pathways, and some have made considerable progress. These cluster objectives have also been included in the mission based compacts agreed between the HEA and each HEI. Regional Skills fora are also being developed to underpin the interaction between HEIs, further education and training providers and enterprise on skills needs at regional level. Collaboration among regional stakeholders is a strong feature of the Action Plans for Jobs Regional initiative.
In respect of all island provision, there are significant bilateral linkages between individual HEIs in the border regions, particularly Dundalk IT, IT Sligo and Letterkenny IT, and the University of Ulster and Queen's University Belfast. I am aware of the Indecon report of 2009 referred to by the Deputy; however I understand that despite some work by both institutions to develop co-ordinated planning and provision it has not been possible to advance this significantly in the interim.
603. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a child (details supplied) in County Donegal will receive a psychological assessment from the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36442/15]
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), full details of which are on the Department's website. 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.
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 maximise 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 or assessment.
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.
I would advise therefore that if the parents of the child in question, have specific concerns about his educational progress, that they speak in the first instance to the Principal of the school with a view to raising these concerns with the NEPS psychologist assigned.
604. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of, a situation at a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the request regarding teacher numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36447/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools are published annually on the Department's 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 the coming school year 2015/16 are set out in Circular 0005/2015 which is available on the website. An appeals process is also available to schools. Details of the appeals criteria are also set out in the published staffing arrangements. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal to the October, 2015 meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The school has been informed that its appeal has been upheld.
605. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the changes that have been made in budget 2016 in regard to special education needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36448/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that funding for special education provision in 2016 will amount to some €1.5bn billion, which is equivalent to 17.6% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training.
As well as providing funding to meet the full year costs in 2016 of Resource Teachers appointed for the 2015/16 year, funding is also being provided to meet the cost of up to an additional 600 Resource Teachers for 2016/17.
Provision is being provided to meet the costs of Special Needs Assistants for the current school year, including in relation to the 610 additional posts which I announced earlier this year, and which are available to the National Council for Special Education to allocate to provide supports for children with special educational needs.
Children with special educational needs will also benefit from a range of other measures which were also announced as part of Budget 2016.
The 2016 Estimate for Education and Skills will provide for some 2,260 additional teaching posts next year. This includes 850 posts as a result of improvements in the staffing schedules in primary and post-primary schools and measures to strengthen school leadership, 810 additional teachers to meet demographic pressures.
The Estimate also provides additional funding to support ongoing policy initiatives including the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, Junior Cycle Reform, Schools ICT, the Music Generation Project and other curriculum change projects. Further funding is also being made available to extend book rental schemes to cover all primary schools.
606. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills due to the socio-economic make-up of the catchment area in question, if she will extend Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools status to Merlin College Secondary School and to Merlin Woods Primary School in County Galway. [36455/15]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, I have recently commenced a process to renew the DEIS programme. The review process is being undertaken over the course of the current school year and will consider all issues pertaining to educational disadvantage.
As I have already announced pending the outcome of this review I will not be making any changes to the current programme, including the additionally of further schools.
607. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for a new primary school for the Doughiska and Roscam area of Galway, which has seen unprecedented population growth in recent years. [36485/15]
View answerMy Department takes the decision to establish a new school in order to meet demographic demand. In this regard, the Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for additional school places will arise. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Department of Social Protection in addition to information from the Department's own databases. It also uses data from the local authorities. With all of this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. My Department is currently reviewing the latest nationwide demographic data to assess where additional provision may be required at primary level post- 2016. This exercise encompasses all areas of the country, including the Galway city and environs area.
Correspondence has been received on the possible requirements at primary level in the Doughiska/Roscam area, as referenced by the Deputy.
Once the requirement for a new school in a particular area is identified, the Department publicises this requirement and initiates an open patronage determination process to decide who will operate the new school. Details of this process are published on my Department's website at http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Establishing-a-New-School.
608. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to extend the community national schools' government by Education and Training Boards Ireland, out of the pilot phase; and the number of these which will be Gaelscoileanna. [36492/15]
View answerCommunity National Schools (CNSs) represent a new policy initiative approved by Government on a pilot basis to deal with increasing societal diversity and demand for greater choice in education provision at primary school level. There are currently 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, while the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) for each school are patrons-designate. The arrangements for the transfer of patronage of the schools to the relevant ETB are currently being considered by my Department.
My Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed. Where new primary schools are needed, my Department runs an open patronage determination process to decide who will operate the schools. It is open to all patrons and prospective patrons, including ETBs, to apply under this process. As part of the process, applicant patrons must provide evidence of parental support, from within the area for which the Department has identified the need for the school, for the type of school and medium of instruction that they propose.
Details of the criteria for the establishment of new schools are available on my Department's website at http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Establishing-a-New-School.
609. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will provide funding for a child (details supplied) in County Cork to attend the John Tracey Clinic in Los Angeles in the United States of America. [36499/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for an extensive range of supports to assist pupils who are Deaf or hard of hearing, including pupils who have Down syndrome and additional hearing difficulties.
In line with my Department's policy that children with special educational needs access appropriate education intervention in mainstream settings where possible, many Deaf or hard of hearing pupils are integrated into mainstream classes at primary and post-primary level with additional supports such as additional resource teaching and Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. Other children who are Deaf or hard of hearing may attend special schools or classes, which have lower pupil teacher ratios.
Funding is also provided by my Department for a weekly home tuition service whereby tutors visit the homes of Deaf and hard of hearing pre-school children and school-going pupils to provide training in Irish Sign Language (ISL) for these children, their siblings and parents.
The Visiting Teacher Service for Children and Young People with a Hearing Impairment is provided from the time of referral through to third level education. The Visiting Teacher service provides advice and support to ensure that the needs of children and young people with hearing impairment are met. This service is available at pre-school, primary and post-primary levels.
Additional supports provided by my Department include funding for specialised equipment for pupils who are Deaf or hard of hearing, special transport arrangements, enhanced levels of capitation in Special schools and Special Classes as well as additional teacher training.
Finally, I wish to advise the Deputy that provision for funding for health therapy supports, including consideration of overseas placements therapy services such as that referred to in his question, is a matter for the Department of Health through the Health Service Executive. As such, the Deputy may wish to direct his query in this regard to those bodies.
610. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the school voluntary contribution (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36538/15]
View answerApart from the recognised fee-charging second level schools, recognised schools are precluded from charging school fees.
Voluntary contributions by parents of pupils in recognised schools are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition.
The manner in which such voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management; however their collection should be such as not to create a situation where either parents or pupils could reasonably infer that the contributions take on a compulsory character.
A school may seek payment to cover the cost of photocopied or other such learning materials where the amount sought by the school is consistent with the costs involved and the level of materials provided. It is also permissible for a school to seek payments in respect of extra-curricular activities provided such activities are not obligatory and individual pupils can choose whether or not to participate. No charge may be made, however, in respect of instruction in any subject of the school curriculum or for recreation or other activities where all pupils are expected to take part.
The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, which was published in April of this year, prohibits the charging of fees or seeking payment or contributions as part of the school admission process or for continued enrolment in the school. Exceptions are provided in the case of fees charged by schools known as fee charging schools, fees charged by boarding schools for the boarding element and fees charged by schools for post leaving certificate courses insofar as those fees relate to the cost of providing such courses.
I believe that schools need to be accountable to parents and we need greater levels of communication, engagement and transparency in how schools serve their communities. Better information for parents, including information in relation to the collection and use of voluntary contributions, is an issue that I will be looking at in the context of my Department's work on developing plans for a Parents' and Students' Charter.
611. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide extra resources to students (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36539/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the 1998 Education Act requires Boards of Management of each school to publish the policy of the school relating to participation by students with special educational needs, including students who are exceptionally able. The measures schools take in this regard are required to be stated in the school plan. It is the duty of the Board of Management to ensure that appropriate education services are made available to such students.
Schools at both primary and second level use strategies such as curriculum differentiation, curriculum enrichment and acceleration to facilitate the development of pupils who are exceptionally able.
The revised primary curriculum recognises the importance of developing the full potential of the child and caters for pupil diversity, including meeting the needs of exceptionally able pupils. Syllabi and curricula for second-level schools have been designed in such a way to enable teachers cater for the wide range of pupil ability.
Content is outlined in the curricula at both levels and process is also heavily emphasised. Enabling children to learn how to learn is stressed and facilitated. The development of language skills, investigatory and problem-solving skills, higher-order thinking skills and working individually, and as a member of a group, are all encouraged at both levels.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), in collaboration with its counterparts in Northern Ireland, the Council for Curriculum Examination and Assessment (CCEA), produced guidelines entitled "Exceptionally Able Students – Draft Guidelines for Teachers" which issued to all Primary and Post Primary schools in November 2007 along with a questionnaire for feedback.
The NCCA/CCEA guidelines are designed to raise awareness of the social, emotional and academic needs of exceptionally able students and to assist teachers in planning their teaching and learning. The guidelines provide advice to schools on identification of gifted children, set out profiles of students, and whole school and classroom strategies and case studies which demonstrate how schools can best meet the needs of such students. The general strategies include differentiated teaching, acceleration and enrichment approaches in the context of participation in mainstream schools.
Finally, I wish to explain that the Special Education Support Service (SESS) is a service under the management of my Department which provides support for teachers to assist them in meeting the needs of all pupils with special educational needs, including those pupils who are exceptionally able. The service is available to schools who may be seeking advice or support relating to a specific special education issue in the school. More information on the range of programmes offered by the SESS is available on www.sess.ie.
In addition, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), also under the management of my Department, provides training in differentiation, in terms of differentiating for all pupils, whether less able/more able. Issues around exceptional ability and giftedness are addressed as part of the school planning process which is facilitated by the PDST.
612. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills when schools will be invited to apply for a new summer works scheme which will commence in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36555/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware of my announcement on 13th October last, of the Summer Works Scheme for 2016 and 2017. The on line application system will be open to receive applications from schools from 2nd November 2015. Full details of the Scheme are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
613. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school bus ticket for a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36589/15]
View answerBus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that a ticket for the child in question issued in August.
As the ticket has not reached the family, Bus Éireann will issue a replacement ticket.
614. Deputy Marcella Corcoran Kennedy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will liaise with Bus Éireann concerning a family (details supplied) in County Offaly who obtained concessionary school bus tickets for their children, but from whom the tickets were withdrawn five days prior to the school commencing the school bus service with the payment being returned; the reason payment was accepted and the family informed they would be accommodated; the reason they did not receive prior notification, considering the closing date for receipt of payments for school transport was 31 July 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36619/15]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has advised that the children referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for school transport.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge. The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year, is not available on public scheduled services, and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child's primary school education cycle.
In this regard Bus Éireann has advised that the number of applicants for concessionary seats was greater than the number of seats available and unfortunately it was not possible to allocate seats for the children in question.
As a consequence, the charge paid was refunded.
615. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of two-teacher schools; the minimum number of pupils required to keep the two teachers; if exceptions can be made to this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36626/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools are published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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 the current school year are set out in Circular 0005/2015 which is available on the Department website. The circular sets out the improvements that I introduced 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 available to small schools in the event that they can show that their projected enrolments are sufficient to allow them to retain their classroom teacher in the longer term. Details of the appeal criteria are also set out in the published staffing arrangements. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to schools at primary and post-primary level, including teacher numbers. The most recent published information relates to the 2014/15 school year.
