Written Answers Nos. 501-522
501. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when decisions will be made on the patronage and site of the new primary school in the Goatstown and Stillorgan area of County Dublin; if she will involve the parents in these decisions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42446/15]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Education and Skills and the County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) in relation to the acquisition of sites has been in place since 2012. This MOU fosters increased levels of cooperation and formalises the Local Authorities' part in identifying and securing sites for educational use. A copy of this MoU, which sets out the respective roles of the local authority and the Department, is available on my Department's website.
Officials in the Department are working with officials from Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council under the MOU in relation to the acquisition process for a suitable permanent site for the school to which the Deputy refers. The criteria for assessment of proposed school sites is set out in the Department's technical guidance documents.
As with all such new schools, my Department will shortly run an open patronage determination process to establish the patronage arrangements for the new school. It will be open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply to run the school in question in line with established arrangements.
502. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for an electronic device for a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [42454/15]
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.
I understand that the NCSE is not in a position to make a recommendation to my Department for the provision of assistive technology for the pupil in question, as the application which was submitted did not meet the criteria set out in my Department's Circular 0010/2013. A letter has recently issued to the school in this regard.
Additional documentation which has been made available by the school, which was not available to the SENO when the initial application was made, has been forwarded to the school's assigned SENO. The school has been advised to contact their SENO further in this regard and my Department will consider the matter further if any revised recommendation is made.
It is open parents to contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on the NCSE website.
503. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will appoint a third teacher to a school (details supplied) in September 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42461/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is 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 2015/16 school year are set out in Circular 0005/2015 which is on the Department's website. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The criteria for appeals are set out in Circular 0005/2015.The school referred to by the Deputy has a current staffing of Principal and 1 mainstream teacher, based on an enrolment of 46 pupils on 30th September 2014.
The Deputy will be aware that I have announced a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule in the context of Budget 2016. The improved staffing schedule which is available on the Department website will be implemented for the 2016/17 school year. The staffing arrangements for all schools for the 2016/17 school year will be published early in 2016.
504. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address the health and safety issues in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 20; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42465/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question was approved funding in June 2015 to provide a classroom and resource rooms. The school has since confirmed its acceptance of the funding being provided.
505. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average response times for decisions by the National Educational Psychological Service under reasonable accommodation in the certificate examinations scheme for students requiring special arrangements to sit their leaving certificate examination in 2014 to 2015, or in the latest year available; the number of students who receive a response within one month, three weeks, two weeks, one week or otherwise prior to sitting the examination; the number of applicants in 2014 to 2015; and the percentage of applicants who were approved for full, partial, or no support. [42521/15]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
The State Examinations Commission operates the scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
506. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will revisit the arrangement in education and training board schools with religious denominations to have a particular class time per week dedicated to religious instruction in a particular denomination's teachings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42534/15]
View answerI think it would useful to set out the position in relation to second level schools that have an Education and Training Board as Patron under the provisions of the Education Act 1998.
In all cases the Education and Training Board is the sole patron. Traditionally all of the schools have been multi denominational and provide for children of all religions and none. This applies equally to the second level schools where a legal agreement was entered into with a diocese or a diocese and religious order at the time the school was formed, often involving the amalgamation of a vocational school and a catholic voluntary secondary school.
These agreements included a provision relating to religious worship and instruction. Notwithstanding that the agreements were entered into with catholic bishops or orders the provision in the agreements requires that the religious worship attended by any pupil and the religious instruction given by the ETB school must be in accordance with the rites, practice and teaching of the religious denomination to which the pupil belongs. The arrangements regarding religious worship and instruction reflect the definition of the schools as being multi-denominational.
The term multi-denominational is also applied by Educate Together in relation to schools under its patronage but the usage can be distinguished from its application to ETB schools as Educate Together schools exclude any religious worship or instruction from the ordinary life of the school, and therefore could be described as non-denominational.
The position of ETB schools and religious worship and instruction is evolving with an agreement reached between one ETB and Educate Together in respect of one school and a second such school in planning by another ETB. The agreements underpinning these two school excludes religious worship and instruction and can be defined as non-denominational.
While I have no plans to seek to set aside the legal agreements referred to by the Deputy, as the demographics and composition of communities change in some communities a review of the configuration of second level provision could become timely.
507. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to extend the July provision; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42569/15]
View answerJuly Provision is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides July Provision for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based provision may be grant aided.
There are no immediate plans to extend the July Provision Scheme. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has recently submitted their Policy Advice on Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. In developing this policy advice, the NCSE has consulted widely with parents, professionals and other stakeholders and interested parties while also conducting research. The policy advice is currently under consideration in my Department.
My officials will consider and report to me on any recommendations in the report which relate to the issues raised by the Deputy.
508. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of improvements relating to guidance counselling in secondary schools, as announced in budget 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42571/15]
View answer509. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if guidance and special education needs positions in secondary schools will be classified as ex quota, given the impact that the current classification has on them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42572/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 508 and 509 together.
The Deputy will be aware that I have made provision in Budget 2016 for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools next year. This includes the allocation of a whole time equivalent of an additional 300 teachers to second level schools and brings the basis of allocation from 19:1 to 18.7:1 for the school year 2016/17. This improvement of 0.3 in PTR allocation is a restoration of 50% of the teaching resources that were removed when the allocation of guidance posts was brought within quota. The delivery of the 50% restoration through a change in the PTR allocation will allow each school to determine how best to allocate the additional resources to meet the guidance needs of the school.
I have no plans to return to a situation where there would be a separate allocation for guidance in schools. The Department's Guidelines in relation to how Guidance should operate within schools will be updated for the next school year to reflect the change in the allocation process. The Guidelines will underpin the responsibility of every school to make sure that they use this additional staffing to meet their obligations to provide guidance counselling support to all students. When the allocation for guidance was brought within quota DEIS schools were protected from the change by providing for a 18.25:1 allocation compared to the general 19:1 allocation. The position of DEIS schools will be further enhanced by a change to an allocation on the basis of 17.95:1.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.
The NCSE has recommended that a new model be developed for allocating resource teachers to schools. My Department has devised a pilot of the new model which is taking place in a number of schools during the 2015/16 school year. In taking the decision to conduct a pilot of the new model, I have been guided by the advice of the NCSE Working Group report, which recommended sufficient time be allowed for consultation before the new model is implemented. I therefore do not propose to amend the existing allocation process, pending the completion of the pilot project and the introduction of a new allocation model.
510. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will cover the cost of first substitution days in secondary schools, as previously, given the financial and staffing impact the current system is having on schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42573/15]
View answerThe Supervision and Substitution scheme in schools was amended under the terms of the Haddington Road Agreement. Since the commencement of the 2013/14 school year, participation in the scheme is compulsory for all teachers. The annual hours requirement for S&S duties has been increased to 43 hours and enhanced operational flexibilities have been introduced. The allowance that was previously payable for participation in the S&S scheme was discontinued. A limited opt-out from the scheme was made available and those teachers who opted out have an additional reduction applied to their salary on an ongoing basis until retirement. In addition to existing usage, the S&S scheme is now being used to cover all self-certified sick leave absences and the first day of force majeure leave and illness in family leave.
511. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will prioritise further pupil-teacher ratio reductions in secondary schools in future budgets; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42574/15]
View answerTeacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.
The Deputy will be aware that I have made provision in Budget 2016 for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools next year. These posts will provide for an improvement in the staffing schedules at primary and post primary levels, enhance the leadership and management roles of deputy principals at post-primary level by reducing their teaching time, an improvement to the scheme of release time for principal teachers at primary level and additional resource posts to meet special education needs.
The allocation of a whole time equivalent of an additional 300 teachers to second level schools brings the basis of allocation from 19:1 to 18.7:1 for the school year 2016/17. This improvement of 0.3 in PTR allocation is a restoration of 50% of the teaching resources that were removed when the allocation of guidance posts was brought within quota. The delivery of the 50% restoration through a change in the PTR allocation will allow each school to determine how best to allocate the additional resources to meet the guidance needs of the school.
I am determined that education should continue to be prioritised for investment as our economy recovers and I will be seeking to agree a set of priorities for further increased investment into the future.
The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.
512. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding and programmes available to secondary schools to upgrade information and communications technology hardware; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42575/15]
View answerThere is currently no programme funding that schools can draw down for ICT upgrades. Under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 - 2020, €30m will be provided to schools in the 2016/2017 school year and multi annual grants will be provided to schools rising to €50m by the end of the Strategy. Earlier this year, €7m was allocated to post primary schools to support the implementation of the Design Communications & Graphics syllabus.
513. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the training and support she is putting in place for primary and secondary school teachers who are teaching children who are experiencing homelessness; if she is conducting research into this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42587/15]
View answerInclusive education is a mandatory area of study for all student teachers who are undertaking programmes of initial teacher education at primary and post primary levels.
The Teaching Council of Ireland's requirements for initial teacher education programmes set out learning outcomes for graduates of the programmes. The first learning outcome identified for graduates concerns ethical standards and professional behaviour and refers, amongst other things, to the teacher's unique role as a professional in providing for the holistic development of students. This child-centred approach permeates the wide range of skills, competences and knowledge that the initial teacher education programmes should inculcate in future teachers.
The graduate is also required to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the factors that promote and hinder learning, the impact of pupils' backgrounds and identities on learning and the need to provide for the holistic development of the learner, particularly through differentiated approaches.
My Department, through the teacher support services and the National Education Psychological Service (NEPS), also provide ongoing support to teachers and schools. Support in the area of well-being continues to equip teachers to deal with social issues they encounter in the classroom.
In terms of teaching and learning in schools, the issue of homelessness is covered in an age appropriate manner throughout the school curriculum, in particular within the area of Social, Personal and Health Education, with the focus on human rights and human dignity.
The Deputy will be aware that statutory responsibility for educational welfare lies with my colleague the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. The Educational Welfare Service of TUSLA, an agency of that Department, has statutory powers to work with children and their families who may be experiencing difficulty with school attendance including issues arising from homelessness.
I understand that the Educational Welfare Service of TUSLA is engaging with the Homeless Services in relation to children of school-going age and their families who are experiencing homelessness.
514. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person qualifies for a special rate student grant if he or she is within the threshold and meets all qualifying conditions but is in employment for two days a week; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42596/15]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that, in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it is not possible to say whether or not a particular student would qualify for a grant.
The eligibility of the individual to which the Deputy refers is a matter for SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine; upon receipt of the relevant application form and supporting documentation. However, for the Deputy's convenience I have set out below some of the criteria which would be taken into consideration by SUSI in their assessment.
Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
Eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution. An approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution.
The qualifying criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant, in the 2015/16 academic year, as specified under the 2015 student grant scheme is as follows:
1. The student must qualify for the standard rate of grant;
2. Total reckonable income, after income disregards and Child Dependant Increase(s) are excluded, must not exceed €22,703;
3. As at 31st December, 2014, the reckonable income must include one of the eligible long-term social welfare payments prescribed in the Student Grant Scheme.
515. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of outstanding applications under the Student Universal Support Ireland scheme that remain to be processed despite all necessary documentation having been received; when the students who qualify will receive their grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42597/15]
View answerSUSI currently has 4,674 application on hand, where students have submitted their documentation. These applications will be processed in the coming weeks and those students who have been awarded, and had their registration confirmed by their institutions will be paid in December.
SUSI has received almost 107,700 student grant applications to date for the 2015/16 academic year of which 16,500 were received after the Priority Processing deadline.
90,500 (82%) applications have been processed to completion. Of which 73,100 applications have been awarded a grant and 17,400 have been refused or cancelled.
516. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons who are employed by Caranua; if the service is adequately funded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42598/15]
View answer517. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of funding she has provided to Caranua for each year of its existence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42599/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 516 and 517 together.
Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. To date a total of €82.92 million, including €81.54m in contributions and €1.38m in associated interest has been lodged to the special Investment Account managed by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) for the Fund in accordance with section 29 of the Residential Institution Statutory Act, 2012. Caranua accesses this funding directly as required. No Exchequer funds are provided to Caranua.
I understand that in the period from January 2014, when it began accepting applications, to end October 2015 Caranua has expended some €36m of the funds contributed on meeting the needs of survivors.
Caranua publishes regular updates regarding applications and expenditure on its website (www.caranua.ie) while more detailed information is set out in its Annual Report and audited accounts which may be also accessed on this website.
The authorised staffing complement for Caranua is 10 posts, 6 of which posts are currently filled. In addition, Caranua is utilising the services of an employment agency to provide temporary staff to assist in processing applications and to provide administrative support. A part-time accountant is provided by Caranua's external accountancy service provider.
My Department is presently considering a request from Caranua to increase the number of authorised posts. If approved and implemented that proposal would lead to a reduction in the level of reliance placed on agency staff.
518. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the complaints and appeals service operated by Caranua is robust and sufficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42600/15]
View answerCaranua is an independent statutory body established under the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012.
I understand that Caranua has a Customer Service Charter and Feedback and Complaints Policy which may be accessed on the organisation's website (www.caranua.ie). The website allows applicants to provide feedback, submit comments and make formal complaints in cases where there is dissatisfaction with the quality of service provided.
Decisions of Caranua may be appealed to the independent Appeals Officer appointed under section 21 of the 2012 Act. Since his appointment in February 2014 the Appeals Officer has received 117 appeals of which 87 have been concluded. The 2014 annual report of the Appeals Officer is in the public domain and may be accessed on both my Department's website (www.education.gov.ie) and on Caranua's website.
I should point out that Caranua comes within the scope of the Ombudsman Acts 1980 to 2012 and its administrative actions are subject to review by the Ombudsman.
I am satisfied that there are sufficient options available for applicants to Caranua to appeal decisions if they are dissatisfied with the outcome of their applications.
519. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the amalgamation of both national schools in Kanturk, County Cork, given that planning permission has been granted; the next steps and the timelines involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42611/15]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that a notification of a decision to grant planning permission has been received from Cork County Council for a 16 classroom-school to facilitate the amalgamation to which the Deputy refers.
However, there are conditions attaching to the grant which are outside of the control of my Department and my Department has concerns that these conditions could prevent the school from opening when it is completed.
Discussions are on-going with the County Council to address the issues involved. Failing a satisfactory outcome, my Department will have no option but to appeal the conditions to An Bord Pleanála.
520. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a safe pass for a person (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42634/15]
View answerThis is a day to day operational matter for SOLAS who manage the Safepass programme. I understand that SOLAS have been in contact with the individual concerned and that the matter has been resolved.
521. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding teachers' wages; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42635/15]
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 will, through salary increases and a reduction in the Pension-Related Deduction, begin 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.
522. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the land swap papers received from a club (details supplied) in Dublin 24; if the business will be passed to the Chief State Solicitor's office without further delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42638/15]
View answerWith regard to the matter raised by the Deputy, I can confirm that my Department has received correspondence from the club referred to by the Deputy. This correspondence is currently under consideration. A response will issue in due course from my Department to the correspondent.
