Written Answers Nos. 53-63
53. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address the fact that there are 95,000 pupils in 396 schools across the country who have no National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologist assigned to them for assessment; and his views on whether the current ratio of psychologists to students is allowing timely access to assessment for children presenting with developmental or behavioural issues. [10486/17]
View answerAll primary and post-primary receive educational psychological service from my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service.
Assessment services are provided by NEPS and delivered by a NEPS psychologist or where such staff are not currently available, by a private practitioner from a panel maintained by NEPS under the Scheme for Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Under the SCPA scheme, assessments are carried out by a member of a panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly. The resulting assessment, whomsoever delivers it in this situation, treats with the child, forms a professional opinion as to the issues raised and makes recommendations as to the appropriate interventions to ameliorate the particular difficulties.
In regard to the vacancies in the existing NEPS staffing complement nationally I can inform the Deputy that NEPS psychologists are recruited via regional panels formed from national recruitment competitions administered by the Public Appointments Service (PAS). In total, 21 NEPS psychologists will be recruited in the coming months to bring the total number of NEPS phycologists to 183 (a 13% increase from the current level of 162). 11 of these will be in place by the end of the current academic year, while another 10 will be in place for the commencement of the 2017/2018 academic year. In the interim the affected schools are allowed access to the above mentioned SCPA scheme for their assessment needs and will continue to be supported by NEPS personnel in the event of a critical incident.
My Department recognises the valuable service provided by NEPS psychologists to schools and the growing workload in terms of school population and demand. The current programme for Government has committed to increasing NEPS numbers by 65.
54. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider his decision to give the Catholic Church the final decision over which patron to divest schools to, in view of the existing disproportionate influence the church has over primary education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10457/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware I recently announced new plans aimed at providing more multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment in this area.
This will involve the Education and Training Boards in the initial phase, as the State’s local education authorities, identifying areas where there is likely to be demand for greater diversity and they will work with pre-school services to establish evidence of this demand among the cohort of pre-school parents. There will then be discussions between individual ETBs and the existing patrons/landowners concerning the possible transfer of schools to accommodate this demonstrated demand for diversity.
Each ETB will prepare a report for the Department outlining the levels of demand within their functional areas and the responses of the existing patrons as to how this might be accommodated through the reconfiguration of existing school provision.
In the subsequent implementation phase, where the level of demand for multi-denominational schools is sufficient to justify transfer of a school from denominational to multi-denominational patronage, a process will commence to give effect to that. There will be a role for the existing patron/landowner in consulting with local community and school interests and taking into account proposals from different prospective multi-denominational patrons. It is envisaged that transfers will largely be by way of voluntary transfer of live schools by existing patrons.
This new process for supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local families is based around principles of transparency and cooperation. Therefore, there will be a very substantial level of consultation of local communities in the process, both with the ETBs’ in the initial phase to establish evidence of demand by consulting pre-school parents and subsequently through the requirement for the existing patron to consult with local community and school interests in proposing to transfer patronage of an existing school to an alternative patron body. In that process, the existing patron will also take into account proposals from all prospective multi-denominational patrons that wish to be considered. In the final instance, an application for a formal transfer of patronage will have to be made by the existing patron under the Education Act 1989, which will require Ministerial approval.
The Deputy will of course be aware that the previous model of divestment yielded only a very limited number of schools for transfer to multi-denominational patrons. I believe that this process has the potential to significantly increase patron diversity in our school system.
55. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in the Government reaching its target of 400 non-denominational and multidenominational schools by 2030; the number of such schools to be opened in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10119/17]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that I recently announced new plans aimed at providing more multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment in this area. The Government's target of achieving 400 multi-denominational schools by 2030 is highly ambitious, requiring a significant increase in the rate of transfer of Catholic schools to multidenominational patrons.
The new process will involve the Education and Training Boards in the initial phase, as the State’s local education authorities, identifying areas where there is likely to be demand for greater diversity and they will work with pre-school services to establish evidence of this demand among the cohort of pre-school parents. There will then be discussions between individual ETBs and the existing patrons/landowners concerning the possible transfer of schools to accommodate this demonstrated demand for diversity.
Each ETB will then prepare a report for the Department outlining the levels of demand within their functional areas and the responses of the existing patrons as to how this might be accommodated through the reconfiguration of existing school provision.
In the subsequent implementation phase, where the level of demand for multidenominational schools is sufficient to justify transfer of a school from denominational to multi-denominational patronage, a process will commence to give effect to that. There will be a role for the existing patron/landowner in consulting with local community and school interests and taking into account proposals from different prospective multi-denominational patrons. It is envisaged that transfers will largely be by way of voluntary transfer of live schools by existing patrons.
While these new structures are being introduced, my Department will continue to work with the main stakeholders to progress delivery of choice in areas already identified, in 2017 and beyond.
As the Deputy will also be aware my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. When it is decided that a new school is required to meet demographic needs my Department runs a separate patronage process to decide who will operate the school. Following patronage processes, which give significant weight to parental demand, the vast majority of new schools which are established come under multi-denominational patronage.
A total of 20 additional multi-denominational schools have been announced or established since I took office ten months ago. In 2016, seven new multi-denominational post-primary schools opened, with a further five opening in September 2017. Five new multi-denominational primary schools opened in 2016. Three new primary schools will open in September 2017 and the patronage process for these schools is currently underway.
56. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the options he is exploring for availing of the opportunities provided under the European Fund for Strategic Investments to boost capital expenditure on schools and-or institutes of technology; if his Department is exploring any additional PPP projects under the EFSI; and if not, the reason this is the case. [10484/17]
View answerAs recently as last October I signed a €200 million long term loan agreement with the EIB which will help deliver my Department's School Building Programme. It will support the construction, enlargement and modernisation of 71 schools over the next four years as well as delivering improved energy saving measures to these schools.
The first meeting of the EIB-Ireland Financing Group, involving relevant government Ministers and Agency heads with EIB senior management took place in December 2016. Among the terms of reference agreed at the meeting was to raise awareness in Ireland of new EIB products and platforms and to encourage a strong pipeline of projects from Ireland for consideration under the Investment Plan for Europe (EFSI).
In that context an EIB-Ireland Financial Group meeting was held on 14 February 2017 in the Department of Finance at which the EIB outlined its potential role on lending to the Irish market. Sub-groups are to meet during March and April to explore future opportunities. Education is included with Housing and Health in the EIB-Ireland Sub-Group Financing Social Infrastructure and the issue of further PPP projects in the education sector will in due course form part of the discussion within this sub-group.
Separately, the Deputy will be aware that the Capital Plan Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021 provides for a €200 million programme of PPPs in the Higher Education Sector. The Higher Education Authority, following consultations with my Department, has recently issued a circular letter to all institutions under its remit which, inter alia, will assist in identifying which projects will be prioritised for inclusion in this programme.
57. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the demographic review and need for school places in the Swords area; if, further to the parliamentary debate on 15 February 2017, he has brought to the attention of his Department the fact that children are being denied places for September 2017; if he is reviewing the enrolment figures as indicated; when a decision will be made on whether additional capacity is needed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10129/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, there are 13 primary schools serving the Swords school planning area. My Department has been in direct contact with a number of these schools in respect of their junior infant capacity. In that regard it is understood that at least one primary school is undersubscribed and has expressed a willingness to enroll further junior infants in September 2017, if necessary. The school enrolment position for September 2017 will be clarified when the schools concerned have completed their enrolment process in the coming weeks. As the Deputy will appreciate, it is important that school size is monitored and that a balance is preserved among all schools in school planning areas to ensure that one school is not expanding at the expense of another school.
While it is recognised that the schools in the Swords area are close to capacity, current enrolment trends indicate that there should be sufficient capacity in the existing schools for 2017.
My Department is monitoring the enrolment position in the Swords area closely. While the situation may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice, the Deputy will appreciate that my Department’s main responsibility is to ensure that the existing schools in the area can, between them, cater for the demand for junior infant places in September 2017.
My Department is currently in the process of completing demographic analyses nationwide which includes the Swords area. This process is detailed and rigorous and will take some time to complete. It is anticipated that provisional results of these analyses will be available for review in the coming months.
58. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase urgently school places in the north fringe region of Dublin Bay North; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10330/17]
View answerFor school planning purposes, the North Fringe Region of Dublin Bay North covers a number of school planning areas including the Donaghmede/Howth/Dublin13 and Darndale/Dublin17 areas in the main but also includes parts of the Beaumont/Coolock/Dublin5 and Portmarnock school planning areas.
These defined school planning areas facilitate the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs. My Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for 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 my Department’s own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic analyses at primary and post-primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed.
On foot of the last nationwide demographic analyses, the establishment of thirteen new schools was announced, four new primary schools and nine new post-primary schools, to open in 2017 and 2018. As part of this announcement, it was also stated that a range of areas nationwide are experiencing increased demographic pressure and will be kept under review by my Department including the North Fringe Region of Dublin Bay North.
My Department has approved new 16-classroom school buildings for two existing primary schools serving the Belmayne area, St Francis of Assisi National School and Belmayne Educate Together National School, which will shortly be progressed to tender. Additionally, in October 2015, my Department provided a devolved grant to Scoil Bhríde Junior School, Donaghmede to build three new mainstream classrooms and in July 2016, provided a devolved grant to St Kevin’s Junior School to re-configure existing unoccupied rooms to create two mainstream classrooms for September 2016.
A review of capacity in the Darndale/Dublin 17 area indicates existing capacity in Our Lady Immaculate Senior and Junior Schools as enrolments have fallen in both schools over the past 5 years.
My Department is not aware of any issues regarding capacity in the area as no other applications for additional accommodation have been received from the schools serving the area.
59. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made on resolving the dispute with the ASTI union over junior certificate reform; and his views on whether students sitting the English and science examinations in ASTI schools are being unfairly treated in this dispute and should have the threat of losing 10% of their marks on the oral examination removed. [10488/17]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for the administration of the Final Examinations that form part of the assessment procedures for Junior Cycle. The SEC has provided reassurance in relation to concerns that some students may not have opportunities to complete all elements of the SEC’s Junior Cycle Final Examination, in English, in 2017. The Examination in English comprises an Assessment Task, undertaken in schools, which is worth 10% of the available marks and a Final Examination, in June 2017, representing 90% of the marks. Both elements are marked externally by the SEC.
Schools were advised of a second window for the completion of the second Classroom Based Assessment (CBA) and the Assessment Task (AT) in English. The new window will be in the week beginning 24 April 2017.
The SEC will shortly provide further guidance to schools regarding the completion of the Assessment Task. The SEC has assured parents and students that this guidance to schools will make clear that all their students will have an opportunity to undertake the AT, and in this way to complete all elements that are marked by SEC within the Junior Cycle Final Examination.
The class teacher role, in facilitating students to complete the Assessment Task, is to engage with them, in relation to stimulus material and questions (provided by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment), and then to supervise the class in completing the SEC-provided booklet. Class teachers have no role in marking the Assessment Task.
I welcome the reassurance provided by the State Examinations Commission on this issue and I am satisfied that all students will have the opportunity to complete the Assessment Task and Final Examination.
60. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider the proposed divestment process and establish an independent working group with representatives of all the patron bodies to formulate a transparent process that puts parents' wishes at the centre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10456/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, I recently announced new plans aimed at providing more multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment in this area. This initiative has been designed to put parents and their views at the centre of the process. This will be achieved by surveying the views of parents at the beginning of the process and through a very substantial level of consultation with local community and school interests where an existing patron is proposing to transfer patronage of an existing school to an alternative patron body.
In devising this roadmap to accelerate the transfer of patronage in order to increase the number of non-denominational and multi-denominational schools, I propose to concentrate on the reconfiguration of existing school provision. By this I mean facilitating voluntary transfers of existing schools to alternative, non-denominational or multi-denominational patrons in areas which demonstrate a demand.
This will involve the Education and Training Boards in the initial phase, as the State’s local education authorities, identifying areas where there is likely to be demand for greater diversity and they will work with pre-school services to establish evidence of this demand among the cohort of pre-school parents. There will then be discussions between individual ETBs and the existing patrons/landowners concerning the possible transfer of schools to accommodate this demonstrated demand for diversity.
Each ETB will then prepare a report for the Department outlining the levels of demand within their functional areas and the responses of the existing patrons as to how this might be accommodated through the reconfiguration of existing school provision.
In the subsequent implementation phase, where the level of demand for multi-denominational schools is sufficient to justify transfer of a school from denominational to multi-denominational patronage, a process will commence to give effect to that. There will be a role for the existing patron/landowner in consulting with local community and school interests and taking into account proposals from different prospective multi-denominational patrons. It is envisaged that transfers will largely be by way of voluntary transfer of live schools by existing patrons.
This new process for supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local families is based around principles of transparency and cooperation. Therefore, there will be a very substantial level of consultation of local communities in the process, both with the ETBs in the initial phase to establish evidence of demand by consulting pre-school parents and subsequently through the requirement for the existing patron to consult with local community and school interests in proposing to transfer patronage of an existing school to an alternative patron body. In that process, the existing patron will also take into account proposals from all prospective multi-denominational patrons that wish to be considered.
It is important to respect the voluntary nature of these transfers, given that the current patron is in most cases owner of the land on which the school stands. My Department will develop protocols on patronage transfer with existing patrons to ensure that school and local communities and prospective patrons are fully consulted before a decision is made. I am confident that this process will respect the views of all parties - parents, local schools and communities and patrons. I anticipate full co-operation from all parties.
61. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the process for awarding patronage of new secondary schools in the Dublin 15 area; if the diversity in the population was considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10412/17]
View answerSince 2011 new schools are established in areas to meet demographic growth. My Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from a range of sources including information from my own Department's databases. With this information, demographic exercises are carried out to determine where additional school accommodation is required.
When it is decided that a new school is required, my Department runs a separate patronage process to decide who will operate the school. The criteria used in relation to patronage of the new school place particular emphasis on parental demand for plurality and diversity of patronage, with parental preferences from the area to be served being central to the process. In this regard, patrons and prospective patrons must collect and demonstrate evidence of parental demand from the area to be served for the model of provision proposed as part of their application under the process.
The assessment stage of the process for the new post-primary school to serve Carpenterstown & Castleknock, Dublin 15 included a review of parental preferences for each patron applicant, together with a comprehensive demographic analysis of the area, a review of the extent of diversity of patronage and provision currently available in the area. Parental preferences are key to decisions regarding patronage of new schools under the patronage assessment process. The model proposed by Edmund Rice Schools Trust (ERST) will extend existing co-educational provision in the area and although will not extend diversity of provision or patronage in the area, comparing the valid parental preferences, there was a clear majority of parental interest favouring ERST.
Once completed, draft assessment reports were forwarded for the consideration of the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG), which is an external independent advisory group set up to oversee the process. Following their consideration, the NSEG submitted a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. I then announced the successful patron of each school. The full assessment reports including the criteria used in relation to patronage of the new school and the NSEG recommendations are available on my Department's website.
62. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to remove voluntary contributions from all schools, which the majority of parents are obliged to pay; if consideration has been given to the survey carried out by a charity (details supplied) which found that €103 million a year in extra education funding would allow parents a truly free primary school service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10332/17]
View answerI am aware of the report referred to by the Deputy.
I strongly support any measures that can be put in place to reduce costs for parents.
All schools must be sensitive to the financial pressures on parents in making decisions, not just about school uniforms or books, but about any matter that has cost implications for parents.
The Action Plan for Education 2016-2019 outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented over the 3 year period 2016 to 2019. Some of the actions as part of the plan are to strengthen the focus on reducing school costs for parents by:
- Restoring capitation funding over a three-year period as resources permit
- Increasing the financial support for book rental schemes, in order to reduce or eliminate school book costs for parents
- Issuing a new circular to school authorities and ETBs regarding school uniform policy and other costs and the need to put a greater emphasis on reducing the cost of school uniforms and other costs.
Budget 2017 represents the start of a major programme of reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade.
It was not possible to provide additional funding in Budget 2017 in relation to capitation funding and book rental schemes due to the many competing demands for the available funding. However, these commitments remain a priority for me to address as soon as possible during the lifetime of the Action Plan. It is important to note that the total allocation to this Department for additional policy measures, after demographics and Industrial Relations commitments, was €130 million and of which all our commitments in higher and further education and primary and secondary schools had to be funded.
My Department’s position in relation to voluntary contributions is that they are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay. I have no plans to alter this position so long as schools ensure that the contributions are sought in a manner that makes this clear to all concerned.
The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, which was published on 6 July 2016 and is shortly due to progress to Committee Stage, contains a provision prohibiting the charging of fees or seeking payment or contributions for an application for admission to a school or for the enrolment or continued enrolment of a student in a school.
My Department will issue a new Circular to schools authorities and ETBs regarding school uniform policy and other costs and the need to put a greater emphasis on reducing the cost of school uniforms and other costs. The views of the National Parent Councils and other education partners will be considered and will feed into the development of the Circular.
My Department has now received the views of the National Parent Councils and other education partners. My Department will shortly finalise and publish the measures to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs.
On 5 December 2016, I published the General Scheme of an Education (Parent and Student Charter) Bill 2016. The Government have approved the draft outline of a new law, which will require every school to consult with parents and students, and publish and operate a Parent and Student Charter.
The draft legislation defines the principles that will guide how schools will engage with students and parents, ensuring parents and students have a say in key decisions like school uniform costs, etc.
Following consultation with our education partners, including the National Parents Council (Primary), National Parents Council (Post Primary) and the Irish Second-level Students Union, I will finalise national guidelines on a Parent and Student Charter.
The draft Bill has now gone to the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills for pre-legislative scrutiny.
I believe that these actions will significantly strengthen the focus on reducing school costs for parents.
63. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of DEIS schools throughout the country over the past five years; the number envisaged; the number of unsuccessful applications; if any review is likely to address issues of concern for various school authorities seeking DEIS status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10416/17]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the total number of schools included in DEIS from 2006 to date can be found on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/Breakdown-of-DEIS-Schools-2006-to-date.pdf.
The review of DEIS has been completed and the new action plan for educational inclusion entitled 'DEIS Plan 2017', was published together with a report of the review, on the 13th February 2017.
A copy of both reports, 'Report on the Review of DEIS' and the 'DEIS Plan 2017' are available on my Department’s website – www.education.ie.
DEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage and the DEIS Plan 2017 sets out our vision for future intervention in the critical area of social inclusion in education policy.
A key element of DEIS Plan 2017 is the availability of a new identification process for the assessment of schools for inclusion in DEIS using centrally held CSO and DES data.
The key data sources are the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area. Variables used in the compilation of the HP Index include those related to demographic growth, dependency ratios, education levels, single parent rate, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. This data is combined with pupil data, anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools. This data is applied uniformly across all the schools in the country. Further information on the development of the identification process is available in the DEIS Review report which can be found on my Department's website at http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/. Therefore schools were not required to make an application for inclusion in DEIS Plan 2017 as a uniform system has been applied to every school in the country, using the new identification model.
In its initial application, the new identification model has identified that there are schools in disadvantaged areas, not previously included in DEIS, whose level of disadvantage is significantly higher than many schools already in the programme. Accordingly, we are moving as a first step to include these schools within the DEIS School Support Programme.
Schools included in the list published by the Department on 13th February are those whose level of concentrated disadvantage has been identified as being at the same level as the current DEIS category for schools serving the highest concentrations of disadvantage. A total of 109 schools have been identified for inclusion or upgrade in the new DEIS. The list of schools is available on my Department's website at the following link: http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/.
Schools which have not been included at this stage are those which have not been identified as having the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage amongst their pupil cohort, under the new model which is fair and objective. It should be noted that each school’s level of disadvantage is based on the CSO small area of population in which the student cohort of the school resides.
The new DEIS Plan provides for a verification process and any school wishing to seek verification of the information used to assess the level of disadvantage of its pupil cohort may submit an application for same to social_inclusion@education.gov.ie.
It is important to note that the school details published on 13th February represent a first step in the application of the assessment process to support pupils in schools with the highest concentrations of disadvantage. I am fully aware that there are further schools whose concentrated level of disadvantage may not be at the highest level, but may nevertheless be at a level which warrants additional supports for pupils under DEIS.
However, as noted in the DEIS Plan, the implementation of a new objective central data-based model of identifying levels of disadvantage within school populations will be followed by a further programme of work to create a more dynamic model where levels of resource more accurately follow the levels of need identified by that model.
Once this work has been completed, consideration will be given to extending DEIS supports to a further group of schools as resources permit.
In delivering on the DEIS Plan 2017 we must be conscious that there are ongoing changes in demographics which may be more marked in some areas than others. Populations in some areas have changed considerably since schools were originally evaluated for inclusion in DEIS in 2006. The new model may reveal that some schools currently included in DEIS have a level of disadvantage within their school population much lower than that in some schools not included within DEIS. If this turns out to be the case, then we must consider whether it is fair that those schools continue receiving these additional resources, using resources that may be more fairly allocated to the schools with greater levels of disadvantage.
It is important to note that the fact that a school has not been included in the DEIS programme on this occasion does not preclude its inclusion at a later date, should its level of disadvantage warrant the allocation of additional resources.
