Written Answers Nos. 233-248
233. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will take into account recent concerns that have been raised in relation to a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if this will be considered in the context of its application to the summer works scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11777/17]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a Category 6 (Roof Works) application under the Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017) from the school to which he refers.
Nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Details of successful school applicants in respect of Categories 1 and 2 were announced in April last and are published on my Department’s website www.education.ie. Assessment of valid projects in further categories is now being undertaken by my Department, subject to the overall availability of funding, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme as outlined in Circular Letter (0055/2015), which may be accessed on my Department's website. The application from the school in question is available to be considered in this context.
234. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of ASD units in County Dublin. [11795/17]
View answerThis Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.
Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
In respect of children with ASD who cannot be accommodated in mainstream education, they may be enrolled in special classes or special schools where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided. Special classes are for students who have a recommendation for a special class placement in their professional reports.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support students with Special Educational Needs, including Autism. It is also the role of the NCSE to make appropriate arrangements to establish special classes in schools in communities where the need for such classes has been identified.
Special classes within mainstream schools are intended for children who, by virtue of their level of Special Educational Needs, cannot reasonably be educated in a mainstream class setting, but who can still attend their local school in a special class with a lower pupil–teacher ratio of 6:1 at primary level and 6:1.5 at post primary level, and also have Special Needs Assistant support normally amounting to 2 Ss for a class of 6 children.
Progress in developing this network has been significant and in addition to the special school placements there are currently 1,153 special classes throughout the country at primary and post primary level of which 889 are for children with Autism.
The NCSE, in consultation with the relevant education partners, must take into account the present and future potential need, location and sustainability in looking to establish special classes in certain areas.
The NCSE recently launched guidelines for Boards of Management and Principals of Primary and Post Primary schools which provide information on setting up and organising special classes. These guidelines are available to download from www.ncse.ie.
With regard to Co. Dublin (city and county), the NCSE has advised that there 119 ASD special classes attached to mainstream primary schools of which 19 are ASD Early Intervention classes and there are 30 ASD classes attached to mainstream post primary schools. Details of all special classes for children with special educational needs, including those in County Dublin, are available on www.ncse.ie.
235. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will fill the eight vacancies that currently exist on the Higher Education Authority; and if he will make these appointments a priority in view of the fact that the current membership of the HEA does not meet the minimum statutory requirement of seven academic members as set out in section 2 of the Schedule to the Higher Education Act 1971. [11865/17]
View answerThe appointment process to fill the current vacancies on the Board of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) is underway. My Department will be in direct contact with the HEA when the process is completed.
236. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén toradh a bhí ar an bplé a rinneadh ag an bhFochoiste Rialtais ar an nGaeilge a bhí ar siúl ar an 27 Feabhra maidir le pacáiste cúnaimh ar leith a chur ar fáil do na meánscoileanna ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta; an bhfuil sé i gceist ag an Aire pacáiste dá leithéid a chur ar fáil; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [11908/17]
View answerIs féidir liom a chur in iúl don Teachta Dála go bhfuil an sceideal foirne d’iar-bhunscoileanna eisithe ón Roinn le déanaí. Níl sé ceart ná cóir an gnó a pléadh ag Coiste Caibinéid na hEalaíona, na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta, agus na nOileán a scileadh, de bharr prionsabail rúndachta an Choiste Caibinéid. Ina ainneoin sin, níl aon chinneadh eile déanta agam faoi mháoiniú na n-iar-bhunscoileanna ar na hoileáin.
237. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a secure measure for advanced payments in relation to the operation of English language schools and the difficulties associated with these in the past; the number of schools operating at present; the accreditation system in place to ensure financial protection for students and ensure quality standards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11925/17]
View answerIn line with the Government decision of 19 May 2015 a series of reforms to the student immigration system for international education are being implemented. These reforms include the restriction of the list of education programmes considered to justify the granting of permission to students to live and work in Ireland (known as the Interim List of Eligible Programmes – the ILEP).
As part of this new process all providers of English language training wishing to recruit non-EEA students are required to apply to the Department of Justice and Equality for inclusion on the ILEP.
All English language providers seeking inclusion on the ILEP are required to have mandatory protection for enrolled learner policies in place. Providers are also required to operate a separate account facility to safeguard student advance payments.
A listing on the ILEP also requires providers to comply with certain new requirements including declaration of ownership, teacher qualifications, attendance rates, compulsory exam registration policies and maximum class size.
The ILEP was introduced in January 2016 and is managed by the Department of Justice and Equality in association with my Department. Details on the number of providers currently listed on the ILEP are available on the website of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of the Department of Justice and Equality at the following link: http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/Interim%20List%20of%20Eligible%20Programmes%20-%20ILEP. The next update to the ILEP is scheduled to take place on 16 March 2017.
The ILEP process is an interim measure until the introduction of the International Education Mark (IEM) for the provision of education to international learners, which will provide a full quality framework in the future. The measures necessary to facilitate the introduction of the IEM are being progressed by my Department.
238. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in County Kildare availing of autism spectrum specific services by the type of service, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11934/17]
View answerThis Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.
Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
In respect of children with ASD who are unable to learn effectively in a mainstream class for most or all of the school day even with appropriate supports, they may be enrolled in special classes within mainstream schools or in special schools where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided.
The NCSE is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO), for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (S) to schools to support students with special educational needs, including autism. The NCSE operates within the Department's criteria in allocating such support.
My Department invests over €300m annually in providing additional resources specifically to support students with autism in schools enabling:
- 63% of students to attend mainstream schools
- 23% to attend special classes in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, and 14% to attend special schools.
The range of supports and services for schools which have enrolled pupils with special educational needs which are made available include additional learning and resource teaching support, Special Needs Assistant (S) support, funding for the purchase of specialised equipment, services of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), enhanced levels of capitation in Special schools and Special Classes and additional teacher training.
With regard to Kildare there are 942 students with ASD attending schools in the County. Of these, 520 students attend mainstream schools and are accessing in-school supports including Resource teaching and S support. 322 students are attending 59 ASD special classes, including 6 early intervention classes, 41 primary ASD classes and 12 post primary ASD classes. A further 100 students with ASD are placed in 4 special schools. The number of ASD classes has increased in the area by 24% since the 2013/14 school year.
The NCSE also provides information for Parents of Children with Special Education Needs through its website (www.ncse.ie) and Pamphlet Series which inform parents and guardians of supports and services available for children and young people with ASD and their families.
Also, for children with autism, the school year is extended to include the month of July. This is commonly referred to as 'the July Provision Programme'. This is typically delivered in the child's school, but where the school is not in a position to deliver this, it can be provided as home tuition.
The availability and provision of health-related therapy services, including speech and language, occupational therapy and sensory therapy support, is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE), and matters in relation to the provision of such services should be directed to the Minister for Health through the Health Service Executive. My Department has no responsibility or mandate for such services.
239. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a school building project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11953/17]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers was authorised to proceed to tender in October 2016. This project is the second phase of accommodation for the school in question and will cater for an additional 650 pupils.
The Design Team has rerun the pre-qualification of suitable contractors and is currently finalising a shortlist of up to ten contractors who will be requested to tender for the project.
Subject to no issues arising it is anticipated that construction will commence in the summer of 2017 and the project is scheduled to take approximately 18 months to complete.
240. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the operations of a company (details supplied) in schools are kept under review, with a view to ensuring that the work carried out by the company is up to the appropriate standards and to ensuring that expenditure by the State on this company's services represents value for money. [11963/17]
View answer241. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a tender process was run before giving the contract for occupational health services for teachers and SNAs to a company (details supplied). [11964/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 240 and 241 together.
An Occupational Health Strategy is in place as a supportive resource for teachers and special needs assistants (Ss). The aim of this strategy is to promote the health of teachers and Ss in the workplace, with a focus primarily on prevention rather than cure. The Occupational Health Strategy comprises the Employee Assistance and Occupational Health Services for teachers and Ss. The Occupational Health Service incorporates pre-employment health assessments, sickness absence management, assessments of medical fitness for work and ill health retirement assessments.
The current Occupational Health service provider is Medmark Occupational Healthcare who, following a successful tendering process, was awarded a fixed-price contract for this service. This contract is due to expire on 31 December 2017. The Office of Government Procurement has recently issued a request for tenders to establish a Multi Supplier Framework Agreement for the provision of Occupational Health Services. The Department intends to purchase future Occupational Health services under this Framework Agreement.
Payments under the contract are made to the provider on receipt of properly furnished invoices accompanied by operational reports. This is in accordance with Service Level Agreements as provided for in the contract. The service is also reviewed by the education partners including the School Management Bodies and Teacher/Special Need Assistant representatives in consultation with the Chief Medical Officer of the civil service.
242. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale for a situation whereby a couple, with one working parent (details supplied), who have seven children can qualify for FIS yet will not qualify for a SUSI grant for their eldest child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11965/17]
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, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant or what level of grant would be appropriate.
Under the terms of the student grant scheme, Family Income Supplement (FIS) is treated as an income disregard and is therefore not included in the calculation of reckonable income. It is also a qualifying payment for the special rate of grant.
The scheme provides for different levels of income thresholds where families have (i) less than 4 dependent children, (ii) between 4 and 7 dependent children and (iii) 8 or more dependent children. Furthermore, in recognition of the additional cost to families where more than one person is attending college, income thresholds may also be increased by up to €4,830 for each additional family member attending college at the same time. In this way, the Student Grant Scheme is responsive to the individual circumstances of particular families.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant she/he may appeal in the first instance to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
243. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when schools will be advised of their special needs supports in view of the implementation of the new model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11991/17]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that schools will receive details of their allocations under the new model for allocating special education teachers to mainstream schools this week.
A new Circular setting out details of the scheme will also be published this week.
The aim of this new model is to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Large amounts of research, analysis, consultation with service users and stakeholders, and piloting have gone in to the development of this model and all the evidence points to the fact that this new system will deliver better outcomes for children.
No school will lose supports as a result of the implementation of the new model. In addition, no school will receive an allocation, for the support of pupils with complex needs, less than the allocation they received to support such pupils during the 2016/17 school year. No allocation made for such pupils by the NCSE will be removed from schools as long as that pupil remains in the school.
An additional 900 teaching posts will be provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model. The provision of an additional 900 teaching posts is a very significant investment in the provision of additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs in our schools. This is additional to an increase of 41% in the number of resource teachers allocated to schools annually by the NCSE since 2011, when 5265 teachers were allocated, as opposed to provision for 7542 posts in the current school year.
The additional funding will provide extra supports to over 1000 schools that are identified as needing additional supports as a result of the new model. Supports for children with special educational needs are a huge priority for this Government. We currently spend over €1.6 billion, or one fifth of the total education budget, on supports for children with special educational needs.
This investment will ensure that all schools receive a sufficient allocation of special education needs resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils who require such support.
Under the new allocation model, schools will be provided with a total allocation which includes a baseline allocation for the school and an allocation based on the school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation will give a fairer allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the actual level of need and pupils in each school.
Schools will be frontloaded with resources, based on each school's profile, to provide supports immediately to those pupils who need it without delay. This will reduce the administrative burden on schools as they will no longer have to complete an application process annually and apply for newly enrolled pupils, or pupils transferring in to the school, who require resource hours. Children who need support can have that support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis.
Full details of the scheme will be set out in the Circular which will be published this week.
244. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to ensure Traveller history and culture features in the national curriculum in view of the recognition of the Traveller community as an ethnic group; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12160/17]
View answerInclusion in all its forms, including Travellers, is a key component of our primary and post-primary education.
At primary level, schools are expected to provide a broad and balanced curriculum that reflects the interests of their pupils and the school's context. The Primary Curriculum 1999 is complemented by Guidelines on Traveller Education in Primary Schools (DES, 2002) and Intercultural Education in the Primary School (NCCA, 2005). These guidelines promote an intercultural approach in the classroom and provide practical examples of how intercultural themes, including Traveller culture, can be accommodated through the various curriculum areas.
The current history specifications at junior and senior cycle have the flexibility to look at different aspects of Irish history on a thematic basis or on the basis of local historical study. Junior Cycle History is currently under review by the National council for Curriculum and Assessment and will shortly go to public consultation. The potential for Traveller history and culture to be examined in this context will be fully explored.
Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) at junior cycle and the new Politics and Society subject at Leaving Certificate level also present opportunities to explore the theme of Traveller culture and society and the issues involved in questions of ethnic identity and interculturalism. In Transition Year also, schools offer modules on interculturalism and many schools examine Travellers as an ethnic group in this context.
The Framework for Junior Cycle which was published in October 2012, is underpinned by eight key principles - one of which is inclusive education - whereby the educational experience is inclusive of all students and contributes to equality of opportunity, participation and outcomes for all.
245. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider the decision to omit Cork south-west from the list of new schools appointed to the DEIS scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12166/17]
View answerThe key data sources used under the new DEIS identification process 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. 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 and are not affected by electoral boundaries.
In its initial application, the new identification model, applied across all schools, identified 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.
This has resulted in the addition of 15 new Urban Band 1 schools, 30 Urban Band 2 raised to Band 1, 51 new rural DEIS schools and 13 new Post-Primary schools. Schools entering DEIS for the first time represent no more than 2% of all schools.
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 ensure that levels of resource more accurately follow the levels of need identified by the model.
Once this work has been completed, consideration will be given to extending DEIS supports to a further group of schools as resources permit.
It is important to note that the fact that a school in any area has not been included in the programme on this occasion does not preclude its inclusion at a later date, should its level of disadvantage warrant the allocation of additional resources.
In the 2016/17 School Year there are 825 schools participating in the DEIS Programme. The list of schools, which includes DEIS Schools in Co Cork, 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-/
246. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to deal with the delay in Garda vetting procedures for special needs assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12173/17]
View answerIn April 2016, the Minister for Justice and Equality commenced the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (the Vetting Act) which put in place statutory requirements for the Garda vetting of persons involved in working with children and vulnerable persons.
The Vetting Act applies not just to schools but to any relevant organisation that employs, contracts, permits or places a person to undertake relevant work or activities with children or vulnerable persons. When the vetting requirements were commenced last April, my Department issued circular 0031/2016 which set out the statutory vetting requirements applicable to schools along with the practical arrangements in place to support the vetting procedures. A Frequently Asked Questions document was also published by my Department to assist schools with queries in respect of the circular.
Under the new statutory vetting procedures, the vetting of Ss and other non-teaching staff in schools continues to be conducted via the relevant diocesan office or school management body as the relevant conduit organisation for the vetting of such persons. In the case of ETB schools the relevant ETB is the relevant organisation for such vetting.
The vetting legislation and the vetting procedures operated by the National Vetting Bureau fall within the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality. My Department understands that the vast majority of the bodies acting as conduits for schools are now using the National Vetting Bureau’s electronic vetting (e-vetting) facility.
247. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on his meeting with the University of Limerick whistleblowers; the feedback provided to them; the course of action he now plans to follow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12174/17]
View answerLast month I met with the individuals referred to by the Deputy and they provided me with details regarding their complaints against the University of Limerick(UL). The issues raised have previously been the subject of a review by Mazars into the processes employed by UL to enquire into the allegations. Following that process the HEA have been in contact with UL regarding the implementation of the recommendations of the report, and have been assured by the University that most have been implemented. The HEA is continuing to work with UL on the implementation of the outstanding issues. A facilitator was also appointed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) to explore options for facilitation and see if a basis could be found for a resolution to the dispute. This process failed to advance a solution to the issues.
My Department in conjunction with the HEA is continuing to work to find a solution to this highly complex dispute. I have received an update on the issues from my officials and have sought further clarification. I have recently written to the individuals concerned and will issue a more comprehensive reply shortly.
248. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the supports in place for development and protection of county archive services to preserve local cultural patrimony. [11693/17]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 249 of 29 November 2016 which sets out the position in this matter.
