Written Answers Nos 142-161
142. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the restoration of postgraduate grants and their necessity to open up access to postgraduate studies and to ensure that a steady stream of persons achieve a postgraduate qualification for societal good and to ensure attractiveness to foreign investors. [24951/17]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware of the Action Plan for Education commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households.
In response to this commitment, I secured additional funding of €4 million in Budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from September 2017, for the most disadvantaged postgraduate students. This will benefit approximately 1,100 post graduate students who meet the eligibility criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant.
The Student Grant Scheme is now open for applications for the 2017/18 academic year. This earlier opening date will facilitate earlier decisions for students on their grant applications and therefore provide students with greater certainty about the financial support that will be available to them.
In addition to this specific measure targeted at postgraduate students, I also secured an additional €4.5 million in Budget 2017 for other new access measures that will benefit target groups such as lone parents, travellers, mature students, and students with disabilities.
The new measures being introduced as a result of Budget 2017 will complement the existing student supports that are already in place. In total my Department will invest approximately €450 million in access supports in the 2017/18 academic year. This will benefit approximately 80,000 disadvantaged students through the student grant scheme. Other measures include the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities.
144. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve access to special educational supports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24953/17]
View answerFunding for special education provision in 2017 will amount to some €1.68 billion, which is equivalent to approximately 19% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training and represents an increase in spending in this area of 12% over the last two years.
This year, 13,015 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are available for allocation to primary and post primary schools to the end of the 2016/17 school year, which is an increase of almost 23% in the number of posts available since 2011. The demand for 2017/18 will not be known until the NCSE application process is complete.
There are currently over 12,500 learning support and resource teacher posts in mainstream primary and post primary schools. An additional 900 teaching posts have also been provided to support the introduction of the new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post primary schools from September 2017.
In addition, over 150 new Special Classes have been opened for the 2016/17 school year, which means there are now 1,152 special classes in place, compared to 548 special classes in 2011.
125 special schools also provided specialist education for those pupils who need it.
In recent years, the NCSE has provided my Department with a number of policy advice papers on the provision of supports for children with special needs, all of which are available on the NCSE’s website. It is intended to bring into effect many improvements to the provision of special educational needs support, through policy developments across a range of areas, in conjunction with NCSE policy advice.
As committed to in the Programme for a Partnership Government, the adequacy of the present policies and provision and their scope for improvement is being examined. The NCSE are currently undertaking a comprehensive review of the SNA Scheme to ensure better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Following its pilot, the new model for allocating special needs teachers has been introduced in schools.
I can confirm that this Government will continue to ensure that the supports required, to ensure that all children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education, will be provided.
145. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria used by his Department for deciding on applications for capital funding junior, senior and post-primary schools. [24954/17]
View answerThe delivery of school projects so that all schools in an area can between them cater for all students seeking a school place is the main focus of my Department capital budget. To this end, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses a range of data sources in carrying out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
My Department also prioritises projects that in addition to meeting increases in enrolments, have a major deficit of mainstream accommodation capacity for current enrolments, require major refurbishment and replacement of poor accommodation.
The Capital Programme further provides for devolved funding for smaller scale projects for schools, where an immediate accommodation requirement has been identified, such as the appointment of an additional teacher. In that regard, it is open to schools to apply for funding for additional classroom accommodation, where required.
146. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the reported failure rate at leaving certificate maths; his plans to remedy this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24955/17]
View answerI am taking it that the Deputy is referring to the combined numbers of Leaving Certificate Mathematics candidates at all three levels (Higher, Ordinary, and Foundation) who were awarded E grades, F grades or no grade in the 2016 State Examinations. The designation of any performance in the certificate examinations as a 'fail' ceased in 1968.
The nature of curricular examinations such as the Leaving Certificate and the procedures currently in place for awarding grades are such that a certain amount of fluctuation in the grade distribution from year to year is to be expected. Grade distributions are also affected significantly by the proportion of candidates who opt to take the examination at each level. In particular, if the proportion of candidates opting for Higher level increases, the candidates making this move will tend to be those who were towards the higher achieving end of the Ordinary level distribution and will tend to fall at the lower achieving end of the Higher level distribution. This will obviously affect the grade distribution at both levels. Influenced by the combined effect of syllabus change in mathematics, known as Project Maths, and the introduction by the Higher Education Institutions of 'bonus points' for Higher level mathematics, the number of students in recent years presenting for Higher level in Leaving Certificate Mathematics examinations has increased significantly, from 15.8% in 2011 to 28% in 2016.
During the standard-setting process that happens as part of the marking process each year, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) takes account of these and any other relevant factors in the course of satisfying itself that the distribution of grades awarded is appropriate and that it accurately reflects the performance of the candidates in comparison to the achievement standards envisaged when the syllabus was designed.
In the context of a significant migration of mathematics candidates from Ordinary to Higher level, it may be noted that a similar absolute number of candidates awarded E, F or no grade at Ordinary level will inevitably be manifested as a higher percentage, since the total number of candidates at this level has reduced.
The number of candidates who failed to achieve at least a D3 grade at any level of the mathematics examination in 2016, while marginally higher than in the last three or four years, is very similar to the number in the years before that (2009 to 2011, for example). In the context of the factors mentioned above, there is nothing especially unusual about the grade distribution in mathematics for 2016.
In the case of the current syllabus change in mathematics, there has been a deliberate attempt to increase the emphasis on higher-order thinking skills, including interpretation, problem solving, and dealing with the unfamiliar. These are skills that students find difficult to master and teachers find difficult to instil in students. The syllabus expectations are ambitious at all levels.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) will be undertaking a review of the Project Maths initiative, now that the full implementation of all phases of the curricular change is complete. By this time, students will have been through the new mathematics cycle a few times and the NCCA will have good information on which to base the assessment of its impact, especially on the learning of under-achievers. I have asked the SEC to ensure that any lessons that can be learned from candidate performance in recent examinations, and the 2016 examination in particular, be fed into that review process. The Project Maths Implementation Support Group, an industry-education partnership set up by my Department, including third level bodies, Engineers Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, will also be able to provide their considered opinions to this process.
147. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the drop-out rate in third-level institute of technology courses; his plans to remedy the situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24956/17]
View answerThe Higher Education Authority has recently published (April 2017) it's latest Study of Progression in Irish Higher Education, which provides an analysis of data relating to non-progression of 2013/14 full-time undergraduate new entrants to HEA funded institutions. The study shows that the proportion of new entrants in 2013/14 who did not progress is 15% across all sectors and NFQ levels. This compares to 16% in 2012/13. The rates of non-progression vary within and between sectors.
Below average progression rates continue in the fields of Construction and Related, Services, Computer Science and Engineering with again variation between sectors and institutions. However, there is some improvement reported in progression rates for Computer Science with rates increasing from 80% to 84%. Institutes of technology rates have increased from 74% to 80% compared to universities from 85% to 88%. This would indicate that the funding made available for retention measures is having a positive impact.
The National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education, 2015-19, is the national policy framework for promoting access to, and successful completion of, higher education for students from groups that are currently under-represented in higher education. The vision of the National Access Plan is to ensure that the student body entering, participating in and completing higher education at all levels reflects the diversity and social mix of Ireland’s population. The Plan contains 5 key goals and 28 actions that are scheduled for implementation in the period 2015 - 2019. One of the actions is to address non-completion among the student population with a particular emphasis on ‘access’ students.
This action is currently underway. The Higher Education Authority (HEA) have produced a discussion paper on the factors that contribute to ‘student success’. A Working Group has also been established, which is chaired by the HEA, and which comprises representatives from across the higher education sector. The intention is to identify the type of strategies and measures that have been shown to be successful in different institutional contexts. The National Forum for the enhancement of Teaching and Learning is currently facilitating a focussed scoping exercise to inform the activities of the Working Group. The scoping exercise is being chaired by the Union of Students of Ireland. This will ensure that the student voice is central to this process. It is expected that the Working Group will produce its report by the end of 2017.
Furthermore, in 2013, Ireland launched it's first Irish Survey of Student Engagement (ISSE) to take the views of students into account, particularly when looking at rates of non-progression. The results of the ISSE survey will continue to guide future policy decisions on retention across all years of higher education.
148. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the lack of apprenticeships suitable for a number of employment vacancies such as chefs and in the hospitality sector generally in order to upskill young persons; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24957/17]
View answerIn January of this year, I launched the Action Plan to expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020, setting out how state agencies, education and training providers and employers will work together to deliver on the Programme for Government commitments on the expansion of apprenticeship and traineeship in the period to 2020. The Plan sets out how we will manage the pipeline of new apprenticeships already established through the first call for proposals in 2015 along with a commitment to launch a second call for new apprenticeship proposals. Over the lifetime of the Action Plan, 50,000 people will be registered on apprenticeship and traineeship programmes representing a doubling of current activity.
Work on the development of a new Commis Chef Apprenticeship led by the Irish Hotels Federation and the Restaurants Association of Ireland working with Kerry Education and Training Board is at an advanced stage with programme commencement scheduled for later this year.
The Apprenticeship Council has approved development funding for a separate proposal to develop a Chef de Partie Apprenticeship and will continue to work with the proposers of these new programmes to develop them into sustainable apprenticeships that can be delivered on a nationwide basis. The funding for planned and forecast expansion in 2017 will see an additional €20 million provided.
A key commitment in the Action Plan for this year was the issue of a second call to employers for proposals for new apprenticeships which took place earlier this month and will remain open until 1st September 2017. It is now open to all sectors, including the hospitality sector, to submit proposals for new apprenticeship programmes to provide for the skill needs of their sectors. Information and supporting documentation on the second call is available at the new apprenticeship website www.apprenticeship.ie
149. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has read a position paper (details supplied) on the funding of higher education regarding the effects a loan scheme would have on students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24958/17]
View answerI am aware of the USI pre-budget submission and its recommendations for increased funding to the sector. The report of the Expert Group on the Future Funding for Higher Education sets out a number of funding options for the sector with income contingent loans being just one of those options. Other options include a predominantly State-funded system or a State-funded system supplemented with continuing student fees. The Report is currently with the Joint Oireachtas Committee for consideration where each of the funding models will be examined and the process will include input from all stakeholders. I understand the Union of Students in Ireland are one of the groups who have made a submission.
Following on from the report as the Minister for Education and Skills I have already acted to secure increased funding in Budget 2017 of €36.5m for higher education and to make further provision in the Department’s expenditure ceiling for 2018 and 2019, which, cumulatively, represents an additional €160m investment by the Exchequer in higher education in the period 2017 – 2018.
In addition, the Department and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform are currently completing a public consultation process on a proposed Exchequer-Employer investment mechanism for higher education and further education and training. The proposal under consultation seeks to deliver up to an additional €200m per annum by 2020 through an increase in the National Training Fund levy.
Moreover, as I have stated previously appropriate technical work will be undertaken, including the examination of relevant literature of which there is a wide range, in relation to the option set out in the Expert Group report on deferred payment of student fees through income contingent student loan schemes. The aim of such technical work is to inform future policy options including in the light of recommendations from the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Skills.
This comprehensive approach is being taken in order to contribute to the development of a long-term sustainable funding model for the sector. As such, it will be important to build broad political and societal consensus on achieving the most appropriate future funding model and my Department and I continue to work to that end.
150. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the shortage of substitute teachers for primary schools and the serious difficulties this is causing for school principals and managers throughout the country; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24959/17]
View answerIn overall terms my Department does not have evidence of a recent or current general shortage of primary teachers, including for substitute positions. However, I am aware that some schools are experiencing difficulty in recruiting substitute teachers, and I am committed to examining all possible means of addressing this issue.
The aim of my Department's policy is to achieve a balance between the supply of, and demand for, teachers. The Deputy will be aware of the report of the Technical Working Group (TWG) which was set up by the Teaching Council to formulate advice on teacher supply.
The TWG's report sets out an approach to planning which scopes out the work necessary to develop a model for teacher supply in the medium to long term. Officials in my Department have been giving further consideration to the short term measures that might be implemented to increase the supply of teachers and I intend to publish the report shortly and to confirm these short term measures, including the employment by schools of retired teachers and an increase in the number of days per school year that a teacher on career break may work as a substitute.
151. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24960/17]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017.
These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools.
The revised allocation process replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning support and high incidence special educational needs, and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocation process which provided additional resource teaching supports to schools, to support pupils assessed as having Low Incidence disabilities.
The new Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
Allocations based on the school profiles were issued to all schools on 7th March.
In relation to the school referred to by the Deputy, this school received a special education teaching allocation for September 2017 of 42.05 hours. As the school profile did not indicate a requirement for an additional allocation, the allocation received is equivalent to the allocation the school received for the 2016/17 school year.
The aim of this new model is to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Substantial research, analysis, consultation with service users and stakeholders, and piloting have gone in to the development of this model and all of 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 have been 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.
The additional funding will provide additional supports to over 1200 schools who are identified as needing additional supports as a result of the new model. Supports for children with special educational needs is a key priority for this Government. The new funding will ensure that all schools receive a sufficient allocation of special education needs resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils, including pupils who have yet to enrol in their school, 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’s 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 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 schools will no longer have to complete an application process annually and apply for newly enrolled pupils who require resource hours. Children who need support can have that support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis.
Schools will therefore no longer have to make applications, for newly enrolled pupils for whom resource teaching hours may have been provided under the old model, or for pupils who have received a new diagnosis, as schools will now receive a single allocation for all of their special education teaching needs, based on their school size and profile.
The new allocations to schools will include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.
All allocations to schools include a supplementary provision, which has been referred to as the ‘baseline allocation’ which is allocated over and above the profiled allocation.
For students who start school from September 2017, with a specific diagnosis, either in junior infants or transferring from another school, the resources they need will already be in the school under the new model.
It should be noted that this is a brand new model of allocation and is not comparable to the existing model. By using a broad range of attainment and socio-economic criteria, it is expected that generally, a school’s profile will remain relatively constant from year to year. Each year, some students with additional teaching needs will leave and others will enrol, broadly balancing the school profile. Resources allocated under this model will not normally be adjusted between allocations.
DES Circulars 0013/2017 and 0014/2017 outline the basis on which the Education Research Centre determined the allocations for all schools.
The model will allow for some additional provision for exceptional circumstances or where a school’s enrolment levels increase very substantially prior to the next review of the model. The National Council for Special Education will support schools in managing their special education teaching allocations in the first instance. Only in very exceptional circumstances, where it can be demonstrated that the schools profile has changed very significantly since the allocation was made to the school, may an additional allocation of hours be made to the school.
Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers to address the need of pupils with special educational needs are now published and available on the Departments website.
The Guidelines will support schools to reflect on how they can review and manage their timetabling practices to ensure the timetable is sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all pupils in their school who have special needs. The Guidelines encourage schools to ensure they deploy their resources appropriately to meet the needs of all of the children in their school who require additional teaching support, including pupils with emerging needs, or new entrants.
In relation to the matter raised by the school with regards to an application for an additional mainstream teacher, Circular 17/2017 (Primary School Staffing Schedule) provides details of how a school may apply for an additional mainstream staffing post on the basis that they are a developing school, or have projected increased enrolments, and the criteria for qualification under this process.
152. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the location a school (details supplied) currently in temporary accommodation in Cork city will be located for the 2017/2018 school year; the position regarding the provision of a permanent site for the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24970/17]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers was established in 2016. It is currently operating from part of Nagle Community College, Mahon, Blackrock, Co. Cork. An extension of this arrangement was recently agreed with the school authority pending the delivery of alternative temporary accommodation which is being arranged by the school’s patron body.
With respect to the permanent accommodation for the school in question, officials in my Department have engaged with officials in Cork County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of schools sites with a view to identifying and acquiring a suitable permanent site to accommodate the school.
A number of site options were identified and a comprehensive technical assessment of feasibility was undertaken on all. A suitable site option on the Old Carrigaline Road, close to Douglas Garda Station has been identified and the acquisition process in respect of this is at an advanced stage.
Officials in my Department continue to work with Cork County Council in the context of the Draft Ballincollig Carrigaline Local Area Plan with respect to the potential development of the site in question.
153. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding new classrooms and school development for a school (details supplied) in view of the fact that the project has gone through the planning process and the tendering process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25000/17]
View answerThe delivery of the Additional Accommodation Project referred to by the Deputy has been devolved to Mayo, Sligo & Leitrim Education and Training Board (ETB).
As the Deputy is aware tenders have been received and the ETB have sought significant additional funding. To enable my Department’s Planning and Building Unit considered the request for additional funding the ETB have been requested to submit further information.
As soon as this information is received and considered the ETB will be informed of the outcome.
154. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to be in a position to improve the career guidance service throughout second level education; if he anticipates improvement in the short and medium term; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25002/17]
View answerThe Action Plan for Education 2016-2019 has a specific action to enhance guidance counselling at second-level as resources permit. A significant move was made in the 2016/17 school year with the restoration of half of the cut in provision for guidance counselling. This was equivalent to the restoration of 300 posts.
The allocation of a whole time equivalent of an additional 100 teachers to second level schools in Budget 2017 is a restoration of a further 16% of the teaching resources that were removed.
The delivery of this 16% restoration in addition to the 50% restoration in Budget 2016, means that two thirds of the Guidance allocation that was withdrawn in Budget 2012 will be restored in our schools with effect from September 2017.
The 400 posts will be provided in respect of Guidance as a separate allocation on school's staffing schedules from September 2017. The guidance allocation shown separately on the staffing schedules represents 0.4 of the PTR for each school. DEIS schools will have a guidance allocation of 1.15 of the PTR which represents the total guidance allocation that was restored to these schools.
I will continue to consider further restorations in future Budgets.
155. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which persons with autism continue to have ready access to primary and second level school places throughout County Kildare; the extent to which difficulties have arisen in meeting the ongoing requirements in the county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25003/17]
View answer160. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which adequate school places are available at primary and second level for children with autism throughout the various schools in north Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25008/17]
View answer163. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of special needs teachers and special needs assistants to meet requirements at primary and second level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25011/17]
View answer165. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which adequate resource teachers remain available throughout all schools in north Kildare; his plans for augmentation in specific areas of particular need; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25013/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 155, 160, 163 and 165 together.
This 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.
Funding for special education provision in 2017 will amount to some €1.68 billion, which is equivalent to approximately 19% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training and represents an increase in spending in this area of 12% over the last two years.
This year, 13,015 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are available for allocation to primary and post primary schools to the end of the 2016/17 school year, which is an increase of almost 23% in the number of posts available since 2011. The demand for 2017/18 will not be known until the NCSE application process is complete.
There are currently over 12,500 learning support and resource teacher posts in mainstream primary and post primary schools. An additional 900 teaching posts have also been provided to support the introduction of the new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post primary schools from September 2017.
My Department considers it essential that, in assessing the need for special class placements, the individual needs of children should be properly assessed to determine the appropriateness of special class provision for them.
Some students, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there. This can be due to significant difficulties in areas such as behaviour or sensory needs which have not been ameliorated, even with appropriate intervention, in mainstream.
Enrolment in an ASD special class should only be considered where it has been demonstrated that a student requires the support of a special class because he/she is unable to learn effectively in a mainstream class for most or all of the school day even with appropriate supports.
Students enrolling in ASD Special Classes must have a report from a relevant professional or team of professionals (for example, psychologist, speech and language therapist, psychiatrist) stating that:
- S/he has ASD
- S/he has significant learning needs that require the support of a special class setting and the reasons why this is the case.
125 special schools also provide specialist education for those pupils who need it.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.
The NCSE continues to establish additional special classes to support children with Special Educational Needs including Autism as required. Since 2011 the NCSE has increased the number of such classes by over 100% from 548 in 2011 to 1153 across the country in 2016/17, of which 888 are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) special classes.
The NCSE, in looking to open special classes, must take into account the present and future potential need for such classes, taking particular account of the educational needs of the children concerned. The NCSE will also take account of location and sustainability in looking to establish special classes in certain areas.
With regard to Kildare, in particular, 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 SNA 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 in the county. The number of ASD classes has increased in the area by 24% since the 2013/14 school year.
The NCSE has informed my Department that it intends to establish 1 new ASD class at primary level and 2 new ASD classes at post-primary level in Co. Kildare for the 2017/18 school year.
Parents/Guardians who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.
In recent years, the NCSE has provided my Department with a number of policy advice papers on the provision of supports for children with special needs, all of which are available on the NCSE’s website. It is intended to bring into effect many improvements to the provision of special educational needs support, through policy developments across a range of areas, in conjunction with NCSE policy advice.
As committed to in the Programme for a Partnership Government, the adequacy of the present policies and provision and their scope for improvement is being examined. The NCSE are currently undertaking a comprehensive review of the SNA Scheme to ensure better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Following its pilot, the new model for allocating special needs teachers has been introduced in schools.
I can confirm that this Government will continue to ensure that the supports required, to ensure that all children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education, will be provided.
Further details on special classes, resource teaching and SNA allocations are available on the NCSE's website at www.ncse.ie.
156. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if financial assistance will be provided towards the resurfacing of a playground in the case of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25004/17]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a Category 10 application from the school in question to upgrade its play area under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) (2016-2017).
The Deputy will be aware that I announced details of the successful applicants under round two of the SWS (2016-2017) for Categories 3 - 6, on the 3rd May last, details of which are published on my Department's website, www.education.ie.
Funding of €47 million is being made available for vital school projects in school buildings; 438 schools nationwide will benefit from this announcement. In total, funding of almost €80 million has now been approved in respect of 635 schools for Categories 1 to 6 under the multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017). Nearly 50% of all schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Details of successful school applicants, in respect of Categories 1 to 6 can be accessed on my Department's website www.education.ie.
Assessment of valid projects in further categories will be considered in due course, 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.
In the meantime, it is open to the school to use its Minor Works Grant to undertake interim works to the school yard should it consider the works to be a priority.
157. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when it is expected a review of the school transport system is likely to be undertaken with particular reference to the objective of the streamlining of school transport in rural areas in which persons have been greatly inconvenienced by changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25005/17]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of this Scheme in general children are eligible for transport where they meet the requisite distance and are attending their nearest school or education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Changes to the eligibility criteria for my Department's School Transport Scheme were announced in December 2010 by the then Government as part of measures contained in Budget 2011 and derived from recommendations contained in the Value for Money review of the scheme.
The school transport approach compliments the overall Department policy which is to ensure that specific school accommodation needs for defined geographical areas are addressed in an orderly fashion.
Children who had an eligibility for school transport prior to the introduction of these changes retain this eligibility for the duration of their post primary school education provided there is no change in their circumstances though siblings applying for school transport from 2012 onwards are subject to the revised eligibility criteria.
The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
The Programme for Government committed to a review of the concessionary charges and rules element of the School Transport Scheme. As part of the review process I established an Oireachtas Cross-Party Working Group to feed into the review. The review was published in December 2016 and made recommendations on both the charges and the rules element of concessionary school transport.
With regard to the charges for concessionary school transport the recommended course of action was to continue with the current position whereby charges remain in place for those in receipt of concessionary places. I agree with this recommendation on the basis that those applying for concessionary transport are making a conscious decision to do so and understand the implications of this choice at the time of application.
The report also recommended that the number of concessionary places should be reduced in line with the rules introduced in 2012 on a phased basis. Previous plans to advance this option were put on hold, pending the completion of the review.
However upon consideration of the review and discussions at the Cross-Party Working Group I decided that there should be no planned programme of downsizing in the coming years except in line with normal operational decisions within the current scheme.
158. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which new primary and second level teaching posts have been approved in respect of primary and second level schools throughout the country; the extent to which this is expected to favourably impact teaching conditions in the schools in question; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25006/17]
View answer167. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the pupil-teacher ratio at primary and second level throughout the country is a matter of concern; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to improve the situation in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25015/17]
View answerI propose to take questions Nos. 158 and 167 together.
Budget 2016 provided for an improvement in the staffing schedule in primary schools by 1 point, from 1 teacher for every 28 pupils to 1 teacher for every 27 pupils for the 2016/17 school year and it should be noted that the current staffing schedule of 27:1 for primary schools has restored it to the position it was at prior to the fiscal crisis.
The Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce class sizes at primary level and it is my intention to make further improvements to class sizes over the life of the Government.
My focus in Budget 2017 was on obtaining additional funding to provide for demographic growth, and additional special education and school leadership resources for our schools.
Budget 2017 sets out the resources available for schools in the 2017/18 school year. This Budget represents the start of a major 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. The budget provides for over 2,400 additional teaching posts for our primary and post-primary schools in the coming school year.
The 2017/18 school year will see a significant increase in teacher numbers (almost 4,700) in our schools compared to the 2015/16 school year.
159. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he has received communication from the various primary school authorities throughout north Kildare in the context of the provision of new buildings or extra facilities to meet requirements; the extent to which he expects to be in a position to respond in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25007/17]
View answer161. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the school building programme at primary and second level in County Kildare continues to proceed as planned having particular regard to the urgent requirement of school places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25009/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 161 together.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of the 29 school building projects in County Kildare that are included on my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme is outlined in the table.
My Department's 6 Year Capital Programme prioritises building projects for areas where significant additional school places are required. The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. Details of such funding approved in all schools, including those in County Kildare, is available on my Department's website www.education.ie which is updated regularly.
|
County |
Roll No |
School Name |
School type |
Status |
|
Kildare |
16706G |
St Joseph’s NS, Kilcock |
Primary |
Stage 2B |
|
Kildare |
70680U |
St Conleth’s VS, Newbridge |
Post-Primary |
Under construction |
|
Kildare |
70700A |
Maynooth Community College |
Post-Primary |
Stage 3 |
|
Kildare |
76193Q |
New Maynooth Community College |
Post-Primary |
Stage 3 |
|
Kildare |
19277A |
St Anne’s Special School, The Curragh |
Special School |
Stage 2A |
|
Kildare |
19675N |
St Brigid’s NS, Kilcullen |
Primary |
Completed |
|
Kildare |
76194S |
Naas Community College |
Post-Primary |
Stage 2B |
|
Kildare |
76253I |
Celbridge Community College |
Post-Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
20257C |
Scoil Naomh Padraig, Celbridge |
Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
15957D |
Rathangan BNS |
Primary |
Substantial completion |
|
Kildare |
61702D |
St Paul’s Post-Primary School |
Post-Primary |
Stage 2A |
|
Kildare |
15040T |
Mercy Convent, Naas |
Primary |
Stage 3 |
|
Kildare |
18288B |
Scoil Mhichil Naofa, Athy |
Primary |
Stage 2B |
|
Kildare |
20428D |
Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, Kildare Town |
Primary |
Under construction |
|
Kildare |
19796C |
St Patrick’s NS, Clane |
Primary |
Stage 2B |
|
Kildare |
15769C 16707I |
Scoil Eimhinn Naofa & St Peter’s NS, Monasterevan |
Primary |
Stage 2B |
|
Kildare |
17341U |
Maynooth BNS |
Primary |
Stage 2B |
|
Kildare |
17872F |
St Conleth’s & St Mary’s, Newbridge |
Primary |
Stage 2A |
|
Kildare |
17873H |
St Conleth’s Infant School |
Primary |
Stage 2A |
|
Kildare |
17254C |
St Corban’s BNS |
Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
18988G |
St Raphael’s Special School |
Special School |
Site required |
|
Kildare |
19455W |
St Mark’s Special School, Newbridge |
Special School |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
20292E |
Maynooth ETNS |
Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
61690W |
Cross & Passion, Kilcullen |
Post-Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
70650L |
Athy Community College |
Post-Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
70720G |
St Farnan’s Post-Primary School |
Post-Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
13902O |
Hewetson NS |
Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
61681V |
Patrician Post-Primary, Newbridge |
Post-Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
|
Kildare |
61730I |
St Mary’s Girls Post-Primary School, Naas |
Post-Primary |
Early Architectural Planning |
