Written Answers Nos. 246-269
246. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on extra costs being imposed on parents of children attending post-primary school such as charges for transition year activities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39491/17]
View answerMy ambition is to make the Irish education and training service the best in Europe within a decade.
To deliver on my ambition to be the best we have to improve information and complaint procedures for parents and students, particularly in relation to costs.
I want to give parents a strong voice in ensuring costs are always kept to a minimum.
I announced in April of this year measures to be adopted by schools to reduce school costs. The circular can be accessed on my Department’s website at https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0032_2017.pdf. The circular advises that schools should consult with parents on their views and suggestions on cost reduction initiatives and that a questionnaire which would address the principles of cost-effective practice should be sent to parents once every 3 years.
Extra-curricular activities and education trips abroad form a part of the school programme, including the programme offered by some schools to students in transition year. In planning such activities schools are requested to be sensitive to the financial pressures on parents.
In accordance with my Department’s circulars, the objective of an educational tour should be to provide a significant benefit in the educational, intellectual, cultural and social development of pupils taking part. It is a matter for each individual school to decide on the suitability of any proposed school tour having regard to these requirements. Likewise it is a matter for each school to determine the extra-curricular activities that it undertakes. In making decisions about extra-curricular activities of school or school tours, all schools should take into account the costs for parents so as to ensure that these are not prohibitive or serve to exclude any pupils.
Voluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition.
The manner in which voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management, however their collection should be such as not to create a situation where either parents or pupils could reasonably infer that the contributions take on a compulsory character.
If parents have a concern that there is some compulsion regarding contributions in a school, they can bring the matter to the attention of my Department who will follow up with the school in question.
247. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills the guidelines or legal requirements in place to prevent a child being unenrolled from one school to be enrolled in another school by a parent or guardian without the knowledge or consent of the child’s other parent or guardian; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39496/17]
View answerThe selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to disclose its enrolment policy and to ensure that as regards that policy that principles of equality and the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents’ choice are respected.
Article 42 of the Constitution provides for the right of parents to choose the form of education they provide or to have provided to their children. Primary legislation gives effect to this right and includes the Education Act 1998 and the Education (Welfare) Act 2000.
None of the foregoing legislation specifically distinguishes between parents who act in concert and those who disagree and are separated, divorced or unmarried. However each provides that "parent" shall be interpreted to include: "a foster parent, a guardian appointed under the Guardianship of Children Acts, 1964 to 1997, or other person acting in loco parentis who has a child in his or her care subject to any statutory power or order of a court and, in the case of a child who has been adopted under the Adoption Acts, 1952 to 1998, or, where the child has been adopted outside the State, means the adopter or adopters or the surviving adopter".
In conducting the enrolment process a Board of Management must address the circumstances of each case while respecting any order made by the Court in relation to the custody and welfare of the child.
248. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if accommodations can be made in order to arrange a donation to the Special Education Support Service (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39506/17]
View answerFrom 21st March, 2017 the Special Education Support Service (SESS), National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) and the Visiting Teacher Service for Children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and Children who are Blind/Visually Impaired (VTHVI) transferred from my Department to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and joined with the services already being provided by NCSE’s SENOs and administrative staff to form a new NCSE Support Service. This new service aims to develop schools’ capacity to include students with special educational needs and to promote a continuum of educational provision which is inclusive and responsive.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible for organising and planning education provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including:
- providing Continual Professional Development (CPD) and support for teachers in the area of special educational needs (SEN) to enhance the quality of learning and teaching in relation to SEN provision (formerly provided through the SESS - see below)
- providing support and expertise to partner schools on issues related to behaviour (formerly provided through the NBSS)
- supporting the introduction of the new model of resource teaching allocation to schools and to develop capacity to meet the needs of students with SEN
As the matter referred to by the Deputy relates to the NCSE’s Regional Support Service, the matter has been referred to the NCSE for direct reply.
249. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school classes that have 30 or more students for the 2017-18 academic year and the 2016-17 academic years respectively, by county. [39599/17]
View answerThe Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to class sizes at primary level. The most recent published information relates to the 2016/2017 school year. Statistics in relation to the current school year will be published in 2018 when the data have been compiled.
The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.
250. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for further funding for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39637/17]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department approved a devolved grant for the provision of five additional classrooms to the school concerned earlier this year to meet their immediate accommodation needs.
The school authority has been in further contact with my Department in respect of their accommodation requirements. The matter is currently being considered and my Department expects to be in further contact with the school authority shortly.
251. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if accommodations can be made with the Central Applications Office in order to allow a person (details supplied) participate on their desired course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39678/17]
View answerHigher Education Institutions are autonomous and academically independent and set the entry criteria for admissions to their courses. While higher education institutions have delegated the task of processing applications to their courses to the Central Applications Office (CAO), they retain the function of making decisions on their entry requirements. Neither I nor my Department has a role in relation to the operation of the CAO or the admission of students to third level institutions.
252. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his Department’s interests in its lease of a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39714/17]
View answerThe property referred to by the Deputy is not in my ownership. However, in common with other buildings of its kind, where significant grant aid is provided by my Department for the development of school premises, investment is secured by way of a long-term legal agreement known as a charging lease. There is a charging lease in place on the property referred to by the Deputy dated 2nd July, 1956 for 99 years, which means that I have a vested interest in the property.
In circumstances where a property has ceased to be used as a school, and a request is received to release the State's interest secured under a charging lease, such requests are considered in the context of the specific circumstances which pertain to the individual property. I can confirm that my Department received a request from the Property owner to release my interest in the property. My Department has been in contact with the property owner regarding its future use by Waterford Wexford ETB for educational purposes.
253. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for a memorial to remember residential institution abuse victims, as recommended in the 2009 Ryan report, in view of the fact that €500,000 has been set aside for the project for the past eight years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39731/17]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the proposed Memorial, which won an open competition, was called the Journey of Light and was designed by Studio Negri and Hennessy and Associates. The design concept was that the Memorial would be integrated with the Garden of Remembrance and would provide an enduring symbol of lost innocence to inspire future generations to ensure the protection of all children.
However, An Bord Pleanála refused planning permission for the Memorial in November 2013 on the grounds that it would have an adverse impact on the setting, character and function of the Garden of Remembrance.
It was suggested that a central Dublin location could be identified on a cost neutral basis with appropriate zoning which could be used as a site for the Memorial. The difficulty was that the winning design uses the physical features of the Garden of Remembrance site and the design cannot be created on a different site.
The Journey of Light was the only design selected after holding an international competition. No other design was even shortlisted.
My Department's officials have recently written to the original Memorial committee to get their views on whether there are alternatives to commissioning a sculpture piece but which would act as a permanent reminder of Ireland's grim history of children's lives in State run institutions.
254. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new site for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39736/17]
View answerMy Department issued comments on the stage 2b submission to the Board of Management on 7th February and requested confirmation from the Board that the new school site has been finalised between the Patron body and the land owner. My Department has recently been in contact with the BOM who has advised that the site agreement is nearing completion.
Upon completion of the site acquisition by the Patron, my Department will then revert to the Board of Management with regard to further progression of the project.
255. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding progress on a new school building project for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39737/17]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers was included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme.
The delivery of the building project necessitates the acquisition of a suitable site and my Department is in ongoing liaison with the Patron of the school in the matter.
256. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the next phase of a school building for a school (details supplied) will commence; the status of this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39738/17]
View answerThe building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. The Letter of Intent has issued to the preferred bidder and, subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that construction will commence early in the 4th quarter of 2017.
257. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new site for a school (details supplied) as announced in November 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39739/17]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.
Officials in my Department are liaising with officials in the relevant local authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for this school and all parties are working to advance this process as expeditiously as possible.
While I am not in a position to provide further information at this time, I can assure the Deputy that the school patron will be informed of the proposed location as soon as it is possible to do so.
258. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide and Portmarnock areas of County Dublin as announced in November 2015; if he has identified locations for these proposed schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39740/17]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the new post primary school to serve Malahide/Portmarnock is included on my Department's Capital Programme.
Officials in my Department have been liaising with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for this school. As with other site acquisitions in the area, due to the scarcity of suitable sites this process has proven to be quite challenging and in that context has taken some time to date. However, I would like to assure the Deputy that all parties are working to progress matters as expeditiously as possible.
259. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Swords area of County Dublin, as announced in November 2015; if he has identified locations for the proposed school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39741/17]
View answerOfficials from my Department have been working closely with Fingal County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites in order to identify and procure a suitable site for Swords Community College, a new post primary school to open in September 2018.
My Department is currently working to complete the acquisition of a site at Mooretown, Swords to accommodate this school and this process is at an advanced stage. The school's patron, Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board, has been informed of the proposed location. The Design Team has been appointed and is currently progressing the design proposals in advance of pre-planning discussions with the planning authority.
260. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a permanent site for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39742/17]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.
Officials in my Department are liaising with officials in the relevant local authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for this school. This process has proven to be quite challenging given the scarcity of suitable sites and in that context has taken some time to date. However, I would like to assure the Deputy that all parties are working to progress matters as expeditiously as possible.
261. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding transport to a school (details supplied) in County Cork for children with special needs; the steps he will take to resolve the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39744/17]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 service in question operates as part of the Special Education Needs element of the school transport scheme and I understand that the contractor operating this service resigned his contract at short notice.
Bus Éireann is currently in the process of re-tendering this service and they hope to have it operational as soon as possible. I will ask Bus Éireann to keep the families informed on the progress with this re-tendering. A Special Transport Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be claimed by the families until a new service is established.
262. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the purchase of a site and the delivery of a new school building for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39750/17]
View answerOfficials from my Department have worked closely with officials from Cork County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites towards procuring a suitable site for the building project to which the Deputy refers.
A suitable permanent site for the school has been identified and agreement in principle with the landowners has been reached. The acquisition process is currently at the conveyancing stage and we are working to complete it as soon as possible.
The school patron has been informed of the position in relation to the acquisition.
Once the acquisition process is completed, the project for the school will advance into architectural planning.
263. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has given consideration to including a third level education college (details supplied) to qualify for SUSI education grants; and if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the many students who do not reach a minimum number of points in their leaving certificate examination must then source third level education through private colleges in which their families find it very difficult to meet the costs involved. [39751/17]
View answerUnder my Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution, as defined in the scheme. The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2017.
The college to which the Deputy refers, is not an approved institution, for student grant purposes. However, it is open to higher education institutions that operate on a 'for profit' basis, to use their own resources to provide financial supports to any of their students that they consider to be in particular need.
Decisions in relation to the future funding of student supports will be informed by the consideration of the options contained in the Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education. As committed to in the Programme for Government, the report has been referred to the Education Committee as part of the process for building political consensus on the most sustainable approach for funding the higher education sector in the future.
264. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost in 2018 of abolishing all third level fees, both capitation and tuition, for under graduate and post graduate. [39791/17]
View answerBased on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2015/16 (and were therefore liable to pay the Student Contribution), and taking into account overall expected increases in student numbers, it is estimated that the net cost to my Department of abolishing the Student Contribution for undergraduate students for the 2018/19 academic year would be approximately €220 m. This figure takes into account the resulting reduction to my Department's Student Grant Scheme budget.
With regard to funding towards tuition fees at undergraduate level, my Department provided funding of €282m in the academic year 2015/16 under the free fees schemes.
The cost to the State associated with the abolition of postgraduate fees is dependent on varying factors associated with the type of study i.e. full-time or part-time, varying fees associated with different course types and higher fees for international students.
However, based on the number of EU students registered on postgraduate courses in the academic year 2016/17, and using the average cost of an EU postgraduate course, the estimated cost to the State of abolishing fees for EU postgraduate students for the 2018/19 academic year would be €80 m. It should also be noted that under my Department's Student Grant Scheme, funding of €8m was provided for postgraduate tuition fees in 2016/17. Taking this into account, the net additional cost to my Department would therefore be in the region of €72m.
It should be noted that the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education found that abolishing student registration fees for undergraduate students while delivering the level of investment that the higher education system needs would cost the State €1.3 billion extra per annum.
The Government is committed to providing a more sustainable funding model for higher education, as evidenced by the fact that Budget 2017 provided the first increase in investment in higher education since 2009, involving €36.5 million extra funding in 2017 and €160 million extra over 3 years. In addition the Government is exploring the possibility of an employer-exchequer funding mechanism which could realise up to €200 million in additional annual funding by 2020.
265. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position in relation to a national school (details supplied) not being listed as a designated feeder school by his Department for a new secondary school in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39800/17]
View answerFor school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 geographic areas known as school planning areas which facilitates the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs. In identifying the requirement for additional school places, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide.
When it is decided that a new school is required to meet demographic needs in a school planning area, a patronage process is conducted to decide who will operate the school. Parental preferences for each patron from parents of children who reside in the school planning area are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process.
All new schools established since 2011 to meet demographic demand are required to prioritise pupil applications from within the designated school planning area(s) which the school was established to serve. This does not preclude schools from enrolling pupils from outside of the designated school planning area, rather it reflects the need to accommodate in the first instance the demographic for which the school was established.
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to prioritise enrolment of children from particular areas or particular age groups or on the basis of some other criterion. For example, some schools give priority to applicants who have attended a particular primary school (known as a feeder school). The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a matter for the schools themselves. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, it may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in their school of first choice.
My Department’s priority is ensuring all pupils have access to a school place which unfortunately may not always result in a school place that is their first choice. A range of other factors including parental choice, school location and ease of access and commuting patterns can contribute to oversubscription of certain schools within an area.
266. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a request to provide school transport for a number of children from Mullinavat to New Ross; and if the applications for a place on the existing bus will be re-examined in view of the fact some qualify under the scheme. [39803/17]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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.
Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are generally eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school.
Where families are not eligible for school transport they may apply on a concessionary basis only. Concessionary transport is subject to a number of terms and conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge. Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.
For the 2017/18 school year the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeded the number of spare seats available on existing services in the Mullinavat area.
A number of families were not allocated seats during the subsequent selection process and they have been refunded their payment. However, these families should continue to liaise with their local Bus Éireann office as additional spare seats may become available during the school year.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
267. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current and or expected position in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare, with particular reference to recent low enrolment numbers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39820/17]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in ongoing contact with the Patron of the school referred to and is aware of the school's enrolment position. The Patron's office has advised my Department that there are no plans to close the school and that a Single Manager has been appointed. My Department will continue to liaise with the Patron in relation to the matter.
268. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made to date in the consideration of a project to approve funding for a replacement school (details supplied); when the next step of the process will be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39842/17]
View answerI can confirm that building projects for the two schools referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied are included in the Department's 6 Year Capital Programme.
Discussions are ongoing in respect of site related issues and the school will be notified of the outcome when finalised.
269. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills when funding will be approved for a new science and engineering building in Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39844/17]
View answerAs part of the ongoing review of capital funding requirements in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), Galway Mayo Institute of Technology has submitted a proposal outlining a number of projects that could be prioritised for capital funding should it become available.
One of these projects is among a number from across the sector that are being considered for inclusion in the Higher Education PPP programme announced as part of the Capital Plan 2016-2021.
