Written Answers Nos. 202-215
202. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the supports or resources available for primary schools to address behavioural issues in a school setting in the absence of special needs assistants. [51801/17]
View answerThe policy of my Department is to ensure that all children with special educational needs, including children with behavioural or learning difficulties can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs.
Where possible, provision is made for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs. My Department's policy is that students with special educational needs should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided.
In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are provided for.
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.
There are currently over 13,400 special educational needs teacher posts in mainstream primary and post primary schools which includes an additional 900 teaching posts 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, 169 new Special Classes have been opened for the 2016/17 school year, which means there are now over 1,300 special classes in place, compared to 548 special classes in 2011. 1,042 special classes cater for students diagnosed with ASD (including 103 Early Intervention ASD special classes) and 11 cater specifically for students diagnosed with severe emotional behavioural disorders.
125 special schools also provide specialist education for those students with complex special educational needs.
This year, 13,990 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are available for allocation to primary and post primary schools to the end of December, which is an increase of 32% in the number of posts available since 2011.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support, as set out in Circular 0030/2014.
Details of SNA allocations which have been made to schools for the 2017/18 school year have been published by the NCSE on their website at http://ncse.ie/statistics.
Where a school has received its allocation of SNA support for 2017/18, but wishes new enrolments or new assessments to be considered, which were not taken into account when the initial allocation was made, they may continue to make applications to the NCSE.
Schools may seek advice from their local National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) psychologist, from the NCSE’s Support Service through the Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO), or the National Behavioural Support Service, as to how children with behavioural needs can best be supported in school.
The Special Education Support Service (SESS) now also part of NCSE’s Support Service, provides continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers working with students with special educational needs, including training for teachers in the area of challenging behaviour educational needs, including students diagnosed with severe behavioural disorders.
My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides service to primary and post-primary schools countrywide. In general schools may prioritise the service they receive from NEPS to support children with learning and/or behavioural difficulties. NEPS assists schools to identify needs, and appropriate interventions, to review the efficacy of these interventions and to adjust approaches used for these children, through the use of a student support planning process.
The provision of direct treatment or therapies to children does not lie within the remit of my Department, teachers or NEPS psychologists, per se, but the range of therapeutic services provided by the HSE. It is to my colleague, the Minister for Health, therefore that I would advise that the Deputy’s question be directed in this regard.
203. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the guidance his Department gives to schools regarding uniform and bathroom policies for students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51832/17]
View answerIn relation to school uniforms, earlier this year, I published Circular letter 32/2017 ‘Measures to be adopted by schools to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs’. I want to give parents a strong voice in ensuring costs are always kept to a minimum.
Schools have to do everything possible to keep costs down for parents, including the use of generic items, sew on or iron on crests, and making sure that various elements of the uniform can be purchased in multiple stores.
Following the implementation of the circular, school authorities will be required to adopt the following principles of cost-effective practice which will put a greater emphasis on reducing the cost of school uniforms and other costs:
- All elements of a school uniform should be purchasable from various stores;
- Only iron on or sew on crests should be used;
- Wherever possible, generic rather than branded items should be specified (e.g. uniform, clothing, IT tablets, sports equipment etc.);
- Provide parents with a list of all required items and indicate the likely costs of these required items at best value stores;
- Provide a book rental scheme;
- Phase out, between now and September 2018, the use of workbooks which cannot be reused;
- Where an exclusive supply arrangement applies, it should be tendered for regularly and
- The Board of Management in each school will have to review the cost of items which they require parents to purchase and to make this information available to the school community.
Schools will consult with parents on their views and ask for suggestions on cost reduction initiatives. Parents will be asked for their views about school uniform costs, and other costs, through a questionnaire.
I will further underpin this keen cost approach in schools through legislation to introduce a Parent and Student Charter in every school.
In relation to bathroom policies, my Department has not issued specific guidelines regarding the usage of toilets in schools. Such matters are dealt with at local school level.
As the Deputy will be aware, under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. Schools are required to take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of pupils and welfare of their pupils and it is the responsibility of each individual managerial authority to arrange for appropriate supervision of its pupils.
In accordance with the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 1989, it is the responsibility of individual school management authorities to have a safety statement in place in their schools. The Statement should identify potential hazards, assess the risks to health and safety and put appropriate provision in place to safeguard the safety and health of employees and pupils.
The Health and Safety Authority in conjunction with the Kilkenny Education Centre issued guidance to all primary schools in relation to managing safety, health and welfare. I have included a shortcut to this booklet for your information.
http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Education/Managing_Safety_and_Health_in_Schools/Primary_Schools_Guidelines/Guidelines_on_Managing_Safety_Health_and_Welfare_in_Primary_Schools.pdf
204. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of the public consultation on the SPHE curriculum; if it will be informed by equality based civic society groups, such as LGBT or disability based NGOs or advocacy groups; if the curriculum will be equality proofed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51833/17]
View answerThe National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) consulted on proposals for structure and time allocation in a redeveloped primary curriculum between January and June this year. This consultation was the first time, in almost twenty years, when teachers, principals, parents and the wider public had an opportunity to consider how the primary curriculum is structured and how time is allocated within it. The findings from the consultation will be published by the NCCA in early 2018 and will inform the Council’s ongoing work in reviewing and redeveloping the primary curriculum including the area of Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE). The Council develops its advice through research, discussions and deliberations with education partners, public consultations, and work with schools and early childhood settings. The work is also underpinned by principles of universal curriculum design.
206. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department to date in 2017; the number that were fully or partially granted; and the number of such requests that were refused. [51850/17]
View answer207. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of freedom of information requests received by his Department to date in 2017; the number for which the period of consideration was completed within four weeks of the receipt of the request; and the number for which the period of consideration was extended by up to four weeks in view of the fact that the necessary resources to complete the request within the original timeframe were not available, in tabular form. [51867/17]
View answerThe information as requested by the Deputy is set out in the following tables.
|
Number of FOI requests received to date in 2017* |
Granted |
Part- Granted |
Refused |
|
539 |
65 |
93 |
154 |
|
Number of FOI requests received to date in 2017* |
Number of FOI requests completed within four week period of consideration |
Number of FOI requests with an extended period of consideration |
|
539 |
468 |
11 |
Note: There are also 60 live FOI requests currently being processed for this period
* Up to 1 December 2017
208. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided to a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51888/17]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently over 114,000 children, including some 11,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,500 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 eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
The Scheme caters for situations where the Department is satisfied that the nearest school is full and in such instances eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance a child resides from his/her next nearest school having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of terms and conditions that are detailed in the scheme. The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s post primary school education cycle.
Bus Éireann has advised that no application for school transport has been received for the child in question.
209. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a complaint by a person (details supplied) submitted to his Department in 2014; the progress that has been made with regard to the complaint; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51934/17]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the primary statutory responsibility for child protection rests with the Child and Family Agency (Tusla). The role of my Department is to provide guidance to schools and other educational organisations in implementing child protection policy and referral of any child protection concerns to the Child and Family Agency.
Where child protection concerns are brought to the attention of staff in my Department the internal Procedures for Responding to Child Protection Concerns brought to the attention of Staff Employed by the Department of Education and Skills are followed. While my Department has no role in investigating individual child protection concerns, my Department is very conscious of ensuring any information received by the Department is transmitted to the appropriate authorities in accordance with Children First Guidelines. Tusla and the Gardaí have the necessary statutory powers and expertise to conduct investigations in this very sensitive area.
In February 2014, the individual referred to by the Deputy wrote to my Department. The correspondence referred to an historic child protection concern. In line with my Departments internal procedures, a Standard Incident Report Form was completed and the information was transmitted to both Tusla and the Gardaí. My Department also forwarded the relevant contact details for the Gardaí to the individual referred to by the Deputy. My Department has no role in investigating child protection concerns. This role rests with Tusla and the Gardaí.
210. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the services in place through the residential institutions redress unit for spouses or family members of those who are victims of abuse; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51942/17]
View answerServices for former residents of institutions who received awards from the Residential Institutions Redress Board are available through Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund. Because the fund is a finite one, services are not extended to spouses or family members of those that are victims of abuse.
211. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of apprentices at the end of November 2017. [51948/17]
View answer212. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the projected number of apprentices in each year from 2018 to 2021. [51949/17]
View answer213. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated spend on apprenticeships in each year from 2018 to 2021. [51950/17]
View answer214. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the apprenticeship programmes in operation at the end of November 2017; and the apprenticeship programmes planned for 2018. [51951/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 211 to 214, inclusive, together.
The 2018 budget allocation for apprenticeship training is €122m which represents an increase of almost 24% on the 2017 allocation of €98.7m. Future years allocations will be determined through the normal budgetary process which takes account of competing demands and the overall availability of resources.
As the Deputy is aware, I published the Action Plan to Expand Apprenticeship & Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020 which sets out a series of detailed actions and targets outlining how the expansion commitments in the area will be met. As set out in the plan, we have targeted 10 new apprenticeship programmes to get underway in 2018.
The number of apprentices registered in 2017 at end November is 4,525. The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the apprenticeship programmes in operation at end of November and the forecast registrations to 2020 is outlined in the following tables. Please note that SOLAS does not currently have forecast registrations beyond 2020.
|
Target Registrations |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Target registrations for Craft Apprenticeships |
4,697 |
5,087 |
5,587 |
|
Target registrations for New Consortia Apprenticeships |
1,500 |
2,297 |
3,413 |
|
Total target registrations |
6,197 |
7,384 |
9,000 |
|
# |
Apprenticeship |
|
CONSTRUCTION |
|
|
1 |
Brick and Stonelaying |
|
2 |
Carpentry and Joinery |
|
3 |
Painting and Decorating |
|
4 |
Plastering |
|
5 |
Plumbing |
|
6 |
Stonecutting and Stonemasonry |
|
7 |
Wood Manufacturing and Finishing |
|
ELECTRICAL |
|
|
8 |
Aircraft Mechanics |
|
9 |
Electrical |
|
10 |
Electrical Instrumentation |
|
11 |
Electronic Security Systems |
|
12 |
Instrumentation |
|
13 |
Refrigeration and Air Conditioning |
|
ENGINEERING |
|
|
14 |
Farriery |
|
15 |
Industrial Electrical Engineering |
|
16 |
Industrial Insulation |
|
17 |
Manufacturing Engineering |
|
18 |
Manufacturing Technology |
|
19 |
Mechanical Automation and Maintenance Fitting |
|
20 |
Metal Fabrication |
|
21 |
Pipetting |
|
22 |
Polymer Processing Technology |
|
23 |
Sheet Metalworking |
|
24 |
Toolmaking |
|
FINANCE |
|
|
25 |
Accounting Technician |
|
26 |
Insurance Practitioner |
|
27 |
International Financial Services Associate |
|
28 |
International Financial Services Specialist |
|
MOTOR |
|
|
29 |
Agricultural Mechanics |
|
30 |
Construction Plant Fitting |
|
31 |
Heavy Vehicle Mechanics |
|
32 |
Motor Mechanics |
|
33 |
Vehicle Body Repairs |
|
HOSPITALITY |
|
|
34 |
Commis Chef |
