Written Answers Nos. 401-422
401. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the circulation of a form by the education and training board management instructing staff to declare disability they may have or had including episodic illnesses. [55274/17]
View answerThe Disability Act 2005 requires public bodies to promote and support the employment of people with disabilities and to achieve a target of 3% of staff with disabilities. It also provides a framework for monitoring the employment targets through Monitoring Committees in Government Departments. The role of the Monitoring Committees is to monitor and, in consultation with the National Disability Authority (NDA), encourage compliance with the Act by all public bodies under its aegis.
Under the relevant legislation, aegis bodies of my Department are required to provide my Department’s Monitoring Committee with data on the number of people with disabilities employed in their organisations during the preceding year for inclusion in an annual report on compliance. The National Disability Authority has developed a suite of forms which are used by bodies for the collection of this data. These forms provide for the confidential and anonymous disclosure by staff of a disability and this information is used solely for statistical purposes. While staff are encouraged to report disabilities for the purpose of this Part 5 process, the collation of data is largely reliant on the voluntary disclosure of such disabilities by individuals.
Eighteen aegis bodies of my Department are obliged to report under the Act. However, in accordance with the guidance of the NDA and in keeping with the spirit of the Act, which promotes accessibility in as many areas of the public service as is practicable, some thirty-two other bodies, including the Education and Training Boards, also provide statistical information to my Department’s Monitoring Committee on the numbers of people with disabilities employed in their organisations.
402. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for additional accommodation by a school (details supplied). [1036/18]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has recently submitted an application to my Department for additional accommodation.
The application will be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.
403. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in the provision of the new headquarters for the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board, LMETB, in Drogheda; the original timeframe agreed with his Department; the reason for the delay in commencing construction; if the LMETB has been queried by his Department regarding the delays on the Drogheda site and, if not, the reason; the action he will take to ensure construction commences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1051/18]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (LMETB).
The project has been mainly delayed due to design issues. Having tendered for the project, additional security issues for the proposed building became apparent. These required a change in brief with the consequent design alterations. The project is currently at stage 2 B of the architectural planning process and a revised stage 2 B cost plan, to include the additional works, was recently submitted to my Department for consideration.
My Department is currently reviewing its programme for capital expenditure in 2018 and 2019. Building projects, including the new HQ for LMETB, will be considered in that context.
404. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Skills the selection process for schools that were selected to teach the new leaving certificate computer science subject; the number of schools that were offered the programme in County Louth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1063/18]
View answerThe introduction of Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject is part of this Government’s overall commitment to embed digital technology in teaching and learning. I asked my Department to accelerate the introduction of this exciting new subject into the first phase of schools to September 2018.
As part of the process of identifying schools to participate in Phase 1 of the implementation of Leaving Certificate Computer Science, my Department issued a circular letter (ref 0067/2017) to all post-primary schools inviting them to apply. This letter advised that a small cohort of schools would be selected for this initial phase. The letter also advised of the section criteria that would be used to assist in selecting the Phase 1 schools, viz.
- There is support from the Board of Management and senior leadership within the school, in consultation with the school community, for this initiative;
- The school is willing to offer Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject on the time-table from September 2018;
- The school can identify a teacher (or teachers) with relevant experience and/or qualifications who are willing to teach Computer Science and participate in the required professional development within school time;
- Teachers are willing to participate in some professional development in their own time if and when the need arises;
- The school has a viable number of students interested in studying Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject.
A Steering Group chaired by my Department was established to oversee the implementation of the new subject. The applications received from schools to participate in Phase 1, over 130 of them, were examined and assessed by a sub-group of this steering group. The 40 schools identified by the Selection sub-group, which included a spread by geographical area and school type, were subsequently approved by the Steering Group.
While many of the applications received from schools were of high quality, the requirement to have a relatively small number of schools comprising the Phase 1 cohort meant that some schools would be inevitably disappointed. However, it is my Department’s intention, following the experience of the Phase 1 implementation, to ultimately offer Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate option to all interested schools.
Schools that were unsuccessful in their application to participate in Phase 1 have been notified accordingly. While understanding the Deputy's request for specific details in relation to schools in Louth that may have applied for inclusion in Phase 1, it is not the place of the Department to provide details of unsuccessful applicants. Unsuccessful schools were not advised that such details would be shared.
405. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a school run (details supplied) in County Tipperary which was deemed eligible for school transport for ten families will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1116/18]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently over 115,000 children, including almost 12,000 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 Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
Bus Éireann has advised that in the case referred to by the Deputy, there are currently 7 eligible children who have applied for school transport to the school referred to by the Deputy.
Where there are not enough eligible pupils residing in an area to warrant the establishment of a service, a remote area transport grant may be paid by the Department to the parent/guardian of the eligible pupils concerned. Bus Éireann will forward the applicants’ details to the Department, which will then contact families directly regarding the Remote Area Grant.
The terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
406. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for a sports hall by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1160/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the position in relation to the application by the school referred to is that due to competing demands on my Department’s capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of essential classroom accommodation it is not possible to fund the provision of a General Purpose Room at this time.
407. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén uair a cheadófar deontas, a bhfuil iarratas déanta ina leith, do scoil (sonraí tugtha) chun cóiríocht níos feiliúnaí a chur ar fáil ann; cén chúis atá leis an moill ar an gceadú; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [1260/18]
View answerIs mian liom a chur in iúl don Teachta nach bhfuair mo Roinn iarratas le déanaí ón scoil dá ndearnadh tagairt maidir le cóiríocht bhreise a sholáthar.
Bheadh de rogha ag an scoil iarratas a chur isteach chuig mo Roinn dá mba rud é gur aithin siad easnamh cóiríochta; is féidir foirmeacha iarratais a fháil ar láithreán gréasáin mo Roinne www.education.ie. Is sa chomhthéacs thuas a bhreithneofar an t-iarratas.
409. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna ar thug sé cuairt, ó ceapadh é mar Aire, ar aon cheann de na bunscoileanna nó na meánscoileanna ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta chun tuiscint a fháil ar na dúshláin atá roimh na scoileanna seo; más rud é nár thug, an bhfuil sé i gceist aige cuairt mar sin a thabhairt go luath; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [1262/18]
View answerNíl cuairt tugtha agam ar scoileanna na n-oileán ach aithním go mór na dúshláin ar leith atá ag scoileanna na n-oiléan. Coimeádtar cuirí ó scoileanna i m’oifig agus áirítear iad le linn cuairteanna réigiúnacha go dtí an ceantar.
Ardaíodh an-chuid de na saincheisteanna ina bhfuil tionchar acu ar scoileanna ar na hoileáin ag an gComhdháil ETBI ar a d’fhreastail mé. Déanfaidh m’oifigigh cíoradh ar an tuairisc is déanaí ó Choiste Oireachtais na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus na nOileán chun féachaint ar chén tacaíocht gur féidir a thabhairt do na scoileanna seo le bealach chun cinn.
410. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna an bhfuil sé i gceist aige beartas faoi leith a fhorbairt i leith na meánscoileanna ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [1263/18]
View answerChun a fhiafraí den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna an bhfuil sé i gceist aige beartas faoi leith a fhorbairt i leith na meánscoileanna ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh.
Aithním na dúshláin bhreise atá ag scoileanna na n-oileán. Ag tabhairt na dúshláin seo san áireamh, leag mé amach figiúirí difriúla do cheapadh agus do choinneáil múinteoirí ranga príomhshrutha i mbunscoileanna na n-oileán i mBúiséad 2017.
Tá tuairisc ón gCoiste Oireachtais na Gaeilge, na Gaeltachta agus na nOileán, dar dáta Meán Fómhair 2017, faighte agam ina nochtann an Coiste a dtuairimí mar gheall ar na dúshláin bhreise atá ag scoileanna na n-oileán. D’iarr mé ar m’oifigigh féachaint ar an tuairisc seo agus ar riachtanais scoileanna na n-oileán uile, iar-bhunscoileanna na n-oileán san áireamh. Thosaigh obair an ghrúpa ag deireadh na bliana 2017 agus déanfar dul chun cinn leis an obair seo in 2018. Déanfaidh an grúpa oibre cíoradh ar an tuairisc chun féachaint ar chén tacaíocht gur féidir a thabhairt do na scoileanna chun é seo a thabhairt chun cinn.
411. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason an additional fee of €100 has been added to the existing course fee (details supplied) for students in receipt of a Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grant; the persons to whom these additional fees apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1282/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware an additional fee of €100 has been added to the existing course fee (details supplied) for all students, including those in receipt of a SUSI grant:
This additional €100 material fee has been added to existing course fee to cover the costs of course related material. This fee includes items such as laboratory manuals, printed material, field trips, glassware, software licenses, and project materials. The material fee applies to all full time students on all full time programmes, which includes students in receipt of a SUSI grant.
Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies and therefore the day to day operations of the institution are matters for the Governing Authority of each institution. I have been advised that the Fee Schedule 2017-18 was approved by the Governing Body on 22 March 2017.
412. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is provision for children with special needs to attend preschool for an additional year rather than commence primary school at six years of age; his views on whether such children would benefit from a second year in preschool rather than commencing primary school at six years of age; his further views on whether some children with additional needs are not ready to complete preschool at three years of age or to commence primary school at five years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1297/18]
View answerMy Department does not provide funding to pre-school services other than to early intervention classes in recognised primary schools or special schools. Supports for childcare, including pre-school education, are provided by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
The principal vehicle for the delivery of pre-school education is the Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Scheme which provides early childhood care and education for children of pre-school age.
Since ECCE was first introduced, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs has worked to improve the pre-school experience for children with disabilities and to optimise their early development.
The two main enhancements are:
- ECCE entitlement currently averages at 61 weeks, up from 38 weeks, and it will expand further to 76 weeks from September 2018. This is in keeping with good international practice.
- The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM) has been introduced with 7 different levels of support for children with disabilities. Over 4,000 children have so far benefited from targeted supports and many multiples of this from universal supports available under AIM.
Details of the supports which are available under AIM can be found at www.preschoolaccess.ie which contains comprehensive information on the access and inclusion model and on how to apply for the new schemes and supports.
Overage exemptions were introduced at the commencement of the ECCE programme in 2010. At that time, the ECCE Programme only operated for a 38 week period, or one programme year.
For some children with special/additional needs, attending preschool five days a week, in the absence of targetted supports such as those provided for under AIM, was considered challenging and so an allowance was made to enable them split ECCE over 2 years, for example, a child may have availed of 3 days ECCE provision in year one and 2 days in year two. Their total ECCE provision remained at 38 weeks.
In order to facilitate this, in the cases where the child would have been over the age limit for ECCE (5 years and 6 months when finishing ECCE) an overage exemption was approved. This flexibility was never intended to conflict with the legislative requirement to start school by age six and the primary school system has a variety of resources to support children with disabilities.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs in collaboration with officials of my Department are currently commissioning a review of the overage exemption arrangements and I understand that the exemption arrangements have been retained pending the completion of that review.
The policy of my Department is to ensure that all children with Special Educational Needs can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in age appropriate 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.
My Department’s policy is that all children must be enrolled in the primary school system, whether through placement in mainstream classes, in special classes or in special schools in the September prior to their sixth birthday. If children are not in school by six years of age, under the Education Welfare Act 2000, the Educational Welfare service must be satisfied that the child is receiving a minimum standard of education in a place other than a recognised school. At present there are no plans to amend this policy.
413. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the funding and resources shortfall at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1300/18]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application to my Department for additional accommodation. This application is being assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as possible.
In addition, my Department is currently reviewing an Emergency Works Scheme application from the school and, again, a decision on this will issue as soon as possible.
With regard to the Special Needs Assistant position at the school, where a school wishes new enrolments or new assessments to be considered, which were not taken into account when a former decision on its Special Needs Assistant requirements was made, it may apply for consideration of this to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its local Special Education Needs Organiser. Also, the NCSE has an appeals mechanism for the allocation of learning support and resource teachers which the school can avail of.
414. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Donegal remains excluded from the current DEIS programme; the efforts being made to allow for additionality to the existing scheme with the view to including qualifying schools in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1311/18]
View answerWe have, for the first time, introduced an objective, statistics based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the Delivering Equal Opportunity in Schools, DEIS, Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage.
The key data sources used in the DEIS identification process are the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area. Variables used in the compilation of the HP Index include those related to demographic growth, dependency ratios, education levels, single parent rate, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. This data is combined with pupil data, anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools.
A detailed document explaining the methodology used in the Identification process is available on the Department’s website at www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Identification-Process.pdf.
It is important to note that schools included in DEIS with effect from September 2017 are those whose level of disadvantage has been identified as those schools serving the highest concentrations of disadvantage among their pupil cohort. Schools which have not been included at this stage are those which have not been identified as having the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage amongst their pupil cohort, under the new identification model.
It is also important to note that this is the first step in a process and the fact that a school has not been included now does not preclude its inclusion at a later date, should the assessment indicate a level of disadvantage that warrants additional supports.
A further assessment of all schools will take account of updated data as it becomes available. Schools are being advised to ensure that their POD/PPOD data is fully correct and up to date, including Eircode which can now be recorded by schools on both POD and PPOD databases. The HP Index, based on the 2016 National Census data which is now available.
Should this exercise reveal that any school, which did not qualify for DEIS in 2017 meets the criteria applicable to schools with the highest concentration of disadvantage based on the updated information then additional schools may be included subject to available resources.
415. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the 2018 summer works scheme; if a summer works scheme was offered in 2017; the status of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1375/18]
View answerThe current Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is being applied on a multi-annual basis. The Deputy will also be aware that nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand.
Almost €80 million has been approved to date under the Summer Works Scheme, in respect of over 640 school projects in categories 1 - 6. Details of the successful school applicants are published on my Department's website www.education.ie.
The 2018 budgetary provision will allow my Department to meet the carry over costs of summer works projects already approved. The assessment of applications in the remaining categories 7-10 as well as proceeding with any future summer works scheme is reliant on the availability of funding.
416. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a contractor has been appointed to carry out works on a school (details supplied); the start date for works to commence on-site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1380/18]
View answerMy Department is currently awaiting the return of the completed tender report and when this is received and considered my Department will revert directly to the school regarding progression of the project to the next stage. Subject to no issues arising with the tender report or the supplementary tender report which will follow, it is anticipated that construction should commence in the second quarter of 2018.
417. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the initiatives being taken by his Department to advance the building project for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare. [1391/18]
View answerThe building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained.
The Design Team is currently finalising the stage 2b documentation and expects to submit the finalised Stage 2b Report to my Department shortly.
Upon receipt and review of this outstanding documentation my Department will revert to the Board of Management with regard to the further progression of the project at that time.
418. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the initiatives being taken by his Department to advance the building project for a new primary school (details supplied) in County Kildare. [1392/18]
View answerThe major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. A decision to grant Planning Permission was received from Kildare County Council on 20 December 2017.
The Design Team is currently working on the Stage 2b report which will be submitted through the Board of Management to my Department.
Upon receipt and review of this report my Department will revert to the Board of Management with regard to the further progression of the project at that time.
419. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the actions taken by his Department following the mother and baby homes commission of investigation second interim report recommendation that it re-examine the decision not to include a number of institutions including a location (details supplied) in the residential institutions redress scheme. [1491/18]
View answerThe recommendations regarding redress in the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation Second Interim Report were carefully examined by the Government who considered that it would not be appropriate to deal with the question of redress in advance of any conclusions by the Commission who have, to date, made no findings regarding abuse or neglect.
The Commission was established by the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs and Minister Zappone is committed to addressing the issues which have already emerged through the Commission's work without encroaching on their investigation or pre-empting the outcome of that process.
420. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received a proposal from Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board, KWETB, for hospitality training in County Kildare for chefs, waiters and so on; if he will approve the setting up of such a training centre in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1517/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that neither my Department nor SOLAS has received a formal proposal from KWETB in relation to the set-up of such a training centre.
421. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has appointed a design team for the required refurbishment and extension to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1518/18]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which she refers is included on the 6-year Construction Programme. In this regard, my Department has carried out a site visit to the school. The next step includes the formulation of the accommodation brief for the project and this process is in train. My Department will be liaising with the school in due course in the context of initiating the architectural planning process for the project.
422. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the conveyancing process for the acquisition of a site for schools (details supplied) has been completed; if the site is now in the ownership of his Department; when a design team will be appointed to move both projects forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1520/18]
View answerI can confirm that my Department is in the process of acquiring a site to accommodate the schools to which the Deputy refers. The school patrons have been informed of the proposed location of the schools.
Officials in my Department are liaising with all relevant parties in order to progress the site acquisition. When the site acquisition process has been progressed further, my Department will be in a position to progress the project into architectural planning. At this point I am not in a position to state when a design team will be appointed but I can assure the Deputy that every effort is being made to expedite the site acquisition process.
