Kathleen Funchion
Question:365. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for the replacement of old prefabricated accommodation. [36744/18]
View answerSchool Accommodation Provision
Questions (365)
Written answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no recent application on hand in respect of the replacement of prefab accommodation at the school referred to.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (366)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:366. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for the drafting of a brief formulation report that will allow a design team to design and oversee the project of extending the existing school and refurbishing and reassigning usage of the existing school buildings and rooms. [36745/18]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, a building project to deliver a major project at the school referred to is included on my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme.
My Department has carried out a technical site visit at the school with a view to developing the project brief. Issues to be considered in the development of the project brief include identifying the preferred location of the buildings (having regard to the available site),the continuance of the existing school whilst construction is underway, decanting considerations and construction traffic access. My Department is in ongoing contact with the relevant authority in the matter.
Schools Refurbishment
Questions (367)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:367. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for the refurbishment of the existing school building to be included on the Capital Investment In Schools Programme 2016-2021 and its application for the provision of six general classrooms and a canteen and general practitioner area at the school. [36746/18]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that an application for a major capital project was received in the Department for refurbishment works. A major project for this school was not included in my Department’s 6 year Capital Programme.
To address immediate accommodation needs the relevant ETB submitted an application under the Additional School Accommodation scheme. In this regard, approval was granted for six permanent general classrooms. This project is currently in architectural planning, Stage 1/2a – Preliminary/Developed Design Stage.
Pending the delivery of the permanent accommodation approval was granted for the provision of two temporary classrooms as an interim solution to meet immediate requirements.
School Accommodation Provision
Questions (368)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:368. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of applications by a school (details supplied) for two new base classrooms and the refurbishment of its existing metalwork room and construction of another. [36747/18]
View answerWritten answers
I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received an application for additional accommodation from the relevant ETB on behalf of the school in question.
In considering the request, my Department sought additional information. The application can be considered further following receipt of the required information.
School Accommodation Provision
Questions (369)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:369. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for additional classroom space and ASD accommodation. [36748/18]
View answerWritten answers
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding has been approved for the provision of three resource rooms at the school to which she refers. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority so it is now a matter for the Board of Management to advance the project.
School Accommodation Provision
Questions (370)
Kathleen Funchion
Question:370. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for additional classroom accommodation. [36749/18]
View answerWritten answers
I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional accommodation, from the relevant ETB, on behalf of the school to which the Deputy refers.
Addition information was requested in respect of the application and this was recently received. The application is under consideration and my Department will be in contact with the school authority in the matter shortly.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (371)
Kevin O'Keeffe
Question:371. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a mechanism will be put in place in order to fast-track the completion of the construction works at schools (details supplied) in County Cork. [36759/18]
View answerWritten answers
The projects referred to by the Deputy, which have been devolved to Cork Education and Training Board (CETB) for delivery, were impacted by the liquidation of Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd.
Officials in my Department are continuing to engage with CETB to consider how the projects can be completed as quickly as possible while also ensuring that the quality and integrity of the projects is fully protected. A number of necessary steps are being taken by CETB in that respect. These steps include fully scoping out the works to be done and carrying out a tender process to identify a replacement contractor for the implementation of those works.
The Design Teams for these two projects are continuing to prepare the schedules of work necessary to complete the projects in that context.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (372)
Kevin O'Keeffe
Question:372. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional funding will be committed to in order to enable the completion of necessary construction works at schools (details supplied) in County Cork. [36760/18]
View answerWritten answers
The projects referred to by the Deputy, which have been devolved to Cork Education and Training Board (CETB) for delivery, were impacted by the liquidation of Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd.
Officials in my Department have engaged with CETB, to whom these projects are devolved, to ensure that the projects are completed as quickly as possible while also ensuring that the quality and integrity of the projects is fully protected. My Department is fully committed to ensuring these projects are completed in that respect, including through the provision of additional funding if necessary.
School Transport Eligibility
Questions (373)
Pat Casey
Question:373. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reasoning for the catchment area for the village of Tinahely, County Wicklow in relation to the allocation of schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36766/18]
View answerWritten answers
School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
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.
In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
Children are generally eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation for the 2018/19 school year.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Under the terms of the scheme, routes will not be extended or altered, 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, no additional State cost will be incurred in covering the cost of providing school transport for children who are not eligible.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (374)
Pat Casey
Question:374. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the next stage will be introduced for each secondary school in County Wicklow on the school building programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36768/18]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of the school projects included on my Department's Construction Programme, including the secondary schools in Wicklow, may be viewed on my Department's website www.education.ie. I also wish to advise the Deputy that this information is updated regularly.
School Management
Questions (375)
Pat Casey
Question:375. Deputy Pat Casey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures being introduced to assist up to 44 teaching school principals in County Wicklow, further to their request to seek one day administrative leave with support provided, as recommended by an organisation (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36769/18]
View answerWritten answers
Recently published Circular 40/2018 is available on the Department’s website, which outlines the number of days that teaching principals may take as release time in a school year in order to assist them fulfilling their principal duties. Under these arrangements my Department pays for a substitute teacher to be employed by a school to facilitate administrative functions to be undertaken by the teaching principal.
Building on measures in previous budgets to enhance school leadership, Budget 2018 made €0.4 million available to fund almost 4600 additional release days for teaching principals in primary schools. This additional funding will see an increase in the number of release days available to teaching principals in the 2018/19 school year to 17, 23 or 29 days depending on the size of the school.
Budget 2017 allowed for the commencement of restoration of middle management posts as part of an agreed distributed leadership model and meant lifting the rigidity of the long-standing moratorium on these posts at primary and post-primary levels. This recognises the key role school leadership has in promoting a school environment which is welcoming, inclusive and accountable.
€2.75m was allocated in Budget 2017 to restore middle management positions i.e. the equivalent of approximately 1,300 middle management posts (Assistant Principal I and Assistant Principal II) at both Primary and Post-Primary. (2,600 in total).
Circular 63/2017 was issued by my Department in September 2017 which sets out a leadership and management framework for posts in recognised primary schools. Flexibility in identifying and prioritising the evolving leadership and management needs of the school, and in assigning and re-assigning post holders to specific roles and responsibilities to meet the evolving needs of a school, is an essential feature of this school leadership model.
While the Principal is ultimately responsible to the Board of Management for the management and leadership of the school, the Deputy Principal also occupies a position of vital importance within the senior leadership team in each school. The Deputy Principal co-operates with the Principal in the fulfilment of the Principal's role and acts or deputises as the Principal in the Principal's absence.
In relation to the duties assigned to Assistant Principal posts, the Principal following consultation with staff, agree the schedule of duties as best meet the needs of the school. These duties are designed to reduce the workload of the Principal.
The selection and recruitment process is well under way in most of our primary schools and the majority of these new middle management posts have been filled, including in schools where the Principal is a "Teaching Principal".
I also recently announced an extension to the arrangements for schools with teaching principals to cluster their release days into full-time posts, with one teacher covering the release days of all the schools in the cluster. Up to 50 principal release cluster posts are available to be put in place for the 2018/19 school year. This measure will assist teaching principals to more effectively plan their release days for the benefit of the school.
Any additional increase in the number of release days will be considered as part of the next annual budgetary process alongside the many other demands from the education sector.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Questions (376, 377)
Thomas Byrne
Question:376. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the schools which have benefitted from the reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio from September 2018. [36801/18]
View answerThomas Byrne
Question:377. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if schools that are entitled to an extra teacher under the revised pupil-teacher ratio have refused the offer of a teacher; if so, the schools that this applies to; and the reasons for this. [36802/18]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 376 and 377 together.
The criteria used to allocate teachers to primary schools are published annually on the Department’s website. Circular 10/2018 outlines the allocation process for the 2018/19 school year for primary schools. The published criteria also includes the primary staffing schedule, which operates on the basis of enrolment bands and does so in a clear and transparent manner.
For the 2018/19 school year, the staffing schedule at Primary level will operate on a general average of 26 pupils to every 1 teacher (26:1). This is historically the lowest ever allocation ratio at primary level.
The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts as permitted by the staffing schedule is a matter for the individual Board of Managements of each school.
The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to pupil enrolment and individual class groupings for all schools at primary level. The most recent published information relates to the 2017/2018 school year.
The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled by the Teacher Allocation section of my Department and will be forwarded to the Deputy shortly.
Health and Safety
Questions (378)
Danny Healy-Rae
Question:378. Deputy Danny Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to make it compulsory that first aid be a basic requirement in all national schools and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36811/18]
View answerWritten answers
I understand that the Deputy is referring to First Aid Training for Teachers and Staff.
Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school including the provision of training.
The Board of Management of each school is responsible for the care and safety of all of the students in their school and care and safety should be at the centre of all policy and practices.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) advise that, by law, employers and those who control workplaces to any extent, must identify hazards in the workplaces under their control and assess the risk presented by the hazards.
Employers must write down the risks and what to do about them. This is known as Risk Assessment. The aim of Risk Assessment is to reduce the risk of injury and illness associated with work. The Risk Assessment(s) will form part of the employer's Safety Statement.
The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 set out the First-Aid requirements for workplaces as follows: "Employers have a duty to provide first-aid equipment at all places at work where working conditions require it. Depending on the size or specific hazard (or both) of the place of work, trained occupational first-aiders must also be provided. Apart from some exceptions, first-aid rooms must be provided where appropriate. Information must also be provided to employees as regards the first-aid facilities and arrangements in place."
The HSA in collaboration with the Department published a number of resources specifically for schools to support them in managing health and safety in the school environment.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (379)
Thomas Byrne
Question:379. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when funds will be released to allow the progression of school building works which have already been approved at a school (details supplied). [36835/18]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in ongoing contact with the school authorities in question relating to the proposed building project at the school. My Department sought additional technical material from the school in support of the application and the material has been provided. This is currently being considered and my Department will be in further contact with the school when a decision on the application has been finalised.
Student Grant Scheme Representations
Questions (380)
Jackie Cahill
Question:380. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the case of a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36845/18]
View answerWritten answers
As part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making enquiries about their grant applications.
This service complements the established channels provided by SUSI which include online application tracking, a dedicated website, a telephone helpdesk, email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
Enquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. Staff in SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
School Transport Applications Data
Questions (381)
Thomas Byrne
Question:381. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for special needs transport to schools outstanding and not processed as of 31 August 2018. [36846/18]
View answerWritten answers
School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
Over 2,700 applications for school transport for children with special educational needs have been received and processed to date for the 2018/19 school year; Bus Éireann has advised that transport arrangements are being finalised for some 500 of these applicants.
School Placement
Questions (382)
Thomas Byrne
Question:382. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that children in Ashbourne, County Meath are unable to secure school places; his plans to provide further school places in Ashbourne; and the outcome of his officials' discussions with the local school principals. [36849/18]
View answerWritten answers
Every year, my Department ensures that there is a school place or adequate educational provision for every child in the country. This includes meeting the September 2018 accommodation needs of primary school pupils in the Ashbourne area.
My Department has had extensive engagement with the relevant stakeholders in relation to the immediate needs in the Ashbourne area.
My Department is also undertaking a review of the Ashbourne school planning area with regard to determining the need for any further primary school provision in the future and it is anticipated that this review will be completed in October.
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund
Questions (383, 384)
Róisín Shortall
Question:383. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the outstanding moneys owed by religious bodies in respect of the 2002 indemnity agreement; the steps he is taking to ensure payment of these debts; the timeframe to which he is working; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36860/18]
View answerRóisín Shortall
Question:384. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the outstanding moneys owed by religious bodies in respect of the 2009 redress agreement; the steps he is taking to ensure payment of these debts; the timeframe to which he is working; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36861/18]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 383 and 384 together.
The current position on the contributions made by the religious congregations is set out in the attached update provided to the Public Accounts Committee at the end of July and which is also published on the Department's website.