Written Answers Nos. 206-225
206. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received correspondence from a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if a reply issued to the school; the assistance and supports that will be provided to the school authorities in respect of their request; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47863/18]
View answer217. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be made available to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48159/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 206 and 217 together.
I can confirm that the correspondence referred to by the Deputies has been received in my Department and a response to it has issued. This correspondence was from a teacher in the school. The response sets out the procedure that the Board of Management of the school should follow in respect of a request for funding for the equipment in question.
207. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an autism spectrum disorder, ASD, unit will be opened in Clonmel town to accommodate students with ASD; the level of demand expected for places in an ASD unit in the next two years; the number of places in ASD units at primary and secondary level in Clonmel town; if the number of places is sufficient to meet demand for the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47933/18]
View answer208. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an ASD unit will be opened in Cahir town to accommodate students with ASD; the level of demand expected for places in an ASD unit in the next two years; the number of places in ASD units at primary and secondary level in Cahir town; if the number of places is sufficient to meet demand for the next three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47934/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 207 and 208 together.
Funding for special education provision in 2018 will amount to some €1.75 billion, up 43% since 2011 and equivalent to 18.7% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training.
My Department's policy is to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs, including Autism (ASD), in mainstream school settings, unless such a placement would not be in the best interests of the child concerned, or the children with whom they will be educated.
The greater proportion of children with Autism attend mainstream classes, but some require the environment of a special class or special school. This decision is based on a recommendation contained within a professional assessment and in consultation with the NCSE.
Special school placements are provided for other students with ASD and very complex special needs who wouldn’t manage in a mainstream school even for part of the week.
The NCSE is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers, for the development and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special class and special school placements.
Since 2011, the NCSE has increased the number of special classes from 548 in 2011 to 1,459 across the country now, of which 1,196 are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) special classes.
There are 3 special schools and 66 special classes attached to mainstream schools in Co. Tipperary. Of these, 8 are ASD early intervention classes, 32 are primary ASD classes and 18 are post primary ASD classes. The number of ASD special classes in Co. Tipperary have increased from 10 in 2011/2012 to 58 in 2018/2019. Details of all special classes for children with special educational needs are available on www.ncse.ie.
The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year in Co Tipperary, and where special provision is required it is planned and established to meet that need. I have arranged for the Deputy's question on emerging need in the Clonmel and Cahir areas to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply. My Department has no role in making determinations in this area.
209. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of progress on the lease held by a school (details supplied) from an organisation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47961/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the owners of the property granted a lease to the Minister for Education and Skills which commenced on the 1st of November 2013. The Minister in turn granted a sub-lease to the school authority in question. The lease and sub-lease are in place until June 2024.
210. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if extra funding will be made available to a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary that has received additional accommodation funding for a new classroom but requires a new corridor and office space; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47971/18]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that in December 2017, my Department approved funding for the provision of one Mainstream Classroom ensuite and a User Assisted toilet at the school referred to.
Subsequently, on foot of a second application received from the school, the project was increased to include a S.E.T. room in June 2018.
The delivery of this project is at an early stage of architectural planning.
The Department considers that this accommodation is appropriate to meet the school's requirements and in that regard, there are no further deficits of accommodation at the school.
211. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are specific supports available excluding summer works and emergency works for schools operating in older preserved buildings for refurbishments in view of the age and historical importance of the buildings in their communities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47988/18]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the National Development Plan (NDP) provides for an €8.4 billion investment in school buildings over the period 2018 to 2027 to deliver on NDP and National Planning Framework objectives through addressing the twin priorities of catering for demographics and ensuring a strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock. Works of the nature referred to by the Deputy would be available for consideration within this funding. My Department's immediate priority is to provide 20,000 new and replacement school places each year to ensure that every child has access to a school place.
212. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the junior cycle English 2017 Chief Examiner's Report was issued to all management authorities in the second-level school sector; if so, the date the report was issued; the means of communication used to issue the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48053/18]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
213. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a response will issue in relation to a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48068/18]
View answerI wish to confirm to the Deputy that a project for the schools in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme. In this regard, the amalgamation of the two schools will be concluded on the delivery of the major project, which will necessitate the preparation of a project brief. In this context I can advise that site suitability will be considered as part of the process.
214. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the full title of the lands for a school (details supplied) have been transferred from South Dublin County Council to his Department; if the transfer is not subject to planning permission; if so, the cost associated with this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48078/18]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that full title to the lands for the school to which the Deputy refers transferred to my Department from South Dublin County Council on 17 August 2018, the date the sale closed. The acquisition was not subject to planning permission. Architectural planning for a new building for the school is currently underway.
215. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedure for children that opt out of studying religious studies; if changes will be made in 2019 to same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48141/18]
View answerUnder the Constitution and in accordance with Section 30 of the Education Act 1998, parents have a right to have their children opt out of religion if they so wish.
The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, includes a specific provision that, when commenced, will require school enrolment policies to include details of the school's arrangements for any students who do not wish to attend religious instruction. This is an important measure which will help ensure transparency from the outset as to how a school will uphold the rights of parents and students in this regard.
The follow-up paper to the Report of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector which was published in 2014 outlines good practice and options for promoting diversity in all schools. The paper gives an overview of different types of arrangements that schools have put in place to facilitate those pupils who wish to opt-out of religious education.
The paper encourages school authorities to consider their policies and practices and to review whether they are taking the steps necessary to welcome all pupils and make them feel included. I understand that in the case of catholic schools, the Catholic Schools Partnership subsequently published guidelines for catholic schools in relation to the inclusion of all pupils and that this also contains suggestions on how such schools can manage the "opt-out" of religious education.
These are important steps, which alongside the circulars published earlier this year by my Department for state multi-denominational schools, help to inform parents in an open and transparent way how their requests to have their children opt out of religious instruction are handled by schools.
216. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the provision of ASD units in primary schools in Clonmel town in the absence of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48144/18]
View answerFunding for special education provision in 2018 will amount to some €1.75 billion, up 43% since 2011 and equivalent to 18.7% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training.
My Department's policy is to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs, including Autism (ASD), in mainstream school settings, unless such a placement would not be in the best interests of the child concerned, or the children with whom they will be educated.
The greater proportion of children with Autism attend mainstream classes, but some require the environment of a special class or special school. This decision is based on a recommendation contained within a professional assessment and in consultation with the NCSE.
Special school placements are provided for other students with ASD and very complex special needs who wouldn’t manage in a mainstream school even for part of the week.
The NCSE is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers, for the development and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special class and special school placements.
Since 2011, the NCSE has increased the number of special classes from 548 in 2011 to 1,459 across the country now, of which 1,196 are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) special classes.
There are 3 special schools and 66 special classes attached to mainstream schools in Co. Tipperary. Of these, 8 are ASD early intervention classes, 32 are primary ASD classes and 18 are post primary ASD classes. The number of ASD special classes in Co. Tipperary have increased from 10 in 2011/2012 to 58 in 2018/2019. Details of all special classes for children with special educational needs are available on www.ncse.ie.
The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year in Co Tipperary, and where special provision is required it is planned and established to meet that need. I have arranged for the Deputy's question on emerging need in the Clonmel area to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply. My Department has no role in making determinations in this matter.
218. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the commencement of building works for a school (details supplied); the reason for the delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48161/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a major capital project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is being addressed through my Department's Capital Programme.
It is envisaged that this accommodation will be provided through a campus arrangement with a local Institute of Further Education on its current site. This project will also include the redevelopment and provision of enhanced accommodation for the Institute. In the context of initiating architectural planning for the project, my Department is liaising with Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board. My Department will also continue to liaise with the school's Patron in this regard.
219. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that has been made in restoring the number of resource teachers for Travellers since 2010 when 600 of these posts were abolished; his views on the fact that the level of participation in education by Travellers in County Limerick is far lower than in the rest of the country; the measures being taken to address the matter; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that these problems have increased in County Limerick; if the matter will be investigated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48174/18]
View answerI wish to assure the Deputy that I am committed to implementing initiatives to improve Traveller retention, participation and achievement in the Education System.
The policy of my Department in relation to Traveller education is underpinned by the National Traveller and Roma Integration Strategy (NTRIS) 2017 – 2021 which was developed in consultation with relevant stakeholders including Traveller representative groups. There are a number of actions under NTRIS aimed at improving traveller participation and engagement in schools nationwide. My Department is engaging with the Department of Justice and Equality and Tusla Educational Welfare Services in progressing a pilot programme which, if successful, will inform the development of a sustainable programme to address the gap in educational outcomes for children and young people from the Travelling and Roma communities in other regions including Limerick.
A key objective of Traveller education policy in recent years has been the phasing out of segregated Traveller provision and the inclusion of Traveller children and young people in mainstream education. Funding for segregated Traveller provision has been incorporated into overall school and other funding streams in order to provide supports for Traveller pupils in mainstream schools.
As the Deputy may be aware, DEIS Plan 2017 which was launched by my Department in June 2017 includes a number of specific actions to improve educational outcomes for Traveller children and young people in the education system.
The provision of learning support following the removal of the Resource Teachers for Travellers (RTT) posts meant that Primary schools were allocated additional teaching resources to support children who require additional learning support provision through the General Allocation Model (GAM). Post-primary students, formerly supported by RTT hours, access the learning support service.
A number of schools in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) scheme had smaller class sizes as a result of enhanced Pupil Teacher Ratios. Up until 2011 Traveller pupils attending a DEIS school, but who were supported by an RTT, were not counted as part of the valid enrolment for the implementation of the enhanced pupil teacher ratios. When the Traveller pupils were no longer supported by RTTs, the compensatory measure proposed for DEIS schools was to apply the DEIS Band 1 pupil teacher ratios to include Traveller pupils, for the purposes of determining the level of mainstream teaching staff in the relevant DEIS schools. There is one post primary school with a Learning Support post in Limerick and there are 5 alleviation posts in Limerick.
220. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Donegal does not obtain delivering equality of education in schools, DEIS, status; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that all the surrounding schools within the same catchment area have successfully obtained DEIS status; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that similar socio-economic indicators and factors apply right across the catchment area and therefore there is no divergence of indicators which would lead to the school not receiving the required DEIS status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48237/18]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my Department has introduced an objective, statistics based model for assessing which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage.
The calculation of the level of disadvantage in each school is based on the socio-economic background of their pupil cohort using centrally held data as previously outlined to the Deputy. It is not based on the location of the school but on the geographical CSO Small Areas where the pupil cohort resides. Therefore it is important to understand that the demographic of neighbouring schools will not necessarily be the same and can indicate different levels of disadvantage based on the actual pupil cohort in each individual school.
A detailed document explaining the methodology used in the Identification process is available on the Department’s website at https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Identification-Process.pdf
DEIS Plan 2017 states that the improved data on the socio-demographic of schools resulting from the new identification model will have an impact not only on the assessment of schools for inclusion in the programme but also on the scaling of resources to allow for more graduated levels of support. This in turn allows for the ultimate objective of allocating resources to best meet the identified need of individual schools.
In order to achieve this, the current identification model needs to be as accurate as possible and this will be facilitated by the use of Eircode to ensure correct inputting of addresses. Further analysis is also required to examine other variables known to be strong predictors of educational disadvantage in the context of resource allocation. Therefore, in order to ensure the quality of the address data and conduct further analysis, it is not intended to extend the DEIS programme to any further schools until this work is complete.
221. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will put in place the mechanism to have all school secretaries and caretakers paid from the ancillary grant, put onto grade 3 or grade 4 dependent on whole-time equivalent teaching numbers as per circular 37/97 of his Department’s pay scale; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48250/18]
View answerThough schemes were initiated in 1978 and 1979 for the employment of Clerical Officers and Caretakers in primary and secondary schools, where staff employed on these schemes are paid directly by the Department, these schemes have been largely phased out and have been superseded by the more extensive capitation grant schemes.
Under these schemes, the majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme now receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services. Within the schemes, it is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs. Where a school uses the capitation grant funding to employ a secretary or caretaker, such staff are employees of individual schools.
My Department has recently made significant efforts to improve the pay of School Secretaries and Caretakers who are employed using capitation grant assistance. In 2015 my Department engaged with the Unions representing school secretaries on negotiations and agreed to enter an independent arbitration process on the issue. The Arbitrator recommended a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 for school secretaries and caretakers comprehended by the terms of the arbitration process and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 for such staff be phased in over the period 2016 to 2019. Following the arbitration process, grant funding used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff is being improved on a phased basis between 2016 and 2019 in order to enable schools to implement the arbitration outcome.
I am personally very much aware of this as an issue and the important role that School Secretaries and Caretakers play in the running of schools.
222. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for a school extension at a school (details supplied). [48260/18]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that an application has been received from the school in question in respect of additional accommodation. In that context I wish to advise that my Department has written to the school to invite them to a meeting, in the coming weeks, to discuss the matter further.
223. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills if correspondence (details supplied) will be examined; if funding will be expedited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48261/18]
View answerFunding for all primary schools in the free education scheme is dealt with on a per capita basis.
The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc., and the ancillary services grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff.
Schools are permitted to regard the capitation and ancillary services grants as a combined grant and Boards of Management have autonomy on how they use and prioritise this funding to meet their day to day running costs, including for the provision of secretarial and caretaker services.
There is no provision for additional payments outside of those outlined above.
On 14 September 2018, the announcement of the major package of investment in education under Project Ireland 2040 confirmed that, starting this year, all primary schools will receive the €29 million minor works grant in either December or early January of each school year.
I expect to make an announcement shortly with regard to the timing of the payment of the Minor Works Grant for the current school year.
224. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the process that will be involved in dealing with a case of protected disclosure (details supplied); the bodies that will be involved in this process; the steps involved including indicative timeframes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48266/18]
View answerOfficials from my Department met with the discloser in relation to further information the discloser wished to include as part of their original disclosure. The Discloser subsequently forwarded additional information for inclusion.
The discloser was advised that the Department was taking the disclosure seriously, that the information provided would be considered and that action would be taken where appropriate.
This process has not yet fully concluded.
My Department also outlined to the Discloser that this would take some time as a number of matters were raised and that it was not possible to accurately indicate how long this would take.
My Department will write to the Discloser when its consideration of the protective disclosure has been concluded.
225. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills when it is planned that two survivors will be appointed to the board of Caranua to replace the two persons who resigned in February 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48283/18]
View answerI have now appointed two former residents to fill the vacancies that arose on the Board of Caranua. The vacancies were filled in accordance with the provisions of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 and the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards.
