Robert Troy
Question:154. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if sufficient school services have now been put in place for a person (details supplied) [5104/20]
View answerSpecial Educational Needs
Questions (154)
Written answers
It is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in 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.
The greater proportion of children with autism attend mainstream class, where they may access additional supports if required.
Some students with autism, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there and placement in an autism special class should be considered.
Special school placements are provided for other students with autism and very complex special needs who wouldn’t manage in a mainstream school even for part of the week. Enrolment of a child in a special school is based on a professional assessment in consultation with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
My Department’s policy focuses on ensuring that all students with autism can have access to an education appropriate to meeting their needs and abilities.
The range of supports and services which are made available to support students with autism in schools include additional special educational support teaching, Special Needs Assistants support, funding for the purchase of specialised equipment, services of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), enhanced levels of capitation in Special schools and Special Classes and additional teacher training.
Other resources which are provided to schools to support children with autism include the following:
- Assistive technology.
- Professional development for teachers.
- Access to the Special School transport scheme.
- Access to special equipment and furniture where required.
- Enhanced capitation grant.
- Adapted school buildings.
- Access to the extended school year scheme. (July Provision)
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports as required.
As the question raised by the Deputy relates to an individual child, I have arranged for this question to be forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply.
Apprenticeship Programmes
Questions (155, 156, 157)
Robert Troy
Question:155. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the targeted apprentice registrations forecasted for all craft-based apprenticeships and registrations planned under new consortia-led apprenticeship programmes; the apprentice population forecasted by craft-based and new consortia-led apprenticeships; the number of existing and new apprenticeship programmes forecasted for each year; and the number realised, that is, apprentice registrations and new programmes operationalised for these targets in each of the years 2016 to 2019 and to date in 2020, in tabular form. [3928/20]
View answerRobert Troy
Question:156. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the most up-to-date number of male and female apprentices in training by each employment sector and subsector for craft-based and consortia led apprenticeships in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3929/20]
View answerRobert Troy
Question:157. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new apprenticeship registrations in each employment sector and subsector for all craft-based and consortia-led apprenticeships in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3930/20]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 to 157, inclusive, together.
Details in respect of the apprentice registrations, population, including a breakdown of male/female participation and targets versus actual from 2016 to end March 2020 are set out in the attached tabular statements. Formal forecasts and targets are developed for apprenticeship registrations. However, formal forecasts are not produced for the total apprenticeship population at any specific date.
To date 30 new apprenticeships have been developed bringing the total number of programmes available to 55. These new programmes span areas of the economy from hospitality and ICT to retail and biopharma.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (158)
Bernard Durkan
Question:158. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position in regard to the provision of extra facilities at a school (details supplied); the precise developmental stage the project is at; if the matter will be expedited with a view to early identification of the work on site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3936/20]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application, for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the school authority in question. The application is currently being assessed and on completion of the assessment process the school authority will be informed directly.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (159)
Maurice Quinlivan
Question:159. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that two ASD units at a school (details supplied) have been sanctioned by the National Council For Special Education and are scheduled to open in September 2020, yet the application for the building of these units is still under assessment and no construction has been commenced; the status and timeframe for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3944/20]
View answerWritten answers
I can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation from the school referred to by the Deputy. Once the assessment process has been completed the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (160)
Brendan Griffin
Question:160. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for additional accommodation by a school (details supplied) in County Kerry will be examined. [3965/20]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has received an application, from the school in question, for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation scheme. Officials from my Department are in contact with the school authorities regarding additional information. When this information is received, the application will be assessed and the school authority will be informed directly.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (161)
Brendan Griffin
Question:161. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application by a school (details supplied) for funding to construct two classrooms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3987/20]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application, for capital funding under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the school authority in question. The application is currently being assessed and as soon as the assessment process is completed the school authority will be informed directly.
Summer Works Scheme Applications
Questions (162)
Thomas Byrne
Question:162. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a multiannual summer works scheme application by a school (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3993/20]
View answerWritten answers
I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question applied for funding under my Department's multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2020 onwards for 'External Environment Projects.'
The Deputy may be aware that I announced details of the schools that will receive funding in summer 2020 in respect of applications submitted for 'Life Safety Systems Projects.'
Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the Scheme, applications are being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the Circular accompanying the Scheme. In this regard applications submitted for other works will be considered under future rounds of the Summer Works Scheme. The school in question will be considered in this context.
School Transport Provision
Questions (163, 166)
Charlie McConalogue
Question:163. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a response will issue in relation to a school transport issue (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3998/20]
View answerCharlie McConalogue
Question:166. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a response will issue in relation to a school transport matter (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4034/20]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 163 and 166 together.
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my 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 current school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, are transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
Under the terms of the scheme, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria (3.2km at primary and 4.8km at post-primary) and are attending their nearest school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Distance eligibility is determined by Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from the child’s home to the relevant school.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and payment process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and may 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.
School transport scheme services operating for the 2020/21 school year will be determined by the number of children who complete the application and payment process on time and are deemed eligible for school transport.
Departmental Expenditure
Questions (164)
Catherine Murphy
Question:164. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount expended on access to online and hardcopy media publications in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020; the breakdown of online and hard copy subscriptions including the publications that his Department subscribes to; if consideration has been given to using a banded set of IP addresses for online subscriptions rather than individual accounts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4005/20]
View answerWritten answers
The costs incurred by the Department in relation to access to online and hardcopy media publications in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 are set out in the following table.
|
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 to date |
|
€22,681.09 |
€16,914.04 |
€21,470.78 |
€3,454.85 |
The Department currently subscribes to the following online publications:
|
Times Online |
|
Sunday Business Post |
|
Economist |
|
The Irish Times |
|
Financial Times |
|
Irish Independent |
|
Irish Daily Mail |
|
The Times Higher Education Magazine |
Due to remote working, a full list of publications (newspapers, periodicals, magazines) is not readily available and we can arrange to collate and forward to the Deputy separately in due course.
The Department seeks best value in its subscriptions and minimises its costs with generic addresses where permitted.
Departmental Data
Questions (165)
Catherine Murphy
Question:165. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the top ten websites visited by officials and political staff annually in each of the years 2017 to 2019 and to date in 2020 via hardware provided to them by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4021/20]
View answerWritten answers
My Department uses specialised security software and associated hardware to monitor internet requests, log activity, apply internet content filters, and report on browsing history on the corporate desktop only. Internet activity is recorded only on devices inside the Department's networks and not on devices outside the Department's networks e.g. Smartphones.
The production servers only retain logs for the last six months of activity online.
The top ten websites visited in the period 1st of September 2019 to the 6th of March 2020 are listed below. The ranking is based on hits captured which include actual visits and embedded links from multiple sources such as links to advertisements and web counters. It should be noted that most web pages contain content from multiple sources (social networking applications, advertisement servers, streaming video sites, image hosting services, etc.).
Top ten websites visited 1 st of September 2019 to the 6 th of March 2020
|
# |
Website |
|
1 |
www.google.com |
|
2 |
www.google.ie |
|
3 |
services1.arcgis.com |
|
4 |
hangouts.google.com |
|
5 |
onelearning.gov.ie |
|
6 |
play.google.com |
|
7 |
encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com |
|
8 |
mail.google.com |
|
9 |
nexus.officeapps.live.com |
|
10 |
ctldl.windowsupdate.com |
Question No. 166 answered with Question No. 163.
Home Schooling
Questions (167)
Catherine Murphy
Question:167. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students in primary and secondary level that are receiving home school tuition as opposed to school-based tuition in counties Dublin, Kildare, Meath, Louth, Laois, Wicklow, Westmeath, Wexford, Carlow and Kilkenny in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4039/20]
View answerWritten answers
The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school.
Home tuition is not an alternative to a school placement and is provided in very limited and specific circumstances. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention.
The scheme provides a compensatory educational service for children enrolled in schools, with significant medical conditions which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school. The scheme also provides for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school and early intervention for children with autism aged from 2.5 years to 5 years who meet the schemes eligibility criteria.
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.
The majority of children accessing Home Tuition for Early Intervention go on to enrol in school places.
In circumstances, where no placement available for a child with Special Educational Needs, the Department can provide Home Tuition grant funding towards the provision of 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until the NCSE confirms that a placement is available.
The information requested by the Deputy is outlined in the following table.
|
County |
SEN under 6 |
SEN over 6 |
Medical Primary |
Medical Post primary |
|
Carlow |
2 |
0 |
4 |
8 |
|
Dublin |
251 |
83 |
20 |
88 |
|
Kildare |
22 |
3 |
4 |
10 |
|
Kilkenny |
8 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
|
Laois |
8 |
0 |
1 |
6 |
|
Louth |
7 |
0 |
3 |
8 |
|
Meath |
23 |
7 |
1 |
18 |
|
Westmeath |
20 |
0 |
3 |
12 |
|
Wexford |
13 |
1 |
4 |
21 |
|
Wicklow |
7 |
1 |
1 |
19 |
National Educational Psychological Service
Questions (168)
Catherine Murphy
Question:168. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children awaiting NEPS assessments by county; the length of time they have been waiting in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4040/20]
View answerWritten answers
I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments. (SCPA).
NEPS does not maintain waiting lists but in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximize positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.
This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.
The Deputy may be aware that in 2017 my Department introduced a new model to support pupils with special educational needs. This means schools are now front-loaded with additional teachers to enable them to respond to pupil needs, rather than requiring an assessment to allow them to apply for such additional resource. This reduces the administrative burden on schools as schools will no longer have to complete an application process annually and apply for newly enrolled pupils who require additional teaching support. Children who need support can have that support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis.
Furthermore I can inform the Deputy that starting from a level of 173 whole-tome equivalents in 2016 and following increases allowed in successive Budgets the sanctioned number for NEPS psychologist currently stands at 204 w.t.e. Some 199 of these posts are currently filled which represents the highest number of psychologists to be employed within NEPS since the inception of the service in 2000. The filling of the remaining posts is being actively pursued by my Department in conjunction with the Public Appointments Service.
I would advise that if there are concerns in relation to the educational or social and emotional development of any student these should be raised by the parents, in the first instance, with the Principal of the school he/she is attending, with a view to Principal discussing the situation with the assigned NEPS psychologist or local NEPS service.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Questions (169)
Carol Nolan
Question:169. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the number of pupils rural schools need to have to retain or gain additional teachers will be reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4041/20]
View answerWritten answers
Budget 2020 has provided for improved teacher staffing levels for small schools. This measure will see a more favourable pupil teacher ratio in small schools from September 2020. This improved schedule will apply in two, three and four teacher schools and ensure one less pupil is required to retain/recruit a teacher. This has been implemented in the recently published Circular 0018/2020 which sets out the staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2020/21 school year.
This builds on measures in previous budgets which has seen improvements in the appointment and retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and more favourable enrolment thresholds for one teacher schools situated 8km or more from the nearest school of the same type of patronage and/or language of instruction.
Small schools have also benefitted from the 1 point improvement to the primary staffing schedule for all schools implemented in 2016 and again in 2018.
In addition, the staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria, including a specific appeal measure for small schools, to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board.
Educational Disadvantage
Questions (170)
Carol Nolan
Question:170. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the educational disadvantage committee which was set up under the Education Act 1998 will be reinstated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4042/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Educational Disadvantage Committee (EDC) was established under Section 32 of the Education Act, 1998, to advise the Minister for Education and Skills on policies and strategies to be adopted to identify and correct educational disadvantage. The Committee's final report 'Moving Beyond Educational Disadvantage' was published in December 2005. The Government decided, as part of the decision on rationalisation of agencies in the 2009 budget, that a formal statutory Committee was no longer required in order to advise on the issue of educational disadvantage. This decision required an amendment to legislation which was provided for under Section 7 of the Education (Amendment) Act 2012.
There is a DEIS Advisory Group is made up of representatives from the education partners, relevant Government Departments, the Educational Research Centre, Tusla and DES Officials.
Its main role currently is to progress and provide advice on the implementation of the 108 actions in DEIS Plan 2017.
Schools Facilities
Questions (171)
Carol Nolan
Question:171. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if emergency repair work will be carried out at a school (details supplied) to an adequate standard to ensure safety for pupils and staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4043/20]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question has been approved Emergency Works funding for roof works. As this is a devolved project, it is a matter for the school authority to progress the works.
School Furniture Provision
Questions (172)
Brendan Griffin
Question:172. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be provided for school furniture for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4057/20]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to inform the Deputy that a furniture grant for the school in question has been approved. The school was asked to provide the necessary documentation in order to release the approved funding but this documentation has not been received to date.
Schools Amalgamation
Questions (173)
Mattie McGrath
Question:173. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the amalgamation of national schools in Cahir, County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4061/20]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, the decision making authority for any amalgamation belongs to the Patron/Trustees of the school and this is subject to my Department's approval. My Department understands that the body of work required for the amalgamation of the schools to which he refers is being progressed by the Patron.
Schools Extra Curricular Activities
Questions (174)
Robert Troy
Question:174. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a Ministerial order may be made banning school trips to Italy (details supplied). [4072/20]
View answerWritten answers
Travel advice for all Irish citizens is provided through the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the most recent correct information will be available from there.
The Department of Education and Skills issues information updates to schools, preschools and third level institutions on Covid-19 as they are received from the Department of Health, HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre and Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade .
Public health doctors are available to liaise with schools and advise on precautions if staff and/or students have any concerns.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade currently advises against all non-essential travel overseas until further notice. This advice includes all trips, educational or otherwise to Italy.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (175)
Jackie Cahill
Question:175. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for major extension works for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4073/20]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to confirm to the Deputy that an application for major capital funding has been received from the school in question. Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places to keep pace with demographic demand and also provides for an additional focus on the refurbishment of existing school buildings, starting in the second half of Project Ireland 2040 period. The school authority's application will be consider under the Project Ireland 2040 capital envelope.
Should the school authority consider that it does not have sufficient capacity, in terms of mainstream teaching accommodation, it is open to them to apply for accommodation under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme, details of which are available on my Department's website www.education.ie. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
Emergency Works Scheme Applications
Questions (176)
Charlie McConalogue
Question:176. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an emergency works application by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4082/20]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to inform the Deputy that my Department does not have any Emergency Works Application on hand for the school in question.
Student Support Schemes
Questions (177)
James Browne
Question:177. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an allowance will be reinstated for students studying primary school teaching that must complete Irish language training in An Gaeltacht; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4092/20]
View answerWritten answers
The Gaeltacht placement for student teachers in primary Initial Teacher Education is really important as an immersive Irish language experience. It is improves their communicative competence in Gaeilge, in the context of their future role as teachers of Irish and other subjects through Irish. It also enhances their understanding of life and culture in the Gaeltacht and the reality of life in bilingual communities. That is why the Teaching Council has made the placement compulsory for all student teachers at primary to graduate.
I have been very much aware of the challenge for students around the cost of the Gaeltacht placement and so, as part of Budget 2020, I announced the restoration of the Gaeltacht grant for students in State-funded primary initial teacher education (ITE) programmes, with effect from the academic year 2020/2021, at an estimated full year annual cost of €1.8 million.
My officials are currently considering the most appropriate process for administering the payment of the grant.
Special Educational Needs Staff
Questions (178)
James Browne
Question:178. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding changes to the employment structure for SNAs; the grounds which will result in a child being provided with SNA assistance; when he plans to make the changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4093/20]
View answerWritten answers
Schools have been notified of the arrangements for the allocation of SNA support in respect of students in mainstream classes for 2020/21. The arrangements include the following provisions:
- 2019/20 mainstream class SNA allocations will be frozen, from the date of issue of Circular 0030/2020, and will automatically rollover into the 2020/21 school year. This means that no school will receive an allocation less than that which they have on the date of issue of this Circular and existing SNAs currently in standard SNA posts can continue in these posts for the next school year in the normal way.
- Schools may apply to the NCSE for additionality where they can demonstrate that the current allocation does not meet additional care needs within the mainstream classes in the school. Applications for additionality arising from significant new or emerging additional care needs, which cannot be catered within existing allocations, will be dealt with by way of an exceptional review process.
- A diagnosis of a disability, or a psychological or other professional report, will not be necessary for this process.
- The role of the SNA to support the care needs of students in mainstream classes, as set out in Circular 0030/2014, remains unchanged.
It is expected that schools will review and reprioritise the deployment of SNAs within mainstream settings and allocate resources to ensure those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support. Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014.
Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.
The NCSE will endeavour to respond to all applications for exceptional review received prior to 22nd May 2020 by 30th June 2020 and in that regard, it will prioritise applications from schools with no current SNA allocation and developing schools. Applications for an Exceptional Review received after 22 May 2020 will continue to be processed once all other applications have been completed.
The exceptional review process for mainstream allocations will be available to schools throughout the 2020/21 school year.
There is no change to the employment arrangements for SNAs.
As this question relates to a particular school, I have referred the question to the NCSE for their direct reply. I do not have a role in making determinations in individual cases.
A new frontloading model for allocating Special Needs Assistants to primary and post primary schools for students in mainstream classes only was to be introduced in the 2020/21 school year as part of the phased roll out of the School Inclusion Model (SIM). Due to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 public health crisis, the introduction of the model has been deferred for one year.