Tuesday, 9 Jun 2020

Written Answers Nos. 181-200

Institutes of Technology

Questions (181)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

181. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the decision to downgrade the LYIT school of tourism to a department within the school of business; the plans in relation to the future of the LYIT Killybegs campus; if there are plans to facilitate other courses from other departments in LYIT within the campus; his plans to ensure that the Killybegs campus will have a representative at the governing board of LYIT in the future that will represent the interests of the Killybegs campus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10265/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Under the statutory framework governing the Institute of Technology sector, as Minister for Education and Skills I have no legal role, function or responsibility in relation to the specific matters raised in the Deputy’s question.

Letterkenny Institute of Technology’s Strategic Plan 2019 – 2023 highlights the role of the Killybegs campus in the context of the achievement of the Institute’s strategic objectives over that period as well as proposed development of an Ocean Innovation Centre in Killybegs to enable greater engagement with industry similar to the CoLab model in Letterkenny and the digital hubs throughout the county supported by LYIT.

The Deputy may wish to note that investment of €1.8 m is committed to capital works for improving and updating the Killybegs campus up to 2022.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (182)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

182. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if children with Down's syndrome will be granted access to the July provision in 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10268/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department is planning to provide a summer education programme for children with significant special educational needs as soon as it is safe to do so and in accordance with public health advice.

It is intended that this programme will be similar to the July Provision of previous years.

The Summer Education Programme will take place for children with significant special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes.

The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.

Planning is under way and an announcement will be made shortly.

State Examinations

Questions (183)

Norma Foley

Question:

183. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will accommodate students that wish to take a written leaving certificate exam by allowing them to do so in August 2020 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10282/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The timeframe for sitting the postponed Leaving Certificate 2020 examinations cannot be determined at this time pending public health advice that would identify a safe period of time to do so and the number of candidates in each subject has been identified. It is not expected that students who seek to rely on the results of the postponed examinations will be able to commence a third level place in the 2020/2021 academic year.

Education Policy

Questions (184)

Norma Foley

Question:

184. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide schools and students with the necessary software to accommodate blended learning in schools in September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10283/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As part of the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment, funding of €210m for ICT Infrastructure will be distributed to schools over the five years of the Strategy. €110m has issued over the lifetime of the strategy to date with €40m recently issuing in the form of a grant payment to all eligible schools and a further €10m top-up funding issued to all schools to enable schools to further support any of their students experiencing difficulty in engaging with remote learning.

In the context of the current public health crisis the funding can be focussed on assisting schools to address ICT needs including devices, software and other ICT solutions to support the provision of remote learning. This can include the purchase of ICT devices that can be shared with students who do not have access to devices, essential learning platforms and other ICT infrastructure to support the provision of remote learning.

Since the announcement that schools would close and the extension of that closure, my Department has provided guidance to schools and teachers in the education sector to ensure that they continue to work and to engage with their students to continue the delivery of education. A series of guidance notes to support schools to effectively support and engage with their students are published on my Department's website at: https://www.education.ie/en/covid-19/#guidance. Further guidance will continue to be compiled to address the various challenges that arise for schools in providing programmes of continued learning in the remote learning environment and to accommodate blended learnign solutions if requried. Various surveys and studies has conducted across the education system has informed the development of guidance.

Resources to support the transition to distant learning are being provided by the Department support service, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), at https://www.pdst.ie/DistanceLearning. Scoilnet the Department’s educational portal has open access to a wide variety of resources and information developed by various services including: the PDST, Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT), the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), the National Council for Special Education. These resources can all be accessed at https://www.scoilnet.ie/support/. Scoilnet also provides open access to extensive educational resources including Worldbook Online, at www.scoilnet.ie

Schools have been asked to be conscious of students who may not have access to online facilities or where digital solutions may not be appropriate and to consider this actively in their approaches to delivering remote learning. As part of reopening of society roadmap and the lifting of current restrictions, school and college buildings are now opened for access by teachers for the organisation and distribution of remote learning in line with public health advice and restrictions and essential work that cannot be done remotely with continued observance of public health guidelines.

Teacher Training Provision

Questions (185)

Norma Foley

Question:

185. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide training for teachers that may have to implement a blended teaching approach in September 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10284/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Since the closure of schools on 12 March, my Department has provided a range of guidelines for schools and teachers in relation to the continuity of learning. In addtion, the Teacher Education Support Services funded by my Department have provided a range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) supports to schools and teachers, particularly in the area of supporting digital teaching and learning.

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department continues to work on developing guidelines for schools, schools leaders and teachers on the re-opening of schools after the summer. My Department will be guided by the public health advice on re-opening of schools. My Department has also undertook extensive consultation with the education partners in relation to the issues facing schools and teachers in terms of re-opening schools.

I am confident that guidelines for schools on re-opening after the summer will be available shortly and if required any information in relation to blended teaching and associated supports will also be provided at that time.

Mental Health Services

Questions (186)

Norma Foley

Question:

186. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the specific mental health and well-being resources available to students at this time; the resources available to leaving certificate students that are coping with a particularly stressful and unprecedented experience of education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10285/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I am acutely aware of the challenges faced by students, teachers and families at this difficult time. The welfare of students and that of their families is front and centre in all decision making. My Department has worked closely with the Department of Health and the HSE on the In This Together campaign which aims to help everyone in Ireland to Stay Connected, Stay Active, and look after their Mental Wellbeing throughout the Covid-19 Emergency. The In This Together campaign draws together the huge range of advice and support that is available for people of all ages. To support the wellbeing and mental health of our Leaving Certificate students at this time, a dedicated page on the InThis Together site contains online advice for Leaving Certificate students. This webpage includes a series of supports on managing wellbeing, stress and anxiety, developed by NEPS. The webpage also includes links to more individualised support for students to access, should these be needed. It is recognised that some vulnerable groups of students may require a more focused, stepped-up level of intervention and the Department has worked with the Department of Health and HSE to ensure the most appropriate services and resources are clearly signposted for those students. A planning group has been established by my colleague, the Minister for Health and includes representatives from the Department of Health, the HSE, and the NGO sector, in recognition of the fact that prior to, during and following national emergencies there is a need to support certain members of the population with their emotional, cognitive, social and physical needs.

The stepped care approach recognises that at present, there already exists services that offer online text and telephone supports to people seeking mental health information and advice. These include the Samaritans; Pieta House; MyMind; Turn2Me; Aware; Crisis Text Ireland; Shine; BeLongTo; LGBT Ireland; Jigsaw; Bodywhys and Childline. The YourMentalHealth.ie website provides a ‘one-stop-shop’ portal for people seeking information, supports and services, including information on accessing urgent help and a mental health text messaging support service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days each week to connect people with trained volunteers. These services augment the work of NEPS and assist students who may be feeling anxious at this time. In addition, additional support services have been identified for the general population that can assist students and their families at this time.

During this challenging time the school building may be closed but schools have structures in place to support students. It has often been the case, that the first port of call for Leaving Certificate students who are experiencing distress has been their school. Schools have developed excellent and flexible systems of support. Many schools have a designated Student Support Team, while other schools have equivalent systems and structures, but may use different terminology to describe their arrangements, such as ‘Care Team’ or ‘Pastoral Care Team’. Either way, the structures schools have in place will continue to have a key role identifying issues and students for discussion by the Student Support Team with appropriate action/ follow-up. In these uncertain times, the familiarity of these school structures and personnel will offer continuity and reassurance to students. A guidance document for Post-Primary Schools on supporting the wellbeing of students and the role of Student Support Teams was written by NEPS and has been published by my Department.

NEPS psychologists continue to be available to provide advice and support to school principals, teachers, students, parents. NEPS provides consultation for school staff who may have concerns about individual students. NEPS supports schools in putting interventions in place for students with identified difficulties, and in signposting to more specialist support, when needed, including onward referral to the HSE and other local mental health services.

NEPS is proactively exploring a number of innovative ways to continue to provide educational psychological services to school communities at this time.

My Department is developing a plan for supporting the wellbeing of school communities as part of the plan for reopening schools. A key element of supporting wellbeing at this time is the need for schools to manage and support transitions, including those transitions that have been impacted by school closures. Neps is developing guidance on transitions for all students including students with special and additional needs.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (187)

Norma Foley

Question:

187. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial resources that will be made available to schools for the 2020/2021 academic year to facilitate the meeting of Covid-19 stay safe measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10286/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

On the 1st May 2020, the Taoiseach announced as part of the “Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business” that schools will commence opening on a phased basis at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year.

The Department is currently working with the Education Partners and relevant stakeholders in planning for this re-opening which will be based on public health advice. A core objective will be to ensure that schools and other education settings can re-open and operate in a safe manner that is consistent with public health advice.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (188)

Norma Foley

Question:

188. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to make training available to staff, management and school communities on best practice implementation of Covid-19 stay safe measures in advance of the 2020/2021 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10287/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

To assist with the development of contingency plans for the re-opening and operation of schools in an environment that may require social distancing and other public health requirements, my Department is engaging with education partners and relevant stakeholders. This work will be based on the National Return to Work Safely Protocol that was published by Government and will also be informed by guidance and experience from other jurisdictions.

As part of this engagement, each of the education partners were given the opportunity to outline the key issues that they would like to have considered in the context of re-opening schools. The issues raised by the education partners include those referred to by the Deputy in his question.

A core objective of the contingency plans will be to ensure that schools and other education settings can reopen and operate in a safe manner that is consistent with public health advice. Following consultation, currently underway with the education partners, guidance will issue to schools as soon as possible on the logistical and curricular arrangements to be put in place to facilitate the phased re-opening of schools. This guidance will provide a framework for individual schools to develop plans for the re-opening of school in accordance with their own circumstances, the context and needs of their staff and students and in compliance with public health guidelines.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (189)

Norma Foley

Question:

189. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if extra resources will be made available to schools to ensure students will not have to share resources, for example, library books and so on. [10288/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

On the 1st May 2020, the Taoiseach announced as part of the “Roadmap for Reopening Society and Business” that schools will commence opening on a phased basis at the beginning of the 2020/2021 academic year.

The Department is currently working with the Education Partners and relevant stakeholders in planning for this re-opening which will be based on public health advice. A core objective will be to ensure that schools and other education settings can re-open and operate in a safe manner that is consistent with public health advice.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (190)

Norma Foley

Question:

190. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the implementation of traditional summer programmes for children with additional needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10289/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department is planning to provide a summer education programme for children with significant special educational needs as soon as it is safe to do so and in accordance with public health advice.

It is intended that this programme will be similar to the July Provision of previous years.

The Summer Education Programme will take place for children with significant special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes.

The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.

Planning is under way and an announcement will be made shortly.

Education Policy

Questions (191)

Norma Foley

Question:

191. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if arrangements for the leaving certificate in 2021 are being explored in view of the loss of class time in 2020 and a likely similar scenario in 2021; his plans to amend courses or make an allowance for same (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10290/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Following the school closure in March 2020, my Department published a range of guidance to assist schools and teachers in ensuring continuity of teaching and learning for students as well as supporting their wellbeing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This guidance aimed, inter alia, to ensure regular engagement of students in lessons, tasks and learning experiences across the range of curriculum subjects, provision of regular assignments and regular, practical, supportive and customised feedback on work submitted.

Schools adopted various ways to engage with their students in accordance with the technology and broadband resources available in school and at home, including by post, e-mails, communication apps, the school website, use of other digital communicative platforms, including live meetings. Schools were asked to be conscious of pupils who may not have access to online facilities and to adapt approaches so that these pupils continued to have the opportunity to participate in learning.

The aim of these distant learning approaches, the guidance which issued to all schools and the regular engagement with students, was to ensure that students stayed connected with and progressed their learning. These actions will, therefore, have helped to minimise the impact of school closure.

In the context of planning for a return to school which is underway, my Department is, inter alia, considering the curriculum, i.e. what needs to be put in place to support ongoing progression for learners and addressing any shortfall that may result from school closures. Those going into sixth year in post primary schools are a group that will receive a particular focus in the context of preparations for the Leaving Certificate examinations in 2021.

My Department is acutely aware of the challenges faced by students at this difficult time, and how the current circumstances will continue to present challenges into the future. The welfare of students is, and will continue to be, front and centre in all decision making.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (192)

Duncan Smith

Question:

192. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the extension of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10292/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department is currently reviewing the building project to which the Deputy refers in the context of construction sites restarting and projects at tender stage progressing. Department officials will be in contact with the school shortly with regard to the next stage for this project.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (193)

Frank Feighan

Question:

193. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a proposed development (details supplied) in County Sligo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10299/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to inform the Deputy that there were a number of issues with the final stages of the tender process in respect of the projects in question including issues with the documentation provided to my Department by the school authority. These matters have now been addressed and the school authority has been given approval to proceed to construction in that context.

School Transport

Questions (194)

Norma Foley

Question:

194. Deputy Norma Foley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an extension of the school bus service will be provided for the 2021 school year from Annascaul village to Inch, County Kerry to accommodate nineteen students that are reliant on such a service. [10311/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills (John Halligan)

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 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.

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.

All school transport services are reviewed over the summer months. Arising from this review, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.

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.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using a random selection process.

Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on the capacity on the buses running on all of the various routes and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route.

In cases where the Department is satisfied that the nearest school is full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance that children reside from their next nearest school having regard to ethos and language. If a family has further information in regard to the closest school being full they should contact School Transport Section of my Department. Further information in this regard is available on my Department's website www.education.ie.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (195)

Michael McGrath

Question:

195. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to roll out a summer education programme for children with additional needs; when the details will be finalised and announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10330/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department is planning to provide a summer education programme for children with significant special educational needs as soon as it is safe to do so and in accordance with public health advice.

It is intended that this programme will be similar to the July Provision of previous years.

The Summer Education Programme will take place for children with significant special educational needs enrolled in special schools, special classes and mainstream classes.

The programme will be reliant on schools, teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) choosing to participate on a voluntary basis.

Planning is under way and an announcement will be made shortly.

Question No. 196 answered with Question No. 97.

School Transport

Questions (197)

Gary Gannon

Question:

197. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the status of bus route D520 Enfield to Maynooth remains the same; and if it has been revised or has been considered for revision to more formally accommodate Enfield-based students attending schools (details supplied). [10351/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills (John Halligan)

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 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.

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.

All school transport services are reviewed over the summer months. Arising from this review, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.

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.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using a random selection process.

Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on the capacity on the buses running on all of the various routes and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route.

Further information on the School Transport Scheme is available on the Department’s website at www.education.ie

School Transport

Questions (198)

Gary Gannon

Question:

198. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the status of bus route D520 remains the same; and if Enfield-based students of schools (details supplied) that were accessing the service as concessionary travel will continue to be accommodated and transported to their school in view of the fact that are relocating to an educational campus one kilometre away from a school. [10352/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills (John Halligan)

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 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.

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.

All school transport services are reviewed over the summer months. Arising from this review, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.

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.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using a random selection process.

Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on the capacity on the buses running on all of the various routes and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route.

Further information on the School Transport Scheme is available on the Department’s website at www.education.ie

Schools Building Projects

Questions (199)

Gary Gannon

Question:

199. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the overall capital construction cost of schools (details supplied) in County Meath. [10353/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the following table.

Roll Number	School	Construction Costs to date (VAT inclusive)
16655P	ST NICHOLAS PRIMARY SCHOOL	3,650,101.03
19813W	KILDALKEY NS	3,273,391.36
20396Q	ASHBOURNE ETNS	4,032,979.42
71970L	ST FINTAN'S POST PRIMARY,	10,510,459.53
20382F	GAELSCOIL NA MI	3,091,950.28
76196W	DE LACY COLLEGE	9,664,980.64

Departmental Expenditure

Questions (200)

Gary Gannon

Question:

200. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure by year incurred in the rental of past and present premises since the opening of schools (details supplied). [10354/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I can confirm that my Department is funding the rental of buildings for the schools referred to by the Deputy.

From 1st January 2011 to the present date, the per annum rental cost of the first named school is €162,000.

From 1st July 2014 until 30th June 2018, the per annum rental cost for the second named school was €30,000. This rental ceased in June 2018 as the school relocated to a larger premises to cater for the increase in enrolments. As such, from 1st September 2018 to the present date, the per annum rental cost is €73,800.