Written Answers Nos. 628-650
628. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education and Skills if approval has been received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to enter into formal discussions within the Workplace Relations Commission on the equality pay issues relating to school secretaries; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15404/20]
View answerI recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools.
In Budget 2020 the number of secretaries and caretakers in certain schools was increased, allowing schools with enrolments of 500-625 to fill secretary vacancies provided they have fewer than 1.5 secretaries; schools with enrolments of 626-699 to fill vacancies provided they have fewer than two secretary posts filled, and schools of 700 or more to fill caretaker vacancies provided they have fewer than two caretakers. These measures will take effect from September 2020.
In Spring 2019 the moratorium was relaxed for those C&C and ETB schools with enrolments of 700 and more which allows them to employ additional school secretaries up to a maximum of two per school. There are 91 schools in the C&C and ETB Sector who meet this criteria, based on the information currently available to this Department. This was an initial step and took immediate effect.
Schemes were initiated in 1978 and 1979 for the employment of clerical officers and caretakers in schools. The schemes were withdrawn completely in 2008. These schemes have been superseded by the capitation grant schemes. The current grant scheme was agreed in the context of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, published in 1991.
The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools now receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under these grant 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 grant funding for caretaking or secretarial purposes, any staff taken on to support those functions are employees of individual schools. Specific responsibility for terms of employment rests with the school.
On foot of a Chairman’s Note to the Lansdowne Road Agreement, my Department engaged with the Unions representing school secretaries and caretakers, including through an independent arbitration process in 2015. The Arbitrator recommended a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 for staff and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period. This arbitration agreement covered the period up to 31 December 2019.
The arbitration agreement was designed to be of greatest benefit to lower-paid secretaries and caretakers. For example, a secretary or caretaker who was paid the then minimum wage of €8.65 per hour in 2015 prior to the arbitration has from 1 January 2019, been paid €13 per hour which is a 50% increase in that individual’s hourly pay.
The increases recommended by the Arbitrator are binding and must be applied by all schools who employ staff to whom the Arbitrator’s recommendation applies.
A survey of Secretaries and Caretakers undertaken in 2019 identified some schools that are non-compliant with the provisions of the 2015 Arbitration Agreement, and my Department has contacted these schools to remind them of their obligations under the agreement, as implemented through various circulars. The links below will bring you to the most recent circulars in respect of the pay increases under the 2015 Arbitration Agreement.
https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0076_2018.pdf
https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0077_2018.pdf
Officials from my Department attended a meeting of the Joint Committee on Education and Skills on the 9th of April 2019 to discuss the status of non-teaching staff.
In May last year officials from my Department had discussions with FÓRSA trade union representatives as part of a planned meeting. FÓRSA took the opportunity to formally table a pay claim.
This was tabled as a follow-on claim from the pay agreement for this cohort of staff which lasted until December 2019. The Department issued surveys on the 10th of July 2019 to establish the full current cost of the trade union’s claim. This is standard practice.
Officials from the Department met with FÓRSA representatives in September 2019. Management Bodies representing the employers of schools impacted by the action were also in attendance at the meeting. The purpose of the meeting was to further explore the details of the pay claim as presented by FÓRSA and the nature of the industrial action.
On 30 September 2019 FÓRSA requested the Department to agree to use the services of the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC) to resolve the dispute. As is normal practice the Department agreed to use the industrial relations machinery of the state in an effort to resolve this matter.
In order to address the various issues within the claim and to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution, the Department and Management Bodies are in discussions with FÓRSA under the auspices of the WRC. These talks are subject to the normal procedures including confidentiality. The talks began in the WRC in October.
Following industrial action, which commenced on the 10th January 2020, both parties have agreed to return to talks at the WRC. FÓRSA agreed to the WRC request to suspend their ongoing work-to-rule to allow the talks to progress. This suspension was effective from 21st January 2020.
629. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the preparations being made to ensure the leaving certificate examinations will take place in 2021; her plans to introduce an additional element of continuous assessment from the start of the 2020-2021 academic year; if more question choice will be introduced on exam papers; when students can expect clarity on the 2021 leaving certificate and its format; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15432/20]
View answerFollowing 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 distance 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. The reopening in time for the start of the new school year remains a top priority for my department.
In the context of planning for a return to school which is underway, the Department recently published a report to Government on Planning for reopening schools in line with the Roadmap for reopening. This report is available on my Department’s website.
My Department, in consultation with relevant agencies, including the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA), identified the following key priorities in supporting students in re-engaging with the curriculum in the new school year:
1. The wellbeing and socialisation of students
2. Assessing where students are in terms of their learning
3. Identifying the additional supports that particular learners may require
4. Exploring options for remote provision that will compliment in-school provision and address curriculum gaps experienced during school closure.
It is recognised that schools continue to be best placed to make decisions about how to support and educate all their learners during this period. My Department will continue to collaborate with the NCCA to develop guidance to schools to assist them in their planning for the next school year so as to ensure that curricular priorities are delivered and that teaching and learning is optimal in these circumstances, guided at all times by public health advice.
Students going into sixth year in post primary schools are a group that will receive a particular focus in the context of their preparations for the Leaving Certificate examinations in 2021. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for the operation of the state examinations. My Department will engage with the SEC and the NCCA in the development of fair and robust assessment arrangements in relation to both the Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations for 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.
630. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) recently lost an English as an additional language, EAL, post; the reason for this, if it can be appealed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15435/20]
View answerThe staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2020/21 school year, as set out in Circular 0018/2020 provides details on the staffing appeal process, which includes a criteria for schools with a significant EAL requirement to apply for additional resources.
Since the 2017/18 school year the Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile and also encompasses the Language Support (EAL) allocation that schools were allocated in previous years.
Under this allocation model, schools have been provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation is designed to give a fairer allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, including language support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the actual level of need in each school.
Under this allocation model, schools are frontloaded with resources, based on each school’s profile, to provide supports immediately to those pupils who need it without delay.
Further additional temporary Language Support is also provided, as necessary, to schools that have high concentrations of pupils that require language (EAL) support.
The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal on EAL grounds to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board and has been informed that the appeal has been successful, pending confirmation of enrolments on 30th September 2020.
631. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) can be designated as a DEIS school; the process involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15436/20]
View answerMy Department is in the final stages of refinement of the DEIS identification model, based on school enrolment data and the latest data available from Census 2016 under the HP Deprivation Index.
This work is at an advanced stage and the initial phase of the consultation process with education stakeholder representatives on the technical aspects of the refined DEIS ID model has commenced. It is envisaged that this model will then provide the basis for development of a DEIS resource allocation system to match resources to identified need.
I am confident that the culmination of this work will facilitate the ultimate aim of matching resources to identified need and will allow us to target extra resources at those schools most in need. Until this work is complete, it is not intended to extend the DEIS programme to any further schools.
632. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of a project (details supplied); the deadline for the scheme; the criteria for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15456/20]
View answerI can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, for additional accommodation, from the school referred to by the Deputy. Officials from the Department are communicating with the school authority in this regard and the application is currently under assessment. As soon as the assessment process is complete a decision will issue to the school authority directly.
633. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if officials and contractors employed by her Department will contact a school (details supplied) in advance of entering the building and carrying out works on the building; if they will start to comply with the school policy on Covid-19, including the wearing of face masks, one-way systems, sanitisers and timed arrivals; if the school will be returned to the condition it was in before works started 20 months ago; if carpets will be replaced after works, vents and wiring have damaged them; if her officials and the contractors will commit to meeting with the school management to resolve each of these matters; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15461/20]
View answerMy Department are currently working with the Patron, the School and Design Teams involved in the school referred to by the Deputy, to identify the issues outstanding from the essential first phase fire remediation and external wall structural remediation works which are nearing completion.
Once this list of issues has been reviewed by the design team, a meeting will be arranged with the Patron and the School to discuss the issues identified.
Guidance and protocols have been published to enable contractors meet the public health requirements since the re-opening of construction sites.
634. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a taxi service will be made available for children availing of the July provision in 2020; if so, the application process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15476/20]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.
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 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were 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.
With regard to transport arrangements for the Summer Programme my Department will provide grant funding to support families with the cost of transport arrangements for those children who are eligible for school transport and who have been approved to participate in the school based Summer Programme.
Schools are required to identify children who are on a School Transport service or who are in receipt of a grant. School Transport Section will be in contact with schools and families in regard to the arrangements for payment.
Grant payment is based on the distance that a family reside from their child’s school of attendance. The calculation is based on four trips per day (home to school and school to home, morning and afternoon) multiplied by the number of days a child attends school for the programme. The current rate of grant is 39.12 cent per kilometre for the first 6,437 kilometres travelled and 21.22 per kilometre for each kilometre travelled thereafter.
635. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the progress of a building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15499/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that a building project to provide a permanent building for the school in question is included on the Department's Capital Programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP). A site is being acquired for this purpose.
In tandem with this, my Department has initiated work on the preparation of the project brief and is liaising with the school as part this process.
636. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) is having its teacher allocation reduced by two; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15571/20]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs in special schools, in accordance with the policies of my Department.
Special school staffing allocations are reviewed and updated each year by the NCSE and special schools are staffed on the basis of each year’s current school enrolments.
Staffing arrangements for special schools are in line with policy advice provided by the NCSE in 2013, which did not recommend alteration to staffing ratios established under the Special Education Review Committee (SERC) Report in 1993.
Enhanced pupil teacher and SNA ratios are provided to special schools to support them in dealing with pupils' educational and care needs.
Since 2012, special schools are staffed on the basis of individual pupil profile and the disability categorisations of those pupils, as opposed to being based primarily on school designation, in accordance with my Department's most recent Circular 0032/2019 - Appointment of Administrative Deputy Principal and Staffing in Special Schools.
The NCSE is currently preparing policy advice on the educational provision that should be in place for students educated in special schools and special classes. This policy advice will make recommendations on the provision required to enable students in special schools and classes achieve better outcomes.
The NCSE has been asked to complete and submit it’s report to the Minister not later than December 2020. There will be no change to the staffing arrangements currently in place in special schools, pending the receipt and consideration of this policy advice.
The NCSE recently published their staffing allocation for 2020-21, and this is available on their website at www.ncse.ie.
I understand that my Department has received correspondence from the school referred to by the Deputy, on the matters raised. This is currently under consideration.
637. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills when an application for the award of incremental credit to teachers at second level will be approved for a person (details supplied) in County Mayo.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15580/20]
View answerThe criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers is outlined in my Department’s Circulars 10/2001, Primary, 29/2007 and 29/2010 Post-Primary. The criteria were agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC) which is comprised of representatives of teachers, school management, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Education & Skills and chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.
Applications for incremental credit were received from the person to whom the Deputy refers. Following a review of the applications the applicant was advised that they were incomplete. We await receipt of fully completed application forms.
638. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional capacity and an extension of a post-primary school transport route will be sanctioned in respect of a service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15592/20]
View answerSchool 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 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were 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.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application process on time, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats and are subject to a number of conditions including that a Transport Application Form is completed and submitted to Bus Éireann, that there is a suitable service, as determined by Bus Éireann, operating into their education centre; that there is spare capacity on the service, that 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.
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.
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. To establish that the nearest school is full parents/guardians must provide certain documentary evidence including that an application for enrolment in the nearest school was made within the deadline dates specified by the school and confirmation from the School Authorities that the school was full. On foot of such correspondence from a number of parents in the area referred to by the Deputy, a number of children have been deemed eligible to the school in question and the pickup point for transport for these children has been extended as they are deemed eligible.
639. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the ancillary grant of €163 per pupil to €171.50 per pupil. [15615/20]
View answerThe current standard rate of Ancillary Grant is €171.00 per pupil. The estimated full year cost of increasing the rate of ancillary grant to €171.50 per pupil in primary schools is circa €0.3m.
The Ancillary Services grant was increased by €24 from 2016 to 2020, in order to enable primary schools to implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.
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 grants as a combined grant. It is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs.
641. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the statistics and format used when determining the need for a secondary school in a particular area; and the breakdown of these figures for Gorey, Enniscorthy, New Ross and Wexford town, respectively. [15627/20]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date data on significant new residential development in each area. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes as there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
Where data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, depending on the circumstances, be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
As the Deputy will be aware, since April 2018 the Government announced plans for the establishment of 45 new schools over the four years 2019 to 2022.
This announcement follows nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country.
In addition to the new schools announced, there will be a need for further school accommodation in other areas in the future through either planned capacity increases in existing schools or additional accommodation or extensions to existing schools.
While the announcement did not include a new post primary school for the school planning areas referred to by the Deputy, the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
Under Project Ireland 2040, my Department continues to make progress to increase the infrastructural capacity in the schools sector, in order to meet demographic and other demands.
My Department will also continue to monitor areas where the accommodation of existing schools may need to be expanded in order to meet the needs of the local population.
642. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of works at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15628/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the project to which he refers has been devolved for delivery to the school authority under my Department's Summer Works Scheme. As such, it is a matter for the school authority to progress the project.
However, I can also inform the Deputy that officials in my Department are aware, from our regular engagement with the school in respect of this particular project, that a significant milestone in progressing it was achieved recently as a tender for the outstanding works at the school was advertised on the e-Tenders system.
643. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the possibility of creating a Covid-19 officer in schools to manage and oversee best practice has been investigated and considered; if so, if this role would be covered by existing staff; and if it would require external staff recruitment. [15630/20]
View answerOn Wednesday 1 July 2020, I welcomed the publication of interim public health advice for the safe re-opening of schools in late August/September. This interim health advice sets out the key public health requirements that will be required for a safe full reopening of schools and the measures that will be required to achieve this.
Receipt of public health advice and the Return to Work Safely Protocol will underpin ongoing engagements with education partners and stakeholders in terms of planning and providing guidance for schools in relation to logistical and curricular arrangements and wellbeing, and including the issue raised by the Deputy.
My Department’s ongoing work with education partners and other key stakeholders on guidance for re-opening schools is aimed at reducing the burden on schools at a local level by providing central guidance and supports to the greatest extent possible by the end of July in order to allow time for schools to implement the necessary arrangements locally.
644. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for issuing official guidelines to school principals with regard to social distancing measures for each class age in primary schools. [15633/20]
View answerOn Wednesday 1 July 2020, I welcomed the publication of interim public health advice for the safe re-opening of schools in late August/ September. This interim health advice sets out the key public health requirements that will be required for a safe full reopening of schools and the measures that will be required to achieve this.
Receipt of public health advice will underpin ongoing engagements with education partners and stakeholders in terms of planning and providing guidance for schools in relation to logistical, curricular and wellbeing arrangements. The public health advice outlines the requirements for physical distancing measures in a school setting and how this should be implemented. The advice also contains important measures required for infection prevention and control to ensure a full return to school is safe for children and staff.
My Department’s ongoing work with education partners and other key stakeholders on guidance for re-opening schools is aimed at reducing the burden on schools at a local level by providing central guidance and supports to the greatest extent possible by the end of July in order to allow time for schools to implement the necessary arrangements locally.
645. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of institutes of technology or technological universities currently running a deficit in tabular form; the plans in place by each institute to address the deficit; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15643/20]
View answerThe latest set of audited accounts available for the IoT/technological sector is the 17/18 financial year. It should be noted by the Deputy that the audited accounts of each publically funded Higher Education Institution are available publically on the Oireachtas website. The accounts of two IOT's, IT Tralee and Waterford IT respectively indicated an accumulated deficit position.
IT Tralee - The 2017/18 accounts for IT Tralee show a deficit of €1.3m and the C&AG noted that the Institute has incurred deficits in each of the last six years and they had an accumulated revenue deficit of €4.3m at 31 August 2018.
In 2019, €5m of emergency funding was provided to IT Tralee with the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills. The Governing Body of IT Tralee was requested by the HEA and the Department of Education and Skills to develop, complete and approve a financial sustainability plan. A plan was submitted and reviewed by the HEA which includes actions to reduce the Institute’s cost base and increase its income. This plan was submitted to the Department of Education and Skills in April 2020, and is currently being considered by the Department. It should be noted that the Covid-19 pandemic will bring additional challenges to IT Tralee with the expected loss of international student fees and additional costs.
WIT - The 2017/18 accounts for Waterford IT show a surplus of €0.11m for year ended 31st August 2018 and the C&AG noted that the Institute had an accumulated revenue deficit of €6.3m.
WIT has received a loan from the Department of Education and Skills which arose from a recommendation included in the report following the investigation by a statutory inspector on the relationship between the Institute and the companies providing campus services to it. The loan, which amounted to €12.1m, is repayable over a period of twelve years and is interest free. The loan drawdown commenced in February 2014 and the balance outstanding at 31 August 2018 was €9.03m.
WIT has agreed a financial plan with the HEA to bring WIT back into a breakeven position, which includes new programme development linked to industry engagement, recruitment strategy to increase the student base and the implementation of a plan to address retention weaknesses. The HEA agreed a revised monitoring mechanism in 2019 and has been engaging closely with WIT to ensure the institute returns to at least a breakeven position.
646. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the amount that will be required in additional funding for schools to cover issues related to Covid-19 hygiene by category of expenditure, item and sector; and the basis of the €25 million quoted in media accounts from Departmental sources. [15648/20]
View answerIn re-opening our schools, my Department will be guided by the available public health advice and comprehensive engagement with stakeholders including the school management bodies and staff representatives as well as students and parents. I have published the interim public health advice received from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and also made it available to schools across the country.
The receipt of this advice has allowed my Department to commence an intense period of engagement with school management and staff representatives which in turn has allowed it to engage with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The focus, since the public health advice was received, has been on working through with the stakeholders how we re-open our schools safely. I know there will be costs associated with re-opening and not just in terms of hand sanitisation or cleaning regimes. My Department is currently defining what is needed and preparing cost estimates for these elements. Engagement with colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is underway in regard to the financial support that will be necessary.
I can assure the Deputy that there is full engagement with the education stakeholders and that everyone is committed to concluding the scoping and planning phases by the end of this month so that schools have sufficient time to prepare at a local level for their re-opening. There will also be comprehensive communication with students and parents so that they are fully informed.
647. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be provided for additional full-time cleaning staff in schools that currently have none; and the typical cost to schools for a full-time cleaner. [15649/20]
View answerThe Boards of Management of schools are responsible for the employment of ancillary staff. Funding to cater for these services is made available from my Department through the Ancillary Services and Capitation Grants. It is a matter for the Board of Management of the school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs.
My Department recognises that enhanced cleaning will be required to support schools to prevent COVID-19 infections and is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the requirement to provide funding to support these enhanced cleaning needs and we will provide further details of the support available once the arrangements are finalised.
My Department will continue to engage closely with education partners and other key stakeholders on the plan for re-opening of schools for the 2020/21 school year with the aim of reducing the burden on schools at a local level by providing central guidance and supports to the greatest extent possible.
The terms and conditions of employment of cleaners in Primary and Voluntary Secondary schools is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school, therefore, my Department does not hold information in relation to the typical cost of a full-time cleaner.
648. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the budget for school substitutes by 5%, 10%, 20% and 25%, respectively. [15650/20]
View answerSubstitute staff are employed by the managerial authorities of schools as replacements for teachers and Special Need Assistants absent on approved leave from their posts.
The details outlined in the Table is based on 2019 expenditure and covers the cost of employing substitutes for teachers and special need assistants. The information relates to substitute staff employed in Primary, Secondary, Community and Comprehensive schools and includes the cost of Employers PRSI:
|
2019 Expenditure |
5% Increase |
10% Increase |
20% Increase |
25% Increase |
|
€264,493,460 |
€13,224,673 |
€26,449,346 |
€52,898,692 |
€66,123,365 |
The information for staff employed in Education and Training Board Schools would have to be obtained from the individual ETBs.
649. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the budget for release days for teaching principals by 5%, 10% and 20%; and if she will consider investing in additional leadership positions within schools to facilitate principals in prioritising ensuring that schools are Covid-19 safe. [15651/20]
View answerBudget 2020 is the third successive budget to provide for an increase in the number of principal release days. One additional release day will be allocated to each school with a teaching principal with effect from 1st September 2020. This will bring the number of release days to 19, 25 and 31, depending on the size of school. This is an increase from 14, 18 and 22 days since 2015. In addition, a further four additional release days are allocated to schools with special classes.
There are arrangements in place for schools to cluster their principal release days into a full-time post which will assist teaching principals to more effectively plan their release days for the benefit of the school.
Since the moratorium on filling middle management posts was lifted in 2017, almost 1300 leadership posts have been invested in our primary schools which has led to 1 in 3 teachers now holding promoted positions. My Department has committed to revising the number of available Posts of Responsibility to take account of retirements during the school year. This ensures that the current level of Posts of Responsibilities are maintained in the school system.
Increasing the number of release days allocated to teaching principals by 5%, 10% and 20% would cost approximately €480,000, €1.1 million, and €2.2 million respectively.
650. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered that the cost of delivering school transport to eligible children will increase considerably due to Covid-19 restrictions; the increased cost expected to ensure a place for the same number of children as 2019. [15652/20]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education and Skills.
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 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were 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.
With regard to the re-opening of schools for the 2020/21 academic year, my Department is currently engaging intensively with Bus Éireann, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Transport Authority on the logistical considerations that arise from public health advice in planning for the reopening of schools. The operation of school transport services in September 2020 will be informed by the outcome of this planning for re-opening schools.
