Tuesday, 14 Jul 2020

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (651)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

651. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills whether additional funding for Covid-19-related school costs will cover all costs, including refuse and partitions. [15653/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the requirement to provide funding to support enhanced cleaning needs and we will provide further details of the support available once the arrangements are finalised.

Arrangements have also been made for a drawdown framework to be established to enable schools purchase hand-sanitisers for use in the school and classroom. The procurement process for this framework has already commenced and it is intended these materials will be available in early August.

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.

School Funding

Questions (652)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

652. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the annual budget for information technology equipment for primary and secondary schools; the number of devices purchased from this per annum by category; and the estimated cost of increasing same by 5%, 10%, 15% and 20%, respectively. [15654/20]

View answer

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 by my Department to primary and second level schools over the five years of the Strategy. €110m has issued over the last three years and a further €50m has recently been issued in respect of the 2019-2020 school year. It is expected a further tranche of €50m will issue in the 2020-2021 school year.

Primary schools can use the Minor Works Grant for the provision of ICT infrastructure, and general capitation that issues to schools can also be used for that purpose.

This ICT Grant funding issues to schools, to facilitate them in developing their own approach to embedding digital technology in teaching and learning. Schools are best placed to determine the most appropriate solution to adopt in terms of supporting the learning needs of their students based on their own context and circumstances. Decisions as to what infrastructure is to be acquired and procurement of same is the responsibility of schools including purchase of devices and software.

Digital Strategy ICT annual grant funding

Year	€
2016/17	€30 million
2017/18	€30 million
2018/19*	€50 million
2019/2020**	€50 million

*Includes some €5million application based top up funding to schools

Schools have been very innovative in meeting the challenges posed by school closures. To further support schools to meet demands for continuity of learning an additional €10m top-up funding, part of the broader Digital Strategy investment, also issued to all schools in April. This was made available at this time to assist schools to support students at risk of educational disadvantage due to COVID-19 school closures. Schools have been asked to use this funding to support students where, due to lack of access to digital devices, may be disadvantaged in their engagement with the school's remote teaching and learning where this is provided by digital means.

Full details regarding the funding are set out in Circulars 0031/2020 (€40m funding) and 0032/2020 (€10m funding) which are available on the Department’s website at

https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Circulars-and-Forms/.

School Accommodation

Questions (653)

John Lahart

Question:

653. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of moving a school (details supplied) to another location; and the setting up costs associated with same. [15670/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The proposed building at City West is State-owned and within my Department's control. It has provided high quality, fully serviced, permanently constructed accommodation for two other primary schools up until last September. There is currently over 30 permanent classrooms, full staff facilities, ancillary rooms and an external play area available for occupation before the start of the 2020 school year. The accommodation will also serve two new schools opening in the City West area this September. Minimal work is all that is required.

My Department has informed the school that appropriate transport will be facilitated from Firhouse to the interim accommodation at City West while the school is in City West, the cost of which cannot be known until it is tendered for.

The City West accommodation offers the possibility of ready-made permanent and cost-effective accommodation on an interim basis for Firhouse ETSS at no additional cost. My Department remains committed to working with and supporting the school to minimise in so far as possible any impact this temporary move may have.

School Transport

Questions (654)

Mattie McGrath

Question:

654. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position in respect of the return of schools in September 2020 and school transport; if all students will have full access to school transport; the way in which school transport will operate in terms of social distancing; if the deadline for payment of school transport will be postponed beyond 30 July 2020 until full details on the return to school are confirmed in view of the fact that it is unclear for many whether they will return to school full time or have access to school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15672/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

School 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.

The option to make payment for transport for the new academic year is now available with a closing date for payment on the 31 July 2020. Families wishing to avail of transport for the 2020/2021 year are advised to make payment by this date. There are no plans to extend this payment deadline.

Schools Administration

Questions (655)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

655. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the guidelines for schools on their use of reduced hours for individual pupils will be completed; and if she plans to put in place a reporting and effective monitoring mechanism within the guidelines to ensure appropriate and limited use of reduced hours in schools and the necessary oversight at departmental level. [15725/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Draft guidelines were developed to provide clarity to schools around reduced timetables and to set out the procedures to be followed by schools where such an option is being considered and used. The guidelines provide for TUSLA Education Support Service to be notified if a reduced timetable is implemented.

The aim is to ensure that the use of reduced timetables is limited solely to those circumstances where it is absolutely necessary. The draft guidelines are underpinned by the principles that a reduced timetable should not be used as a sanction; that it should be applied proportionately and should last only as long as is necessary to facilitate a return to school on a full-time basis.

A consultation process with education stakeholders was carried out as part of the overall process of finalising the guidelines. It is intended to publish guidelines on reduced timetables in due course. In the interim as the Deputy is aware school buildings have been closed since March 12 due to Covid 19 and teachers were engaging with pupils remotely.

During the Covid-19 school closure period, my Department issued guidance to schools on continuation of learning, and this includes guidance on supporting pupils with special needs and pupils at risk of educational disadvantage. Guidance for parents is also available, including guidance where parents are concerned about the level of contact between the school and their child. These guidelines are available at: https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/continuity-of-schooling/continuity-of-schooling.html#schools.

State Examinations

Questions (656)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

656. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the process for providing leaving certificate results and the application of points for the entry process to third level education for external home-schooled students will be finalised and communicated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15729/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

A system of Calculated Grades was put in place by my predecessor due to the inability to run the normal Leaving Certificate examinations. The purpose of this process is to allow as many students as possible to progress to employment, further education and training, or higher education in a way that is fair and equitable to all Leaving Certificate students.

For the calculated grades system to be operated with integrity, an estimated percentage mark, based on credible, satisfactory evidence, can only be accepted from an appropriate source. This is necessary to ensure fairness to all students.

The Calculated Grades Executive Office in the Department of Education has developed a comprehensive guide to calculated grades for out of school learners – the students who are studying entirely outside of school – and has contacted each student individually on 25 June to invite them to apply for calculated grades. The closing date for applications was Thursday 2 July 2020 and applications are now being processed.

In cases where a student who is attending school, but who is studying one or more subjects outside of school, school principals were asked to make every effort to provide an estimated mark for that subject(s) provided there was sufficient, credible evidence available from an appropriate source. If the principal was unable to provide an estimated mark for any student they were asked to notify the Calculated Grades Executive Office of my Department.

As part of its commitment to ensure that a calculated grade is provided to as many students as possible, the CGEO are currently undertaking a review of these reports with the schools involved to ensure that the correct procedures were followed.

Despite every effort being made by schools and by the Department of Education, to provide calculated grades to as many students as possible, there will be a small number of cases where there is no credible evidence to support a calculated grade in a particular subject. To attempt to give a calculated grade in such cases would be unfair to all other candidates.

Such students will have an opportunity to sit the Leaving Certificate examinations when it is safe to do so.

No decisions have been issued by the Calculated Grades Office in respect of any of these students – either those studying independently, or those attending school but studying a subject (or subjects) outside school, to date.

The Department of Education has continued to engage with third level stakeholders regarding the Calculated Grades process for students seeking to progress to Higher Education. This has resulted in an agreed common approach in relation to students who have not been able to obtain calculated grades in one or more subjects. Students who have applied for a calculated grade, with a view to satisfying matriculation/basic minimum entry requirements and for whom the Department has been unable to award a Calculated Grade in the subject(s), will be granted an exemption in the subject(s) solely for matriculation/basic minimum entry purposes. The CGEO will notify the CAO of any student who cannot be provided with calculated grades, and of the subjects involved, and the exemption from matriculation/basic minimum entry will be granted automatically by the CAO. The subject(s) for which exemption is granted will not attract points and the exemption cannot be used to satisfy additional programme requirements over and above the matriculation/basic minimum entry requirements.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Questions (657)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

657. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost per annum to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio in primary and post-primary schools by one point and five points, respectively. [15731/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Budget 2020 has provided for a budget of more than €11 billion for the Department of Education and Skills in 2020. This is the highest ever allocation to the sector and an increase of nearly €2 billion since 2016.

The number of teachers has increased from 63,556 in 2015/16 to almost 70,900 in 2019/20, an increase of over 7,300 teaching posts.

Teacher numbers at primary level have increased by almost 3,500 when comparing the 2015/16 school year with the current school year and this has led to a steady improvement in the pupil teacher ratio and average class size statistics during this period.

The latest figures in relation to pupil teacher ratio show an improved ratio of teachers to students from 16:1 to 15.2:1 at primary level when comparing the 2015/16 school year to the 2018/19 school year. Average class sizes at primary level improved from 24.9 to 24.3 in the same period. Corresponding statistics from post primary level show an improved ratio of teachers to students from 13.8:1 to 13:1 during the same period.

The annual staffing schedule determines the allocation of teachers to schools. For the current school year, it operates on a general average of 26 pupils to every 1 teacher (26:1) which is historically the lowest ever allocation ratio at primary level. At post-primary level teachers are allocated at a ratio of 19:1 in the Free Education System and 23:1 to schools in the fee-charging sector.

Each one point adjustment to the primary staffing schedule would cost approximately €14.5m, while on the post-primary side, the cost would be approximately €55.5m.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (658)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

658. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether it will be necessary to reduce class sizes in order to facilitate the distancing required for a return to school; the estimated number of additional teaching staff required to facilitate distancing; and the estimated increased cost for same. [15732/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

On 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.

School Accommodation

Questions (659)

Seán Crowe

Question:

659. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the consultation that was held with the management and board of a school (details supplied) prior to the announcement of its relocation to Citywest, County Dublin. [15777/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department is in regular communication with the school’s patron body, Educate Together, on this and other accommodation matters and the patron body keeps its school communities updated on an ongoing basis in relation to such matters. The school were offered an opportunity to view the Citywest accommodation in December last.

School Accommodation

Questions (660)

Seán Crowe

Question:

660. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the high number of children with special needs attending a school (details supplied) was taken into consideration before the decision was taken to relocate the school to Citywest, County Dublin. [15778/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department is in regular communication with the School’s patron body Educate Together to discuss accommodation and all other relevant matters in relation to their school communities.

The accommodation available to the school in Citywest consist of 10 full size classrooms, resource rooms, offices and specialist rooms. The accommodation is more than adequate to provide for the needs of all of the pupils enrolled in the school.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (661, 670)

Cian O'Callaghan

Question:

661. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken for schools to have enough teachers to reopen safely; whether it can be ensured that students with additional needs will not lose vital supports due to a lack of teaching resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15841/20]

View answer

Sorca Clarke

Question:

670. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the person or body that will be responsible for the implementation and adherence management of public health guidelines in schools when they reopen; if principals and deputy principals will have an increased workload for this work; and if not, whether the necessary resources will be provided for an additional staff member to take on responsibility for same. [15882/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 661 and 670 together.

On 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, curricular and wellbeing arrangements 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.

School Textbooks

Questions (662)

Aodhán Ó Ríordáin

Question:

662. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will report on the proposed free book pilot scheme due to commence in September 2020 as announced in budget 2020 and referenced in the programme for Government; and the 50 schools that will be availing of this free book scheme in September 2020 in tabular form. [15848/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, the Department provided funding of €16.9 million in 2019 to all of these schools.

Additional funding of €1million provided under Budget 2020 was allocated to 102 Primary DEIS schools for a new pilot programme for the 2020/21 school year. The aim of this pilot is to provide free school books for students in the schools involved, and to support these schools in eliminating the cost of school books for parents. It will run for the period of one year and its effectiveness and impact will be monitored and evaluated before any decision is made as regards its possible extension or continuation. Under Circular 46/2013, DEIS schools receive a book grant of €21 per student. This pilot will provide an additional €64 per student to increase the overall book grant rate to €85 per student enrolled in the school. This additional funding issued to schools in May 2020.

A list of the 102 participating schools is published on the Department Of Education and Skills website and can be found at this link https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/school-book-pilot-scheme-2020.pdf.

Home School Community Liaison Scheme

Questions (663, 664, 665)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

663. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of hiring ten additional home-school community liaison teachers. [15850/20]

View answer

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

664. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of ensuring there is one home-school community liaison teacher for each school currently without such a teacher; and the estimated cost of providing one such teacher for every three and five schools, respectively. [15851/20]

View answer

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

665. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether there will be a need for home-school community liaison teachers due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. [15852/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 663 to 665, inclusive, together.

Based on an average cost of one Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Coordinator position of circa €55,500, an additional 10 HSCL Coordinators would be in the order of € 555,000.

The HSCL Scheme is a school-based intervention provided to DEIS schools to address the needs of all pupils/families at risk of educational disadvantage through acknowledging and developing the role of the parent as prime educator.

Currently, all DEIS Urban Primary and DEIS Post Primary schools are included in the HSCL Scheme. The scheme is delivered by 415 full-time HSCL Coordinators who are teachers in these schools and assigned to HSCL duties either in individual schools or clusters of schools, catering for approximately 160,000 pupils in 523 schools.

During the Covid 19 school closure period, the teachers of pupils at risk of educational disadvantage in both DEIS and non-DEIS schools have been particularly focussed on ensuring that they provide support to these students. Schools and other education settings have various resources and supports available to them to assist them in meeting the needs of pupils at risk of educational disadvantage. These range from care teams and in-school management teams to the services of NEPS and Tusla Education Support Service (TESS). Schools in the DEIS programme have additional supports provided under the Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Scheme and the School Completion Programme (SCP).

Garda Vetting

Questions (666)

Gary Gannon

Question:

666. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will take over responsibility for and centralise the process of Garda vetting applications from special needs assistants in order to allow for the creation of substitute panels and opportunities for SNAs to be quickly deployed to new schools if necessary. [15854/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

In April 2016, the Minister for Justice and Equality commenced the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (the Vetting Act) which put in place statutory requirements for the Garda vetting of persons involved in working with children and vulnerable persons.

The Vetting Act applies not just to schools but to any relevant organisation that employs, contracts, permits or places a person in relevant work with children or vulnerable persons. The Vetting Act provides that vetting is conducted by the National Vetting Bureau on foot of an application by a relevant organisation that is registered with it. The vetting legislation and the vetting procedures operated by the National Vetting Bureau fall within the remit of the Minister for Justice and Equality.

When the vetting requirements were commenced in 2016, my Department issued circular 0031/2016 which set out the statutory vetting requirements applicable to schools along with the practical arrangements in place to support the vetting procedures. A Frequently Asked Questions document was also published by my Department to assist schools with queries in respect of the Circular.

At the same time, the vetting related provisions of the Teaching Council (Amendment) Act, 2015 were commenced. The existence of the Teaching Council, as a statutory body with a statutory role in the registration of registered teachers, enabled my Department to bring forward the relevant legislative provisions under the Teaching Council Amendment Act 2015 which allowed for such a streamlined mechanism to be put in place in the case of registered teachers.

However, it is not possible for my Department to put in place similar legislative arrangements in respect of non-teaching staff, such as Special Needs Assistants (SNAs).

The Vetting Act provides that a relevant organisation must, other than in certain limited circumstances, obtain a vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau prior to commencing the employment of an employee to undertake relevant work with children or vulnerable adults. Each school is a relevant organisation under the Vetting Act and the creation of a panel of potential SNA employees, including a panel of substitutes, across schools would not obviate the obligation of each individual school to obtain a vetting disclosure prior to employing a person from such a panel.

The Vetting Act however allows for some limited exemptions to this requirement, including certain exemptions that are applicable in the case of recurring substitute employments such as a recurring substitute SNA employment. The Act’s exemptions in respect of substitute employments are set out in section 5.3 of my Department’s Circular.

Under the new statutory vetting procedures, the vetting of SNAs and other non-teaching staff continues to be conducted via the relevant diocesan office or school management body as the relevant conduit organisation for the vetting of SNAs and other non-teaching staff employed by schools. In the case of ETB schools the relevant ETB is the relevant organisation for such vetting.

Special Educational Needs Staff

Questions (667)

Gary Gannon

Question:

667. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will increase the minimum qualification needed to become a SNA to a level 6 qualification in order to aid the sector’s call for greater professionalisation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15857/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The current entry level qualification for Special Needs Assistants is set out in my Department's circular 0051/2019 which requires a FETAC level 3 major qualification on the National Framework of Qualifications, OR a minimum of three grade Ds in the Junior Certificate, OR the Equivalent. This remains unchanged.

The Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme was published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018. The Review made a number of recommendations regarding SNAs. While SNAs are very much valued in the provision of care support, the Review recommended that a more broadly based set of supports was required including therapeutic supports. The current School Inclusion Pilot involving 78 schools is based on this recommendation.

The Review also referenced SNA qualifications and training. One of the recommendations of the Review was the development of a national training programme at FETAC level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications for existing and new SNAs. A quality training programme is being developed and will be available to all SNAs from January next. The aim of the programme is to ensure that all SNAs have the skills and competencies to carry out their care support role in schools.

While many SNAs have qualifications above the entry requirement, there are no plans to change the qualifications required for appointment.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (668)

Gary Gannon

Question:

668. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will provide increased financial support up front to schools in order to allow for the necessary increase in the number of cleaning staff prior to schools reopening; if so, when this will be made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15858/20]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the requirement to provide funding to support enhanced cleaning needs and we will provide further details of the support available once the arrangements are finalised.

Arrangements have also been made for a drawdown framework to be established to enable schools purchase hand-sanitisers for use in the school and classroom. The procurement process for this framework has already commenced and it is intended these materials will be available in early August.

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.

State Examinations

Questions (669)

Gary Gannon

Question:

669. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who are ineligible for a predicted grade for the leaving certificate 2020 due to studying independently without a teacher or tutor; and the suggested recourse for these students. [15861/20]