Written Answers Nos. 494-513
494. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in primary and secondary schools without access to Internet connection at home; and the number of children without access to digital devices at home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18711/20]
View answerThe number one priority for my Department and the wider schools sector is to re-open our schools as fully, normally and safely as possible at the start of the new school year. Notwithstanding my Department’s overall objective, the Department will continue to work with the education partners to address challenges where digital and remote learning options may not be possible.
Schools have been very innovative is supporting their students during the school closure including developing measures to address challenges where the schools and or students are in areas with poor or no broadband services. Officials in my Department have liaised with colleagues in the DCCAE to raise the issue of barriers to connectivity impacting access to remote learning. Minister Bruton announced earlier this year, a package of additional supports from the telecoms companies including that access to healthcare and educational resource websites identified by the Government will be zero-rated for all customers where technically feasible. The Telecommunications industry has also introduced update for data limits for consumers to assist their customers during the Covid-19 to access online services without exceeding their data limits.
Information as to the broadband connectivity available to individual children in their homes would not be available to the Department. In the context of the National Broadband Plan Intervention area implementation, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment are addressing the needs of those areas with poor connectivity.
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.
This ICT Grant funding issues to schools, as schools are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements. In the context of the current public health crisis this 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.
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/.
495. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether expanded classrooms or additional prefabs will be required to be erected to facilitate appropriate distancing of pupils; and the funding her Department will provide to facilitate same. [18712/20]
View answer498. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether additional toilet and running water facilities will be necessary in schools; and if funding will be provided to erect same. [18715/20]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, yesterday I announced The Roadmap for The Full Return to School, along with funding of over €370 million to support primary and post primary schools as they prepare for reopening.
It is recognised that a school in preparing for full reopening, may require some reconfiguration works to ensure that all available space in the school is availed of, including class space, to safely maximising physical distancing.
The type of adaption works may include, but are not limited to, reconfiguration of classroom space, re-purposing rooms to provide additional space, adapting storage facilities, purchasing furniture, altering desk layouts, adapting toilet areas. As each school setting is different, a ‘one size fits all approach’ is not appropriate, individual schools are best placed to decide on the appropriate re-configuration works for their school.
By providing funding to schools through a Minor Works Grant, schools will have necessary flexibility to implement these kind of reconfiguration measures in their school quickly.
496. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the contingency plans she has put in place in the event of a second lockdown or a localised outbreak of Covid-19. [18713/20]
View answerYesterday, 27 July, my Department published the report to Government “Reopening Our Schools, The Roadmap for the Full Return to School”.
This Roadmap set outs how schools will reopen for all students from the end of August and what the operation of our schools will look like and be sustainable in a COVID-19 context. It has been developed in line with public health advice issued by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the Roadmap for Society and Business, and follows comprehensive and intensive engagement with education stakeholders including the school management bodies and staff representatives.
The Roadmap provides for the reopening of all schools to all students but each school must be ready for a situation where a school may be faced with closure (in whole or part) for a period during which the curriculum will need to be delivered remotely. This will necessitate an alternative provision approach.
The continuity of teaching and learning during the emergency period was achieved with significant additional effort from all school staff working remotely to ensure students were supported during this time. Most schools put in place arrangements to communicate with students and parents demonstrating innovation and resilience by providing flexible local responses.
The Department is updating its Continuity of Schooling Guidance documents to support schools in responding in an agile way in the event of localised school closure.
Specifically schools will be provided with guidance and support to put in place arrangements to facilitate communication with and between staff, between staff and learners and to facilitate development of online approaches to remote and blended learning in the event that such is required.
497. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if it will be can ensured that all children will have access to Internet connection and digital devices should online or blended learning have to continue. [18714/20]
View answerThe number one priority for my Department and the wider schools sector is to re-open our schools as fully, normally and safely as possible at the start of the new school year. Notwithstanding my Department’s overall objective, the Department will continue to work with the education partners to address challenges where digital and remote learning options may not be possible. Information as to the broadband connectivity available to individual children in their homes would not be available to the Department. In the context of the National Broadband Plan Intervention area implementation, the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment are addressing the needs of those areas with poor connectivity.
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.
This ICT Grant funding issues to schools, as schools are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements. In the context of the current public health crisis this 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.
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/.
499. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a copy of the briefing documents provided to her upon her appointment to her Department will be provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18728/20]
View answerMy Department provided a comprehensive briefing document to me on my appointment as Minister. The Deputy may wish to note that, in accordance with established practice, the briefing document provided to me will be published on the Department's website in the coming weeks and will then be available.
500. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will purchase the site currently for sale opposite a school (details supplied) to secure it for the future expansion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18734/20]
View answerAn assessment of projected enrolments, demographic trends and housing
developments in the area has recently been completed and my Department is satisfied that a site extension is not required for the school in question based on this analysis and given that spare capacity already exist in other schools in the school planning area.
501. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to ensure that, in the event of schools not opening in September 2020, teaching online will be available to all pupils who wish to be taught online and have broadband access; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18751/20]
View answerThe number one priority for my Department and the wider schools sector is to re-open our schools as fully and safely at the start of the new school year. The interests of students and their families, as well as the safety of staff in our schools, are at the centre of our work as we consider the various challenges associated with that aim. The re-opening of our schools 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 published the interim public health advice received from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre to make it available to all schools. A Plan for the safe re-opening of schools will be brought to Cabinet for approval next week and will then be published.
My Department’s Inspectorate and other relevant experts are developing guidance on how to tailor teaching, learning and assessment to appropriately meet the needs of all students as they re-engage with school. While my objective is for full return to school it will be necessary to include guidance for blended/remote learning to cater for some students who may not be able to return to school immediately. Guidance for schools to provide for continuity of learning in these circumstances will also be available. The approach taken by schools will be dependent on the context of each school.
My Department and our education partners are committed to addressing the various challenges and to conclude planning for reopening by the end of this month. This will give schools sufficient time to prepare at a local level for their re-opening. I am also committed to full and comprehensive communication with schools, teachers, students and parents so that they are fully informed about the plans for reopening schools for the next school year.
502. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to meet with Letterkenny Institute of Technology and the Derry University Group to consider the way in which cross-Border third level education could be developed in the north west for persons form both sides of the Border; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18753/20]
View answerI have had no contact from either Letterkenny Insititute of Technology or the Derry University Group.
However, this is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovationan and Science, and all contacts should be directed to Minister Harris.
503. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of classes nationally that contain more than 30 children; and the number over 28 and 25 children, respectively.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18783/20]
View answerPlease find below requested figures for numbers of classes with 25, 28 & 30 children or more.
The table also includes total enrolments for classes with 25, 28 & 30 children or more.
Please note these figures are for mainstream classes in mainstream schools and are for the 2019/20 Academic Year.
Academic Year 2019/2020
|
Class Size |
Number of Classes |
Number of Pupils |
Average Class Size |
|
25=> |
11,941 |
306,385 |
25.7 |
|
28=> |
6,506 |
188,865 |
29.0 |
|
30=> |
3,137 |
94,393 |
30.1 |
Note: Classes are Mainstream Classes in Mainstream Schools
504. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools nationally that do not have a canteen. [18784/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold details of schools with kitchen/canteen facilities or those without such facilities.
My Department has in place detailed design guidelines for primary and post-primary schools. These guidelines, which are available on my Department's web-site, currently provide for a standard range of servery and eating facilities in the design of new and refurbished Primary and Post Primary schools. In Primary schools, a servery of 8.0m² in area is provided. At Post Primary level a kitchenette, 25m² in area, is provided off the General Purpose/Dining Area. These facilities are not intended to be full commercial type kitchens where food is prepared or cooked.
505. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reducing the pupil-teacher ratio in DEIS schools by one point; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18785/20]
View answerIn the 2019/20 school year there were 3,106 mainstream primary schools of which 690 were participating in the DEIS Programme.
Each 1 point adjustment to the overall primary staffing schedule is estimated to cost in the region of €4.7m in the first year and €14.4m for the full year.
As the Deputy is aware, currently only Urban Band 1 schools have a reduced pupil teacher ratio in accordance with supporting those schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. A reduction of class sizes in all DEIS schools would be a change in policy and create a new element to the staffing schedule of enrolment of pupils governing the appointment and retention of mainstream class teachers.
Appendix A of Circular 19/2019 sets out the schedule of enrolment of pupils governing the appointment and retention of mainstream class teachers and is available on my Department’s website at the following link ;
https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/circular-0019-2019-appendix-a.pdf
506. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to designate an additional ten schools as DEIS band 2; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18786/20]
View answerOver the 2019/20 school year my Department spent in the region of €125 million across 890 schools participating in the DEIS programme, serving in excess of 185,000 children. The full list of supports available to DEIS schools is available on my Department's website at the following link
https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Supporting-Information/Supports-to-DEIS-Schools.html
Further expenditure is incurred on the School Meals Programme by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and on the School Completion Programme, which is in the process of coming back under the remit of my Department from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
It is not possible to definitively provide the total cost of expanding the DEIS programme to include a further 10 schools as the costs will vary from school to school depending on enrolment and the levels of disadvantage in individual schools. Supports provided vary depending on the level of disadvantage in a school.
507. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of ensuring that there would be a home school liaison teacher between two, three, four and five non-DEIS schools, respectively. [18787/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the average salary cost for one Home School Community Liaison (HSCL) Coordinator position based on mid point of the salary scale is circa €55,500.
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 across 523 schools either in individual schools or clusters of schools.
In respect of the question posed by the Deputy, as there almost 4,000 schools spread across a wide geographical area it is not possible to provide the breakdown requested without extensive detailed analysis of the feasibility of resource allocation between schools.
508. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to reduce class sizes in primary schools in budget 2021 in view of the finding in the statistical bulletin of July 2020 that there has been little change in the average class size in primary schools over the past 20 years. [18788/20]
View answerThe 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.
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.
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 15:1 at primary level when comparing the 2015/16 school year to the 2019/20 school year. Average class sizes at primary level improved from 24.9 to 24.1 in the same period.
I am very conscious of the staffing schedule and the need to prioritise teacher allocations in primary schools given their vital role in communities around the country. I am looking at how best to make further progress in reducing the primary teacher ratio in the context of the Programme for Government implementation.
509. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of ensuring the running of a school book scheme is entirely free to parents. [18789/20]
View answerMy 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.
School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books for parents and in order to support the establishment of book rental schemes my Department provided €15.7 million seed capital in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to primary schools. Circa. 96% of primary schools and 68% of post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme
It is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own policy in relation to the use of book grant funding in the school but they are expected to adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books for use in their classes. The current arrangement relies on the local knowledge of the school in order to ensure a fair allocation of funds to those most in need. Therefore, my Department does not hold information in relation to these costs.
Indicative estimate of providing free primary and secondary school books to all pupils across all fully publicly funded schools based on a survey by Barnardos is €40m.
510. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the budget of the school book rental scheme by 5% and 10%, respectively. [18790/20]
View answerMy 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. 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.
School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books for parents and in order to support the establishment of book rental schemes my Department provided €15.7 million seed capital in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to primary schools. Circa. 96% of primary schools and 68% of post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme
It is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own policy in relation to the use of book grant funding in the school but they are expected to adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books for use in their classes. The current arrangement relies on the local knowledge of the school in order to ensure a fair allocation of funds to those most in need.
Each 1% increase in the book grant for primary and post-primary schools would cost circa €170,000. The table below sets out the estimated full-year cost of increasing this grant by 5%, and 10% respectively.
|
% increase |
Cost of increase at Primary Level |
Cost of Increase at Post primary Level |
Total |
|
5% |
€0.4m. |
€0.5m. |
€0.8m. |
|
10% |
€0.8m. |
€0.9m. |
€1.7m. |
511. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of developing a seed capital scheme for expanding the school book scheme into new schools. [18791/20]
View answerMy 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.
School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books for parents and in order to support the establishment of book rental schemes my Department provided €15.7 million seed capital in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to primary schools. Circa. 96% of primary schools and 68% of post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme
It is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own policy in relation to the use of book grant funding in the school but they are expected to adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books for use in their classes. The current arrangement relies on the local knowledge of the school in order to ensure a fair allocation of funds to those most in need. Therefore, my Department does not hold information in relation to these costs.
Indicative estimate of providing free primary and secondary school books to all pupils across all fully publicly funded schools based on a survey by Barnardos is €40m.
512. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of centrally acquiring the necessary personal protective equipment, PPE, and providing same to schools. [18792/20]
View answerYesterday, the 27th July, my Department published the report to Government “Reopening Our Schools, The Roadmap for the Full Return to School”.
This Roadmap set outs how schools will reopen for all students from the end of August and what the operation of our schools will look like and be sustainable in a COVID-19 context. It has been developed in line with public health advice issued by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), the Roadmap for Society and Business, and follows comprehensive and intensive engagement with education stakeholders including the school management bodies and staff representatives.
My Department is providing capital and current funding of an additional €377 million to support the safe and sustainable reopening of schools under the Roadmap.
My Department is in the final stages of establishing a multi supplier arrangement to provide the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for schools to meet their needs under their COVID-19 Response Plan. This will be completed next week.
The drawdown framework arrangement provides a list of suppliers who can meet the needs of the schools across a range of PPE including hand sanitiser, visors, gloves, masks, wipes, aprons etc. The suppliers will be ranked in order of best price on a basket of items.
School will be able to select the products that meet their specific requirements from suppliers on the framework who have been ranked through a stringent evaluation process to ensure they meet the best in quality and delivery timelines. The framework will be available to schools on the OGP buyers zone website for draw down in early August.
Any order from schools will be processed within a very short timeline by suppliers and delivered directly to schools.
Further guidance on this will issue to schools once the framework is in place.
