Written Answers Nos. 31-60
31. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if addiction awareness programmes are delivered in schools; the person or body that delivers same; the person or body that decides the content delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17129/20]
View answerThere are a number of ways in which education on addiction prevention is addressed in schools. Schools have a role in supporting students to develop the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed choices when faced with a range of difficult issues, including drugs.
This is mainly done through the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme, which has a specific module on the use and misuse of a range of substances. SPHE is mandatory in all primary schools as well as in Junior Cycle. Schools are also encouraged to deliver the SPHE programme in the senior cycle.
SPHE aims to provide a range of generic skills such as communicating, making decisions, knowing where to find reliable data, belonging and integrating, expressing feelings and emotions, substance abuse, resisting peer pressure, personal safety, values and mutual respect. The personal safety strand of the SPHE curriculum in year 3 of Junior Cycle provides specifically for recognising unsafe situations.
Schools also have access to a number of resources to support the delivery of the substance use module of SPHE. Examples include the "Walk Tall" Programme for primary pupils developed by the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and a post-primary resource called "On My Own Two Feet", published by my Department. The new 'Know the Score' programme is a substance misuse programme published in 2019 for Transition Year or 5th year pupils. It was jointly developed by the HSE, my Department and the Drugs and Alcohol Task Forces.
32. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide additional supports for student well-being when schools reopen. [19330/20]
View answerThe wellbeing and mental health of our school communities is a fundamental element of the Department’s overall plan to ensure a successful return to school as we continue to manage the Covid-19 pandemic. It is crucial that we support the wellbeing of our students and school management and staff in order to support successful re-engagement with teaching and learning.
The Deputy will be aware that this week I, in conjunction with An Taoiseach and my colleague Josepha Madigan, announced a comprehensive roadmap for the return to school in September. This announcement included a comprehensive set of guidance, instruction and resourcing to be put at the disposal of school authorities to enable them to undertake this significant task. The issue of mental health and the support of school communities is to the fore in both this guidance and in relation to additional resources being provided as part of the €375m package agreed.
In this connection my Department has prepared a document ‘Supporting the Wellbeing of School Communities as Schools Reopen’ to inform school authorities on the tiered approach to maintaining and supporting the wellbeing of both pupils and school staff following the COVID-19 closure.
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department is leading on supporting the wellbeing of schools communities. The response to support the wellbeing of all within school communities on the return to school requires a structured, psychosocial response which is compassionate and largely preventative and proactive. This requires a whole-school team approach to planning in order to ensure that staff, students and parents feel safe and secure. This response will be aligned with the HSE guidance on such responses, and based on the five key principles of promoting a sense of safety, calm, connectedness, self- and community-efficacy and hope. My Department will work in partnership with the Department of Health and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to ensure that the wellbeing needs of all members of the school community are met.
The foundation for the provision of a continuum of support in schools is the provision of support for school staff wellbeing, and guidance to help school staff to feel confident and equipped to support the wellbeing of their students. The Department has worked closely with its broad range of support services and agencies and with the HSE/HSE-funded services and the Tusla Education Support Service to create an aligned and coherent package of supports and resources to assist schools in this regard. Supports will include a comprehensive communications campaign, delivering universal messages of safety and wellbeing to a Webpage (gov.ie/backtoschool) with access to all information relating to the reopening of schools, including information about wellbeing, with links to specific resources, guidance and support. Wellbeing Webinars for schools will be provided to school staff as schools reopen and Wellbeing Toolkits for Teachers with a range of easily downloadable, user-friendly materials will be provided.
Enhanced services for wellbeing will be provided by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). I was pleased to announce that an additional 17 NEPS psychologists will be appointed to strengthen this support.
Access to a range of support/resources and professional learning opportunities from my Department’s Teacher Education Support Services, the National Council for Special Education Support Service (NCSE SS), the HSE’s Health Promotion Team and the Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) will also be provided. Furthermore, approximately 120 posts will be provided for guidance to support student wellbeing recognising the particular importance for this support in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic challenges
My Department has linked with the Department of Health and the HSE to ensure that their services are accessible and available to school communities at this time. The following services provided by the HSE are available to students if needed, and appropriate, at this time:
- e-mental health services, including on-line counselling, provided by the HSE/HSE-funded service providers including spunout.ie, Jigsaw, MyMind, Childline and Turn2Me. Links to these e-mental health providers are found on the gov.ie/backtoschool and the gov.ie/leavingcert webpages, as well as on the Department’s website.
- Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
33. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a call for Ireland will be committed to for the education sector to employ more teachers to permanently reduce the pupil-teacher ratio and source new buildings in order that students can return to school safely in September 2020; if the two-tier pay for teachers will be abolished to ensure that all teachers are treated fairly and are paid on the standard pay scale; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19241/20]
View answerOn the 27th July, my Department published the report to Government “Reopening Our Schools, 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.
This Roadmap set outs how schools will fully 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 Supply Panel Scheme will be expanded nationwide and I am allocating 200 additional posts fixed term to provide substitute cover through these panels. The purpose of supply panels is to support schools to manage the sick leave and other absences by having a supply of teachers to meet substitution needs when required. Schools will also be able to access substitute teachers through the normal process, particularly if they are not connected to a supply panel.
My Department is making over 1,000 additional teaching posts available to post primary schools in the free scheme. Posts equivalent to 0.6 PTR reduction will be allocated based as normal on school enrolments and will be clearly identifiable in the school’s staffing schedule. This allocation will support the important work of teaching and learning and provide additional teachers needed to support teacher substitution, management of physical distancing requirements by reallocating class timetables in schools to smaller groups class sizes where necessary.
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.
The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. The starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702. As a result of the programme of pay restoration, the starting salary of a teacher is now €36,953 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692.
Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 provides that “the Minister [for Public Expenditure and Reform] shall, within three months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Oireachtas a report on the cost of and a plan in dealing with pay equalisation for new entrants to the public service.”
The report laid before the Oireachtas on foot of this provision by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform assesses the cost of a further change which would provide a two scale point adjustment to new entrants recruited since 2011. The total cost of such an adjustment across the public sector is of the order of €200 million, of which Education accounts for €83 million. The report also acknowledges that, during the financial crisis, there were policy changes which affected remuneration in different occupations across the public sector (including education).
The matter of new entrant pay is a cross sectoral issue, not just an issue for the education sector alone. The Government supports the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants.
On 24 September 2018, an agreement was reached between the Government and the public services committee of ICTU in respect of new entrant pay.
This agreement is benefitting 16,000 teachers and nearly 5,000 SNAs within the education sector. The deal provides for a series of incremental jumps for new entrants.
My Department is fully aware that the teacher unions have outstanding issues of concern following the September 2018 agreement. These outstanding matters will be given full consideration. This will happen either in the context of any pay review mechanism agreed by the parties to the Public Service Stability Agreement, or in the context of the next round of pay talks. The positions of each of the parties on these matters must be given due regard in endeavouring to reach a mutually agreed resolution.
The current series of restorative measures for new entrants have been achieved through continued engagement and collective bargaining between the Government and the public service unions and shows the benefits that such engagement can bring.
34. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 388 of 21 July 2020, if the decision will be reversed not to grant an exemption for three pupils to allow them to repeat their final year of education in a special needs school (details supplied) in Dublin 22. [19295/20]
View answerAs outlined previously, special schools funded by my Department are classified as primary national schools and are intended, in accordance with the provisions of Rule 64(1) of the Rules for National Schools, to cater for children and young persons with special educational needs from the age of 4 years until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year.
Special schools may however seek approval from my Department for an exemption from Rule 64(1) in respect of students over the age of 18 who are pursuing courses leading to accreditation on the National Qualifications Framework (e.g. Junior Certificate/LCA/FETAC 3).
A request for an exemption from Rule 64(1) can only be made by a school where:
1. The student is pursuing a course leading to accreditation on the National Qualifications Framework (e.g. Junior Certificate/Leaving Certificate Applied/FETAC 3)
2. The student requires one additional year in order to complete their course
3. Retaining the student in the school for one school year will not prevent a younger pupil being enrolled there
4. Plans are in place to transition the student to a post-school setting at the end of the additional school year
Special schools are invited each year to make applications for exemptions from Rule 64(1) in respect of pupils who meet the above criteria. Where the criteria are met, my Department will approve the exemptions.
The school to which the Deputy refers has engaged in this process with my Department. I can also confirm that an application for exemptions, as referenced above, was made by the school. However, as the criteria were not met, it was not possible to approve the application. The school has been notified of this decision and the postition remains unchanged from my reply to the Deputy on 21st July 2020.
35. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the communications she has had in relation to the need to establish a special school for children with learning disabilities in the Dublin 12 committee. [19033/20]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. Currently, almost 20% of the total Education Vote or €1.9bn is invested in supporting children with special needs.
Notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country, including South Dublin, where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places for next September.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. NCSE is continuing its engagement with schools, patron bodies, parents and others across South Dublin to bring the required additional special class and special school placements on stream.
While progress has been achieved NCSE has identified the need for an additional 36 special school places in South Dublin for September.
Planning is actively underway to ensure that children without a placement for next year are provided with a suitable placement. The NCSE is leading the work in this regard. My Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.
A number of options are currently being explored to increase the number of suitable places to cater for the needs of children in this area.
36. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to facilitate school attendance in autumn 2020; if she has considered the difficulties in relation to very young children entering junior infants and their potential lack of understanding of social distancing practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19524/20]
View answerOn Monday, 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 sets out in detail how physical distancing can be applied in primary and post primary settings, using the principles outlined in the public health advice. The roadmap recognises that younger children are unlikely to maintain physical distancing indoors.
I understand that starting primary school in 2020 is likely to generate even greater anticipation, anxiety and excitement than normal for children and their parents/guardians. The impact of experiences during the pandemic may require schools to provide support for children in relation to separation anxiety, independence and language development. Given the well-recognised benefits of play and its role in connecting pre-school and primary school learning experiences, schools are encouraged to provide children in infants and junior classes with opportunities for play. NCCA resources on such provision can be found at: https://curriculumonline.ie/getmedia/3ac44a69-57f9-49ea-80db-ebec76831111/PLC-Support-Materials_All-Strands-Final.pdf
To ensure children starting in primary school are supported as fully as possible, a wide range of resources and support materials have been prepared and published by both the Department of Education (DE) and the Department of Children, Disability, Equality and Integration (DCDEI).
37. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the considerations being made by his Department with respect to the RSE curriculum; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19400/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools. This is a vital and sensitive area of education.
This work will be progressed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA). It will draw on the council's report on RSE in primary and post-primary schools which was published in December 2019. The review was commissioned by my predecessor Richard Bruton TD.
The NCCA report is based on commissioned research and extensive public consultation. It made a number of recommendations, including primarily the development of a single integrated curriculum for RSE and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) in schools. Work on redeveloping the new specifications for SPHE and RSE will commence next year and will include engagement with all the key education stakeholders, as well as a further process of public consultation before the new curriculum is finalised.
The Council is currently developing interim guidance material for SPHE and RSE across primary and post-primary levels. These support materials will be made available in the form of a user-friendly online toolkit. It is expected that these will be ready towards the end of this year and will be added to incrementally. They will provide guidance on how the current curriculum can be approached in a more holistic way.
38. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the establishment of the technological university of the south-east with the provision of a County Wexford campus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16785/20]
View answerUnder the statutory framework detailed in the Technological Universities Act 2018, it is a matter, in the first instance, for the relevant Institutes of Technology participating in a TU development consortium to progress their plans and, when ready, to make an application to the Minister seeking an order establishing a TU subject to their meeting the eligibility criteria prescribed in the 2018 Act.
The Government recognises the urgency attached to the requirement for a technological university for the South East of Ireland as the only region in the State that does not have the benefit of a university presence and is committed to delivering on our Programme for Government commitment in this regard.
Last week I updated Government on the progress that has been made since the enactment of 2018 Act in 2018. It is my Department’s understanding that the TUSEI consortium of IT Carlow and Waterford IT continues to actively develop its proposals for TU designation. To this end the consortium has established a fulltime project office and is implementing key elements of a cross-institutional change management programme and is working through relevant issues with staff and in terms of ensuring the financial robustness of any new TU. To date, the TUSEI consortium has received €3.7 million in Exchequer funding, of which €2 million was allocated last year, to assist its TU development proposals. The design and implementation of a new TU Transformation Fund totalling €90 million over the next three years, is currently being developed by the Higher Education Authority in consultation with the technological sector. This funding will benefit established TUs and TU development consortia, including TUSEI, considerably and put TUs nationally on a solid foundation as recommended by the 2019 TU Research Network high level advisory body report.
Earlier this week I announced the appointment by the TUSEI consortium of an independent person to accelerate plans for a TU in the South East. Mr Tom Boland, a former Chief Executive of the Higher Education Authority, will be the new independent Programme Executive Director for the project and he is tasked with driving to completion the submission of an application for TU designation under the 2018 Act.
A step change in the pace of the project is essential and Mr. Boland’s appointment is a statement of intent in that regard. I plan to meet the Chairs and Presidents of the two institutes with the Programme Executive Director to communicate Government’s expectation that there would be significant progress by the end of this year to develop TU proposals.
Upon establishment, the siting of its multi-campuses are a matter for each TU. My Department understands that both IT Carlow and my Department remain fully committed to the development of higher education facilities in Wexford and that the process to secure a location for a higher education campus in Wexford, which is being led by IT Carlow, is ongoing. My Department has agreed in principle to provide funding for acquisition of a site for the new campus.
39. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a moratorium will be placed on proposed reductions in teacher numbers in schools as a result of changes in the number of pupils registered in September 2019 in view of the pressures that the Covid-19 crisis will have on schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19297/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that my Department published the report “Reopening Our Schools, The Roadmap for the Full Return to School” earlier in the week which is available on my Department's website.
This Roadmap set outs how schools will fully 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.
As part of the package of supports, additional teachers are being provided to support the reopening of primary schools in order to provide enhanced substitution and eliminate the need to mix classes when a teacher is absent. Supply panels are being established nationwide. These will be monitored in terms of the number of teachers and the location of each panel.
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. 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 particularly aware of the difficulties faced in light of Covid-19. 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.
40. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will allow discretion for primary schools to reduce the curriculum areas temporarily in the first term of the new school year to allow teachers to give more time to SPHE with a focus on well-being following young children returning to school and the impact that Covid-19 will have had on them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19332/20]
View answerAs Minister for Education and as a teacher myself, I am very conscious that the wider physical, mental, emotional and relationship implications of social distancing, lockdown and possibly bereavement may be significant for some pupils. There will be a need therefore for a focus on pupil’s wellbeing as a foundation for learning and SPHE will be key in responding to the impact of COVID19 on the pupil’s thoughts, feelings and behaviours. SPHE curriculum content will also be useful in providing general and specific support to pupils who are finding the transition back to school difficult.
Teachers will play an important role in supporting positive interactions and routines for the pupils and in encouraging healthy behaviours as the pupils make sense of their new realities and come to feel safe and secure in their school surroundings. As the new school year begins, schools need to enable pupils to communicate their own needs, and to acknowledge and respond to those needs. Exploration of the views of pupils about their experience of school closure, their feelings about returning to school, and what they need to help them in the coming year, should be a central part of teachers’ preparation for the year ahead. This can be done through, for example, activities in Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) lessons, through art, through imaginative play in infant classes, and/or through conversations.
It will be necessary for schools to prioritise certain aspects and to re-orientate their work with the curriculum especially during the initial weeks of the first term to give greater time and attention to areas such as Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), Physical Education (PE), Language and Mathematics. SPHE and PE will be important in supporting pupils’ wellbeing while language and Mathematics will be central in supporting pupils’ overall learning. Mandatory aspects of SPHE such as Stay Safe and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) should be taught early in the year. While teachers will be best placed to consider what aspects of their SPHE programme should be prioritised or revisited in light of the particular context of their class or pupils, the Return to School guidance issued by my Department this week highlights particular SPHE strands that it may be pertinent to focus on. Pupils should also continue to have experiences in Social, Environmental and Scientific Education (SESE) and the Arts; the use of cross curricular or thematic approaches may be particularly useful in this regard.
Building on their assessment of pupils’ learning, teachers will make key decisions about what pupils learn, the sequence in which they learn, the pace at which they learn, and the activities and experiences through which they learn. Gradually, as schools build comprehensive pictures of where pupils are in their learning, they will work towards more ‘typical’ curriculum plans.
41. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of additional school places for Swords, County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19291/20]
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.
Since April 2018 the Government has announced plans for the establishment of 45 new schools over the four years 2019 to 2022 including two new primary schools for Swords, one of which was established in 2019 the other to be established this September. This announcement followed nationwide demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country.
In addition, the following post-primary school was established in the Swords school planning area in 2018:
- Swords Community College which is a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school.
In addition to the new schools announced, there will be a need for further school accommodation in other areas through either planned capacity increases in existing schools or additional accommodation or extensions to existing schools.
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.
42. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures being taken to ensure the reopening of schools on 31 August 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19034/20]
View answer54. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which comprehensive preparations are in place to facilitate the return of children to the classrooms at primary and second level after the summer break; if issues have arisen that might need further attention; if she is satisfied that the return to the classroom will be nationwide without exception; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19315/20]
View answer59. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the roadmap for a full return to primary and secondary education will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19405/20]
View answer72. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for school reopening in August and September 2020; when schools and teachers will be informed; and when the information in relation to same will be published. [19299/20]
View answer77. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements made in relation reopening primary and secondary schools for the autumn 2020 term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18541/20]
View answerOn Monday, 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.
My Department is also providing capital and current funding of an additional €377 million to support the safe and sustainable reopening of schools under the Roadmap.
The supports are comprehensive across a range of areas, including funding for getting schools ready, for providing for additional supervision and substitution, and providing additional teachers to help with physical distancing and class sizes. Funding will also be provided for management supports and enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures
There will be an additional €52 million for schools to put in place enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools. Enhanced grants are being made available for cleaning to schools with special classes and special schools.
Funding of approx. €84.7 million so that schools can employ replacement teaching staff, SNA and administrative staff. There will be additional funding of €41.2 million, for substitution in primary schools. This will provide more certainty on the availability of substitutes for primary schools and cover substitutions that are not covered by existing schemes. The Supply Panel Scheme will be expanded nationwide and I am allocating 200 posts to provide substitute cover through these panels. The purpose of supply panels is to support schools to manage the sick leave and other absences by having a supply of teachers to meet substitution needs when required. Schools will continue to be able to access substitute teachers through the normal process, particularly if they are not connected to a supply panel.
Other funding measures for primary schools include release days for teaching principals which equates to one release day per week and release time for deputy principals in primary schools with an admin principal.
There is also funding of €40m for enhanced supervision for post primary schools to minimise the interaction of students from different classes, in line with public health advice. An additional 1,080 teaching posts at post-primary level at a cost of €53 million will be provided to support the important work of teaching and learning and provide additional teachers needed to support teacher substitution, management of physical distancing requirements by reallocating class timetables in schools to smaller groups class sizes where necessary.
Funding of €4.2 million will also be made available to enable schools to employ an aide to assist with implementing logistical changes. €3.8m is being made available to ensure that schools have lead worker representatives, whose role is to support the school to limit the risk of COVID-19 infections.
I also recognise that the full implementation of the COVID-19 Response Plans for Schools, and the Public Health Advice, may require some reconfiguration works within schools. To support this work, a once off enhanced minor works grant will paid to all primary schools by mid-August. There is a one off €75 million capital allocation to support schools to prepare their buildings and classrooms for reopening including an uplift for schools with SEN pupils.
In providing funding to schools in this way, schools will have the necessary flexibility to implement necessary physical measures in their school quickly in compliance with the Public Health Advice and the Roadmap.
43. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which third-level colleges will operate due to Covid-19; her views on whether the quality of degrees will be impacted; if fees will be reduced due to an increased element of online learning; if campus accommodation will be required; if there will be practical elements to courses; if clarity will be provided in relation to same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18474/20]
View answerOn 22nd July I published a three-pillar series of guides for returning to on-site learning in 2020/2021 which consisted of
- A high level Further and Higher Education Roadmap, which provides an overview of the phased return across further and higher education;
- A COVID-19 Adaptation framework which provides a structure, guidance and support for further and higher education institutions and providers and;
- Practical Guidance for Further and Higher Education for Returning to On-site Activity.
These documents can all be found online at the following link: https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/fc7a0-guidance-for-further-and-higher-education-for-returning-to-on-site-activity-in-2020-roadmap-and-covid-19-adaptation-framework .
The success of the return and operation of the sectors for the new academic year will be underpinned by financial support to respond to the costs incurred by the sector in relation to the pandemic and those that will arise to ensure the continuity and quality of teaching and learning in the sector and research in Higher Education.
Ultimately Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) are autonomous institutions and are entitled to regulate their own academic affairs and administrative processes. Decisions on how courses and campus services will operate will be made by each institution, in line with public health advice, and arrangements will vary between institutions and between courses. The HEIs will communicate the arrangements for the new academic year to students as soon as these arrangements have been finalised. Questions on arrangements for a specific institution or course should be directed to the institution in question.
Whether students will require student accommodation will be dependent on their own individual circumstances and the format of their course. Student accommodation license terms including cost, duration, refund and cancellation policies should be set out in the license agreement signed at the beginning of the academic year. While I would hope that accommodation providers would show flexibility to students in the current circumstances, agreements between students and accommodation providers are a private matter, and neither I nor my Department have any remit to issue instructions in relation to the private rental market.
In relation to student fees, under my Department’s free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding toward the tuition fee costs of eligible undergraduate students with students paying the student contribution which stands at €3,000 since 2014/2015. It is important to recognise that the exchequer pays this contribution (or part of it) on behalf of almost 50% of eligible undergraduate students as part of the student support grant.
Where students do not meet the eligibility criteria of the Free Fees Initiative, for example full-time undergraduate students who do not qualify for the free tuition fees; fees for part-time undergraduates or; any post-graduate students, it is a matter for the higher education institution as an autonomous body to determine which fee rate is applicable for students. Any determination as to the level of fees to be charged is a matter for the institution in light of their own particular conditions and circumstances, and there are no current plans for the Department to provide advice in such matters.
44. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will now have all urgent repair work carried out on a school (details supplied); and if the school will now be included in the school building programme. [18537/20]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that approval was given recently for a project to address the issues raised by him to proceed to tender. Funding for this project is being provided under my Department’s Emergency Works Scheme.
As the project is devolved for delivery to the school, it is a matter for the School Authority to progress same and to issue a tender report to my Department for its approval in due course.
This school is not included on my Department’s Capital Programme.
45. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which adequate classroom accommodation remains available at primary and second-level schools nationally with reference to those areas of concentrated population and high pupil-teacher ratios; if she is satisfied that deficiencies in space can be adequately provided for in the short term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19317/20]
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.
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.
The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under project Ireland 2040 may be viewed on my Department's website, www.education.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need, has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed. Details of schools listed on this programme can be found on my Department's website www.education.ie and this information is also updated regularly.
46. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school building or extension projects in south County Kildare including the Portarlington area; the stage each project is at; the recent progress; the target date for completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18115/20]
View answerMy Department’s website shows the current position on all school projects on the Capital Programme, as well as listing the schools that have had large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date. These are listed on a county basis. The information is available at www.education.ie and is updated regularly.
47. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if school principals will be informed of the arrangements she expects them to put in place the ensure a safe working environment for staff and pupils; if they will be provided with instructions on the way in which to manage the process; if they will be provided with instructions on the type hygiene products and the quantities of such products that need to be purchased; the resources and finances that will be provided to them to give effect to the requirements; when schools will be comprehensively informed of the instructions and supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19036/20]
View answerOn Monday, 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.
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.
There will be an additional €52 million for schools to put in place enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in schools. Enhanced grants are being made available for cleaning to schools with special classes and special schools.
Funding of approx. €84.7 million so that schools can employ replacement teaching staff, SNA and administrative staff. There will be additional funding of €41.2 million, for substitution in primary schools. This will provide more certainty on the availability of substitutes for primary schools and cover substitutions that are not covered by existing schemes. The Supply Panel Scheme will be expanded nationwide and I am allocating 200 posts to provide substitute cover through these panels. The purpose of supply panels is to support schools to manage the sick leave and other absences by having a supply of teachers to meet substitution needs when required. Schools will continue to be able to access substitute teachers through the normal process, particularly if they are not connected to a supply panel.
Other funding measures for primary schools include release days for teaching principals which equates to one release day per week and release time for deputy principals in primary schools with an admin principal.
There is also funding of €40m for enhanced supervision for post primary schools to minimise the interaction of students from different classes, in line with public health advice. An additional 1,080 teaching posts at post-primary level at a cost of €53 million will be provided to support the important work of teaching and learning and provide additional teachers needed to support teacher substitution, management of physical distancing requirements by reallocating class timetables in schools to smaller groups class sizes where necessary.
Funding of €4.2 million will also be made available to enable schools to employ an aide to assist with implementing logistical changes. €3.8m is being made available to ensure that schools have lead worker representatives, whose role is to support the school to limit the risk of COVID-19 infections.
I also recognise that the full implementation of the COVID-19 Response Plans for Schools, and the Public Health Advice, may require some reconfiguration works within schools. To support this work, a once off enhanced minor works grant will paid to all primary schools by mid-August. There is a one off €75 million capital allocation to support schools to prepare their buildings and classrooms for reopening including an uplift for schools with SEN pupils.
In providing funding to schools in this way, schools will have the necessary flexibility to implement necessary physical measures in their school quickly in compliance with the Public Health Advice and the Roadmap.
My Department has developed a suite of guidance for schools including the provision of templates. One of those templates involves Covid-19 Response Plans and all schools are required to have one in place. The Covid-19 Response Plan details the policies and practices necessary for a school to meet the Government’s ‘Return to Work Safely Protocol’, the Department of Education plan for school reopening and to prevent the introduction and spread of Covid-19 in the school environment.
48. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a new school complex (details supplied) at Carrigtwohill, County Cork. [19293/20]
View answerThe building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that planning permission has been secured for the project and the Departments Project Management team are currently working on the preparation of the tender documents for the tender and appointment of a Contractor.
The Department and it's PM team are also engaging with a third party contractor regarding the road network which will have to be constructed by that party in parallel with the schools building project and both parties will jointly be engaging further with Cork County Council regarding a joint construction programme as is required under the conditions of the grant of planning permission.
49. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether underfunding of the educational system by successive Governments resulting in the largest average class size in the EU represents the single biggest obstacle to a safe return to schools which has already been achieved across most of Europe; if the matter will be address on a permanent basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19288/20]
View answerOn 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 fully 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 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 staffing schedule in the context of the Programme for Government implementation.
In respect of Covid-19 where schools experience difficulties in implementing physical distancing additional support measures will be considered.
50. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if further details will be provided on the capital funding, location and timelines for the development of new school buildings for schools (details supplied). [19296/20]
View answerBuilding projects for the two schools in question are included in my Department’s school building programme.
The Gaelscoil’s new school building will be provided on a site adjacent to its existing site in Rathcoole, Co. Dublin. This site is being acquired by my Department from South Dublin County Council.
The Educate Together National School referred to by the Deputy is to be located on a Department owned site at Coolamber Drive, Rathcoole, Co. Dublin.
The permanent school building projects for both schools were recently assigned to my Department’s Design & Build delivery programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning and construction. Architectural Planning has commenced with site surveys underway. When plans for the schools have been developed and pre-planning meetings held with the Local Authority, the planning applications will then be lodged. It is not possible to give a timeline for the tender and construction period until planning permission has been secured.
Arrangements for suitable interim accommodation for the two schools, for the new academic year, are in hand.
51. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to ensure that a project (details supplied) proceeds to the next stage at the earliest possible date due to the need to have additional and upgraded accommodation provided at the school without further delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19314/20]
View answerMy Department is currently reviewing the building project to which the Deputy refers in the context of construction sites restarting and projects at tender stage progressing. Department officials will be in contact with the school shortly with regard to the next stage for this project.
52. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) will be sanctioned as an ASD specific school for children with complex needs from five years of age and older. [19308/20]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. Currently, almost 20% of the total Education Vote or €1.9bn is invested in supporting children with special needs.
Notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country, including South Dublin, where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places for next September.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. NCSE is continuing its engagement with schools, patron bodies, parents and others across South Dublin to bring the required additional special class and special school placements on stream.
While progress has been achieved NCSE has identified the need for an additional 36 special school places in South Dublin for September.
Planning is actively underway to ensure that children without a placement for next year are provided with a suitable placement. The NCSE is leading the work in this regard. My Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.
A number of options are currently being explored to increase the number of suitable places to cater for the needs of children in this area. I can confirm that sites such as the school to which the Deputy refers are being examined in this regard.
53. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the ASD unit promised for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19290/20]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy has been approved a four classroom SEN base under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2019.
The school authority, to whom the project has been devolved for delivery, is currently in the process of appointing a Design Team and is being assisted by Dublin & Dún Laoghaire Education & Training Board (DDLETB) in that respect.
55. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for a purpose-built school building in view of the fact it is temporarily based in unsuitable accommodation. [18122/20]
View answerIt is my Department's intention to provide a permanent school building for the school referred to by the Deputy. This will necessitate the acquisition of a new site. My Department has been engaging with the school authorities on this matter and they have proposed a potential site option.
As part of our standard general procedures, my Department would technically assess a number of potential site options. Integral to this process is an examination of key factors such as cost, availability and deliverability. Furthermore, in line with protocols for the use of State Property Assets, my Department would initially examine all state owned property assets in the area. A decision would then be made to make the best determination for the permanent location for the school.
My Department will examine these options and will update the school authorities with any further development.
56. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the importance of implementing a scheme on teaching European foreign languages in primary schools to ensure that young persons have the skills necessary in an outward looking workforce; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18116/20]
View answerLanguages Connect, the government’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026 sets out a roadmap to put Ireland in the top ten countries in Europe for the teaching and learning of foreign languages, through a number of measures targeted at improving proficiency, diversity and immersion. A key part of the strategy is not only increasing the numbers of children taking up a foreign language, but also diversifying the range of languages available to schools and increasing students depth of knowledge in a language. Exposing children to a foreign language from an early age, would enhance their interpersonal communication skills, adaptability, logical thinking and creativity. These transferrable skills are relevant across all disciplines and subjects.
Under the strategy, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) was asked to consider including foreign languages in senior classes as part of its review of the primary curriculum. The NCCA subsequently published a background paper ‘Integrating Modern Foreign Languages in a Redeveloped Primary Curriculum’ available on its website as part of the research base to inform the development of the Draft Primary Curriculum Framework.
The draft Primary Curriculum Framework was published for consultation in February 2020 and sets out the proposed purpose, structure and content of the curriculum which will be developed in the coming years. The draft framework proposes a revised structure for curriculum areas that supports the introduction of modern foreign languages in stages 3 and 4, i.e. from 3rd class onwards, incrementally building on children’s existing knowledge and awareness of language and progressing to a competency model in stage 4. The consultation on the draft framework will continue to the end of December 2020 and potentially into 2021 depending on the Covid-19 situation, with the finalisation of the framework expected by the Summer 2021. The development of curriculum specifications will take place in the following years.
This proposal connects with and builds on the role of linguistic diversity in the Primary Language Curriculum/Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile which seeks to support children on their language-learning journeys, in both English and Irish, while also acknowledging the diversity of languages spoken in Irish primary schools.
57. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial assistance available to private school bus operators that have suffered huge losses of earnings due to Covid-19 and are unable to resume services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19407/20]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. 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 school transport contractors contracted by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department to operate on the School Transport Scheme, following the initial announcement that schools would be closed from the 13th to the 29th of March and in light of the exceptional circumstances, it was agreed that those contractors would be paid at the full rate for the period up to 29th March 2020.
Following the decision that schools would not re-open in the 2019/2020 school year it was decided that those contractors would continue to be paid thereafter at 50% of their normal rate while schools remained closed in the 2019/2020 school year. This was with a view to assisting those contractors with general overhead non-pay costs to ease the financial burden encountered during these unprecedented times and to assist contractors to remain in business.
Earlier this week I announced a comprehensive plan detailing a package of measures and resources to be provided to facilitate schools in re-opening. I also published a detailed roadmap for the full return to school. This roadmap set outs how schools will reopen for all students from the end of August. 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 all relevant stakeholders including Bus Éireann, the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the National Transport Authority on the logistical considerations that arise in planning for the operation of school transport services for the reopening of our schools.
60. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she is taking to address literacy and numeracy levels for students particularly those returning to DEIS schools in cases in which there was a pre-existing gap prior to Covid-19; if this will involve an essential increase in teacher continuous professional development; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19384/20]
View answerOn 27 July, the Government announced the publication of Reopening Our Schools: The Roadmap for The Full Return to School, along with details of a financial package of over €375 million to support its implementation.
The roadmap outlines a comprehensive range of measures being provided to support the full reopening of schools in time for the start of the new school year in late August.
The plan and its accompanying documentation provides schools with guidance on training, checklists for schools on preparing for reopening and guidance for operating the school safely in a Covid-context. It advises on areas across logistics, curriculum, teaching, managing school activities, supporting pupils with additional needs, administration and wellbeing.
My Department has developed guidance for schools to assist them in their planning for reopening so as to ensure that curricular priorities are delivered, ongoing student progression is supported and that teaching and learning is optimal in a new school environment.
The guidance outlines that provision for curriculum in 2020/21 must also take account of the likelihood that the impact of school closure on students’ curriculum experiences were not uniform. Students with special educational needs, students at risk of educational disadvantage, students with English as an additional language (EAL) and students experiencing homelessness or living in direct provision are likely have been the most adversely affected by the lack of classroom contact time, and that schools will need to ensure that those students continue to receive the necessary supports in their learning in the 2020/21 school year.
In taking account of the loss of in-class time at the end of the 2019/2020 school year, and recognising the potential challenges facing schools at the outset of the new school year, support for teacher wellbeing, leadership, digital technologies and support for socio-economic disadvantaged students will be priority areas of focus for my Department’s Support Services.
My Department, through the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), continues to prioritise Reading and Maths Recovery and research based accredited programmes for those children in DEIS schools who are performing at or below the 1 percentile in standardised tests in DEIS schools as well as maintaining ongoing support for other schools already participating in the Reading and Maths Recovery programmes.
In addition, all DEIS schools were offered the opportunity to run a one week summer programme targeted at those pupils most in need of support. The aim of the DEIS primary summer camps is to provide rich educational experiences for young people, which foster a sense of belonging and creativity and confidence in their learning. The programme is funded to target educational and social disadvantage. It seeks to assist pupils who are experiencing social or academic difficulties in language and numeracy and who would benefit from a week-long Summer Camp with a very small teacher-pupil ratio.
A new programme was developed this year for DEIS post primary schools focusing on encouraging those students deemed most in need to reconnect with school, supporting their physical, social and emotional wellbeing and providing them with the skills they need to engage in a meaningful way with learning in the future.
It is estimated that the DEIS summer programmes will benefit over 7,000 children and at primary level and over 2,700 young people at post-primary level.
