Written Answers Nos. 493-512
493. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education her plans to build a new secondary school in Glanmire, County Cork in view of the increasing population and the existing shortage of school places in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21237/20]
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. For school planning purposes, Glanmire is located in the Riverstown_Glanmire School planning area.
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. 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.
While a new post primary school was not announced for the Riverstown_Glanmire School planning area, the requirement for new schools or school places is under on-going review and in particular will have regard for the increased rollout of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
I can confirm that a project to increase the number of classrooms at a Post-Primary school in the town is currently under consideration and that the assessment process is ongoing.
494. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 250 of 18 September 2013, 405 of 26 April 2016 and 262 of 9 June 2020, if he will provide the information sought using a definition of profit, that is, the precise figures that the Bus Éireann directors and auditors determined as profit in each year for school transport that was actually credited to the statutory financial statement in the profit and loss account, balance sheet and cash flow statement in each of the years 2010 to 2016, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21249/20]
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.
The 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements form the basis of the payment to Bus Éireann for the operation of the School Transport Scheme. In this regard, the Department reimburses Bus Éireann for a range of costs incurred in the operation and administration of the scheme. Re-imbursement to Bus Éireann is on a cost recovery basis and there is no profit. Actual expenditure is finalised in the Bus Éireann annual statement of account which is independently audited by the Bus Éireann auditors in accordance with the 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements . Balances, where they occur, are accounted for in the following year’s projected cost.
The Bus Éireann audited accounts are available on my Department's website
495. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education the timeline for the introduction of free, safe and adequate period products for publicly funded educational spaces; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21251/20]
View answerIn line with statutory requirements my Department is developing a new three year strategic plan which will be informed by the range of education commitments in the Programme for Government, which include developing new strategies, striving for excellence across the sector, addressing costs and investing in high-quality education, supporting all learners and in particular, those at risk of educational disadvantage. My Department will also work to support cross- governmental issues and related commitments in the Programme for Government.
It is currently participating in the work of the National Strategy for Women and Girls (NSWG) sub-committee on Period Poverty, chaired by the Department of Health. The work of the sub- committee will include consideration of the commitment in the Programme for Government to provide a range of free, adequate, safe and suitable period products in all educational publicly-funded settings. Work on the report of the sub-committee is currently underway. It will in due course be submitted to the full NSWG Strategy Committee for onward submission to Government for decisions to be taken on implementation at that point in time.
496. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education her plans to ensure a school (details supplied) has a school building in the area for reopening in September 2020. [21256/20]
View answerI am happy to confirm that following a period of communications between all the relevant parties, the school to which the Deputy refers re-opened on 31 August 2020 in accommodation in the school planning area referred to by the Deputy.
497. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education her views on the decision of Dublin Bus to not renew the contracts for school bus services across Dublin and to cut the school transport services for many schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21257/20]
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.
My Department was recently made aware that Dublin Bus had cancelled a number of services that operated in the main to serve certain schools in the greater Dublin area. These services were operated separately by Dublin Bus and children paid fares or availed of a range of weekly tickets when travelling. They were not part of my Department’s School Transport Scheme.
My Department understands that Dublin Bus has written individually to each affected school, explaining the rationale for the discontinuation of the services and outlining alternative transport options where applicable.
498. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education if a permanent site will be sourced for a school (details supplied) within the assigned catchment area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21259/20]
View answerI can confirm that a permanent site option for the new Killester/Raheny/Clontarf ETNS has been identified and it is in the school planning area. Due to the sensitive nature of site acquisitions in general, it is not possible to give further details at this time.
It is difficult to indicate a timeframe for any site acquisition as each process is unique and in some instances complex issues can arise which can cause delays.
Nevertheless, the Department is committed to delivering a permanent site for Killester/Raheny/Clontarf ETNS and are treating this as a priority.
499. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the position regarding the use of special education teachers as substitute cover; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21270/20]
View answerThe Department is very conscious of ensuring that schools reopen safely. One of the arrangements being put in place is to increase the certainty of supply of substitute teachers for primary schools. This is being done by creating supply panels nationwide which will give teachers fixed term contracts to be available as substitute teachers for a cluster of primary schools.
The circular letter 45/2020 sets out that sequence for a school to access substitutes. The aim is to get a substitute firstly from:
- a supply panel,
- the school’s own panel of regular substitutes or
- from the ‘Text a Sub’ portal.
When these arrangements have been exhausted and a substitute is still needed in an emergency situation to protect the class bubble, it is outlined in the circular that a school can use other non-mainstream teachers to cover the absence.
This arrangement is an interim measure and the school must continue to seek a substitute to cover the absence. It is only in these types of instances that the school can use other non-mainstream teachers.
Schools should seek to minimise the amount of times that SET teachers are used for substitution purposes and keep a record of such instances. The SET should also not be used to cover long term absences.
Any loss of special education teaching support by students should be made up at the first available opportunity by employing additional teaching resources to make up for the shortfall.
Special education teachers may only be used as a substitute in an emergency as outlined above.
500. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will consider introducing essential life skills such as personal financial management, nutrition and basic meal preparation as mandatory modules in the junior cycle or transition year programme. [21276/20]
View answerThe Department highly values life skills and work in this area comes under the umbrella term Wellbeing. The promotion of Wellbeing for all is central to the Department’s mission to enable individuals to achieve their full potential and contribute to Ireland’s social, cultural and economic development.
Wellbeing and positive mental health are afforded a high priority by the Department. The Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of wellbeing in schools and has a key role to play in the promotion of the wellbeing of children and young people in Ireland. The Department’s Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice sets out the ambition and vision of the Department that, by 2023, the promotion of wellbeing will be at the core of the ethos of every school and centre for education in Ireland, that all schools will provide evidence-informed approaches and support, appropriate to need, to promote the wellbeing of their students and that Ireland will be recognised as a leader in this area.
All students commencing Junior Cycle from September 2017 onwards undertake the area of learning called Wellbeing. Wellbeing crosses the three years of Junior Cycle and builds on substantial work already taking place in schools in support of students’ wellbeing. When planning a Wellbeing Programme schools should consider the NCCA developed short courses in PE, SPHE, and CSPE. These are the result of widespread consultation with education partners to ensure that the courses address important, relevant and meaningful learning for young people in these subjects. Wellbeing is one of the principles that underpins Junior Cycle education and is reflected in a number of the statements of learning that are central to planning for the student’s experience of and the evaluation of the schools Junior Cycle programme.
Transition Year offers pupils a broad educational experience with a view to the attainment of increased maturity, before proceeding to further study and/or vocational preparation. It provides a bridge to help pupils make the transition from a highly-structured environment to one where they will take greater responsibility for their own learning and decision making. Pupils will participate in learning strategies which are active and experiential and which help them to develop a range of transferable critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills. Transition Year should also provide an opportunity for pupils to reflect on and develop an awareness of the value of education and training in preparing them for the ever-changing demands of the adult world of work and relationships.
501. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if a communication will be provided from her Department or the NCSE in relation to the case of a school (details supplied) which was offered another school to take over and expand educational services. [21283/20]
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.
There are discussions underway between my Department and a number of parties regarding the establishment of additional special school places in the area. I hope these discussions will lead to a positive outcome shortly.
The NCSE will continue to liaise with other special schools in the area where additional places may become available.
502. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will include a diagnosis of giftedness in the criteria for receipt of appropriate educational supports. [21309/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that very significant resources are committed to supporting children with special educational needs, including children and young people who are exceptionally able.
The Government invests almost €1.9bn a year in special education needs supports, nearly one fifth of the overall Education budget, and up 50% since 2011.
This continued substantial investment in special education resources has contributed to significant improvements in the growing numbers of children who now access and remain in mainstream education with the assistance of these supports.
Inclusive education is at the core of the Department’s policy which requires differentiated teaching approaches to cater for the varying levels of ability in the classroom, from providing additional supports to those experiencing difficulty to ensuring appropriate levels of challenge and enrichment for exceptionally able students.
The Report of the Special Education Review Committee (SERC report) 1993 made a number of recommendations and outlined approaches for schools to cater for gifted pupils through enrichment, acceleration and differentiation strategies.
The Education Act, 1998 requires Boards of Management of each school to publish the policy of the school relating to participation by students with special educational needs, including students who are exceptionally able. The measures schools take in this regard are required to be stated in the school plan. It is the duty of the Board of Management to ensure that appropriate education services are made available to such students.
Schools at both primary and secondary level use strategies such as curriculum differentiation, curriculum enrichment and acceleration to facilitate the development of pupils who are exceptionally able.
It is not necssary for pupils to have a specific diagnosis of giftedness in order to receive differentiated education support.
The primary curriculum recognises the importance of developing the full potential of the child and caters for pupil diversity, including meeting the needs of exceptionally able pupils. Syllabi and curricula for second-level schools have been designed in such a way to enable teachers cater for the wide range of pupil ability. Content is outlined in the curricula at both levels and process is also heavily emphasised. Enabling children to learn how to learn is stressed and facilitated. The development of language skills, investigatory and problem-solving skills, higher-order thinking skills and working individually, and as a member of a group, are all encouraged at both levels.
The use of information and communication technologies and the use of class and school libraries are of benefit for all pupils, and have a special importance for pupils who are exceptionally able.
The NCSE Support Service brought under their control the Special Education Support Service (SESS), the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) and the Visiting Teacher Service for children who are deaf/hard of hearing and for children who are blind/visually impaired (VTSVHI) from 20th March 2017.
The development of this new Support Service within the NCSE means that schools will receive better and more integrated support. It will build on the existing good work and supports which the National Behavioural Support Service, the Special Education Support Service and Visiting Teacher Service currently provide to children and their families as well as to teachers and schools. The NCSE Support Service will provide advice and support to schools on the education and inclusion of students with special educational needs, including those pupils who are exceptionally able, providing in-school support, continuing professional development for teachers, and support to schools (More information on the range of programmes offered by the SESS is available on www.ncse.ie).
In addition, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), under the management of the Department of Education and Skills, provides training in differentiation, in terms of differentiating for all pupils, whether less able/more able. Issues around exceptional ability and giftedness are addressed as part of the school planning process which is facilitated by the PDST.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in collaboration with its counterparts in Northern Ireland, the Council for Curriculum Examination and Assessment (CCEA), produced guidelines entitled "Exceptionally Able Students – Draft Guidelines for Teachers" which issued to all Primary and Post Primary schools in November 2007.
https://ncca.ie/media/1974/exceptionally_able_students_draft_guidelines_for_teachers.pdf
The NCCA/CCEA guidelines are designed to raise awareness of the social, emotional and academic needs of exceptionally able students and to assist teachers in planning their teaching and learning. The guidelines provide advice to schools on identification of gifted children, set out profiles of students, and whole school and classroom strategies and case studies which demonstrate how schools can best meet the needs of such students. The general strategies include differentiated teaching, acceleration and enrichment approaches in the context of participation in mainstream schools.
The reformed Junior Cycle also allows schools greater scope to put the learning needs of their students at the core of their planning.
New subject specifications and a range of short courses give schools the opportunity to provide for greater differentiation for their range of student ability. The emphasis on skills development, creativity and innovation allows gifted students to become critical thinkers, problem solvers and entrepreneurs, while the new school based assessment component of the final examination will provide them with opportunities to demonstrate their level of achievement. The school work component of subjects will also give schools an opportunity to differentiate appropriately for all students, including students who are exceptionally able.
The Programme for Government 2020, Our Shared Future, also commits that this Government will Implement a strategy to support gifted and talented students at both primary and post-primary levels, and proposals will be brought forward in relation to this matter in the near future.
503. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the significant gap in funding between voluntary secondary schools and those which are run by the ETB sector; and her plans to close the funding gap. [21358/20]
View answerThe funding arrangements for post primary schools reflect the sectoral division of the second-level system. At the core of these arrangements is reliance upon capitation as a key determinant of funding. Enrolments are the main driver in the level of funding provided.
ETB, Community & Comprehensive sector are primarily based on budgets determined by the Department.
The Voluntary Secondary School Sector are based on per capita grants provided by the Department. Some equalisation measures were introduced to rectify historical inconsistencies in the funding arrangements for this sector of post-primary schools. It is estimated that up to €21m has been provided in equalisation funding in the period up to 2009.
As agreed with the Joint Managerial Body (JMB), future improvements in equalisation funding is to be directed in the first instance at the elimination of the School Salary grant deduction from the capitation payable to Voluntary Secondary Schools. This salary grant deduction amounts to €563 per teaching post.
Budget 2020 provided funding to cater for a 20% reduction in the School Salary Grant deduction commencing in the 2020/21 school year. This will bring the deduction down from €563 to €450.40 per whole-time equivalent teaching post.
Progress towards equalisation of the gap in funding in the different post-primary sectors will be made by reducing the school salary grant deduction by 20% effective from 1 September 2020.
504. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that many schools in disadvantaged inner city areas do not get the sort of supports needed to even up educational opportunity; her plans to assess the scale of the gap in educational opportunity; and if proposals are being developed to close the gap. [21359/20]
View answerThe DEIS Programme is the Government’s main policy instrument to tackle educational disadvantage. In the 2020/21 academic year the DEIS Programme is available in 887 schools serving approximately 186,000 students. My Department will invest in the region of €125 million this year on the programme. Additional funding is provided from Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection for the School Meals Programme and from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs for the School Completion Programme. My Department’s investment in 2020 includes provision of:
- 419 Home School Community Liaison Coordinators serving 532 schools, catering for approximately 160,000 pupils.
- Additional posts for DEIS Urban Band 1 primary schools to allow for a reduced pupil teacher ratio.
- Curriculum supports
- Priority access to continuing professional development
- School Excellence Fund - DEIS
- DEIS grants and enhanced book grants.
A full list of supports under DEIS is available at:
https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Supporting-Information/Supports-to-DEIS-Schools.html
A key goal under DEIS Plan 2017 is the development of a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Framework to determine which interventions are having the greatest impact in terms of delivering better outcomes for learners, the ultimate aim being to close the gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools. A DEIS Monitoring and Evaluation Group is established in my Department and work is ongoing in this regard.
There has been an extensive evaluation of the DEIS programme to date by both the Educational Research Centre (ERC) and the DES Inspectorate and the findings are contained in a series of published reports.
The findings from research carried out by the Inspectorate shows that the majority of schools are engaging in effective planning for improvement and indicate that where schools have taken a whole-school, evidence-based approach to improving literacy, especially at primary level, improvements in pupil attainment levels are observed.
Longitudinal research carried out by the ERC in DEIS urban primary schools in 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016 show consistent improvement in both literacy and numeracy levels. ERC research of DEIS implementation at Post-primary level also show encouraging trends with a significant upward trend from 2009 onwards in attainment levels in both English and Mathematics at Junior Cert level and a narrowing of the gap between DEIS and non-DEIS schools both in terms of performance at Junior Certificate level and retention rates. It also shows a rise in the percentage of students in DEIS schools taking English and Mathematics at higher level. Performance at Junior Certificate level between DEIS and non-DEIS schools has narrowed and there has been a rise in the % of students in DEIS schools taking English and Mathematics at a higher level e.g. in 2007 10% of students in DEIS schools took foundation level English, this fell to 4% in 2016. The corresponding figure for Maths was 24%, which has decreased to 13%.
The 2018 OECD PISA (Programme for International Student Assessment) results published last December shows that Ireland’s 15 year-olds are among the best in reading literacy and are performing significantly higher than the OECD average in mathematics and science.
Schools participating in DEIS have seen retention to Leaving Certificate improve since the introduction of DEIS from 80.1% for the 2006 entry cohort to 84.7% for the 2012 entry cohort. The gap in retention rates between DEIS and non-DEIS schools has narrowed from a gap of 16.8% for the 2001 entry cohort to approx. 8.5% for the 2012 cohort.
The School Excellence Fund-DEIS (SEF-DEIS enabled schools to apply for funding to implement innovative programmes which are context-specific and aimed at improving learning outcomes. Access to the SEF-DEIS is designed to ensure that some of the barriers frequently cited by school personnel as being impediments to improvements can be removed. The SEF-DEIS is designed to ensure that innovative approaches and proposals to tackle educational disadvantage will be supported and rewarded. A total of €1.8 million is provided.
As part of the Government's focus on addressing social and economic regeneration in Dublin’s North East Inner City there are a range of supports and innovative pilot projects for schools in this area to improve educational outcomes. In addition, two clusters in the Dublin North East Inner City area are participating in the SEF- DEIS initiative.
505. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if consideration will be given to a relaxation of the criteria to take up employment as a substitute teacher for those with a relevant undergraduate qualification, for example, in a language and teaching experience through TEFL or similar. [21364/20]
View answerThe recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).
In accordance with Department Circular 31/ 2011, and Circular 44/2019 schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers and ensure that unemployed teachers should be offered employment in preference to those who have retired. Circular 31/2011 and Circular 44/2019 details a cascade of measures for the recruitment of teachers, prioritising registered teachers over retired registered teachers and unregistered people. These measures were taken in an effort to increase employment opportunities for unemployed teachers.
It is a function of the Teaching Council under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 to act as the competent authority for recognition of qualifications obtained by a person who has applied under this Act for registration as a teacher.
506. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education when a planning application will be lodged for a school (details supplied); and the person or body that will make the application. [21371/20]
View answerThe school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been assigned for delivery under my Department's Design and Build programme. The project is currently in architectural planning with site surveys having commenced. A pre-planning meeting was held recently with the Local Authority in advance of preparing the Planning Application, which will be the next key milestone in the progression of the project. The planning application will be compiled by my Department’s Project Manager and their Consultants and submitted on behalf of my Department.
507. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if a mainstream school place with the assistance of a special needs assistant will be put in place for a person (details supplied). [21434/20]
View answerThe policy of the Department of Education and Skills (DES) is to ensure that all children with special educational needs can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs. The Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education.
The enrolment of a child in a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and then a matter for the school/ Board of Management having regard to their own enrolment/admissions policy.
My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools and it does not maintain details of waiting lists in schools. Waiting lists are a matter for the individual schools.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports as required.
The SENOs are available to assist parents to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs and to discuss their child's special educational needs. The NCSE also works in collaboration with the Educational Welfare Services (EWS) of the Child and Family Agency which is the statutory agency that can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child or can offer assistance where a child is out of school. Contact details are available on www.tusla.ie.
The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
Schools have been notified of the arrangements for the allocation of SNA support in respect of students in mainstream classes for 2020/21. The arrangements include the following provisions:
- 2019/20 mainstream class SNA allocations will be frozen, from the date of issue of Circular 0030/2020, and will automatically rollover into the 2020/21 school year. This means that no school will receive an allocation less than that which they have on the date of issue of this Circular and existing SNAs currently in standard SNA posts can continue in these posts for the next school year in the normal way.
- A diagnosis of a disability, or a psychological or other professional report, will not be necessary for this process
- The role of the SNA to support the care needs of students in mainstream classes, as set out in Circular 0030/2014, remains unchanged.
It is expected that schools will review and reprioritise the deployment of SNAs within mainstream settings and allocate resources to ensure those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support. Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014.
Schools may apply to the NCSE for additionality where they can demonstrate that the current allocation does not meet additional care needs within the mainstream classes in the school. Applications for additionality arising from significant new or emerging additional care needs, which cannot be catered for within existing allocations, will be dealt with by way of an exceptional review process.
The exceptional review process for mainstream allocations will be available to schools throughout the 2020/21 school year.
Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.
A school can appeal the outcome of an exceptional review and details of how to do this are here
https://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/GuidanceSchoolAppealing-Exceptional-Review-outcome.docx
508. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education if matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) will be addressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21518/20]
View answerThe conditions for returning to work after a period of sick leave are set out in Circular 54/2019 Paragraph 12 of Chapter 1. This circular was issued by my Department and all employers were directed to implement the procedures as stated.
This circular was issued following detailed discussions with the education partners and all employers and teachers are required to adhere to the contents.
In relation to the teacher referred to by the Deputy I understand the employer in this case is an Educational and Training Board (ETB) and issues regarding the implementation of this chapter of Circular 54/2019 should be referred to the relevant ETB in the first instance.
509. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the status of an application (details supplied) regarding emergency issues at a playground; if advice will be provided to the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21569/20]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school in question has been granted funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme to address the issues to which she refers.
510. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if the case of a school (details supplied) will be reviewed; if the school appealed the decision; if the concerns of parents and teachers will be taken on board regarding Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21570/20]
View answerThe Roadmap for Full Return to School set outs the plan for the safe and sustainable reopening of our schools. 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 implementation of the roadmap. The supports are comprehensive across a range of areas and involve funding for measures such as PPE, hand sanitisation, enhanced cleaning and hygiene, physical distancing, management supports and substitution provision. It is also recognised that schools may require some reconfiguration works and this is supported by a once off enhanced minor works grant of €75 million to prepare their buildings and classrooms for reopening including an uplift for schools with SEN pupils.
The public health guidance recognises that the ability to achieve 1m physical distancing for junior infants to 2nd classes is not a prerequisite for facilitating a full return of all pupils. While there is the requirement for 1m physical distancing for the senior classes (3rd class to 6th class) schools also have the flexibility to organise their classes into bubbles and pods. The requirement in the public health guidance is for each pod to be 1m apart as distinct from each pupil in the pods.
My Department has published practical guidance for schools to help achieve physical distancing in line with public health advice and include:
- Reconfiguring classroom accommodation through the removal of unnecessary items of furniture, shelving etc.
- Using the largest classrooms for the senior classes
- Reviewing the size of each class so that there is a more even spread of pupils between each class
- Maximising available space within the footprint of the school
- If necessary, look at opportunities for sourcing any nearby accommodation for a large class e.g. parish hall, sports facilities etc. The Department supports same through the minor works grant and additional funding can be provided where necessary.
The public health advice recognises that the implementation of physical distancing will look different across the various ages and stages of learning and that a balanced and common sense approach should be applied in the implementation of measures, allowing for some flexibility when needed whilst noting that it must be applied in a practical way, recognising that the learning environment cannot be dominated by a potentially counterproductive focus on this issue.
While my Department has been in contact with a number of schools recently in an advisory capacity, including the school referred to by the Deputy, a reply will issue in the coming days in relation to individual requests received. Schools will be advised that they will have an option of an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board should they continue to experience difficulties, having first taken measures necessary to achieve physical distancing in line with published guidance.
511. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education if the case of children that were unsuccessful in the lottery for concessionary places on school transport in 2019 and again in the 2020-2021 school year will be re-examined with a view to meeting the concerns of the parents involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21581/20]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
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.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of the scheme, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria (3.2km at primary and 4.8km at post-primary) and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Distance eligibility is determined by Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from the child’s home to the relevant school.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time for the are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application process on time, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats. The provision of a seat on a concessionary basis in a given year does not confer any continuing entitlement for that user in following years as concessionary places are entirely contingent on there being spare seats once eligible users are provided for.
512. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if a tender has been issued and funds ring-fenced for the construction of a new school (details supplied). [21587/20]
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.
Funding for the schools capital programme under Project Ireland 2040 remains in place, and the school referred to by the Deputy remains part of the schools capital programme.
