Written Answers Nos. 533-552
534. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) can proceed to tender for three additional resource rooms in circumstances in which the funding has already been approved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21828/20]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that funding was approved under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018 to enable the school in question to build three resource rooms and complete other conversion works. The project was devolved to the school for delivery.
I can also inform the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving a request to proceed to tender from the school in question. Indeed, we have no record of receipt of any correspondence from the school with respect to the progress of this project since the approval letter was issued on 9th October, 2018.
A school building project has a number of design stages within the design and delivery process where approval from the Department to move to the succeeding stage is mandatory. If the school is preparing to issue tenders for this project, then it has not complied with the Department's requirements in that respect and will need to make immediate contact with the Department to resolve the matter.
535. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the status of the new school building for a school (details supplied); if the site for the new school has been secured; if not, the stage at which it is at; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21830/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is committed to providing a permanent accommodation solution for the school referred to.
In this regard, a suitable site has been identified to accommodate a permanent school building for the school. My Department continues to work closely with officials from Monaghan County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of the site.
As the site acquisition process is complex, it is not possible to give a definitive timeframe for the completion of the acquisition. Once this acquisition process is complete, the project for the provision of a new permanent building will be progressed into the architectural planning process without delay.
537. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education when a decision will issue to persons (details supplied) on school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21832/20]
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 purpose of the “School Transport Scheme for children with Special Educational Needs” is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.
School transport services are operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education & Skills. Children are eligible for transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability in accordance with the Department’s criteria and are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).
In this case, it has been reported that the required professional report(s) submitted for the child do not meet the Department of Education and Skills criteria for attending the relevant setting and the child in this case is therefore not deemed eligible for school transport to the school referred to by the Deputy under the terms of the scheme.
538. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education if schools will be encouraged to continue to make space available to sporting clubs and organisations during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21836/20]
View answerThe position is that decisions on the use of school facilities lies with the relevant school authority in consultation with the property owner and priority has to be given to the interests of the school, teachers and pupils.
My Department's policy is to encourage the use of school facilities, where possible, for community, training and education related activities. My Department would encourage schools to facilitate the request from sporting clubs and organisations wherever possible but on the basis that it would not impede the school's capacity to provide for education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
To assist schools in considering applications for use of their facilities my Department in consultation with representatives of schools has drafted general guidelines on the use of school property outside of school hours which is available on my Department's website at
https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/guidelines-on-the-use-of-school-buildings-outside-of-school-hours.pdf
In addition to the general guidelines above, during the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, the school in considering applications should carry out a risk assessment to ensure that any organisation using the school’s facilities can guarantee the school that all public health requirements will be adhered to.
539. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education if additional funding will be provided on an appeal by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21840/20]
View answerI wish to confirm to the Deputy that the matter to which he refers is currently under consideration by the relevant official in my Department. A decision in that respect will be made as quickly as possible and notified to the school directly.
540. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education the status of an ASD unit (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21841/20]
View answerEnsuring that every child has a suitable school placement is a key objective of my Department. Significant resources are allocated each year to ensure that appropriate supports are available for children with special educational needs.
A list of special classes for the current school year, including special classes for children with autism, is available on the National Council for Special Education's (NCSE) website.
Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased almost threefold, from 548 to 1,618 for the 2019/2020 school year; with 1,353 of these catering for children with autism.
Budget 2020 provided for an additional 265 special class teachers in 2020, which will allow for the opening of additional classes where required.
The NCSE has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide; has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents; and seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements. My Department is not involved in the decisions around the establishment of individual special classes.
The NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and school places nationally to meet identified need for next year. This process is ongoing.
It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE for the establishment of a specialised provision and where sanctioned, a range of supports, including capital funding, is made available to the school. My Department works closely with the NCSE in this regard.
The NCSE have advised that there has been substantial engagement between local SENO, school management, HSE Services and Team Manager regarding the need of additional ASD Special Classes in the area. It is important that students enrolling in special classes meet criteria for enrolment i.e. have a diagnosis of disability and complex learning needs requiring the support of a special class. The majority of students with ASD attend their local mainstream school and are supported in a mainstream classroom through the schools SET allocation and, where necessary, SNA support.
As part of the continuum of support, the NCSE is committed to providing Special Class places for those students with complex needs for whom a mainstream placement is not a viable or appropriate option.
The school to which the deputy refers is opening its first special class in September 2020 and has indicated a willingness to establish additional special classes in the future. As of September 2020, the Team Manager and local HSE Services had determined there was no immediate need for a second special class in the area and advised the school accordingly. The NCSE will continue to engage with families and schools in the area and establish additional special classes as required.
541. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education the reason for the gap between the publication of the leaving certificate results and the publication of the predicted grades by teachers; if the grades from teachers will be published at the same time or shortly after the results of the exam; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21846/20]
View answerThe results of the Leaving Certificate 2020 Calculated Grades were made available to all students who opted to receive them at 9.00 am on 7 September via the Calculated Grades Student Portal. I would like to congratulate all students for their achievements in what has been a very trying time for them due to the impact of COVID-19 on their education.
Results were also provided to schools at the same time in order to allow them to be prepared to provide supports for students on the day. Schools were advised to provide support to students in an appropriate way on the day, through enabling students to come to the school if they wish at a scheduled time, following COVID-19 and health and safety protocols, to meet with members of the Student Support Team such as Guidance Counsellors, Year Heads, Tutors and Chaplains.
The Calculates Grades Student Portal will reopen on 14 September at 9.00 am and will provide students with the subject percentage marks they were awarded by the Calculated Grades process.
Within the Student Portal, students will also on 14 September be able to access the estimated percentage marks provided by their schools. Students may wish to have access to and consider this data if they are considering an appeal of their Calculated Grade.
Students who are unhappy with the Calculated Grades they receive in one or more subjects will have the opportunity to submit an appeal.
The appeals process will open on 14 September at 9.00 am and students will be able to access it via the Calculated Grades Student Portal. Students will have until 5.00 pm on 16 September to submit an appeal.
542. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education the further measures that will be required regarding the adaptions which provide more choice in exam questions to the 2021 leaving and junior certificates should the 2020/2021 academic year be disrupted due to further Covid-19 related restrictions; the contingency measures for the leaving and junior certificates 2021 in such a scenario; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21847/20]
View answerOn 21 August, I announced a series of changes that will be made to the assessment arrangements for both Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations for 2021. This announcement was accompanied by a document published by my Department detailing these changes, Assessment Arrangements for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2021.
These arrangements are designed to take account of the disrupted learning experienced by students during the 2019/20 school year and to factor in for some further possible loss of learning time in the 2020/21 school year as a contingency measure. As the loss of learning through school closures will have affected students’ engagement with their course of study in different ways, the adjustments put in place will play to students’ strengths by leaving intact the familiar overall structure of the examinations, while incorporating additional choice. The adjustments have been arrived at through discussions between my Department, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and key stakeholders. These key stakeholders included teacher unions and school management bodies. Representatives of students and parents were also informed of the revised arrangements in advance of publication.
These changes to the national assessment arrangements have been made with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, as these principles apply to assessment and examinations and refer to student to-student, subject-to-subject, and year-to-year comparisons. The changes provide clarity, certainty and reassurance to students, their parents/guardians, teachers and schools.
The SEC has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The SEC intends to operate the 2021 examinations as normal, with appropriate contingency built in, in line with prevailing public health advice. There will be no change to the length of the written examinations. For subjects where the SEC issues project briefs during the 2020/21 school year, the intention is to generally issue these at least four weeks earlier than normal. For subjects with course work completion dates typically late in the school year, schools will be asked to submit this coursework two weeks earlier than normal as a contingency measure. In this context teachers are being encouraged to plan and undertake these projects as early as possible in the programme of study.
543. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education the stakeholders who were consulted on the adaptions to the 2021 leaving certificate and junior certificate examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21848/20]
View answerOn 21 August, I announced a series of changes that will be made to the assessment arrangements for both Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations for 2021. This announcement was accompanied by a document published by my Department detailing these changes, Assessment Arrangements for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2021.
These arrangements are designed to take account of the disrupted learning experienced by students during the 2019/20 school year and to factor in for some further possible loss of learning time in the 2020/21 school year as a contingency measure. As the loss of learning through school closures will have affected students’ engagement with their course of study in different ways, the adjustments put in place will play to students’ strengths by leaving intact the familiar overall structure of the examinations, while incorporating additional choice. The adjustments have been arrived at through discussions between my Department, the State Examinations Commission (SEC) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and key stakeholders. These key stakeholders included teacher unions and school management bodies. Representatives of students and parents were also informed of the revised arrangements in advance of publication.
These changes to the national assessment arrangements have been made with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, as these principles apply to assessment and examinations and refer to student to-student, subject-to-subject, and year-to-year comparisons. The changes provide clarity, certainty and reassurance to students, their parents/guardians, teachers and schools.
The SEC has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The SEC intends to operate the 2021 examinations as normal, with appropriate contingency built in, in line with prevailing public health advice. There will be no change to the length of the written examinations. For subjects where the SEC issues project briefs during the 2020/21 school year, the intention is to generally issue these at least four weeks earlier than normal. For subjects with course work completion dates typically late in the school year, schools will be asked to submit this coursework two weeks earlier than normal as a contingency measure. In this context teachers are being encouraged to plan and undertake these projects as early as possible in the programme of study.
544. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education if the parents of a child with autism and respiratory issues who is enrolled for third class in a primary school has the option of taking the child out of school in 2020 due to health fears during the Covid-19 pandemic in order to home-school the child instead; and the procedures in place to facilitate same. [21852/20]
View answerThe Roadmap to the Full Reopening of schools includes a dedicated package of additional supports for Special Educational Needs which is being made available to schools to implement their Covid-19 Response Plan and to operate in a sustainable way. Full details are available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/campaigns/a128d-back-to-school/?referrer=http://www.gov.ie/backtoschool/
Some pupils or their parents may be experiencing anxiety about the return to school to such an extent that their child does not return as expected. All schools are expected to support such pupils in making a full return to school and to provide supports to ensure their anxiety is managed in such a way as to enable them to re-engage productively in their learning.
In response to the Covid-19 school closures, The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has developed a range of resources for schools and parents to support the well-being of children and young people in line with the DES Wellbeing Framework and Policy for Practice.
In this regard, NEPS has developed Wellbeing Webinars and Wellbeing Toolkits for School Staff which are available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/0722b-wellbeing-resources/%23wellbeing-toolkits-for-schools and which contain information, guidance, tips and advice for schools on how best to support the well-being of all children and young people, including those with SEN, at this time.
NEPS has also produced a targeted well-being resource, Supporting the Wellbeing of Students with Special Educational Needs Returning to School, which is available on the gov.ie/backtoschool webpage at
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/0722b-wellbeing-resources/#wellbeing-toolkits-for-schools
NEPS psychologists have also developed advice and guidance documents for parents and students available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/af24b-wellbeing-guidance-documents-for-parents-students-and-schools/ as their children and young people return to school, including advice on transition, coping and relaxation strategies, and managing stress and anxiety.
Other resources for schools include guidance and advice for teachers to support students in the areas of behavioural regulation, managing stress and anxiety, as well as supporting teacher well-being and self-care. Some of the strategies and resources will be helpful in supporting students in the initial stages of the return to school, while others will assist with interventions throughout the upcoming school year.
It is expected that pupils who are anxious or reluctant to return to school should be supported in this regard and therefore will not require adapted education provision.
Pupils with special education needs (SEN), especially those with complex needs, will need additional, individualised supports to enable them make a successful return to school. The SEN supports for SEN pupils who are at very high risk to COVID-19 that would normally be available to them to address their special educational needs will continue to be available to them in the context of both adapted education provision and on their return to school.
Guidance and resources have been issued to schools.
In relation to whether children with special educational needs should return to school, the Department of Education advice on Protecting your child from coronavirus recommends that all children should attend school as normal unless they:
- have a temperature of 38 degrees Celsius or more
- have other common symptoms of coronavirus - a new cough, loss or changed sense of taste or smell, or shortness of breath
- have been in close contact with someone who has coronavirus
- live with someone who is unwell and may have coronavirus
Where parents are worried about their children’s health, they should phone their GP.
Children with underlying health conditions may be vulnerable to any infection. But it appears the risk of severe illness from coronavirus is low, even if a child has:
an underlying health condition special healthcare needs
If a child has a health condition they and everyone in the family should still:
be extra careful in watching out for symptoms
strictly follow the advice on good hygiene and hand washing
Children with health conditions or special educational needs should be supported and encouraged to try and keep up their normal activities and attend school. This is good for their overall well-being.
If a child has recently had a transplant or has severe immunodeficiency, talk with their specialist. They will advise if the child needs to take any extra precautions.
If parents have concerns about a child's health condition, ask their specialist team for advice.
Further details about what to do if a child has symptoms of coronavirus, when to keep a child at home and phone a GP, when its Ok to send children to school, what to do if a child needs testing for coronavirus, and what to do if the child needs to stay home from school and self-isolate is available at - https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/40e9c-protecting-your-child-from-coronavirus/
It is recognised, however, that some students who have complex medical or special educational needs may not be able to return to school because the relevant public health guidelines indicate they are at “very high risk”.
These students’ schools will provide additional supports for these students through designated teachers from within the staffing resources of the school
Schools will have discretion to manage and redistribute their teaching support resources in order to best meet the learning needs of their pupils/students, including pupils/students at ‘very high risk’ to COVID-19.
At second level, there will be supports provided to schools to help match up supports for students who cannot go to school or whose teacher cannot come to school.
Primary schools can use any one or combination of the following options to facilitate adapted education provision for students at very high risk to COVID-19.
A designated teacher who is at very high risk to COVID-19: In some instances students may be supported by teachers from their school or from another school, who are assessed as being at very high risk to COVID-19 and who are available to work from home. Local education centres will compile a list of schools in a region that have teachers in this category.
Schools with pupils who are at very high risk to COVID-19 can liaise with their local education centre which will connect the teacher working from home with the pupils’ school for the purpose of supporting the pupils’ learning from home. Alternatively, schools can organise their own local clusters to match pupils and teachers in these categories, outside of the education centre structure. In some instances, clusters formed for substitute teachers to cover principal release days might be considered.
A designated teacher from the school’s existing support resources: Schools also have discretion to manage and redistribute their existing support resources in order to best meet the learning needs of students who are at very high risk to COVID-19. For example, special education teachers (SETs) can be designated to provide adapted education provision for students in this category, in particular those students who have special educational needs (SEN).
It will be important for schools to ensure that pupils at very high risk to COVID-19 will remain as connected as possible with their own school and classmates and that their learning will continue, as far as possible, in line with the curriculum and in a manner that is closely aligned to the learning of their peers.
For pupils with additional needs, appropriate differentiation of their learning will continue to be a priority. The overall responsibility for ensuring that pupils at very high risk to COVID-19 receive appropriate support remains with the school in which they are enrolled. Full details of how schools should provide this support are outlined in Continuity of schooling: Supporting primary pupils who are at very high risk to COVID-19, which is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/
545. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the number of planning applications made by or on behalf of her Department for the installation of prefabs; the reason for each application in each county from March 2020 to date in tabular form; and the status of each application. [21855/20]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy with regard to the number of planning applications made by or on behalf of my Department for the installation of prefabs for the timeframe specified is currently being collated. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded directly to the Deputy shortly.
546. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education when a decision will be made on an application by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21856/20]
View answerI can confirm that my Department received an application from the school in question for additional accommodation for a sensory room.
Applications for sensory rooms may only be considered where a school has approval from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for a special class. As the school in question does not have approval from the NCSE for a special class, the application was unsuccessful and the school has been advised accordingly.
547. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education the status of a school transport application by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21862/20]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the current school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, are 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 (4.8km at post-primary) and are attending their nearest school as determined by the 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 complete the application and payment process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application and payment 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. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is not attending their nearest school/Post Primary Education Centre and is therefore not eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme and was unsuccessful in obtaining a concessionary ticket for the 2020/2021 school year.
The School Transport Appeals Board has received an appeal on behalf of the pupil referred to by the Deputy.
The Board has requested the School Transport Section of the Department of Education and Skills to provide a report in accordance with the terms of the Board’s Operating Procedures.
When received, the Board will liaise with the appellant directly regarding the date of the appeal and their further deliberations.
548. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education if additional buses will be put in place for school transport from Inver and Mountcharles, County Donegal, to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21864/20]
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 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 Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Bus Éireann, which operate school transport on behalf of my Department, has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme.
Concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s post primary school education cycle. Where the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeds the number of seats available, Bus Éireann determines the allocation of the tickets and refunds payments made on behalf of those concessionary applicants for whom no seats remain.
Bus Éireann has advised that all tickets have been allocated on the service is question and that the service is operating to capacity at present.
549. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when a design team will be appointed for a new national school campus for Tuam, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21870/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently formulating the accommodation brief for the proposed building project to cater for the recently amalgamated primary schools in Tuam. This will then facilitate the commencement of the architectural planning process, which will include the appointment of a design team, to deliver the project. My Department will be in further contact with the patron when the brief formulation process has been completed.
550. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when a design team will be appointed for a new Gaelscoil campus at Athenry, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21871/20]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that a building project at the campus in question is included on the Department's Capital Programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP).
My Department is currently finalising the accommodation brief for the campus development with a view to progressing the project to the next stage as quickly as possible.
My Department will be in further contact with the patrons of the schools concerned shortly.
551. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the policies and guidelines developed for schools in respect of online teaching of minors with due consideration to GDPR. [21892/20]
View answerMy Department recently published guidance ‘Continuity of schooling: Supporting primary pupils who are at very high risk to COVID19’ and Continuity of schooling: Supporting primary pupils who are at very high risk to COVID19’. This guidance is provided to support schools in making adapted education provision for pupils who cannot return to school because they are medically certified as being at very high risk to COVID-19.
The guidance is available on my Departments website; https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/ and https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/7acad-reopening-our-post-primary-schools/
Responsibility for ensuring that pupils who are at very high risk to COVID-19 receive appropriate support to engage adequately with learning remains with the school in which they are enrolled. A number of options, including online learning for facilitating this support are outlined in the above mentioned guidance.
The purpose of adapted education provision is to ensure that pupils who are medically certified as being at very high risk to COVID-19 can maintain a meaningful connection with their class and school in order to successfully continue their learning from home. Regular and ongoing communication between home and school will be essential to support the pupils’’ engagement with their learning and their continuous connection with their classmates and school community. Arrangements may include providing access digital technology to support this engagement where appropriate. My Department has previously provided funding to Management Bodies to further update and develop guidance for schools in relation data protection, including GDPR and all schools are familiar with its provisions.
552. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education if she will arrange to have substitute supply panels made available to four schools (details supplied) to enable them to function during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21927/20]
View answerThe Roadmap for the Full Return to School provides for comprehensive supports across a range of areas to allow for the safe reopening of schools.
Among the supports provided is the extension of the Substitute Teacher Supply Panel. The scheme has been expanded from a pilot scheme consisting of 6 base schools to over 100 base schools, providing substitute cover to over 2,000 schools across the country.
The base schools were firstly identified in conjunction with the INTO and primary management bodies. The INTO and management bodies made contact with these schools with a view to being a base for that location.
In forming the Supply Panel clusters, my Department's GIS system identified the receiving schools based on distance from the base school. Teaching posts were allocated to each Supply Panel cluster based on the number of permanent teaching positions in the schools in the cluster and the distance to the base school.
A Supply Panel cluster has been established in the Dublin 17 area. Our Lady Immaculate SNS is the base school for the cluster and the other schools referred to by the Deputy are part of cluster.
