Written Answers Nos. 170-189
170. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Defence if a 1916 centenary medal will be awarded to a person (details supplied) who served for 45 years in the Reserve Defence Force until they retired in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27748/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government provided for the award of a commemorative medal to all Defence Forces personnel, Permanent and Reserve, who were recorded as being in service in the course of 2016. This was a special acknowledgement from the Government to the members of Óglaigh na hÉireann, both Permanent and Reserve, who served during the centenary year of 2016.
The 1916 Centenary Commemoration Medal was awarded as a commemorative medal, personal to an individual’s service in the Defence Forces in the course of 2016.
There are no plans to award the 1916 Centenary Commemoration Medal to former members of the Defence Forces.
171. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Defence the number of redress of wrongs for which a decision is outstanding; the date of submission of each; when a decision will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27770/20]
View answerI have requested the military authorities to provide the information requested by the Deputy and will revert to him once the information is received.
172. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if an entire class must isolate in the event of one positive case of Covid-19, even if the close contacts of the student test negative. [27749/20]
View answerThe Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’.
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/
This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding any actions to be taken following a Public Health Risk Assessment. In practice, this involves the HSE Department of Public Health liaising directly with the designated contact, usually the school principal of the public health instructions. These instructions are for implementation of public health measures required under Infectious Diseases legislation.
My Department has also recently published detailed FAQs for school principals in relation to the COVID-19 Testing Pathway for school communities. These FAQs will greatly assist principals to understand and manage situations as they arise in their schools and they include HSE contact details, including for out of hours for any queries that the FAQs do not address.
173. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will direct the calculated grades executive office for its most rapid response to students who appealed their calculated grades via the student portal, that is, for stage 1 and 2 of the appeals process checking the accuracy of data transcribed (details supplied). [27763/20]
View answerThe Calculated Grades Student Portal reopened on 14 September to enable students to view their estimated percentage marks and calculated marks and allow them to consider this data if they were considering an appeal of their Calculated Grade.
The appeals process is a process review focussed on looking for errors in the transmission and processing of student data through the process. It is not possible to appeal the information (estimated percentage mark or rank order) provided by the school. Due to the nature of the Calculated Grades system the professional judgement of the school is outside of the appeals process. The design of the statistical model and the application of the national standardisation process is also outside of the scope of the appeals process.
At the time of closing the appeal application process on Wednesday 16 September, some 12,300 students had appealed almost 33,700 grades.
Every effort is being made to process appeals as quickly as possible but it is not possible at this time to commit to a date for the issue of the appeal results. Students will be notified of this date as soon as possible. It is not possible to provide an expedited appeal for any student or group of students. All appeals will be processed, and results released, simultaneously to ensure fairness and equity to all.
The CAO will be automatically notified by my Department of the outcomes of the appeals process.
174. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the number of judicial reviews that have mentioned her or her Department on leaving certificate grading to date. [27781/20]
View answerThe decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the state from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations.
I, and/or my Department, have been named on a total of six judicial reviews. Of these, two have had their judgement delivered but are under appeal. One further judicial review was withdrawn by the applicant.
175. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education if external services to schools such as speech and language therapists during Covid-19 will be allowed to resume; if not, when the services will resume; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27789/20]
View answerThe provision of Speech and Language Therapy services is the ressponsibility of the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Department of Health.
The Deputy may be aware, however, that a demonstration project to provide in-school and pre-school therapy services took place over the course of the 2018/19 school year.
The project was developed by the Departments of Education, Children and Youth Affairs, Health, and the Health Service Executive and managed and co-ordinated by the National Council for Special Education.
The purpose of the project was to test a model of tailored therapeutic supports by providing speech and language and occupational therapy within ‘educational settings’. This innovative pilot complemented existing HSE funded provision of essential therapy services.
The project took place in the Health Service Executive (HSE) Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) 7 Region of South West Dublin, Kildare and West Wicklow.
75 schools, including primary, post primary, and special schools took part.
75 Pre-school settings associated with primary schools participating in the project were included.
In total 150 settings participated in the demonstration project.
Children who required speech and language therapy services and who were not attending one of the pilot schools continued to access services from the Health Service Executive.
The in-school therapy model was designed to supplement, not to replace existing services.
The project was evaluated over the course of the 2018/19 school year and this evaluation report is currently being finalised.
The Demonstration Project has now been incorporated into the School Inclusion Model pilot now underway in CHO 7 region. This pilot which was interrupted due to the closure of schools because of Covid-19 will be evaluated over the current year and the outcome will inform future policy making in the area.
176. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of reducing the pupil-teacher ratio from 1:27 to 1:15. [27811/20]
View answerThe annual staffing schedule determines the allocation of teachers to primary 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. Each one point adjustment to the primary staffing schedule would cost approximately €14.5m annually.
177. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the estimated full-year cost of bringing all currently employed school secretaries under the direct employment of her Department. [27812/20]
View answerI am keenly aware of vital role by school secretaries within school communities and I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools.
In recognition of this, I have put special arrangements in place for the coming school year whereby schools will be funded to employ a replacement secretary or caretaker in the event that staff who are at very high risk of contracting serious illness from COVID-19 cannot work from the school premises. Furthermore, as part of a range of measures to support schools for a full re-opening at the commencement of the 2020/21 school year, the Employment Assistance Scheme (EAS) has been extended to all school staff including secretaries. The EAS provides advice to employees on a range of issues including wellbeing, legal, financial, bereavement, conflict, and mediation. I have met with Fórsa, who represent many of the secretaries working in schools.
Schemes were initiated in 1978 and 1979 for the employment of clerical officers and caretakers in schools. The schemes were withdrawn completely in 2008. These schemes have been superseded by the capitation grant schemes. The current grant scheme was agreed in the context of the Programme for Economic and Social Progress, published in 1991.
The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools now receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under these grant schemes. It is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs. Where a school uses the grant funding for caretaking or secretarial purposes, any staff taken on to support those functions are employees of individual schools. Specific responsibility for terms of employment rests with the school.
On foot of a Chairman’s Note to the Lansdowne Road Agreement, my Department engaged with the Unions representing school secretaries and caretakers, including through an independent arbitration process in 2015. The Arbitrator recommended a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 for staff and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period. This arbitration agreement covered the period up to 31 December 2019.
The arbitration agreement was designed to be of greatest benefit to lower-paid secretaries and caretakers. For example, a secretary or caretaker who was paid the then minimum wage of €8.65 per hour in 2015 prior to the arbitration has from 1 January 2019, been paid €13 per hour which is a 50% increase in that individual’s hourly pay.
In May last year Fórsa trade union tabled a follow-on claim from the 2015 pay agreement. Officials from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and School Management Bodies are in discussions with Fórsa under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.
The matter is a complex one that raises significant policy, legal and Exchequer cost issues. The survey undertaken last year established that the ultimate full-year pay cost of all of the elements of Fórsa’s claim, that is to pay secretaries and caretakers on the maximum of the scale at full hours, is in the region of €50 million per annum, with a further substantial cost of approximately €36m for the provision of pension.
I must also remain cognisant that the implications arising from this claim impact across the wider education and public sector. In 2017 the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform carried out a detailed scoping exercise in relation to pension provision for staff in the Community and Voluntary Sector. The result illustrated that this matter presents very significant implications for the Exchequer.
The talks are set to resume in the WRC this Thursday 1st October. In these circumstances I regret Fórsa’s announcement on the 28th of September of an immediate survey of it its members on the resumption of the industrial action in which members were engaged in January this year.
The WRC is the most appropriate forum for these discussions to take place and I support the continued dialogue between all parties in an effort to reach a mutually acceptable solution.
178. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Education her plans to develop the permanent school site for a school (details supplied); the reason the development of the site has been delayed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27821/20]
View answerThe tender process for the school building project referred to by the Deputy is running as part of a wider process involving the tender of 8 major building projects. The first phase of the tender process to create a shortlist of contractors is complete. The second phase of the tender process is ongoing and is expected to be completed in the coming months, with a construction start date in Quarter 1 of 2021.
179. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education the e-tendering process for quantity surveyors with regard to school construction projects; the quantity surveyors that were successful in the tendering process; the school projects for which their tenders were accepted from January 2020 to date, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27832/20]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in the format requested. However, the information is being collated by officials in my Department and will be made available to the Deputy in due course.
180. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the principles that underpinned the standardisation approach that was used to adjust the calculated grades made by teachers; the protections that were in place to ensure that in cases in which downgrades were to occur each pupil was treated equally regardless of the school in which the grade was awarded; and if stress tests were applied to demonstrate its robustness. [27843/20]
View answerThe decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the state from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations.
The design of the Calculated Grades model was informed by advice from a Technical Working Group comprising experts drawn from the State Examinations Commission, the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills, the Educational Research Centre and international external expertise.
Schools provided an estimated percentage mark and a rank order for each student’s subjects. The process of national standardisation was then applied to the school information in order to ensure comparability between the standards applied by individual schools and the national standard. We know from research that teachers are very good at making judgements about their students in the local context of the school. Schools approached this task in a very professional manner, in line with detailed guidelines about the process, but inevitably some schools were overly harsh in their estimations while others were overly generous. This is to be expected given that there is no national standard on which to base an estimated mark. But in order to be fair to the class of 2020, the teacher judgements made at the level of the school had to be adjusted so that a common national standard was applied. It was inherent to the system of calculated grades that school estimates would be subject to adjustment through this standardisations process.
These adjustments resulted in the school estimates staying the same or being revised upwards or downwards. The standardisation process operated on the premise that the school estimates should only be adjusted through the standardisation process where there was credible statistical evidence to justify changing them.
A standardising process happens every year and would have happened in 2020 had the Leaving Certificate examinations been run as normal. In the system of calculated grades, the standardisation process applied uniformly across all subject and levels and school types. The degree to which mark changes occurred related to the degree of over or underestimation in the school estimates for each subject and each level. This means that some students experienced mark changes from the school estimates but no changes to the grades based on the school estimates; while others will have experienced marks changes from the teacher estimates leading to grade changes in one or more of their subjects.
Following standardisation, the estimated percentage mark was converted to a calculated mark and subsequently, a calculated grade which was provided to students on 7 September. It is only at this point that students were awarded a grade.
Therefore, it is not accurate to state that student(s) were downgraded, or upgraded, through the standardisation process. Rather the grade that was awarded following the standardisation process is the grade for the 2020 Leaving Certificate (Calculated Grades).
The overall data on school estimated marks showed that there was a very significant rise in estimated grades against what would normally be achieved nationally. This level of grade increase based on the school estimates would have been unrealistic. For example, based on the school data there would have been 13.8% H1 grades this year when in a normal year there is 5.8%. Even with the standardisation process the rate of H1s this year is over 9%.
In the absence of the Leaving Certificate examinations in 2020 every effort has been made to make the system as fair as possible for as many students a possible. The statistical model used was blind to demographic characteristics either at the level of the student or the school. The standardisation process means that the same standard has been applied uniformly across all schools. This means anyone using the certificate to make a judgement between two people who hold this certificate, either now or in the future, can place equal value on the same grade in the same subject, without regard to where they went to school, as they would in a normal year.
Individual Junior Cycle results were not used to determine any individual’s Calculated Grades. Rather, the Calculated Grades process took account of the overall Junior Cycle performance of the Leaving Certificate class of 2020 in each school and used this data to help in predicting the likely range of Leaving Certificate performance of that group using related information about the relationship between performance at Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate based on national data over time.
The fact that the vast majority of 2020 Leaving Certificate students would have sat the Junior Cycle examinations provides a good means of predicting the pattern of performance of these students at an aggregate level. The process was not applied at an individual student level. The Junior Cycle data for2020 Leaving Certificate students who had sat their examinations in another school were carried in to the school at which they were registered to sit the Leaving Certificate.
181. Deputy Pa Daly asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the lack of teacher-student interaction in circumstances in which remote learning is required due to the Covid-19 pandemic in certain instances; the actions and steps she will take to ensure that there is a national standard to deliver such remote learning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27948/20]
View answerMy Department has published guidance to support schools in making adapted education provision for pupils/students with an underlying medical condition who cannot return to school because they are medically certified as being at very high risk to COVID-19.
The guidance for primary schools on supporting such pupils is available via the following link: https://assets.gov.ie/85746/9ff54b35-352e-4cdb-b93b-68a25ac7c619.pdf
The guidance for post-primary schools on supporting such students is available via the following link: https://assets.gov.ie/86732/17f3cc49-72ad-4986-98fc-51037d93369e.pdf
Overall responsibility for ensuring that pupils/students 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.
The guidance provides that supports will be provided for these pupils/students through designated teachers from within the staffing resources of the school. Schools 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. Facilitating engagement with and among pupils is essential to their learning experience and maintaining their social and emotional development.
Teachers can facilitate this through online interaction, providing feedback on work completed, organising project work that pupils can complete as part of a group and providing learning experiences based on pair work and group work. Early and ongoing two-way communication between the pupil’s school, class teacher, designated teacher where relevant, and the home will be essential to supporting the pupils’ engagement with their learning and their continuous connection with their classmates and school community.
182. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education if the decision made by the school transport scheme will be reviewed; if a ticket for a child (details supplied) will be allocated on compassionate grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27951/20]
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 Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8kms from and are attending their nearest Post Primary School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on school transport services for the 2020/21 school year where such services are in operation. The closing date for payment for the 2020/2021 school year was Tuesday 4th August 2020.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy first applied for school transport for the 2020/21 school year on the 19th August 2020 and that payment was received in early September 2020, as such their payment is late.
Late applicants and/or families who pay late are not guaranteed a seat and will only be allocated a seat if capacity is available once seats are allocated to those families who applied and paid on time for transport services for the 2020/2021 school year.
In addition, payments or submission of medical card details for Post-Primary seats completed or made after 4th August 2020 will be only considered when 50% capacity, required by new Covid19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route. In the event of not securing a ticket where no capacity exists, or on cancellation, a full refund will be issued.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that all eligible children who paid by the extended deadline of 4 August 2020 for the service referred to by the Deputy have been facilitated with school transport and that the service is now operating at capacity. Regretably Bus Éireann has confirmed that the child referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for transport to the area served by that service as it is not the closest school to the family home.
183. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Education if a grant or scheme is available to schools to help with the purchase of yard equipment, for example, playground equipment; if funding is available under the CLÁR programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27960/20]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy that the mechanism for applying for playground equipment is my Department's Summer Works Scheme. The school should apply for this when the scheme next opens for applications. In the meantime, I can advise the Deputy that the Minor Works Grant can be used to provide the equipment in question.
In regards to the CLÁR Programme, I can inform the Deputy that this is administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
184. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education the number of primary school children who have tested positive for Covid-19 since school resumption up to 25 September 2020; and the number of secondary school students who have tested positive in the same period. [27984/20]
View answer185. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education the number of primary school teachers who have tested positive for Covid-19 since school resumption up to 25 September 2020; and the number of secondary school teachers who have tested positive in the same period. [27986/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 184 and 185 together.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within an educational facility ‘Schools Pathway for COVID-19, the Public Health approach’:
https://www.gov.ie/en/publication/a0bff-reopening-our-primary-and-special-schools/
This guidance provides that the HSE Department of Public Health will liaise directly with schools regarding any actions to be taken following a Public Health Risk Assessment.
My Department has no role in this risk assessment and does not collect data in relation to the specific instances of COVID-19 in the school community.
186. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education her plans for additional ASD capacity in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28014/20]
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.
Children with special educational needs are supported through placement in mainstream classes, special classes and special schools. At school, they receive a range of supports provided by teachers and SNAs. Other professional supports, including training for teachers, are provided by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to enable each school provide a holistic educational experience for each child. The HSE is responsible for the delivery of therapeutic supports.
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 education placements. The NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and school places nationally to meet identified need. 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. School transport is also available. My Department works closely with the NCSE in this regard.
The building project for the school referred to by the Deputy includes the provision of a 4 classroom SEN base. This project is in the process of being devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB).
The first step in this process is the execution of a Service Level Agreement between my Department and the ETB and this is being arranged. Thereafter, the ETB will procure a Design Team for the project to design the buildings, obtain the necessary statutory planning permissions and move the project onward to construction in due course. As the project is at an early stage in the delivery process, it is not possible at this time to give a date for its completion.
187. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education when funding will be made available to provide for the availability of ASD classrooms in schools (details supplied). [28026/20]
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.
Children with special educational needs are supported through placement in mainstream classes, special classes and special schools. At school, they receive a range of supports provided by teachers and SNAs. Other professional supports, including training for teachers, are provided by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to enable each school provide a holistic educational experience for each child. The HSE is responsible for the delivery of therapeutic supports.
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 education placements. The NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and school places nationally to meet identified need. 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. School transport is also available. My Department works closely with the NCSE in this regard.
Supports for schools who are establishing a special class are set out in a guidance booklet which is available on the NCSE website. This booklet sets out guidance for schools on how to establish a class, who should be enrolled, how staffing is allocated along with information on the financial supports available.
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.
188. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if Bus Éireann will supply a school bus service to a school (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28036/20]
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 Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time have been accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation for the 2020/2021 school year.
Children who apply but who are not eligible for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Bus Éireann has advised that pupils who reside in the area referred to by Deputy and are attending the school referred to are not eligible for school transport as it is not their closest school.
Pupils who reside in the area are catered for on a mainstream concessionary basis to the school referred to. Bus Éireann has confirmed that there are currently 4 seats available for pupils who wish to avail of the service on a concessionary basis and that currently there are 11 mainstream concessionary applications for which there has been no payment received.
189. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education her views on a matter regarding the lack of masks and social distancing on school transport for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28037/20]
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.
Based on the public health advice published in early July, and the updated advice received from the HPSC on 7th August and from NPHET on the 18th August, the Department has been planning for School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year to fully operate, but with additional measures and hygiene requirements in place and with the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing, in line with those required on public transport, which is using 50 per cent of passenger capacity. The planning to date is in accordance with the Government decision of 18th August, which set out that arrangements for school transport would proceed as planned for re-opening but the Minster for Education and Skills and the Minister for Health and other relevant Ministers will review measures, including any additional resources, to ensure the safe operation of school transport for secondary school children.
School Transport Scheme services commenced operation on the 26th August 2020. All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time have been accommodated on transport services for the 2020/2021 school year where such services are in operation.
My Department has issued detailed information and guidance to parents and children on the operation of school transport services for the 2020/2021 school year. All children using school transport scheme services are asked to comply with a number of guidelines including that all children on post-primary transport services are required to wear facemasks while waiting for and on-board transport services (with the exception of children who for medical or special educational needs reasons are not in a position to wear a facemask or face covering).
The Department has been engaging intensively with Bus Éireann in regard to the logistics for the safe operation of School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year. The Department has also been engaging with Bus Éireann on the logistics involved with the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing, in line with those required on public transport, which is using 50 per cent of passenger capacity.
An assessment of the resources required to implement physical distancing on all post-primary services has been undertaken and, in line with the Government decision of 18th August, the Department has reviewed this information in consultation with other relevant Departments.
I am pleased to announce that, following a Government Decision on the 29th of September, Government has agreed to provide the necessary funding to ensure full implementation of the measures required for the operation of school transport for post-primary children that is aligned to updated health advice received from NPHET on the 18th of August, for which the estimated full year cost to operate all services at 50% capacity is between €87m and €135m with an estimated requirement for an additional 1,600 drivers and vehicles and 650 additional School Bus Escorts.
If there are individual concerns about a particular service, parents/guardians are advised to contact School Transport Section of my Department or their local Bus Éireann office.
