Written Answers Nos. 189-203
189. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the degree to which she expects to address the need for special needs provision in all primary and post-primary schools nationally in preparation for the next academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30571/20]
View answer190. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she expects to address the need for special needs classes in all schools throughout County Kildare in the course of the current and subsequent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30572/20]
View answer191. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she expects to address the need for special needs classes in all schools nationally in the course of the current and subsequent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30573/20]
View answer192. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she expects to meet the need as stated by primary and second level school authorities in County Kildare in respect of special needs classes, teachers and special needs assistants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30574/20]
View answer193. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she expects to meet the need as stated by primary and second level school authorities nationally in respect of special needs classes, teachers and special needs assistants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30575/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 189 to 193, inclusive, together.
My Department is committed to supporting every child with special educational needs to receive an education. The Department next year will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget annually, on making additional provision for children with special educational needs.
This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011.
This investment will allow us to provide over 1,200 extra special class places next year.
There are currently over 13,550 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream schools, supporting the additional learning needs of pupils, of which 9,325 are allocated to primary schools.
This represents an increase of 40% in the provision for special education teachers since 2011.
An additional 145 special education teachers will also be available for allocation next year.
The number of SNAs in the school system has increased by almost 60% since 2011.
Approximately 1,000 additional SNAs will also be allocated to schools next year, bringing the total number to 18,000.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. It has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents. NCSE seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special education placements.
NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and special 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.
Notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.
As Minister, I have powers under Section 37A of the Education Act to direct a school to provide additional places but this power is only used as a last resort and where all reasonable efforts have failed. However, the experience to date shows that real and practical challenges can be addressed effectively by working together to provide additional special class and special school places.
Through better planning at both national and local level, it is my objective that specialist education places should come on stream to meet emerging demand on a timely basis. However, the active collaboration of school communities is essential in this regard.
194. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the progress in respect of various primary and post-primary school building projects throughout north Kildare that are on target in respect of completion date; the projects that are pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30576/20]
View answer195. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the various school building projects nationwide that have been affected by Covid-19 or other issues in the past year; the extent to which a satisfactory resolution has been achieved in respect of revised completion dates; the number still outstanding in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30577/20]
View answer196. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which the various school building projects at primary and second level in Naas, County Kildare, have been advanced or restricted as a result of Covid-19 or other issues in the course of 2020 to date; the extent to which the requirements as set out by the various school authorities have been responded to or are in hand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30578/20]
View answer197. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which the various school building projects at primary and second level in Maynooth, County Kildare, have been advanced or restricted as a result of Covid-19 or other issues in the course of 2020 to date; the extent to which the requirements as set out by the various school authorities have been responded to or are in hand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30579/20]
View answer198. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which the various school building projects at primary and second level in Celbridge, County Kildare, have been advanced or restricted as a result of Covid-19 or other issues in the course of 2020 to date; the extent to which the requirements as set out by the various school authorities have been responded to or are in hand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30580/20]
View answer199. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which the various school building projects at primary and second level in Clane, County Kildare, have been advanced or restricted as a result of Covid-19 or other issues in the course of 2020 to date; the extent to which the requirements as set out by the various school authorities have been responded to or are in hand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30581/20]
View answer200. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which the various school building projects at primary and second level in Kilcock, County Kildare, have been advanced or restricted as a result of Covid-19 or other issues in the course of 2020 to date; the extent to which the requirements as set out by the various school authorities have been responded to or are in hand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30582/20]
View answer201. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which the various school building projects at primary and second level in Prosperous, County Kildare, have been advanced or restricted as a result of Covid-19 or other issues in the course of 2020 to date; the extent to which the requirements as set out by the various school authorities have been responded to or are in hand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30583/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 194 to 201, inclusive, together.
The Department has a large pipeline of projects for delivery under the school building programme. The main elements of this pipeline currently involve 372 large-scale projects and circa. 800 projects for delivery under the Department’s Additional Accommodation Scheme. The pipeline will continue to be monitored to ensure it is aligned with Spending Code requirements and the objectives of Project Ireland 2040.
As the Deputy is aware there were circa 200 school building projects on site in early 2020 when, in line with National Public Health announcements by Government, all construction sites in relation to the education sector ceased in March 2020. The construction sector has re-opened on a gradual and phased basis since Monday 18th May. While the construction sites were closed, the pipeline of projects in design continued to be progressed in an online and remote working environment. The progression of this pipeline helped smooth the impact of Covid-19 on the overall rollout of Project Ireland 2040 within the education sector. Throughout the remobilisation process my Department has continued to work closely with school authorities and patron bodies to ensure that projects progress and that where necessary contingency arrangements are in place to deal with any issues as they arise. To date, all school building projects resumed on site with the exception of two and discussions are ongoing with the contractor to recommence construction on both sites.
By way of information, my Department’s website www.education.ie shows the current status of projects being delivered in Kildare and in all other counties. This website is updated on a regular basis to reflect the progress of individual projects through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
202. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education her priorities for primary and second level education throughout County Kildare in the future in view of the demographics of the area and being adjacent to Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30584/20]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, 45 new schools have been announced to open between 2019 and 2022 including five new schools to serve Kildare:
- a new 8-classroom primary school established in 2019 to serve the Leixlip school planning area;
- a new 8-classroom primary school established in 2019 to serve the Maynooth school planning area;
- a new 8-classroom primary school to be established in 2021 to serve the Naas school planning area;
- a new post-primary school established in 2020 to serve the Kilcock school planning area (to be located in Enfield); and
- a new Gaelcholáiste established in 2020 to serve the Maynooth school planning area.
In addition, the planned provision of a new 1000 pupil building for the existing Curragh post primary school is intended to provide capacity to cater for demand arising in the Curragh and adjoining Newbridge and Kildare school planning areas. The site identification exercise for this school building project is currently at an advanced stage.
A significant number of other schools in Kildare have current capital projects and details of these are available on my Department’s website, www.education.ie.
Furthermore, the requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review and my Department is currently working on an updated exercise to assess needs for the coming years, including those which may arise in Kildare. This work is at an advanced stage.
203. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the progress in the provision of the proposed Gaelcholáiste in north County Kildare with particular reference to the need arising from the number of Gaelscoileanna; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30585/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that Gaelcholáiste Mhaigh Nuad opened in September 2020. The patron has made arrangements to accommodate the school on the grounds of the existing post primary schools in Maynooth.
