Written Answers Nos. 116-130
116. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education if her Department and any commercial or non-commercial State bodies and private entities subsidised by 50% or more of public funding under the aegis of her Department have implemented social clauses in their public procurement contracts in the past three years (details supplied); and if so, the nature of these social clauses. [39045/20]
View answerProcurement is primarily focused on the sustainable delivery of public services and in ensuring value for money. My Department is represented on the Social Considerations Advisory Group and the Strategic Procurement Advisory Group to progress the factoring in of social considerations into procurement processes. Centralised procurement arrangements, provided by the Office of Government Procurement, are used by my Department to ensure broad compliance with procurement regulation, policy and guidelines including Green Public Procurement. Within the education sector, the Education Procurement Service (EPS) is looking to target specific social clauses as part of EPS Priority Objectives for 2021.
Information in respect of the inclusion of social clauses in individual contracts is not routinely compiled by my Department. I will arrange to have the relevant details in respect of the Department's contracts collected and forwarded to the Deputy in due course.
Further information requested in regard to the inclusion of social clauses in contracts by an aegis or other publicly funded education body is not collected by my Department. The information is not readily available and would require significant resources to compile in respect of over 4,000 education related entities. If there is information on a particular body required by the Deputy, I will endeavour to have the information forwarded to her.
117. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education the status of the stage 1-2a application by a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39115/20]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that funding was approved under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2016 to enable the school in question to build two general classrooms, one Science Lab with prep area, and one Construction room. In 2019 further approval for nine standard WCs, one WC for assisted users & 1 Socialisation Area was granted.
This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and is currently at the Design stage. It is now a matter for the Board of Management to advance this project in that context.
118. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Education if she will address a matter regarding the case of a child (details supplied). [39116/20]
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 confirmed, that the child to whom the Deputy refers, is eligible for School Transport. However, payment for School Transport for the 2020/2021 school year was received on 8th September 2020 and as such is a late payment and no ticket has issued for transport for the current school year.
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 Covid19 public health guidelines, is achieved on each route.
Bus Éireann have confirmed that they have implemented social distancing on the route in question and that a seat has now become available for the child referred to by the Deputy as a result of additional capacity created. Bus Éireann has confirmed that they will be in contact with the family directly with regard to transport arrangements.
119. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education the progress being made in regard to the provision of temporary accommodation for a school (details supplied), including planning permission, design and procurement and a timeline for completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39129/20]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers opened in 2020 in interim accommodation.
With regard to the current interim accommodation arrangements, the school has had to make some modifications to its subject offering for this term. While it was not feasible to make full provision for specialist subjects at the school's current location, Department officials continue to work closely with KWETB to ensure the needs of the school community will be met. In this context the Department is currently exploring options for further interim specialist accommodation for the school. This includes the possibility of providing additional specialist rooms for the Community College on the grounds of the Rugby Club. This will require a planning application to Wicklow County Council which the Department’s Design Team is currently preparing. My Department officials have advised KWETB and the school authority of the position and will keep them updated as matters progress.
120. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education the status of the purchase of a site zoned for educational use for a school (details supplied); and when she expects a final decision to be made. [39130/20]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a potential permanent site option has been identified and discussions are ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site. I can assure the Deputy that the acquisition of a suitable site for the school in question is very active on the programme of site acquisitions and every effort is being made to secure the suitable site for the school as expeditiously as possible.
Due to the nature of an ongoing negotiation, and the level of commercial sensitivity involved, it will not be possible disclose any further information at this stage. The Department, however, is committed to keeping all parties up to date with progress, as it becomes possible to make further announcements.
121. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education the steps being taken to increase the availability of multi- or non-denominational school places in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39145/20]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to achieving a target of at least 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030 to improve parental choice.
The Department anticipates that further multi-denominational provision will arise with the opening of new schools to cater for areas of demographic growth by 2030. New schools are established in areas of strong demographic growth. While there is no new school currently planned for the areas mentioned by the Deputy, this matter is kept under ongoing review.
The Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local families is based around principles of transparency and cooperation. The process has been developed in order to accelerate the delivery of multi-/non-denominational schools across the country. This Reconfiguration process involves the transfer of existing live schools as opposed to the amalgamation and/or closure model of the patronage divesting process.
The initial identification phase of the process involved each of the 16 Education and Training Boards (ETB) identifying an initial pilot area within their functional area where they considered there may be unmet oncoming demand for a multi-/non-denominational school and arranging for surveys of parents of pre-school children in these areas.
My Department officials have been engaging with representatives of the Irish Episcopal Conference with a view to developing an agreed approach to the next Phase of the process. The identification phase work provides useful learning and is informing the development of the process.
The “Early Movers” provision of the Schools Reconfiguration Process enables school communities which have already decided to seek a transfer of patronage (independent of the survey process envisaged as part of the Reconfiguration process) to engage with their school patron on the matter. A patron may transfer patronage under section 8 of the Education Act 1998. A number of patronage changes have taken place in recent years in this context, resulting in the provision of an additional 11 Community National Schools.
In parallel with the Reconfiguration process, my Department is continuing to work with stakeholders to progress delivery of diversity in areas already identified as part of the 2012 and 2013 patronage divesting process surveys. Twelve schools have been established under this process, all of which have a multi-denominational ethos.
Where there is pressure for school places in an area, additional multi-denominational places may also be provided in response to such demand by increasing enrolments in existing multi-denominational schools.
122. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties faced by students trying to access multi- or non-denominational post-primary schools in circumstances in which these schools give preference in their admission policies to students who attended multi- or non-denominational primary schools; her views on whether this practice amounts to discrimination against children who do not have access to multi- or non-denominational primary schools; the steps she is taking to address demand for these schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39146/20]
View answerIn relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied, giving a priority to pupils that attended certain primary schools is permitted as a criterion under the act, and schools can apply this as a criterion should they wish to do so. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. My Department does not seek to intervene in the selection criterion that is applied by schools.
My Department anticipates that further multi-denominational provision will arise with the opening of new schools to cater for areas of demographic growth by 2030. New schools are established in areas of strong demographic growth. Where there is pressure for school places in an area, additional multi-denominational places may also be provided in response to such demand by increasing enrolments in existing multi-denominational schools.
123. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education if flexibility can be applied to students who are recommended by an educational psychologist to access reasonable accommodations in the certification examinations, RACE, in the junior certificate exams but are marginally above the cut-off point for a spelling, grammar and punctuation waiver; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39219/20]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. This includes the operation of the scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate Examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
124. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the number of primary and post-primary schools that provide ASD classes for children with special education needs in inner city Dublin. [39241/20]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. Next year, over 20% of the total Education budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special educational needs.
This investment will support the provision of over 1,200 additional special class places.
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.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. 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.
The NCSE is actively working with schools to establish special classes. It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE to open a special class. The active collaboration of school communities is vital to the effective inclusion of students with special educational needs.
The NCSE has advised that there are currently 3 ASD Early Intervention classes and 24 ASD special classes in primary schools and 6 ASD classes in post primary schools supporting students with autism in Inner City Dublin and the surrounding areas. I am also aware that one additional special class is scheduled to open in January 2021 in this area. I can assure the Deputy that this is being progressed as quickly as possible.
Parents should be advised to contact their local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO) if they experience any difficulty in getting a suitable placement. SENO contact details are available on the NCSE website at: https://ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list
125. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if her Department received a correspondence submission from a group (details supplied) of 15 Irish music schools making a formal submission regarding the Covid-19 guidelines; and if her Department will engage with the group. [39244/20]
View answerMy Department’s responsibilities include recognised primary or post-primary schools and include centres for education as defined in the Education Act, 1998. My remit does not extend to private organisations, groups or bodies that are not recognised as schools or centres of education by the Education Act or in relation to the provision of higher or further education which is the responsibility of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Music schools are not recognised schools as set out by the Education Act.
My Department has engaged with the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media in relation to the particular concern of music classes in schools. The position is that in person drama classes, dance classes and music classes are suspended between levels 3 and 5 of the Government’s Plan for Living with COVID-19.
Education is, however, considered an essential service under the Health Act 1947 (Section 31A-Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No.8) Regulations 2020, which give effect to the level 5 restrictions under the Plan. Under Part 2 of the schedule to the regulations, essential education encompasses primary and post-primary schools, and higher and further education where remote learning is not possible.
As such, some drama, music and dance lessons may take place where they are required to comply with the national curriculum for primary and post-primary education. For these classes, schools are required to ensure that infection prevention control measures are in place in line with the School’s COVID-19 response plan and public health advice to limit the risk of spread of infection.
These arrangements do not include classes which are extra-curricular classes i.e. those which an individual is pursuing outside of the school day for their own personal development or are courses of additional study outside of the school day but which relate to the curriculum e.g. grinds.
126. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if more recent information will be provided regarding the percentage of second level schools that are meeting or not meeting the requirement for six relationships and sexual education, RSE, class sessions per year since 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39246/20]
View answerAccess to Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is an important right for students. Schools have a responsibility to provide for this vital aspect of education to young people. The Programme for Government states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools. Work on the development of an updated curriculum and interim guidelines for RSE has been ongoing following the publication of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) report, “Report on the Review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in primary and post-primary Schools” in December 2019.
Schools are required to teach RSE as an integral component of Junior Cycle SPHE up to Third Year. Schools are also required to teach Senior Cycle RSE even in the absence of timetabled SPHE classes. School policy will determine the context of the RSE programme and delivery will involve a co-ordinated approach, including both core class periods and cross curricular work.
Survey data published by my Department in respect of 2015 (Lifeskills Survey) showed that just over a quarter of respondent post-primary schools reported meeting the requirement of providing six RSE classes per year. 16% provided three to five classes per year, 41% provided one to two classes per year, while 5% provided none.
More recent data from 2018 indicated that just under half of respondent post-primary schools are meeting the requirement to provide six RSE classes per year, with 14% providing three to five classes, 26% providing one to two classes per year and 4% providing none.
127. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on additional financial supports being made available to senior citizens in respect of heating and telephones to support the increased costs of remaining in their homes for longer periods based on Covid-19 restrictions and advice; if she will take steps to support senior citizens with electricity, gas and telephone allowances; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39008/20]
View answerDuring the COVID-19 emergency, the Government has been seeking to implement and operate supports that are targeted where most needed, to ensure continued economic activity and reduce the risk of poverty.
While the primary State income support in respect of people who are aged 66 years or over is the State Pension – either the State Pension (contributory) or the State Pension (non-contributory) which is means tested, my Department also provides significant additional supports to eligible senior citizens to help them with their energy costs and to help towards costs associated with telephone services. These supports include the household benefits, telephone support allowance and fuel allowance.
The household benefits package (HHB) is generally available to people living in the State aged 66 years or over, who are in receipt of a social welfare type payment or who satisfy a means test. My Department will spend approximately €265 million this year on HHB. It consists of the gas / electricity element of the package (€35 a month) and the free TV licence element.
The Fuel Allowance is a payment of €24.50 per week for 28 weeks (a total of €686 for the fuel season) from October to April at an estimated cost of €261 million in 2020. The purpose of this payment is to assist qualifying households with their energy costs. In Budget 2021, I announced an increase of €3.50 a week in the weekly rate of Fuel Allowance payable. While the increase in the fuel allowance payment took account of the increase in carbon tax on solid fuels from May 2021, the fuel allowance rate will increase from the 4th January 2021 thus ensuring recipients will benefit from the increased payment over this winter period.
As a result of the Covid-19 Emergency, the then Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection secured Government approval to extend the 2019 / 2020 Fuel Allowance season by an additional four weeks. This extended the payment of €24.50 per week to all recipients of the fuel allowance from Friday 10 April (when it was due to expire) until Friday 8 May 2020 at an estimated additional cost of over €31m.
The telephone support allowance (TSA) is a weekly payment of €2.50. The estimated full year cost of the scheme is over €17.5 million. To receive the allowance a customer of my Department must be in receipt of a qualifying payment such as the State pension and also be in receipt of the Living Alone Allowance and the Fuel Allowance. The scheme supports recipients by assisting with the cost of communications and/or home security solutions.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, a special heating supplement may be paid to assist people in certain circumstances with special heating requirements. In addition, exceptional needs payments may be made to help meet an essential once-off cost which an applicant is unable to meet out of his/her own resources.
While I fully understand that these are difficult and distressing times for many people, especially for the vulnerable and the elderly, any further economic measures can only be considered while taking account of the overall budgetary context and the availability of financial resources.
I trust this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
128. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will allow the 14 days of quarantining in circumstances in which a person does not receive a jobseeker’s payment to be counted as part of the qualifying period in which he or she is seeking to take up a course, such as in the case of a person (details supplied) who is being denied access to the vocational training opportunities scheme, VTOS, due to the number of days needed for the qualifying period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38894/20]
View answerMy Department’s records indicate that the person concerned made two applications for Jobseeker’s Allowance, one online application on the 10 April 2020 and a second application by paper form on 14 May 2020. Jobseeker’s Allowance was awarded from 18 May 2020 with a commencement date of 10 April 2020. A quarantine period of 14 days was not applied to the claim commencement date.
Jobseeker claims are awarded from date of application. However, claims may be backdated where a claimant can prove to the satisfaction of the Deciding Officer that the qualifying conditions throughout the period were satisfied and that there was good cause for delay in making the claim.
I have been informed that the person concerned has been contacted by an official from my Department in relation to his backdate request. This request will be considered and a decision will issue once the necessary supporting documentation has been submitted.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
129. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection the criteria to qualify for the training support grant; the person or body that makes the decision on who does and does not qualify for the grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38904/20]
View answerThe Training Support Grant, available through my Department, is designed to support quick access to short-term training where the training is not delivered by a State provider. The grant assisted approximately 5,600 jobseekers with short-term training needs in 2019. As part of the July Stimulus the funding available through this grant was doubled from €500 to €1,000.
Decisions on awarding the grant are administered through Intreo Centres by Case Officers. Together with the jobseeker, the Case Officer may identify a skills gap that represents an obstacle to applying for or taking up employment. Support may also be awarded where additional training is required prior to accessing other activation interventions, for example Community Employment positions. There is no qualifying period to access this grant.
While the primary focus of the scheme is on jobseekers and on supporting the activation policy of the Department, the grant is also available for individuals in receipt of other qualifying payments who may be looking to up-skill when seeking employment.
Where someone is not satisfied with the decision on their grant they may request a review of the decision by another officer. If there is a particular case that the Deputy has a concern about, the details should be forwarded to my Department for review.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
130. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of applicants for the pandemic unemployment payment that did not receive payment in the week beginning 16 November 2020; the reason for this non-payment; if applicants will be assured that this will not happen again; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38947/20]
View answerA total of 350,072 individuals received payment of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment on 17 November 2020, an increase of 7,567 on the previous week. To date, over 13 million payments have issued since the commencement of the scheme in March of this year.
Following a number of queries regarding non-receipt of payments on 17 November, 636 cases were identified where payments had not issued as expected. Arrangements were subsequently made to ensure that replacement payments issued as quickly as possible. In addition, any person who required immediate financial assistance was able to avail of assistance through the Community Welfare Service.
The cause of the issue relates to software changes to put in an extension of the reference period for employee earnings to September 2020. This change meant that people who only commenced employment after February 2020 but have now been laid-off due to increased restrictions can have their payment rate fixed by reference to their earnings in the period January to September 2020. Subsequently, some 37,430 people receiving payment on November 17 saw an increase in their rate of payment.
The problem concerned related to a specific issue and corrective action was immediately taken. While it is obviously regrettable that it occurred in the first instance, this isolated incident should also be seen in the context of the overall continued successful delivery of payments every week.
I trust that this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
