Wednesday, 16 Dec 2020

Written Answers Nos. 183-202

School Holidays

Questions (183)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

183. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education her views on a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43971/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The scheduling of the school holiday periods during the academic years is agreed between the managerial authorities of schools, the teacher unions and my Department for the purposes of standardising breaks at Christmas, Easter and mid-term. This is important to ensure certainty for the school community about the dates of school holidays.

It is also important to note that it is the view of Public Health that the evidence available to date shows that schools are proving to be safe spaces for children and for staff. Transmission rates of Covid-19 in schools are low, much lower than the rate currently in the community. This is a result of the effectiveness of the public health guidelines for schools and most importantly the successful implementation of those guidelines by the school community.

There are no plans or evidence to show it is necessary from a public health perspective to alter the school break at Christmas.

Residential Institutions Statutory Fund

Questions (184, 185, 186, 187, 188)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

184. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she plans to implement the recommendations of the Caranua report Facing the Future Together: Discussing Ireland’s Lifelong Responsibility to the Survivors of Institutional Abuse on additional supports for survivors of institutional abuse. [43995/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

185. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the progress that has been made to equip all survivors of institutional abuse with medical cards and support with housing. [43996/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

186. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if all survivors of institutional abuse and their families will be provided with free and easily accessible counselling services. [43997/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

187. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the progress that has been made to ensure that all public service staff working in a customer-facing role and all medical staff receive trauma-informed training on the way to identify survivors of institutional abuse and support them. [43998/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

188. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if her Department has completed research into identifying the supports needed by institutional abuse survivors who are no longer resident in Ireland. [43999/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 184 to 188, inclusive, together.

While the State did implement a number of measures following the revelations of systemic child abuse in institutions where the State was in 'loco parentis', I am aware that survivors have on going needs. I have met with and heard the views from a number of survivors who have been meeting together to set out how they consider the State should support them into the future. I have also met with organisations, both Irish and UK based, that provide services for the support of survivors.

My Department will continue to meet with other Departments and agencies to identify how best to support and meet survivors needs as well as to improve access to other State services.

School Transport

Questions (189)

Michael Fitzmaurice

Question:

189. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 233 of 3 December 2019, if an investigation will be carried out as to the reason the information sought was not given in the reply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44011/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

School 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 information sought in Parliamentary Question No. 233 of 3 December 2019 was provided in the response from my Department. School Transport is managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. The 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements form the basis of the payment to Bus Éireann for the operation of the School Transport Scheme. In this regard, my Department reimburses Bus Éireann for a range of costs incurred in the operation and administration of the scheme. Re-imbursement to Bus Éireann is on a cost recovery basis and the Department does not pay any profit to Bus Éireann relating to the School Transport Scheme. Actual expenditure is finalised in the Bus Éireann annual statement of account which is independently audited by the Bus Éireann auditors in accordance with the 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) carried out an examination of the provision of school transport and completed its report in August 2017, the C&AG Special Report 98. The C&AG report referenced a surplus in the Transport Management Charge element of the costs. This amount was held by way of an uncommitted reserve by Bus Éireann to be used solely for the purposes of the School Transport Scheme. Any surplus was sealed in the school transport scheme and the uncommitted reserve was repaid fully to the Department in December 2018.

Departmental Budgets

Questions (190)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

190. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the current budgets in her Department for social media advertising for 2021; and the campaigns behind each budget line in tabular form. [44018/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The Department has not yet finalised its communications planning for 2021, which will support the achievement of the goals set out in its Statement of Strategy, currently in preparation.

Where public communications are required, social media advertising will be considered to support this aim, along with other channels, to ensure appropriate and cost effective communication.

Autism Support Services

Questions (191, 192, 193, 194, 195, 196)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

191. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the percentage of primary schools that have at least one ASD unit. [44043/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

192. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the percentage of post-primary schools that have at least one ASD unit. [44044/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

193. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of primary schools that have at least one ASD unit by county in tabular form. [44045/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

194. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of post-primary schools that have at least one ASD unit by county in tabular form. [44046/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

195. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of ASD units in primary schools by county in tabular form. [44047/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

196. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of ASD units in post-primary schools by county in tabular form. [44048/20]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 191 to 196, inclusive, together.

I can confirm that the information requested by the Deputy on special classes is available on the NCSE website at https://www.ncse.ie.

A full list of primary and post primary schools can also be accessed on my Departments website at:

https://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Data-on-Individual-Schools/

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (197)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

197. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if children who have siblings that are at very high risk of Covid-19 can be facilitated with remote learning. [44049/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

In the context of the Covid-19 pandemic the Government has identified as an objective that all students should return to education as normal to the fullest extent possible, while minimising the risks from a public health perspective. Schools have put significant measures in place to reduce the risk of coronavirus being transmitted to/within the school and significant funding has been provided to support schools in this respect. The evidence to date from a public health perspective is that schools are safe. The approach to Covid-19 in schools is led by the advice and guidance of the HSE Public Health.

The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has issued specific advice about children attending school in the context of covid-19. This advice covers both children with underlying medical conditions and children living with family members with underlying conditions. For all children, care should continue to be taken to reduce transmission through the measures promoted by HPSC.

The advice outlines the view of public health that given current knowledge about COVID-19 disease in children, it is difficult to justify cocooning in most children with underlying conditions. Long-term cocooning of children with complex medical needs is likely to adversely affect them and may outweigh the potential risk of infection.

The HPSC advice goes on to advise that children with immediate family members, including parents, in both the ‘high risk’ and ‘very high risk’ categories can return to school and it is important for the child’s overall well-being. This is consistent with public health advice internationally in relation to at-risk family members. The priority is that the household continues to follow all current advice on how to minimise the risk of coronavirus, through regular hand washing, etc.

School Staff

Questions (198, 199)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

198. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the progress being made to ensure pay equality for post-2011 entrants to the teaching profession. [44083/20]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

199. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the percentage of teachers who are post-2011 entrants to the teaching profession. [44084/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 198 and 199 together.

The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. The starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702. As a result of the programme of pay restoration, the starting salary of a teacher is now €37,692.

Section 11 of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 provides that “the Minister [for Public Expenditure and Reform] shall, within three months of the passing of this Act, prepare and lay before the Oireachtas a report on the cost of and a plan in dealing with pay equalisation for new entrants to the public service.” The report laid before the Oireachtas on foot of this provision by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform assesses the cost of a further change which would provide a two scale point adjustment to new entrants recruited since 2011. The total cost of such an adjustment across the public sector is of the order of €200 million, of which Education accounts for approximately €83 million. The report also acknowledges that, during the financial crisis, there were policy changes which affected remuneration in different occupations across the public sector (including education).

The matter of new entrant pay is a cross sectoral issue, not just an issue for the education sector alone. The Government supports the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants. The total year one cost of equalising the pay of new entrant teachers to the pre-2011 arrangements is estimated to be in the region of €59 million per annum in year one (€45 million for full resolution of pay scales and €14 million for re-instatement of the H.Dip allowance). The costs would rise in subsequent years as more new entrants join the system. On 24 September 2018, an agreement was reached between the Government and the public services committee of ICTU in respect of new entrant pay. This agreement is benefitting 18,000 teachers and nearly 5,000 SNAs within the education sector. The deal provides for a series of incremental jumps for new entrants.

On 10 December 2020, draft proposals on a new public service pay agreement were agreed following formal discussions between DPER and the Public Services Committee of ICTU, with consultation and input from the sectors including my Department. These proposals will now be considered in detail by the various unions and their members. There is a specific provision in relation to new entrant teacher pay which allows for the skipping of Point 12 of the pay scale which is a further improvement in pay for new entrant teachers. This measure will resolve in full the remaining salary scale issues pertaining to new entrant teachers. This builds on the series of restorative measures for new entrants have been achieved through the various pay agreements. It shows the benefits that continued engagement and collective bargaining between the Government and the public service unions can bring.

With regard to the percentage of teachers that are post-2011 entrants to the teaching profession, of the teachers paid from my Department’s payroll 29.8% are categorised as post-2011 entrants at Primary level and 29.1% at Post-Primary level.

State Examinations

Questions (200)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

200. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education when a contingency plan will be published for students of the leaving certificate 2021. [44085/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

My Department is acutely aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic and which led the decision not to run the state examinations this summer.

In the context of the return to schools of students for the 2020/21 academic year my Department published a range of documentation and support material as part of the Roadmap for the Full Return to School, which is available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool. That schools have remained open throughout level 5 restrictions has been very encouraging.

On 21 August, I announced a series of changes that would be made to assessment arrangements for both Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate examinations for 2021. This announcement was accompanied by a published document detailing these changes, Assessment Arrangements for Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate Examinations 2021, and forms part of the Roadmap for the Full Return to School.

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 were arrived at through discussions between my Department, the State Examinations Commission (SEC), the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and key stakeholders.

As schools have significant autonomy in determining how to sequence and pace learning for students in their schools, no centrally prescribed adjustment of the curriculum and courses of study would have been effective for students taking the certificate examinations in 2021. Consequently, the most appropriate way to reflect and take account of the challenges for students that have occurred in 2019/20 and may occur in 2020/21 was to incorporate adjustments to the certificate examinations in 2021.

These changes to the national assessment arrangements were 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 over time. The changes provide reassurance to students, their parents/guardians, teachers and schools.

Further clarification on the assessment arrangements for 2021 for certain subjects will issue shortly.

It is my firm intention to operate the conventional 2021 state examinations, with appropriate contingency built in, in line with prevailing public health advice. This is shared by the SEC, which has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations

The SEC has valuable learning from the experience of running the 2020 November examinations, notwithstanding that the numbers taking these examinations is significantly lower than the number due to sit examinations in 2021. The measures relating to COVID-19 that have been put in place for the November examinations will be considered as part of the planning for examinations in 2021.

The SEC has commenced its contingency planning for the 2021 examinations, recognising that a flexible and agile approach is necessary in light of the continuing fast-moving environment linked to COVID-19. It is not intended that there would be any change to the length of the written examinations. Project briefs for relevant subjects have issued earlier than usual and practical coursework will be submitted two weeks earlier than normal as a contingency measure. Teachers are being encouraged to plan and undertake these projects as early as possible in the programme of study. These changes to the Leaving Certificate assessment arrangements for 2021 are deigned to provide reassurance to students, their parents/guardians, teachers and schools.

In addition, an advisory group of key stakeholders, which advised on altered arrangements for the 2020 state examinations, was reconvened on 25 November in an online meeting to perform a similar role in respect of the 2021 examinations. The advisory group includes representatives of students, parents, teachers, school leadership and management bodies, the SEC, the NCCA, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and my Department, including the National Educational Psychological Service. The group met for a second time on 14 December.

Other documents published by my Department to support the return to school include Guidance for Practical Subjects in Post-Primary Schools and Centres for Education and Returning to school: Guidance on learning and school programmes for post primary school leaders and teachers. These documents provide guidance for teachers and schools that is specific to each practical subject area, so that students can be facilitated to actively engage with their learning. All documentation published is available on www.gov.ie/backtoschool.

Covid-19 Pandemic Supports

Questions (201)

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Question:

201. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if additional funding will be put in place to recognise the additional heating and refuse costs for schools in 2020 and the lost income from room rental. [44086/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

My Department provides capitation funding to all recognised schools in the Free Education Scheme.

The two main grants are the capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating and refuse costs.

I understand the need for improved capitation funding and I am pleased to have been able to provide for a further 2.5% increase in standard capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools that applied from the start of the 2020/21 school year. This builds on last year’s 5% increase in capitation announced in budget 2019.

It is my intention to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets.

School Enrolments

Questions (202)

Duncan Smith

Question:

202. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if her Department has carried out research on the unavailability of secondary school places in south County Kildare; the numbers on waiting lists; her plans to reduce these waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44097/20]

Written answers

Minister for Education

My Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas for the 2021/2022 school year, including the school planning area to which the Deputy refers.

Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:

- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area

- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area

- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school there are not available to all pupils

- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area

Until these issues are discussed with the relevant school authorities, the true extent of any capacity issue will only become known.

Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including patrons in County Kildare, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action.