Written Answers Nos. 503-524
505. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education the procedures her Department has put in place for to the proposed winding up of the Caranua fund on 23 March 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10380/21]
View answerMy Department is working closely with Caranua on the operational wind-down of the organisation. Until such time as the legislation is in place for the dissolution of Caranua, the final audit of the organisation cannot take place. The interim arrangements are that a financial services provider has been contracted to work with Caranua during a handover period before Caranua closes and will then subsequently deal with the final audit and other issues arising.
Data protection issues concerning the data held by Caranua in relation to applications to the Fund are being worked through as are other operational issues.
507. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 479 of 27 January 2021, the status of the reimbursement of the agreed mileage rate under the July provision transportation grant; the number of families still awaiting reimbursement; the reason for the ongoing delays in this regard; if delayed reimbursements will be paid with interest given that it is now seven months since the applications were made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10395/21]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 113,100 children, including over 14,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
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.
With regard to transport arrangements for the Summer Programme, my Department committed to providing grant funding to support families with the cost of transport arrangements for those children who were eligible for school transport and who were approved to participate in the school based Summer Programme.
All families who were eligible for transport at that time and who availed of the school based Summer Programme 2020 are entitled to receive the grant in question. School Transport Section has now processed payment of these grants to all eligible families for which all required details had been received. School Transport Section are now looking at families where all details have not yet been received and are contacting relevant schools with a view to having these details forwarded to the Department. To date, payment has been made to approximately 900 families.
510. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her views on whether children who attend literacy classes in a school setting for support with reading and writing have missed out on this support as schools have been closed; and if the difficulties these children have experienced without these in-school supports will be kept in mind during discussions on the reopening of school buildings. [10415/21]
View answerMy Department is conscious of the fact that closing schools has hugely adverse consequences at individual, family and societal level and that the effect on children with special educational needs can be even greater. I am particularly conscious of the impact that school closures have on children with special needs.
Building on the return to school in recent weeks of children in special schools and in special classes at primary and post-primary level, the Government has decided on a phased return of students to in-school education.
These further phases have been developed in close collaboration with education stakeholders and follow ongoing engagement with the Department of Health and Public Health, HSE.
The Department of Health and the HSE have reaffirmed that schools in themselves are low risk environments and that a gradual phased reopening can occur at this time. Public health has reviewed the measures put in place to ensure safe operation of schools and is satisfied that these infection prevention and control measures, if rigorously adhered to, will keep the school community safe during this period. They emphasise that all measures must be followed carefully by students, staff and parents.
There will be a period of time between each phase to assess the impact of reopening on aspects of community transmission.
The phased return of students to in-school education and the associated target dates are as follows
- Monday 1 March - the first four class groups at primary level – junior and senior infants, first and second class – and final year Leaving Certificate students will return to in-school provision. This phase will also see a return to full attendance for children in special schools, as well as children in early start pre-school classes and early intervention special classes for children with
- autism or hearing impairment.
- Monday 15 March - the return to in-school provision of the rest of primary school children – third to sixth class, and fifth year Leaving Certificate students. This date will be reviewed during the period following 1 March.
- Monday 12 April - the return to in-school education of the rest of post-primary students following the Easter – i.e. first to fourth year students.
My Department is anxious to further support those pupils/students with SEN who are unable to return to in-school teaching and learning under these phases.
At Primary level in recognition that not all primary pupils with special education needs will be back in school in this phase
- Schools have been asked to prioritise deployment of their SET resources to facilitate the engagement of those pupils with SEN who are in 3rd to 6th class. This will necessitate further collaboration between the SETs and class teachers to establish current priority learning needs among those pupils.
- The supplementary programme for eligible pupils who are in 3rd to 6th class will be extended by a further two weeks
At Post Primary level in recognition that not all students with special education needs will be back in school in this phase
- The supplementary programme for eligible students who have not yet returned to school will be extended by a further two weeks
I know that a phased re-opening is particularly challenging for many children with special educational needs who have not yet returned to school and their families.
The purpose of managing this cautious phased return is to continue to limit the mobility of the population and curb the spread of the virus.
The safe return and sustained safe re-opening of our schools is a key priority for Government.
511. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education if the deadline for schools to publish their amended admissions policies remains September 2021. [10424/21]
View answerUnder the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools are required to have drafted new admissions policies, which have been approved by the patron, following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending the school.
These policies must have been approved by the school patron by 15 September 2020, and published on the schools website by 30 September 2020. The policies apply for admission to the school for the school year 2021/22 onwards.
Should a school wish to amend or review their policy at any point, any new policy must be drafted in line with the provisions of the act, following consultation with staff and parents of children who attend the school.
The patron should approve the new policy by 15 September of the relevant year, and it must be published on the schools website within 2 weeks of this date. The new policy will then apply for admission to the school for the following August/ September onwards.
512. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) is not listed as a feeder school for secondary schools in the Howth Deanery area; the steps being taken to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10426/21]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise.
New schools established since 2011 to meet demographic demand (including a new post primary school established in the school planning area to which the Deputy refers) are required, in the first instance, to prioritise pupil applications from within the designated school planning area(s) which the school was established to serve. This does not preclude schools from enrolling pupils from outside of the school planning area where they have sufficient places, rather it reflects the need to accommodate in the first instance the demographic for which the school was established.
Aside from the obligation outlined above, the question of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the Board of Management on behalf of the school Patron and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters.
Similar to the process adopted for September 2020 readiness, the Department will shortly be engaging further with patron bodies in advance of identifying specific September 2021 capacity pressure points priorities which will necessitate specific action.
Addressing the increased demands for school places, whilst challenging, is manageable – and is generally achieved through utilisation of existing spare capacity within schools, rental, temporary accommodation or other short term measures pending the delivery of permanent accommodation. Such potential measures will be considered in areas where capacity pressure points are identified.
513. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the steps she is taking to increase the number of secondary school places in school catchment areas (details supplied) in order to deal with the unprecedented length of waiting lists for secondary school places across the areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10427/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including school planning areas in Killester/Raheny/Clontarf, Beaumont/Coolock, D6, Drumcondra/Marino/Dublin 1 and Whitehall/Santry D9.
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 Killester/Raheny/Clontarf, Beaumont/Coolock, D6, Drumcondra/Marino/Dublin 1 and Whitehall/Santry D9, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
514. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if substitute teachers will be able to avail of pay scale increments which have been delayed as a result of recent school closures; if her attention has been drawn to the significant impact these increment delays have for substitute teachers with regard to wages and panel rights; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10434/21]
View answerDuring the Covid-19 pandemic, substitute teachers with a contract (written or verbal) covering an approved absence receive payment for the duration of that contract. The period of service that the teachers is paid for is reckonable towards incremental progression on the pay scale.
Access to the Supplementary Panel is by way of application from teachers that meet eligibility criteria. The criteria, reviewed annually with the Education Partners, are published on the Department website. Circular 78/2020 sets out the arrangements for the Supplementary Panel for the 2021/22 school year.
516. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if students who opt for State Examinations Commission-accredited grades in language subjects and not to sit a written exam but who excel in the oral component of this subject can be afforded the option of taking an informal oral exam with their teacher which will help form the basis of this SEC-accredited grade. [10437/21]
View answer517. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if students will be given a period of time before the exams begin on 9 June 2021 to solely study and prepare for these exams without being expected to submit additional work to form the basis of their SEC-accredited grades. [10438/21]
View answer518. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education when she will issue clear guidelines to schools and students on the way in which the SEC-accredited grades will be calculated in 2021; and if she will provide clarity on the work by students that will form the basis of this grade. [10439/21]
View answer528. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if mock exams will be taken into account when deciding on SEC-accredited grades for leaving certificate students. [10449/21]
View answer529. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if project work for technology and design and communication graphics will be taken into account when providing SEC-accredited grades; and if students can have the option of choosing to have their project work taken into account. [10450/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 516 to 518, inclusive, 528 and 529 together.
On 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades.
This decision follows intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and sub-group.
This decision ensures for every student a method to assess their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education and to progress to higher and further education, and the world of work.
Putting in place both the examination and a corresponding measure of SEC-Accredited Grades is essential to ensuring a fair system, having regard to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic and the loss of learning that has occurred for this group of students due to the interruption of in-person teaching and learning during the periods of school closure.
Under the SEC-Accredited Grades process, students will have the opportunity to opt to receive an SEC-Accredited Grade. They can also opt to sit the Leaving Certificate Examination. Students will opt into these processes on a subject by subject basis.
My Department is currently finalising a Guide to State Examinations and SEC Accredited Grades for
Leaving Certificate students 2021 and this will be issued shortly. It will include information on how the SEC-Accredited Grades process will operate. This will be followed by more detailed guidance for schools in this matter.
519. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education when students will receive their SEC-accredited grades and the results of written exams they have taken. [10440/21]
View answer527. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the reason students will not receive their SEC-accredited grades in advance of the written exams in June 2021. [10448/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 519 and 527 together.
On 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades.
This decision follows intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and sub-group.
This decision ensures for every student a method to assess their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education and to progress to higher and further education, and the world of work.
Putting in place both the examination and a corresponding measure of SEC-Accredited Grades is essential to ensuring a fair system, having regard to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic and the loss of learning that has occurred for this group of students due to the interruption of in-person teaching and learning during the periods of school closure.
Under the SEC-Accredited Grades process, students will have the opportunity to opt to receive an SEC-Accredited Grade. They can also opt to sit the Leaving Certificate Examination. Students will opt into these processes on a subject by subject basis. Where students opt for SEC-Accredited Grades and the examinations they will be credited with the better of their results from the two processes, on a subject by subject basis.
The option of providing their SEC-Accredited Grades to students in advance of the written examinations was explored thoroughly but this option was not possible.
Students who choose to receive both SEC Accredited Grades and sit the Leaving Certificate examinations will receive a certificate of results showing the better grade awarded for each subject.
It is intended that the results of the Leaving Certificate 2021 process will issue to students within the required timeframe for admission to higher and further education.
520. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the contingency plans that have been put in place for the holding of the written leaving certificate exams in June 2021 should Ireland remain in level 5 restrictions or otherwise. [10441/21]
View answer521. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the contingency plans that have been put in place for students who must self-isolate during the written leaving certificate exam period in June 2021; and if they will be given the opportunity to sit the written exam in the subjects they have missed at a later stage but still in time to progress to third-level in September 2021. [10442/21]
View answer548. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if sixth-year students who are unable to return to school due to living with a high-risk family member will be able to receive accredited grades; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10576/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 520, 521 and 548 together.
On 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades.
This decision follows intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and sub-group.
This decision ensures for every student a method to assess their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education and to progress to higher and further education, and the world of work.
Under the SEC-Accredited Grades process, students will have the opportunity to opt to receive an SEC-Accredited Grade. They can also opt to sit the Leaving Certificate Examination. Students will opt into these processes on a subject by subject basis. Where students opt for SEC-Accredited Grades and the examinations they will be credited with the better of their results from the two processes, on a subject by subject basis.
Providing for both of these measures is essential to ensuring a fair system, having regard to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic and the loss of learning that has occurred for this group of students. The SEC-Accredited Grades also provide for students who are unable to sit the examinations at the scheduled time, for example for some students who may be at very high-risk from COVID-19, and in the event that it may not be possible to run the examinations in one or more examination centres or more generally because of COVID-19 related restrictions. There will be no alternative or later sitting of the 2021 Leaving Certificate examinations outside of the examinations commencing on 9 June.
522. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the appeals process that will be put in place in 2021 for students who may wish to appeal their SEC-accredited grade. [10443/21]
View answerOn 17 February, I confirmed that Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will proceed and students will also have the alternative option of applying for grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC), to be known as SEC-Accredited Grades.
This decision follows intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and sub-group.
This decision ensures for every student a method to assess their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education and to progress to higher and further education, and the world of work.
Putting in place both the examination and a corresponding measure of SEC-Accredited Grades is essential to ensuring a fair system, having regard to the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic and the loss of learning that has occurred for this group of students due to the interruption of in-person teaching and learning during the periods of school closure.
Under the SEC-Accredited Grades process, students will have the opportunity to opt to receive an SEC-Accredited Grade. They can also opt to sit the Leaving Certificate Examination. Students will opt into these processes on a subject by subject basis. Where students opt for SEC-Accredited Grades and the examinations they will be credited with the better of their results from the two processes, on a subject by subject basis.
The SEC Accredited Grades system will include a right of appeal for students. This will comprise a process review focused on the receipt and transmission of student data. Candidates appealing the results of an examination will follow the usual SEC appeals process. This will include an opportunity to view the scripts marked by SEC examiners.
524. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will provide further detail on the plan for junior cycle qualifications in 2021. [10445/21]
View answerFollowing a Government decision on 17 February, I confirmed that the Junior Cycle examinations will not be run in 2021. Schools will be provided with guidance on continuing to engage this year group in online learning and assessment during the period of school closure and through in-person learning when schools re-open.
This guidance and further information relating to the Junior Cycle of 2021 will be published by my Department shortly.
This decision follows intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and sub-group. The Advisory Group, which was initially constituted in April 2020, includes representatives of students, parents, teachers, school leadership and management bodies, the State Examinations Commission, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, the Higher Education Authority and my Department, including the National Educational Psychological Service.
