Written Answers Nos. 913-931
913. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the procedures in hand to ensure that students with special needs can apply to schools deemed appropriate for their needs without being discriminated against by virtue of their age given that a concerted and coordinated efforts is required to ensure that such children are placed in the most appropriate schools possible regardless of age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18138/21]
View answer1095. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she remains satisfied that all children including those with special needs can get ready access to the education system notwithstanding the impact of Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20849/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 913 and 1095 together.
It is my belief that children with special educational needs should receive their education in placements which are appropriate to their needs alongside their peers wherever possible unless such an approach would be inconsistent with the best interests of the individual child or other children in the school.
This approach is consistent with the provisions of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004.
My Department's policy is therefore to provide for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs in mainstream schools. The majority of children with special needs attend mainstream education with additional supports
This policy is supported by significant investment by this Government. The Department of Education will spend approximately €2 Billion or over 20% of its total educational budget in 2021 on making additional provision for children with special educational needs this year.
Only where it has been assessed that the child is unable to be supported in mainstream education, are special class placements or special school placements recommended and provided for.
It is therefore not the case that special educational placements are required to support all children with special educational needs, nor is it intended that this should be the case.
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.
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.
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.
Through ongoing consultation at local level, the NCSE is also aware of those parents whose children will be seeking placement for the 2021/22 academic year, including mainstream placement with appropriate support, special class placement, Early Intervention and special school placement. The NCSE continues to work to identify any and all relevant suitable placements.
The NCSE is working with schools to encourage and support the opening of new special classes at all levels and has specific plans in place to increase the number of places available.
The Deputy will be aware of the process underway in South Dublin under Section 37A of the Education Act, 1998. Statutory notices issued under the Act together with the representations received from the schools and their patrons are published on my Department’s website.
I also announced the establishment of a new special school (Our Lady of Hope School) in Crumlin, Dublin 12 last December. Both the NCSE and my Department are working closely with the patron and the school's management team on the practical arrangements required to progress this project as speedily as possible. I have also recently announced the establishment of a new special school in Cork to help cater for demand in that area for September 2021.
Finally, I can reassure the Deputy that the local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) continue to be available to assist and advise both schools and the parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: https://ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list .
Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes is published on the NCSE website and is available at www.ncse.ie
914. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the reason student teachers at a college (details supplied) are required to pay €350 to attend a Gaeltacht course while student teachers attending State-funded colleges can do so for free; if the Gaeltacht course is compulsory in order to qualify as a teacher; if she will consider removing the cost for all students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18163/21]
View answerThe current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements, which are outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education.
Budget 2020 provided for the re-instatement of the grant to cover the full cost of the Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for undergraduate and post-graduate students in State-funded primary ITE programmes, with effect from the 2020/2021 academic year. The grant was previously funded by my Department up to the 2012/2013 academic year, when it was ceased due to financial constraints.
The re-introduced grant will cover the cost of the undertaking the fortnightly online course in 2021. The re-introduced grant is being made available for undergraduate and post-graduate students in State-funded primary ITE programmes. This is in line with normal practice for other grant payments per students qualifying requirements.
In relation to the cost of the online programme for students of the private college provider, the Department of Education responded to a proposal from the college referred to by the Deputy confirming that both the Department and the Teaching Council had no issue with that college, working in collaboration with a Gaeltacht College(s) to provide an online programme based on the agreed syllabus for their own students and to negotiate and set the cost for undertaking that programme for their own students. The Department understands that College has now organised the provision of an online GLP programme for all of their students in collaboration with one Gaeltacht College.
915. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education her plans to give incremental credit to teachers returning to Ireland who have previously worked as post-primary teachers in private schools outside of the EU in order to encourage more teachers to return to work in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18167/21]
View answerThe criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC). This Council is comprised of representatives of teachers, school management, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Department of Education and is chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.
The criteria for the award of incremental credit is laid out in my Department’s Circulars 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. There is currently no provision for the award of incremental credit under the scheme in Circular 29/2007 to post primary private schools outside of the European Union.
The teachers unions have lodged a number of claims at TCC in relation to incremental credit, including one in relation to recognising private teaching service, given by post-primary teachers, outside the EU. TCC agreed to establish a sub-Committee to consider the claims. The claims are still under consideration.
916. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education the basis for changing the policy regarding the allocation of special needs resource hours in schools (details supplied). [18171/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the Education for Persons with Special Needs Act 2004 sets out that one of the functions of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is to advise the Minister for Education and Skills, in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities.
In June 2014, an NCSE Working Group Report on the allocation of Special Education Teachers to schools recommended that a new model for allocating resource teaching support to schools, based on the profiled needs of each school, rather than on the diagnosed disability of individual children. http://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Allocating_resources_1_5_14_Web_accessible_version_FINAL.pdf
The working group recommended that a new model for delivering teaching resources to students with special educational needs in schools should in future be based on two components:
Firstly, a school educational profile component; including:
- the number of Students with complex special educational needs.
- the percentages of students performing below a certain threshold on standardised test results.
- the social context of schools, including gender, school location and educational disadvantage.
Secondly, the Working Group recommended that a baseline component should be provided to every mainstream school to support inclusion, prevention of learning difficulties and early intervention, based on school enrolment.
They recommended that this model should replace both the model of allocating resource teacher allocations, based on the individual diagnosis of children, and the general allocation model for children in the mild category of general learning disability and children with additional learning needs.
DES Circulars 0013/2017 and 007/2019 for primary schools, and 0014/2017 and 008/2019 for post primary schools, set out the basis for the model for allocating special education teachers to schools.
The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile. Under the allocation model, schools have been provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile. Schools have discretion in how these resources are deployed.
The provision of a profiled allocation is designed to give a fair allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the level of need in each school.
Schools are frontloaded with resources, based on each school’s profile. The allocations to schools include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.
Guidance for schools on how they should identify children for additional teaching support and as to how to utilise their SET allocations has been provided for schools. This guidance is available at: https://www.education.ie/en/The-Education-System/Special-Education/Guidelines-for-Primary-Schools-Supporting-Pupils-with-Special-Educational-Needs-in-Mainstream-Schools.pdf
and https://www.education.ie/en/The-Education-System/Special-Education/Guidelines-for-Post-Primary-Schools-Supporting-Students-with-Special-Educational-Needs-in-Mainstream-Schools.pdf
917. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if the case of a child (details supplied) will be examined; if a school place will be provided for them; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18183/21]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.
This year, over 20% of the total Education budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special educational needs. As a result, the numbers of special education teachers, SNAs and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.
The majority of special schools cater for students up to the age of 18. However, in the event that students are transitioning from a special school to a post-primary school, such enrolment applications are a matter for each individual board of management and the NCSE does not hold such records.
The NCSE, through its local network of SENOs (Special Educational Needs Organisers), is available to provide advice and support to parents of students that are due to transition to post-primary on the possible placement options available to their child, including mainstream placement with appropriate support, special class placement and special school placement. Post-primary placements are supported with additional resources where required.
The Deputy will be aware of the recent announcement whereby Minister Foley and I have secured a significant expansion of special school provision in Cork through the establishment of a new special school and increased capacity in an existing special school to meet the needs of children in the Cork area.
The new provision will see the establishment of a new special school in Carrigaline which will have the capacity to provide 48 school places. It will provide for the needs of children with autism and general learning disability up to eighteen years of age.
The provision will also provide for a change to the designation of St. Mary’s Special School, Rochestown to cater for children with a dual diagnosis of learning disability and autism with 12 new school places becoming available for September 2021.
Priority will now be given to those children who currently do not have an offer of a school place for next September.
The provision of 60 additional special school placements is to cater for the immediate requirements. I can assure the Deputy that my Department and the NCSE continue to work towards the development of additional placements in the Cork area to meet ongoing and future demand.
I can also confirm that the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) remains available to support this family regarding a suitable placement.
918. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 391 of 3 February 2021, if the response to the Parliamentary Question will be reviewed; her views on same; the process for the change of school status requests from junior infants to co-educational; the timeframe involved; if the correspondence from the school and from a person (details supplied) provide sufficient information to expedite the matter; if her officials have met the representatives of the school; and the number of meetings or engagements that she or her officials have had with the school. [18188/21]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the application for a change of status is under assessment in the Department. This assessment includes information provided by the Bishop. The Department in considering such applications must assess the implications, if any, of changing the status of a school(s) in the context of how this change may impact the viability of other schools in the area and must also consider any associated capital implications that may be warranted as a result of such a change. Discussions between the Department and the Patron are ongoing and will be concluded as quickly as possible.
919. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education when a person (details supplied) can be facilitated with a school place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18192/21]
View answerThe 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.
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.
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.
Through ongoing consultation at local level, the NCSE is also aware of those parents whose children will be seeking placement for the 2021/22 academic year, including mainstream placement with appropriate support, special class placement, Early Intervention and special school placement. The NCSE continues to work to identify any and all relevant suitable placements.
I should also clarify that the NCSE does not maintain waiting lists for schools. Boards of management of individual schools are responsible for such enrolment matters.
The NCSE is working with schools to encourage and support the opening of new special classes at all levels and has specific plans in place to increase the number of places available.
In circumstances, where no placement is available for a child with special educational needs, the Department can provide Home Tuition grant funding towards the provision of 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until the NCSE confirms that a placement is available.
With regard to the specific case to which the Deputy refers, I can advise that the section 29 appeals committee determined that the decision to expel the child wasn’t warranted and that the child should be readmitted to the school. The school have challenged this decision and the matter is currently the subject of a judicial review.
It is not appropriate for me to comment further on this matter as it is before the courts however, I can advise that the Department and the NCSE are working to support the family and the child in question is being provided with home tuition.
920. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education the options open to the parents of a child (detailed supplied) who was excluded from mainstream secondary school in 2019 and has not had any school since despite having an ASD diagnosis. [18196/21]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.
In circumstances where no placement is available for a child with special educational needs, the Department can provide home tuition grant funding towards the provision of 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until the NCSE confirms that a placement is available.
I can confirm that in the specific case referenced by the Deputy, 20 hours home tuition per week has been approved.
I have asked my officials to liaise with the NCSE and arrange for a response on the specific circumstances of this case to issue directly to the Deputy.
921. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the case of a school (details supplied) in which there have been six confirmed cases of Covid-19 with children from the same classes informed to attend school; and if she will provide the Covid-19 guidelines in national schools. [18197/21]
View answerThe response to confirmed cases or outbreaks of COVID-19 in the community or in a school is the responsibility of, and will be led and managed by, Public Health HSE. My Department has confirmed with Public Health that the enhanced Public Health schools teams are available to fully support schools, with full contact tracing and bulk fast-track testing provided within the school setting.
In all instances where COVID-19 is positively confirmed in a school age child in community testing (referred by G.P) or as part of close contact testing in the community, Public Health are immediately notified and a Public Health Risk Assessment(PHRA) is initiated with the school by local HSE public health Schools Teams.
The findings of the Public Health Risk Assessment (PHRA), which is undertaken by a Public Health Doctor, where a confirmed case has attended school whilst infectious, assesses many different aspects of disease transmission as laid out in the Schools Pathway document and this determines the identification of close contacts and the course of action a school is required to take. This enables the most accurate and effective determination of the relevant information allowing tailored, measured protection and prevention of Covid-19 in schools.
922. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education when a school (details supplied) will be notified of a decision in respect of its application for a new bus service submitted in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18218/21]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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.
Under the terms of the Department's Post-Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school/education centre as determined by my 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.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that all services operating to the post-primary centre referred to by the Deputy are currently operating at capacity.
923. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will address an issue in relation to a child (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18224/21]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.
This year, over 20% of the total Education budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special educational needs. As a result, the numbers of special education teachers, SNAs and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels.
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.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and special school places nationally, to meet identified need. This process is ongoing.
Notwithstanding the extent of the investment in special education and the supports which have been put in place, I am also very conscious that there are some parts of the country, including the area referenced, where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.
I can assure the Deputy that NCSE is acutely aware of these concerns and is continuing its engagement with schools, patron bodies, parents and other stakeholders to bring the required additional special education placements on stream.
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 and I want to reassure you that the delivery of the necessary additional provision is being progressed as an absolute priority.
The local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) remains available to support this family regarding a suitable placement.
924. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education the reason an application for emergency works for a school (details supplied) was refused; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18229/21]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy that an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme was received from the school in question.
The application was deemed invalid as it was not signed by the Chair of the Board of Management which is a requirement of the scheme. The school should have the Chair of the Board of Management sign the form on the relevant pages and email those pages to emergency_works@education.gov.ie , the application will be reviewed on receipt of these signatures.
925. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will consider raising the compulsory retirement age of drivers who are in possession of a full PSV licence, a full driver licence and are certified as medically fit to drive, who have been working for contractors on contracts with Bus Éireann but are currently required to retire at 70 years of age as in the case of a person (details supplied). [18241/21]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 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. Under the terms of the scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8kms at post-primary and 3.2kms at primary from and are attending their nearest school/post-primary centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
It is Bus Éireann policy that the normal retirement age for all staff is currently 66 years. Bus Éireann part-time school bus drivers and drivers nominated by private operators as school bus drivers may continue to perform this role, subject to completing an annual medical examination up to the retirement age of 70 years. This criteria is applied to all drivers who provide services as part of the school transport scheme that is operated by Bus Éireann, on behalf of the Department of Education. As this age limit has been examined previously and the retirement age extended to 70 years, there are no plans to extend this limit further at this point in time.
926. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education the status of the legal strategy (details supplied) to pursue the contractor who originally built schools for the cost of the precautionary measures and the permanent remediation works. [18242/21]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the Department has initiated proceedings in relation to 40 Schools built by the contractor who originally built the schools,. Two of these cases are before the Commercial Court. The Department is not in a position to comment on cases which are currently before the Courts and the Department continues to liaise with the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the Attorney General’s Office on the on-going legal process.
927. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education if the independent review to establish the current use and practices in the design and build procurement construction model for the delivery of school buildings has been finalised; and if so, if the findings of this review will be published. [18243/21]
View answerMy Department commissioned an independent review of current practices in the Design and Build model for the delivery of school buildings (or other similar public buildings) internationally. The Independent Review of Design and Build Procurement/Construction model was published on the Department's website on 25th June, 2020.
The nature of this element of the independent review was designed to ensure that it does not prejudice the on-going legal process with respect to the School Remediation Programme. The planned independent review of the Department’s Design & Build Programme will not commence until the legal process has concluded. The Independent Review of the D&B Procurement/Construction Model for School Buildings Internationally was an important precursor for and will input into the wider independent review once commenced.
928. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education if the permanent remediation works have been carried out in a school (details supplied); if not, the remediation works that still remain; and when they are due to be carried out. [18244/21]
View answer929. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education when the permanent remediation works will recommence for a school (details supplied); the effect this will have on the creche; and if the crèche will have to close whilst these works are been carried out. [18245/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 928 and 929 together.
I wish to advise the Deputy that certain remediation works were carried out recently in the school to which she refers. Structural remediation works on the external leaf wall enabled the removal of the temporary precautionary measures, fire remediation works were also carried out on the life safety systems which included the Fire alarm, emergency lighting and gas system. The Department will be in direct contact with the school in relation to any additional works requirements and timelines for same.
As you are already aware, the arrangement for the crèche to use part of the school building is a local private arrangement between the school authority and the crèche. The crèche itself is a private company and therefore it will be a matter for the school authority to keep the crèche informed of any changes to their current arrangement.
930. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to any Minister or Minister of State or adviser to a Minister or Minister of State who requested or suggested to the HSE or any Department that a hospital (details supplied) in Dublin be used as a vaccination site for Covid-19. [18275/21]
View answerI am not aware of any such request in respect of the hospital referred to in the Deputy's question.
931. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education the number of newly-registered primary school teachers with the Teaching Council who received their teaching qualification from a college (details supplied) since 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [18302/21]
View answerUnder the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State.
It is a function of the Council under the Teaching Council Acts (s7(2)) to act as the competent authority for recognition of qualifications obtained by a person who has applied under this Act for registration as a teacher.
The Teaching Council inform me that since 2014, 4,223 newly-registered primary school teachers with a qualification from the institution referred to by the Deputy, have registered as primary teachers with the Teaching Council.
Further information on this has issued directly to the Deputy.
