Written Answers Nos. 90-99
90. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the status of the review of the school transport scheme; the status of the most recent report that the steering group has given to her Department; if any of these measures will be implemented ahead of the coming school term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24732/21]
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.
In October 2019, my predecessor announced a review of the school transport scheme with a view to taking a fresh look at the service and its broader effectiveness and sustainability. Given the evolving situation with Covid-19 the work of the Steering Group had been delayed. However, an initial meeting of the Steering Group was recently held in order to recommence the process which will continue over the coming period. The review is being conducted to ensure that the school transport is fit for purpose and that it serves students and their families adequately.
This review will build on the proposals in the Programme for Government as they relate to school transport, including examining the options to reduce car journeys and assessing how the School Transport Scheme can work in liaison with the Safe Routes to Schools Programme; examining the options for providing a better value and a better service for students, including and examining issues such as the nearest or next-nearest school.
It is planned that the Steering Group will report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses, with a view to presenting a final report later this year with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.
The Steering Group will report to me initially on preliminary findings regarding eligibility, before moving to consider and report on broader issues such as the objectives of the scheme and the alignment of the scheme with other initiatives and wider Government policy. The Steering Group is due to report to me shortly with this preliminary report.
91. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education the status of plans for a new school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24891/21]
View answer163. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if she will advise on ongoing talks between her Department and the HSE on the acquiring a site for a new build for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24892/21]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 91 and 163 together.
The acquisition of a site to accommodate a permanent school building for the school to which the Deputy refers is at a very advanced stage.
Due to the commercially sensitive nature of site acquisitions generally, it is not possible to comment further at this time. I can, however, assure you that the acquisition of a new site for the school is a priority for the Department.
92. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education the status of and position regarding the summer programme for 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25077/21]
View answerThe Government has approved the provision of significantly expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a Covid-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.
This is an incredibly important Government decision, which ensures that for first time primary and post primary schools have the opportunity to provide summer programmes for students with complex needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.
The total funding available to provide the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.
The programmes for mainstream students in primary and post-primary schools are new programmes for 2021, building upon previous summer programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those in provided in DEIS schools last year.
Enhanced measures have been put in place to encourage participation of schools in this process, including reducing the administrative process, provision of funding to schools towards preparation and overseeing of the programmes, earlier payment of school staff and provision to recruit final year student teachers graduating this summer.
The programme’s aims are to support students to re-engage with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote well-being and for some who are at key transition stages, help to ensure they can move on to their planned educational placement next September along with their peers.
Enhanced measures have been put in place to encourage participation of schools in this process, including reducing the administrative process, provision of funding to schools towards preparation and overseeing of the programmes, earlier payment of school staff and provision to recruit final year student teachers graduating this summer.
A home-based summer programme will continue to be available for students with complex needs where their schools are not providing a school based programme.
I encourage the school communities to take full advantage of this opportunity and provide this valuable programme to their students.
Further details on the schemes and how schools can apply will be made available over the coming period at gov.ie/summerprovision .
93. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Education her progress to date in increasing the number school places available to second-level boys in the Dublin 9 and 11 region due to a shortage of places for the next academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24887/21]
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 Dublin 9 and Dublin 11.
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 Dublin 9 and Dublin 11, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
94. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the status of the consultation process to bring more schools into the DEIS model; and the groups which have been involved in this consultation process. [25046/21]
View answerThe DEIS review which took place in 2015 and 2016 involved a comprehensive consultation process with education partners, the community and voluntary sector, other Government Departments and agencies, EU colleagues and with education academics and practitioners. Written submissions were also invited from education partners in June 2015 and were published on my Department’s website. The Report on the Review of DEIS was subsequently published in 2017.
From this consultation process, and as outlined in the DEIS Plan, it was clear that schools wanted a change to the DEIS identification process which would reduce the administration burden on school principals and there was a demand for a more responsive methodology. This feedback, together with the availability of the Pobal HP deprivation index and school data sources through pupil enrolment databases (POD and PPOD) facilitated the Department move to develop a new objective, statistics based model.
In 2017, as a proof of concept of the model, an additional 79 schools were added who were assessed as having the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage were brought into the DEIS programme using this model, with a further 30 being upgraded from Band 2 to Band 1 status at that time. This additionality to the DEIS Programme came into effect from September 2017.
The DEIS Plan acknowledged that further work was required to refine the model and my Department is undertaking an extensive body of work in relation to this. As part of the process when there is a roll out of any changed or a new model, my Department engages with the education partners to ensure that there is a clear understanding across the system and that the process is clear, open, transparent and easily understood. As part of the refinement of the model my Department commenced a consultation process with the education partners, (i.e. school management bodies, and unions and the national parents council representative bodies) on the technical aspects and implementation of the model and further work on the model is being progressed. Work on refinement of the model is ongoing and until this work is complete it is not intended to extend DEIS to further schools.
95. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education the progress made under the programme for Government commitment to provide clear guidelines to schools on cost-effective and sustainable practices to decrease the costs for families in relation to schoolbooks, uniforms, IT and sport equipment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25059/21]
View answerI am firmly of the view that schools should do everything possible to keep costs down for parents. In 2017, my Department issued a circular letter to schools on school uniform costs and other school costs. The circular requires schools to adopt a range of measures to reduce the cost of school uniforms. These include ensuring that all elements of a school uniform are purchasable from a number of stores. The circular also requires schools to consult with parents on the school uniform policy and cost reduction initiatives.
Regarding school books, the most recent figures available indicate that 96% of primary schools and 68% of post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme. €17.1m was provided last year to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes in primary and post-primary schools.
As part of the €210m investment programme underpinning the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Schools, my Department provided €100m in grant funding to schools to address their ICT needs during 2020. Schools were advised that they can use this funding to support the continuity of teaching and learning should a period of partial or full school closure occur arising from Public Health advice owing to Covid-19 restrictions. This can include the purchase of ICT devices including laptops, tablet devices and hybrid computing devices, essential learning platforms and other ICT infrastructure to support the provision of remote learning.
I understand the need for improved capitation funding and I am pleased that budget 2020 has been able to provide for a further 2.5% increase in standard capitation funding for primary schools that applied from the start of the 2020/21 school year. This builds on the 5% increase in capitation announced in budget 2019.
The combined increases given in 2019 and 2020 mean that circa 40% restoration will be achieved.
All schools have received the benefit of the capitation increases awarded to date. It is my intention to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets.
96. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the date on which school building works will begin at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24981/21]
View answerThe major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.
The Stage 2(b) Report has been reviewed by my Department and comments have recently issued to the Design Team who have been requested to carry out a final review of all of its tender documentation to ensure compliance with Department requirements and to submit written confirmation from each Design Team member when this work has been completed.
In order to expedite the progression of this project authorisation issued on 19 April, 2021 to the school and its’ Design Team to commence the pre-qualification process, to select a short-list of contractors, in parallel with the review of the Stage 2(b) Report. This process is currently on-going.
Upon receipt of Design Team confirmations and completion of the pre-qualification process and subject to no issues arising, my Department will be in contact with the school and its’ Design Team with regard to the further progression of this project to the next stage of architectural planning, Stage 3 (Tender Stage).
A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete.
97. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if the NCCA will include courses in special needs education including qualifications in behaviour analysis as criterion for teacher registration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23947/21]
View answerUnder the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the registration of teachers.
The Teaching Council registers teachers in accordance with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations 2016, which outlines the requirements for registration under each of four routes to registration (Primary, Post-primary, Further Education and Other).
Under section 38 of the Teaching Council Act, all Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes in Ireland that lead to registration must have professional accreditation from the Teaching Council. The mandatory requirements for accreditation are set out in the Teaching Council's criteria and guidelines for programme providers.
Under these criteria, student teachers in all accredited programmes are required to undertake study of inclusive education, including special education, and this applies to all primary and post-primary teachers. The standards for programmes of ITE have recently been revised and were published in Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education (2020) in October 2020. The standards set Inclusive Education as one of the seven core elements which must underpin all aspects of the programme of ITE.
The support service of the National Council for Special Education, NCSE, delivers a range of professional development initiatives and support for teachers working with students with special educational needs. Moreover, all the Department's support services, such as the Professional Development Service for Teachers, are required by the Department to have regard to the individual needs of all learners, in designing and delivering CPD for teachers.
98. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education when the report of the DEIS technical group will be made available; the timeframe for completion of the model; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24879/21]
View answerA detailed analysis of school enrolment data and the latest data available from Census 2016, using the HP Deprivation Index, has been carried out by members of the DEIS Technical Group. This group contains representatives of the Department’s Statistics and Social Inclusion Units, the Inspectorate and the Educational Research Centre. My Department commenced a consultation process with education stakeholder representatives on the technical aspects and implementation of the model, and work is ongoing on final elements of the model. It is envisaged that this will then provide the basis for development of a DEIS resource allocation system to match resources to identified need. Until this work is complete, it is not intended to extend the DEIS programme to any further schools.
99. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Education the projected plans for secondary school provision throughout County Louth including provision within the Irish language education sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25082/21]
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, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
The most recent analysis undertaken by my Department projects that over 60% of the 314 school planning areas at primary level have stable or decreasing projected enrolments for the period to 2024, whereas some 90% of the school planning areas at post-primary level are anticipated to have increased enrolments for the period to 2027.
The level of demand volume across school planning areas with an increasing net requirement ranges from small to medium increases that are likely to be accommodated by existing schools through to significant projected growth that may require additional provision.
Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
Provision of a new school or schools.
As the Deputy may be aware, since April 2018 the Government has announced 47 new schools to be established over a four year period (2019 - 2022) including one new post primary school (1,000) to serve the Laytown and Drogheda school planning areas (Regional Solution). This school was established in 2019 under the patronage of Educate Together.
Agreement in principle has been reached to acquire a site for the permanent location of the school referred to. This agreement is subject to contract, conveyancing and satisfactory grant of full planning permission. The location of the permanent site (circa 11 acres in size) will incorporate the current temporary site at Mill Road, Drogheda at which the school is located.
The school building project will be delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme. The project will proceed into early architectural planning which involves site surveys, school design stages and the preparation of statutory applications. A pre planning meeting will be arranged with the local authority in advance of preparing a Planning Application. Once statutory approvals have been secured, the project will proceed to tender and construction stages.
In addition, the following projects are included on my Department’s School Building Programme:
1. Scoil Ui Mhuiri Dunleer, this project has been recently completed and will increase capacity to accommodate 750 pupils.
2. Bush Post-Primary School, this project to increase capacity to accommodate 700/750 pupils is currently at tender stage.
Details of projects ongoing or recently completed are update regularly on the Department’s website.
Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
In relation to Irish-medium education, as the Deputy may be aware, I recently approved a proposal by An Foras Pátrúnachta (AFP) for a pilot in Dundalk to develop a satellite model whereby an existing AFP Gaelcholáiste (Coláiste Ghlór na Mara, Balbriggan) will expand to provide Irish-medium education from a campus in Dundalk. Piloting the Irish-medium satellite model provides an opportunity to explore a model which could have strategic benefits and applicability elsewhere in the country in particular circumstances. The Department is also continuing to support the existing Aonad at Coláiste Chú Chulainn, Dundalk, to ensure continuity of provision for the students enrolled.
