Written Answers Nos. 347-360
347. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if a grant will be sanctioned for a school (details supplied) for additional two classrooms and a special education teacher room to cater for the current demand within the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27846/21]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has recently received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation Scheme, from the school in question.
Once the application has been assessed, the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.
348. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education if an application for an exceptional review has been considered for a school (details supplied) in County Longford to enable it to provide a special needs assistant to an incoming junior infant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27912/21]
View answerThe NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.
The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.
The disruption prevented the delivery of the necessary training and information workshops to support the roll out of the new allocation model which had been planned for earlier this year.
The frontloading of SNAs for mainstream classes is a key part of the School Inclusion Model. The Department and NCSE are committed to its introduction as part of the development of that Model.
The training and workshops are designed to help school leaders and teachers in their in-school planning for the new model and their engagement with parents. These sessions will now be rescheduled to take place during the 2021/22 school year. Further information will be issued by the NCSE in due course.
In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion and the Minister of State for Education have agreed on the following arrangements for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants for mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year:
- Existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 will be maintained and will automatically rollover into the 2021/22 school year.
- No school will therefore receive an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.
- SNAs currently in mainstream settings can continue in post for the next school year in the normal way.
- Priority consideration will now be given by the NCSE to applications for increased support for the 2021/22 school year, in particular, applications from schools with no SNAs and developing schools will be prioritised. Determinations will be made before 30 June. Other applications will be processed in order of date received.
- As in previous years, where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie/for-schools
The NCSE will publish SNA allocations on their website www.ncse.ie by the end of May 2021.
SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.
Circular 0029/2021 has been published and advises schools of the arrangements for the allocation of SNAs for the 2021/22 school year.
Provisions set out in Circular 0030/2020 has been extended for the 2021/22 school year.
Circular 0029/2021 and Circular 0030/2020 are available on the Departments website.
My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your correspondence has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply.
349. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education if schools are required to inform parents and or guardians when notifying them that a child has been placed on a waiting list for admittance due to oversubscription, that a provision exists to request a review, in writing, by the board of management of the decision within 21 calendar days from the date of the original decision and furthermore, that a provision exists following the outcome of the review of the board of management that a further right exists to make an appeal to the Minister under section 29(1)(c)(i) of the Education Act 1998; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27979/21]
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. The newly revised school’s admissions policy is published on the schools website.
The act requires that a schools admission policy must state that where an applicant has been refused admission to the school, an applicant may request the board to review a decision to refuse admission and that a decision to refuse admission may be appealed in accordance with section 29 (1) (c) (i) or (ii).
The Department has also provided templates of draft admission policies to schools, in addition to FAQs to assist schools with their obligations under the act and the process of revising their school admission policies.
Notwithstanding the above legal obligations on schools, many schools do advise parents of the board of management review option and/or section 29 appeal option when an applicant has been refused admission to a school, and it would be best practice for all schools to do so.
350. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 321 of 13 May 2021, if she will direct her officials to contact the four institutions referenced in her response in order to secure the information not readily available and to make this information available as requested in the original question. [28024/21]
View answerAs previously advised, my Department does not hold or publish a centralised register of recipients of this award.
As this information request seeks data dating back to 1964, my Department will now contact the relevant institutes in relation to this information request to determine what relevant information they may hold.
My Department will then provide an update directly to the Deputy on the matter.
351. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) will be included in the upcoming DEIS programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28026/21]
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.
352. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the status of a permanent site for a school (details supplied). [28092/21]
View answerI can confirm that my Department is at an advanced stage of negotiations with Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council regarding the acquisition of a site in their ownership. This site is well located to serve the Booterstown Blackrock School Planning Area and is intended to be the permanent location for the school referred to by the Deputy. Any acquisition will be subject to contract and the statutory approval of the Council to dispose of the site to my Department.
The School Patron has been informed of this development and will be advised of the location of the site when it is possible to do so.
353. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will engage with the staff and parents of a school (details supplied) in relation to a suitable site for same. [28093/21]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers was established in September 2019 and is currently located in interim accommodation at Kill Lane, Deansgrange, Co. Dublin, which can accommodate 2 x mainstream classrooms plus ancillary space. It should be noted that the school authorities were informed before occupying Kill Lane that it would be for a two year period only; they were aware that a move to alternative interim accommodation would be required for the 2021 academic year to cater for the schools growing enrolments.
There is insufficient accommodation in the existing building to cater for the 2021 academic year. As a result, officials in my Department have put the necessary arrangements in place to relocate the school to a premises at Eblana Avenue in Dún Laoghaire, which is under the ownership of Dublin Dún Laoghaire Education Training Board (DDLETB). This alternative interim accommodation will suitably accommodate the schools growing enrolments for the academic years 2021 and 2022 pending provision of their permanent school project. My Department issued both verbal and written communication on Wednesday 28th April 2021, informing the Patron of these arrangements and my officials understand that the school was in turn informed of this communication the same day.
354. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if there is a policy of data back-up in the operations of her Department and all agencies under her remit. [28115/21]
View answerMy Department’s IT backup arrangements are that frequently-changing data is backed-up nightly, infrequently-changing data is backed-up weekly, and both types are also stored offsite on encrypted tape media.
The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document, should the Deputy wish to contact the aegis bodies directly.
355. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the number of special schools that provided a July provision summer programme in 2019 and 2020 respectively. [28152/21]
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 all 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. The existing Special Class and Special School Programme has been expanded from 4 to 5 weeks.
While participation in the programmes is voluntary, enhanced measures have been put in place to encourage schools to offer the programme, including measures to reduce the administrative burden, provision of funding to schools towards preparation and overseeing of the programmes, earlier payment of school staff and provision to recruit newly qualified teachers graduating this summer to work on the programme.
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.
Special Schools who participated in the school based summer programme
|
2019 |
2020 |
|
|
Special Schools |
35 |
31 |
357. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education if parents that paid for school transport on the Upperchurch/Kilcommon to Thurles bus route in recent weeks can be informed as to the period of time the tickets paid for are covering in view of the fact these parents are yet to receive confirmation from Bus Éireann as to duration of the tickets and have failed to receive a response from Bus Éireann; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28155/21]
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 my Department’s School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2kms at primary and 4.8kms at post-primary and are attending their nearest School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services for the 2021/22 school year where such services are in operation. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and may be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann allocates tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that it was not feasible to establish a service to operate to the end of the current school year in the area referred to by the Deputy due to insufficient demand. Bus Éireann has confirmed that parents have been contacted in this regard.
358. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education if her Department has a budget for the purchase of tablet devices (details supplied) for secondary schools in 2021; if this budget will ensure all pupils have access to such a device; if the use of such devices is now routine and compulsory in secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28163/21]
View answerFunding to build digital infrastructure, including purchase of devices is provided directly to schools as schools are best placed to determine the most appropriate solution to adopt in terms of supporting the learning needs of their students based on school's own context and circumstances, and in accordance with their Digital Learning Plan.
Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is a matter for the Board of Management of each school. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community including parents when planning for the introduction of digital technologies including devices. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Management before a decision is made. It is important for schools, in conjunction with parents, to retain local autonomy for decisions on the use of digital technology, including tablet devices, laptops, and learning platforms, and how best to manage their integration into classroom practice reflective of their own context and requirements.
As part of the €210m investment programme underpinning the implementation of the Digital Strategy for Schools, my Department provided €100m in grant funding to recognised primary, special and post-primary schools to address their ICT needs during 2020. This included €50m in respect of the 2020-2021 school year brought forward and issued in December 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. The funding is intended to enable schools to implement their Digital Learning Plan through provision of appropriate infrastructure. This includes Desktop PCs, laptops, tablets or hybrid devices, projectors/flat screens, cloud-based tools and software applications, and learning platforms.
The Professional Development Service for Teachers Technology in Education (PDST-TIE) offers advice and supports to schools on digital learning. Advice sheets are available on digital technology in education, including on the adoption of laptops and tablets in schools.
Development of a new Digital Strategy is underway and an extensive consultation process has commenced with an open call for submissions. Further strands of the consultation will include questionnaires to key stakeholder and engagement through focus groups. A Consultative Advisory Group has been established comprising key stakeholders representing parents, teachers, students and industry. Future funding measures to support schools in embedding the use of digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment, including addressing educational disadvantage in the context of access to digital infrastructure, will be considered as part of that process.
359. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 164 of 12 May 2021, when the work will be concluded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28165/21]
View answerMy Department has engaged with education stakeholder representatives on the technical aspects and the implementation of this model, and work is ongoing on final elements of the model.
As part of the process of the rollout of any new model, my Department will engage 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.
It is envisaged that the refined DEIS identification model will provide the basis for development of an evidence informed DEIS resource allocation system which will match resources to identified need.
Until this work is complete, it is not intended to extend the DEIS programme to any further schools.
360. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the status of a site comprising approximately 1.7 acres at Murphy Barracks, Ballincollig, Cork that was set aside in 2003 for her Department for a Gaelscoil. [28166/21]
View answerDespite enquiries, my Department were not able establish the background of the inquiry. If the Deputy could supply additional information, it may be possible to answer the query.
