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Tuesday, 25 May 2021

Written Answers Nos. 361-374

Schools Building Projects

Questions (361)

Joe Flaherty

Question:

361. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Education when a newly built school (details supplied) is likely to open for students. [28234/21]

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Written answers

The school to which the Deputy refers is nearing completion, with the contractor finalising some remedial works. Handover is anticipated for end of June and occupation of the school in the new school term in September.

Question No. 362 answered with Question No. 337.

Departmental Legal Services

Questions (363)

Mairéad Farrell

Question:

363. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the amount spent by her Department on external professional legal services in 2014, 2019 and 2020, in tabular form. [28299/21]

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Written answers

The expenditure incurred by my Department in respect of external legal fees during the years in question is as follows:

Year

Expenditure on external legal fees

2014

€14,526

2019

€50,336.66

2020

€146,368.47

Schools Building Projects

Questions (364)

Michael Ring

Question:

364. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education the progress that has been made on sending feedback and approval to a school (details supplied) considering that its revised stage 1 preliminary design report was submitted in December 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28346/21]

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Written answers

In June 2019 the school in question was approved grant funding for three General Classrooms, two Standard WCs and WC for assisted users, four SET rooms and a Science Lab & Prep area under the Additional Accommodation scheme for 2019. The delivery of this project is devolved to the school authority.

The school originally submitted a Stage 1 (preliminary design) Report to my Department for review in April 2020, but a number of issues were identified with the report, and Department officials requested a revised design. The school submitted this in December 2020, and after review by Department officials the project was approved to progress to the planning stage in April.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (365)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

365. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if the recently announced extended summer provision scheme will make it possible as in previous years for children with autism to avail of two weeks in-school provision followed by an additional two weeks provision in their own home; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28370/21]

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Written answers

The 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.

It is accepted that school-based programmes provide a more holistic experience for the students and help retain the important connection with school and peers.

The programme’s aims are to support students to re-engage with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote wellbeing 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.

As has been the case in previous years, the Department does not allow for Parents to access both the home and school-based strands of the programme. The home based strand is only available where a child's school does not offer a programme.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (366)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

366. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education if the number of SNAs will be increased in Budget 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28384/21]

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Written answers

The provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for Government. The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are at unprecedented levels.

My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021. This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.

Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional SNAs for allocation to schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by December 2021. This will represent an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.

This allocation of SNAs is to meet the care needs of pupils in 2021 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support for children in mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year.

It would not be appropriate at this stage to comment on expected outcomes from the 2022 budgetary process which is now getting under way.

School Staff

Questions (367)

Gary Gannon

Question:

367. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if her Department will consider allowing for developing schools to be reprofiled in 2021 as was originally planned following on from the staffing schedule for primary schools for the 2021-2022 school year (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28390/21]

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Written answers

A new model for allocating Special Education Teachers to mainstream schools was introduced from September 2017, based on the profiled needs of schools.

The allocations were updated for schools with effect from September 2019, with limited readjustments being applied for at that time.

The allocations have remained in place for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school years, with some adjustments made over the course of the model for schools which achieved developing status, or successfully appealed on the grounds of exceptional circumstances arising in their schools. Allocations are also provided for new schools which open each year.

DES Circulars 007 and 008 2019, stated that the allocations being made for 2019 would initially remain in place for a minimum of two years, following which, revised profiled allocations would be considered for schools from September 2021.

The NCSE Policy advice ‘A Proposed new Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for Students with Special Educational Needs (2014)’ on which the SET allocation model is based, recommended that ‘the additional teaching supports be left in place initially for a two-year period. As the new model becomes embedded in the system, this may be extended to three years.’

In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the Minister for Education and the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion have agreed to maintain the existing Special Education Teacher Allocations for schools for the 2021/22 school year, with re profiled allocations now due to be made from September 2022.

Additional allocations will continue to be made for new schools, schools which achieve developing status, or for exceptional circumstances arising in schools, in the interim.

The criteria for qualification for mainstream school developing school posts are set out in the Primary and Post Primary School Staffing Schedule for the 2021/22 school year.

Schools who qualify for additional mainstream developing school posts in accordance with these criteria also qualify for additional Special Education Teaching Allocations to take account of this developing status.

There are now over 13,600 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream primary and post primary schools.

This represents an increase of 40% in the total number of special education teachers allocated to schools since 2011, at which time 9740 teachers were allocated.

Maintaining the existing allocations of Special Education Teachers for the 2021/22 school year means that schools will not have to engage in an extensive redeployment of posts, or re-clustering, this year.

It also means that schools will have greater levels of certainty as to the staff that they will have in place for September.

No school will see a cut, or reduction, to their special education teaching support next year.

Where schools have growing enrolments year on year, they will receive an increased allocation, pending the next re-profiling.

Even in circumstances where some schools were anticipating a greater level of increase year on year, if full re profiling had occurred next year, the increased allocations for developing status combined with the existing allocation of the school will show an increased overall teacher allocation for these schools in 2021/22.

The allocations for 2021/22 which are being maintained comprise the allocations which were made for schools from September 2019 plus any additionality achieved since plus any developing hours for the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school years.

It is also acknowledged that there are some circumstances, which may arise in schools, which fall outside the allocations for developing school status.

These relate to exceptional or emergency circumstances which could not have been anticipated e.g. where the school profile changes very significantly, or where other exceptional circumstances have arisen in a school and which may require a review of schools capacity to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who need it in the school, or of their utilisation of their allocations.

A process is available where schools can seek a review of their allocations by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), including the utilisation of their allocations, in circumstances where a school considers that very exceptional circumstances have arisen subsequent to the development of the profile.

If a school wishes to make an exceptional needs review, they may do so at the following link: www.ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/Primary-Schools-Review-Application-2020.doc

Education Schemes

Questions (368)

Gary Gannon

Question:

368. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the number of applicants and successful candidates who availed of the pilot scheme to assist leaving certificate students who suffer bereavement of a close relative during the exam period in 2019. [28391/21]

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Written answers

The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.

In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Cybersecurity Policy

Questions (369)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

369. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the investment made by her Department and State agencies under its remit in each year in cyber security for the past ten years. [28843/21]

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Written answers

For operational and security reasons, it is not appropriate to disclose details, including any budgetary matters, of my Department’s Cyber Security arrangements, or those of State Agencies under my remit. Any disclosure of information in relation to cyber security matters could assist malicious actors in identifying potential vulnerabilities and potentially compromise my Department’s information security posture.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Questions (370)

John McGuinness

Question:

370. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Social Protection if respite grants for the past two years are due to a person (details supplied). [27481/21]

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Written answers

The Carer's Support Grant is an annual payment made to carers by my Department. The annual grant, which is currently payable at a rate of €1,850, is available to all carers providing full-time care to a person who has such a disability that they require that level of care.

According to the records of my department, an application for Carer's Support Grant has not been received from the person concerned, in respect of the named care recipient. Only on receipt of a fully completed application form can her entitlement to a Carer’s Support Grant be determined.

If the person concerned wishes to make an application in respect of the named care recipient, they should complete and return the application form (CSG1) that I have arranged to issue to them. When the completed application form has been returned to my Department, a decision letter will issue to the person concerned.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (371)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Question:

371. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will consider providing free travel cards for persons with epilepsy during the period in which they are disallowed from driving; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27505/21]

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Written answers

The Free Travel scheme provides free travel on the main public and private transport services for those eligible under the scheme. These include road, rail and ferry services provided by companies such as Bus Átha Cliath, Bus Éireann and Iarnród Éireann, as well as Luas and services provided by over 80 private transport operators. There are currently approx. 996,000 customers with direct eligibility. The estimated expenditure on free travel in 2021 is €95 million.

In general, access to a free travel pass for those aged under 66 is linked to a person being in receipt of certain primary Social Protection payments such as Disability Allowance, Invalidity Pension, Carer’s Allowance, Blind Pension and Partial Capacity Benefit.

Extending the free travel scheme to people with epilepsy during the period in which they are disallowed from driving cannot be considered in isolation. There are a range of disabilities and medical conditions that can prevent a person from holding a driving licence and to award a free travel pass to any one of these conditions in isolation would immediately result in calls for all people who are not allowed to hold a driving licence because of their medical condition to receive the free travel pass and could result in challenges under the Equal Status Act.

If the Free Travel scheme were to be extended to all people who are not allowed to drive due to their disability, regardless of whether they receive a qualifying payment, a medical assessment process would be required for all such applications, significantly changing the nature of the scheme and requiring additional administrative processes to be put in place in order to adjudicate eligibility. Significant extra funding would also be required and accordingly, it could only be considered in the context of overall budgetary negotiations.

Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, my Department may award a travel supplement, where the circumstances of the particular case so warrant. The supplement is intended to assist with ongoing or recurring travel costs that cannot be met from the client’s own resources and are deemed to be necessary. Every decision is based on consideration of the circumstances of the individual case, taking account of the nature and extent of the need and of the resources of the person concerned.

I hope this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Personal Public Service Numbers

Questions (372)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

372. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when PPS numbers will issue to persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27506/21]

View answer

Written answers

I can confirm that my Department has allocated Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSNs) to the individuals referred to by the Deputy. Letters issued on 19th May 2021 with details of their PPSNs.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (373)

Holly Cairns

Question:

373. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection her views on raising maternity benefit to €350 weekly over the lifetime of the Government; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27514/21]

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Written answers

Maternity Benefit is paid at a weekly flat rate of €245 for 26 weeks to employed and self-employed women who satisfy certain pay related social insurance (PRSI) contribution and other conditions. The rate of Maternity Benefit is in line with the rates of Paternity Benefit, Adoptive Benefit and Parent’s Benefit.

In 2020, the total cost of maternity benefit was €258 million, which was paid in respect of 40,275 claims. The estimated annual cost of increasing Maternity Benefit to a weekly flat rate of €350 is €115 million.

Any decisions in relation to the rate of this and other benefits would have to be considered in a budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

School Meals Programme

Questions (374)

Holly Cairns

Question:

374. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will extend the free hot school meals programme to all DEIS schools and all other schools that request to participate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27515/21]

View answer

Written answers

The school meals programme provides funding towards the provision of food to some 1,506 schools and organisations benefitting 230,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children who are unable, due to lack of good quality food, to take full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.

As part of Budget 2019, funding was provided for a pilot scheme from September 2019, providing hot school meals in primary schools at a cost of €1m for 2019 and €2.5m in 2020. The pilot involved 37 schools benefitting 6,744 students for the 2019/2020 academic year and was aimed primarily at schools with no onsite cooking facilities.

In Budget 2021, I announced that an additional €5.5m would be provided to extend the provision of hot school meals to an additional 35,000 primary school children, currently receiving the cold lunch option. Officials from the Department issued invitations for expressions of interest to 705 (612 DEIS and 95 non-DEIS) primary schools in November 2020. A total of 281 (256 DEIS and 25 non-DEIS) expressions of interest were received in respect of 52,148 children.

The 35,000 places were allocated to each local authority area based on the number of children applied by local authority as a percentage of the total number. A minimum of one school for each Local Authority area was selected. Thereafter, a process of random selection was used for each area.

As a result of this process, 189 of the 281 schools that submitted an expression of interest were selected. Of the 189 schools selected, 171 (90.5%) are DEIS and 18 (9.5%) are non-DEIS.

Due to the fact that the funding available was limited to 35,000 children, it was not possible to include all schools that submitted and expression of interest to avail of hot school meals. I appreciate that this is disappointing for the schools concerned.

I am currently exploring options for the possible inclusion of unsuccessful schools in the Hot School Meals programme.

Any further extension of the provision of hot meals will need to be considered in a budgetary context.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

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