Tuesday, 27 Jul 2021

Written Answers Nos. 974-993

School Transport

Questions (974, 976, 977)

Paul Murphy

Question:

974. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the difficulties some parents are facing in relation to claiming their refund with regard to the compensation scheme which allows parents with children eligible for free school transport to get compensation if their child is unable to use public transport due to safety fears in relation to Covid-19 (details supplied); if her Department plans to make clear guidelines for Bus Éireann to advise on eligibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39803/21]

Martin Kenny

Question:

976. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education the way in which parents can apply for the school transport grant that was announced in August 2020; the way the grant scheme is operated; the approval process; if there is an appeal process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39999/21]

Martin Kenny

Question:

977. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education the status of the school transport grant scheme that was announced in August 2020; the number of applications that were received, approved and disallowed by county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40001/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 974, 976 and 977 together.

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were 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.

My Department engaged intensively with Bus Éireann in regard to the logistics for the safe operation of School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year. Based on public health advice my Department provided for School Transport Scheme services to fully operate, but with additional measures and hygiene requirements in place and with the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing, using 50% of passenger capacity.

Updated health advice was received from NPHET on 18th August 2020, which was that post-primary services were required to operate using 50% of passenger capacity, following which Government agreed to provide the necessary funding to ensure that full implementation of this public health recommendation was achieved on all post-primary services as quickly as possible.

For those children who were eligible for transport under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme and whose parents decided not to use post-primary transport for the 2020/2021 school year, in light of the impact of most recent health advice, the Department agreed to provide a grant to support them with the cost of private transport arrangements. Parents were asked to inform my Department by Friday the 4th of September 2020 if they wished to avail of this option.

Applications for this grant were received from some 752 families, of which 580 families met the required criteria and were deemed eligible for the grant. School Transport Section is currently in the process of making payment of these grants to those families.

Covid-19 Pandemic

Questions (975)

Réada Cronin

Question:

975. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the precise measures that are in place to facilitate safe ventilation levels in primary and secondary schools in the new academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39991/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

Managing ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe.

The Department has updated its guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools .

This was done at the end of May and followed on from work done centrally by an Expert Group that was looking at the role of ventilation in managing Covid-19.

A copy of the guidance is published at www.gov.ie/en/publication/ad236-guidance-on-ventilation-in-schools/.

The over-arching approach in the guidance is for schools to have windows open as fully as possible when classrooms are not in use (e.g. during break-times or lunch-times and also at the end of each school day) and partially open when classrooms are in use.

The guidance outlines the role that Carbon Dioxide (CO2) monitors can play a part in providing a useful general indication that areas/rooms may not be adequately ventilated and can enable occupants to become familiar with the impact of activities, outdoor weather and window openings on levels of good ventilation.

In this regard, the Department is procuring a number of portable monitors which will be distributed to all schools in August and September – between 2 and 20 at primary level and between 20 and 35 at post-primary level depending on school size. This will ensure that a CO2 monitor will be available for use in every classroom in Ireland.

Question No. 976 answered with Question No. 974.

Question No. 977 answered with Question No. 974.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (978)

David Cullinane

Question:

978. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education if additional SNA posts will be approved for a school (details supplied); the recommended and current actual number of SNA posts approved on average per student with special educational needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40027/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your correspondence has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply.

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.

In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations 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 ncse.ie/for-schools.

The NCSE have published the SNA allocations on their website www.ncse.ie.

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 have been extended for the 2021/22 school year.

Circulars 29/2021 and 30/2020 are available on the Departments website.

My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your question has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply.

Departmental Bodies

Questions (979)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

979. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education the agencies and State organisations under her Department that are receiving State funding that do not have to declare salaries of employees under the 2016 code of governance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40032/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

My Department is guided in its reporting obligations by the terms and conditions laid down by Statute, including, where appropriate, Company Law, and the requirements of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s 2016 document – Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies – Business and Financial Reporting Requirements.

The Code of Practice sets out, inter alia, details of reporting requirements for state bodies. In regard to non-commercial State Bodies under the aegis of my Department, the Code requires bodies to make the following disclosures, where they are applicable:

- The aggregate amount of total compensation paid to employees including employee numbers in whole time equivalent format

- The aggregate total compensation paid to employees split between salary, overtime and allowances,

- Details on CEO salary and benefits (and termination benefits if appropriate)

- the aggregate pay bill and total number of employees,

- details of the numbers of employees whose total employee benefits (excluding pension costs) for the reporting period fell within each pay band of €10,000 from €60,000 upwards and,

- an overall figure for total employer pension contributions in their annual report and/or financial statements

- a note on termination benefits to all staff should also be included with CEO termination benefits being kept separate.

My officials review the financial statements of aegis bodies, to ensure that the aegis bodies adhere to the appropriate stipulations of D/PER's Code of Practice.

School Transport

Questions (980)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

980. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 777 of 15 June 2021, if the estimated €1,000 per student covers costs such as the additional buses and drivers needed to provide extra places on the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40051/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/21 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.

The estimated cost of €1,000 per pupil per annum to provide school transport is based on normal operations. There have been increased costs in operating the scheme as a result of public health measures required to mitigate the spread of Covid-19. These costs relate to measures such as additional cleaning of vehicles, PPE, sanitiser, etc. and for the additional vehicles and drivers required to operate the additional services that had to be established to provide for 50% capacity on post-primary school transport services. These measures will lead to an increase in the average estimated cost per pupil at post-primary level. Details of this cost will be available at the end of the current financial year when the full year cost of operating services with these additional measures is known.

School Transport

Questions (981)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

981. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of purchasing one new school bus for use on the school transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40052/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/21 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.

The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann vehicles and private contractor vehicles operated under contract to Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann is obliged to tender all works, goods and services to be provided by external suppliers in line with national and EU procurement legislation and this includes services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme.

Bus Éireann has advised he cost of buying a new school bus is dependent on the size and specifications of the vehicle but that the estimated cost of buying a large bus is in the region of €250,000.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (982)

Seán Canney

Question:

982. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if the design team has been appointed for the new national school campus for Tuam, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40072/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's school building programme.

The brief for the proposed project is in the process of being finalised by my Department which when completed will then facilitate the commencement of the architectural planning process, which will include the appointment of a design team, to deliver the project.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (983)

Seán Canney

Question:

983. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if the design team has been appointed for the new Gaelscoil campus in Athenry, County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40073/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The campus project referred to by the deputy comprises the delivery of two new schools for the area in question. This project has been devolved to Galway and Roscommon Education & Training Board (GRETB).

I am pleased to confirm that GRETB has appointed a design team for this project. The Design Team will now take the project through the various stages of architectural planning and onwards through the statutory planning requirements and construction.

The timeframe for the construction of the project will not be known until the design stages have been completed and planning permission has been secured. It is not possible at this time to give a date for its completion.

Please be assured that GRETB will be engaging directly with each of the school authorities to keep them informed of progress.

National Educational Psychological Service

Questions (984)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

984. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education the number of NEPS psychologists that are assigned to schools in County Meath; if psychologists assigned are based on school population; if the psychologists work on referrals during the school break; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40078/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).

NEPS does not maintain waiting lists but in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximize positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.

This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.

In relation to the Deputy’s request for information regarding NEPS service to Meath schools, I wish to advise that psychologists work within a regional and local office structure serving the needs of schools in their immediate vicinity. The Meath area is part of the North East Region of NEPS which covers counties Cavan, Monaghan, Louth and Meath. Each of these schools has access to NEPS for Critical Incident Support, the NEPS Regional Support and Development Service and for response to queries arising. I can confirm that there are eleven psychologists currently assigned to schools in Co. Meath.

NEPS is a school-based psychological service and NEPS psychologists work collaboratively with teachers in their assigned schools using a consultative problem-solving and solution-oriented approach to maximize positive outcomes for students in the school setting. In general NEPS psychologists do not work directly in schools outside of term time. Psychologists, however, continue to work on a casework service, off-site, with a particular focus on report-writing at this time. NEPS continues to be available to support schools should they be needed, throughout the school holiday period.

National Educational Psychological Service

Questions (985)

Darren O'Rourke

Question:

985. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if a record is kept of the number of students who are referred by their school for a private psychological assessment each year due to the limited number of NEPS referrals assigned to an individual school in one year in each county; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40081/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I can inform the Deputy that my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).

NEPS does not maintain waiting lists but in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximize positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.

This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.

NEPS hold records of the casework service provided by NEPS psychologists and SCPA psychologists funded by NEPS, in each school annually. In relation to the Deputy’s request, NEPS does not hold records of the students who are referred by their schools for a private psychological assessment, separate from the NEPS service or the NEPS-funded SCPA service.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (986)

Joe O'Brien

Question:

986. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education the reason for the delay in the beginning of a tendering process for a design team for the planned extension to a school (details supplied); the reason for the issues with the tendering process which has now stalled; and the measures she can take to ensure delivery of the extension in a timely manner. [40092/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

As the Deputy is aware, this project to which he refers, has been devolved for delivery to Dublin & Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB).

The brief for this project is extremely complex and complicated; this resulted in a more difficult than usual and protracted process of preparation of tender documentation.

I am pleased to confirm that DDLETB has advised that the tenders for the appointment of the Design Team have now been received and assessed. The Department is expecting to receive the Tender Report imminently for review.

Following the procurement of the Design Team, the team will then proceed to design the buildings, obtain the necessary statutory planning permissions, and move the project onward to tender and construction in due course.

As the project is at an early stage in the delivery process, it is not possible at this time to give a date for completion.

Education Schemes

Questions (987)

Pauline Tully

Question:

987. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the number of participants in the summer provision programme in 2018, 2019 and 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40127/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

The information requested by the Deputy is set out below.

The numbers of pupils that participated in the summer programme (or July Provision) in 2018, 2019 and 2020 across both home and school are as follows:

2018	2019	2020
10,228	10,563	13,608

Special Educational Needs

Questions (988)

Pauline Tully

Question:

988. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the number of mainstream schools that provide special classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40128/21]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.

This year, just under 25% 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 NCSE, through its local network of SENOs (Special Educational Needs Organisers), is available to provide advice and support to parents on the possible placement options available to their child.

For the 2021/22 school year, 2,132 special classes will be established in 1,121 mainstream primary and post primary schools providing places for approximately 12,700 pupils with additional needs. This is the largest number of special classes that we have ever had, and compares to 548 classes available in 2011.

Details of the locations of the special classes are available on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.

Educational Disadvantage

Questions (989)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

989. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if the DEIS review is close to completion; if so, the outcomes; if the review will benefit schools in the County Louth and east County Meath area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40143/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

A 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 has commenced a consultation process with education stakeholder representatives on the refinement of the model, and work is ongoing on further 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.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (990)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

990. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education the status of the proposed development of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40148/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The school building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme.

My Department has completed the tender process for the establishment of a new framework of contractors for the delivery of a bundle of Design and Build projects. In June 2021, the school building project referred to by the Deputy was included in a bundle of projects which was tendered to the new framework.

The original date for the tender returns was the 8th September 2021, an extension of time was recently requested by the tenderers. My Department has agreed to this extension, the closing date for tenders has now been extended by four weeks.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (991, 1053)

Seán Crowe

Question:

991. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education the status of the difficulties in facilitating a school (details supplied) on its current site for the coming academic year; if her attention has been drawn to the reservations of both schools regarding the contingency plan in use to move the school; if her Department has taken those concerns into consideration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40158/21]

Paul Murphy

Question:

1053. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the reason planning permission for a permanent site for a school (details supplied) was not expedited in 2020 given her Department was aware the school was in an accommodation crisis. [40869/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 991 and 1053 together.

Following completion of the acquisition of the permanent site for the school referred to by the Deputies in May 2020, the building project for the school was assigned for delivery under my Department’s Design & Build Programme.

Notwithstanding disruption to building works as a result of Covid 19 restrictions, the plans were progressed for the planning application for the project and a pre-planning meeting was held with the local authority on 28th August 2020 and the developed design work has been continuing.

It was initially hoped that the planning permission for the school building project would be in place in sufficient time to provide a derogation for the provision of interim accommodation on the permanent site for the school year 2021/2022. However, in order that the procurement of interim accommodation could proceed as early as possible, it was decided to proceed with plans for a separate planning application for the provision of interim accommodation on the permanent site.

A planning application for interim accommodation for the school on its permanent site was subsequently lodged on the 26th May 2021 and instructions were issued to the Project Manager overseeing the delivery of the interim accommodation to proceed with the procurement arrangements under my Department’s new Modular Buildings Framework.

There was a delay involved in obtaining a necessary legal consent from an adjacent landowner in order to lodge the planning application for interim accommodation and as a result, my Department is putting in place contingency arrangements for the school to be located in suitable interim accommodation at the Firhouse Community College site from August 2021 for a maximum of one academic year, pending delivery of interim accommodation on the school’s permanent site.

The interim accommodation, which includes specialist classrooms, SEN provision and ancillary accommodation, will be installed on the Community College site for the beginning of the 2021/22 school year using the planning exemption secured in March 2021 pertaining to existing schools. Details of the accommodation was communicated to the patrons of the schools concerned.

It is the Department’s intention that the school will move into the interim accommodation on its permanent site as early as possible in the 2021/22 academic year and that the vacated interim accommodation on the Community College site will remain on site and will be available for use by Firhouse Community College as provided for under the exemption. The initial grant of planning permission for the interim accommodation on the school’s permanent site was received on 20th July 2021.

The permanent accommodation plans continue to be progressed while taking account of the interim accommodation. A pre-planning meeting with the local authority has taken place and developed design work is ongoing. Representatives of the school and Patron body will be invited to a meeting to share the plans ahead of lodging the planning application.

My Department has agreed the plans for the interim accommodation on the Community College site with both school patrons and will continue to keep the patron bodies and the schools informed.

Schools Refurbishment

Questions (992)

Neale Richmond

Question:

992. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education the amount that has been spent on emergency works in the past ten years for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40215/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I would like to inform the Deputy that a total of €300,717.98 has been funded to this school under the Emergency Works Scheme in the last ten years.

Schools Refurbishment

Questions (993)

Neale Richmond

Question:

993. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education the amount that has been spent on emergency works at a school (details supplied) since it was built; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40216/21]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I would like to inform the Deputy that a total of €137,631.85 has been funded under the Emergency Works Scheme for the school in question since September 2016.