Martin Browne
Question:286. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education if there are plans to provide additional funding for the inclusion of ASD classrooms in a school (details supplied). [49423/21]
View answerSchool Accommodation
Questions (286)
Written answers
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, special class and special 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.
It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE for the establishment of a specialised provision and where sanctioned, a range of supports, including capital funding, is made available to the school.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes.
The NCSE through their network of SENOs (Special Educational Needs Organisers) are currently engaged in a process of establishing new classes for the 2022/2023 school year and beyond. They are looking at local information in relation to projected demand for future special class places.
The school referred to by the Deputy has been sanctioned a new build to incorporate 4 ASD classes which will provide an additional 24 placements for students with autism.
The local SENOs remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list .
School Transport
Questions (287)
Brendan Griffin
Question:287. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education if a family (details supplied) in County Kerry is eligible for a special education school transport grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49478/21]
View answerWritten answers
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. 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.
Under the terms of my Department’s School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for school transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability and are attending the nearest recognised school/class that is resourced to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers.
School Transport Section of my Department has no record of receipt of an application to date for the pupil referred to by the Deputy. A parent/guardian should contact the school principal of the school that their child is attending who will assist in making an application for school transport to the SENO that is affiliated with their school.
The family may also contact School Transport Section who would be happy to assist if they wish to discuss.
School Facilities
Questions (288)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:288. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if the primary school library fund will be reinstated in Budget 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49479/21]
View answerWritten answers
An arrangement was made through An Chomhairle Leabharlanna in 1971, whereby the local authority librarians would provide services for Primary schools. At that time my Department made a grant available for this purpose based on the number of pupils enrolled in primary schools in the local authority areas.
The amount of the grant payable to each local authority was based on the number of primary pupils in the relevant area and amounted to €4.52 per pupil. The full year estimated cost of reinstating the library grant is circa €2.5m
As Minister for Education I am very conscious of the importance of library services and the value of these in the context of the supports available to schools.
School Facilities
Questions (289)
Pádraig O'Sullivan
Question:289. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of reinstating the primary school library fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49480/21]
View answerWritten answers
An arrangement was made through An Chomhairle Leabharlanna in 1971, whereby the local authority librarians would provide services for Primary schools. At that time my Department made a grant available for this purpose based on the number of pupils enrolled in primary schools in the local authority areas.
The amount of the grant payable to each local authority was based on the number of primary pupils in the relevant area and amounted to €4.52 per pupil. The full year estimated cost of reinstating the library grant is circa €2.5m
As Minister for Education I am very conscious of the importance of library services and the value of these in the context of the supports available to schools.
School Accommodation
Questions (290)
Brian Stanley
Question:290. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education her views on the urgency of providing additional classroom accommodation for a school (details supplied) given the need for six additional classrooms; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49545/21]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved funding to the school in question to undertake refurbishment works to temporary accommodation at the school's previous site to accommodate the additional special classes
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs), for the development and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with special educational needs, including the establishment of special class and special school placements. In this regard, the NCSE will undertake the strategic review which was confirmed as part of the agreed record of a meeting with the school management and patron representatives. The outcome of this review will inform the medium to long term demand for special educational needs in the area.
Departmental Data
Questions (291)
Holly Cairns
Question:291. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the number of State boards under the remit of her Department or its agencies in tabular form; the number of members of each board; the number of women on each board; and the percentage of each board that is made up of women. [49556/21]
View answerWritten answers
The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the 11 State Boards that fall within the remit of my Department, is provided in the attached table.
|
Name of aegis body |
Number of board members |
Number of women on board |
% of women on board |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) |
12 |
6 |
50% |
|
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA) |
5 |
3 |
60% |
|
Educational Research Centre (ERC) |
5 |
1 |
20% |
|
National Centre for Guidance Education (NCGE) Management Committee |
14 |
9 |
64% |
|
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) |
25 |
15 |
60% |
|
National Council for Special Education (NCSE) |
13 |
6 |
46% |
|
Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) |
10 |
7 |
70% |
|
Residential Institutions Review Committee (RIRC) |
5 |
1 |
20% |
|
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board (RISF) Caranua |
4 |
1 |
25% |
|
State Examinations Commission |
5 |
2 |
40% |
|
The Teaching Council |
37 |
18 |
49% |
Departmental Strategies
Questions (292)
Paul Murphy
Question:292. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education when she will publish her Department’s new strategy for education for sustainable development. [49571/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science and I announced a public consultation on a new strategy for Education for Sustainable Development earlier this year, which was conducted between April and June 2021.
Almost 100 detailed submissions were received in addition to approximately 150 responses to an on-line survey. Officials in both departments are currently working through the detailed submissions to identify the key themes emerging and the actions proposed. We are also engaging with the key stakeholders who will deliver on some of the actions. The Departments are also working with a number of other Departments to identify where policy alignment will be required. An ESD Forum will be held towards the end of November as a final stage of the public consultation process.
Significant work was done under the first ESD Strategy (2014 – 2020) to lay the foundations, integrating ESD into the curriculum, into Initial Teacher Education and Continuing Professional Development programmes and into the inspection and assessment processes.
ESD to 2030 will build on this work, in line with UNESCO’s framework for ESD for 2030, which includes five key pillars: Policy Coherence, Transforming Learning and Training Environments, Building Capacity for Educators and Trainers, Empowering and Mobilising Youth and Community Engagement.
It is expected that the new strategy for ESD to 2030 will be published during the first quarter of 2022.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (293)
Bríd Smith
Question:293. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education her views on the situation in which children who have moderate to severe additional speech and language and occupational therapy needs are placed in a mainstream ASD class setting in none of those needs that are met; her further views on whether this is not meeting the needs of the most vulnerable children; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49606/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department aims to ensure that all children with special educational needs are provided with an education appropriate to their needs.
Where possible, children with special educational needs are educated in mainstream classes alongside their peers unless to do so would not be in the best interests of the pupils concerned or the other pupils in the class. This approach is consistent with the provisions of Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004.
Children with special educational needs in a mainstream classes receive additional supports including teaching and care in line with their level of need.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), an agency of my Department provides evidence based policy advice on special educational matters and the nature and scope of education provision and supports required to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs.
In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialist placements, special school or special class places are provided for. These placements cater for designated categories of educational need including speech and language. These settings have reduced pupil:teacher ratios and allocations of SNA in accordance with the level of complexity of need. A recommendation by an appropriate professional is required to access a specialist placement.
In general, speech and language and occupational therapy supports are provided by the HSE.
Currently, my Department’s budget for special education exceeds €2bn which funds the costs of almost 14,000 special education teachers and 18,000 SNAs which supports a broad continuum of education for children with special needs.
School Staff
Questions (294)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:294. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education if she will retain the developing school post at a school (details supplied) in which the risk of losing a teacher will result in classroom overcrowding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49607/21]
View answerWritten answers
The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. Primary schools are currently provided with class teachers on the basis of one teacher for every 25 pupils which is at its historically lowest level. In addition, there has been a three point reduction in the retention schedule, which will assist schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts.
The staffing arrangements at primary level include a provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds. The school referred to by the Deputy has been allocated such a post on a temporary basis pending confirmation of enrolments on 30th September. The Department is currently processing enrolment returns from schools.
The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board will meet shortly to consider staffing appeals from schools in respect of the 2021/22 school year. Information on the appeals process is available in Circular 0019/2021.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (295)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:295. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education her views on whether the needs of children that have moderate to severe requirement for additional speech and language and occupational therapy are being met by placing them in a mainstream or mainstream ASD class settings in which none of those needs are met; and when this matter will be fully addressed. [49635/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department aims to ensure that all children with special educational needs are provided with an education appropriate to their needs.
Where possible, children with special educational needs are educated in mainstream classes alongside their peers unless to do so would not be in the best interests of the pupils concerned or the other pupils in the class. This approach is consistent with the provisions of Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004.
Children with special educational needs in a mainstream classes receive additional supports including teaching and care in line with their level of need.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), an agency of my Department provides evidence based policy advice on special educational matters and the nature and scope of education provision and supports required to meet the needs of children and young people with special educational needs.
In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialist placements, special school or special class places are provided for. These placements cater for designated categories of educational need including speech and language. These settings have reduced pupil:teacher ratios and allocations of SNA in accordance with the level of complexity of need. A recommendation by an appropriate professional is required to access a specialist placement.
In general, speech and language and occupational therapy supports are provided by the HSE.
Currently, my Department’s budget for special education exceeds €2bn which funds the costs of almost 14,000 special education teachers and 18,000 SNAs which supports a broad continuum of education for children with special needs.
School Curriculum
Questions (296)
Steven Matthews
Question:296. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to proposals by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment that appear to suggest a change in the Irish leaving certificate exam for students in Gaelscoileanna; if she will outline the full consultation process for such a change; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49662/21]
View answerWritten answers
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) is currently consulting on draft specifications for Leaving Certificate Irish. The L1 specification is aimed at students in Irish medium schools, including native speakers, and the L2 specification is aimed at students in English medium schools where Irish is taught as a second language. Schools participating in the Gaeltacht recognition scheme will be required to provide at least the L1 specification and English medium schools will have the option of providing the L1 and/or the L2 depending on the needs of students.
The NCCA is using a range of consultation techniques including an online survey, focus group and bilateral meetings, and written submissions to gather and record the experiences and perspectives of participants on all aspects of the draft specifications, including the types of learning, teaching and assessment experiences set out for students. Bi-lateral discussions, information sessions and consultative focus groups continued over the summer period with stakeholders not directly involved in school settings.
Based on stakeholder feedback to-date, stakeholder requests and given the challenging contexts in which our schools, teachers and students have been operating under due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the NCCA extended the current consultation period until the end of November 2021. The online consultation surveys will remain open until 5pm on 30 November 2021, while written submissions will also be accepted until that time. Once the consultation closes, a detailed analysis of all feedback will be conducted and an interim consultation report will be presented to NCCA Council in early 2022.
In addition to the consultation on the new draft Leaving Certificate specifications, the NCCA are undertaking an early enactment review of the new Junior Cycle Irish L1 and L2 specifications. This review will provide teachers and students with opportunities to share their insights, experiences, and views on implementing the Junior Cycle Irish specifications to-date. It is expected that the results of this review will be considered by the NCCA council in early 2022.
Education and Training Boards
Questions (297)
Niamh Smyth
Question:297. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the number of buildings being rented by the CMETB in County Cavan; the address of each building; and the cost to rent these per annum. [49681/21]
View answerWritten answers
Cavan and Monaghan ETB has confirmed to my Department that it is currently renting or leasing 9 properties in Co. Cavan. The table below sets out the address of each property along with the agreed annual cost of rental.
|
Property Name |
Address |
Agreed annual Cost of lease or rental(€) |
|
CMETB Sub Office |
Church View Square, Cavan |
289,050 |
|
Youthreach Cavan |
Moynehall, Cavan |
33,000 |
|
Cavan Institute Premises 1 |
Hampton Court, Cootehill Road, Cavan |
252,822 |
|
Cavan Institute Premises 3 |
Ballinagh Road, Moynehall, Cavan |
55,000 |
|
Cavan Institute Premises 4 |
2 Cootehill Road, Cavan |
18,450 |
|
Cavan Institute Premises 2 |
Main St, Cavan (St. Clare's) |
85,000 |
|
Youthreach Cootehill |
1 Drumlin Drive, Magheranure, Cootehill, Co Cavan |
60,000 |
|
Cavan Adult Education |
Unit 20 Church View Square Cavan |
18,000 |
|
Virgina Show Centre |
Virgina, Co. Cavan |
65,000 |
Covid-19 Pandemic
Questions (298)
Paul Murphy
Question:298. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if secondary schools will take into account the difficulties that many transition year students face in trying to get relevant work experience at this time due to the ongoing impact of the Covid-19 pandemic when outlining the requirements as part of the transition year programme. [49682/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is very aware of the challenges that pertain to Transition Year students trying to obtain relevant work experience at this time. My Department has already provided schools with a series of updated curriculum and assessment guidance and advice notes and work experience has been part of this communication.
It is expected that students will complete work experience in a workplace environment, where possible. However, if access to work experience is delayed or a student encounters difficulties in sourcing a work experience placement due to COVID-19, it may be necessary to put alternative learning experiences in place for those students.
Where facilitating work experience is proving challenging, schools could plan for the provision of alternative equivalent learning. This could include:
- the non-experiential aspects of work experience such as careers investigations;
- modules in employment skills including, for example, online courses/modules on Health and Safety in work;
- virtual tours of workplaces, businesses and companies.
Other alternative approaches to work placement may be considered, including:
- Education partnerships : Schools linking with local businesses, Local Enterprise Offices or further education facilities to explore options for remote learning for their students. Opportunities to provide remote tours of local industries, virtual job shadowing and question and answer sessions with those in key roles may provide useful insights into the world of work;
- Mentoring: In addition to the local partnerships, students may be able to access mentors in industries they are interested in. These mentor sessions could be accessed virtually;
- Online training: Students may be able to access online training courses in areas they have identified as relevant to their area of interest. There are free online courses in areas relevant to the world of work that could provide additional training, assessment and certification opportunities for students.
School Staff
Questions (299)
Pauline Tully
Question:299. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the situation in which teacher's salary payments for the summer programme is marked as autistic programme; if she will instruct her Department to cease the use of this terminology and instead refer to the school-based summer programme and the home-based summer programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49688/21]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that the extended Summer Education Programme, which was in place until 2020, and which was often referred to as the July Provision programme, initially provided for pupils who had Autism, or who had severe and profound learning difficulties.
Since the summer of 2020, and again in 2021, the Department has made provision for a significantly expanded summer education programme, for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a COVID-19 pandemic response measure.
Due to an administrative error this term was incorrectly referenced on payslips.
I have received assurances that this inappropriate description will not be used on future payslips, and that it will be amended.
I also wish to re-emphasise my commitment to supporting children with special educational needs, or additional learning needs, and their families, particularly at this difficult time.
€40 Million has been allocated for this year’s enhanced summer education programme, while €10 million has also been spent this year on a Supplementary Education scheme, which provided extra teaching support for pupils with complex special educational needs.
A COVID Learning and Support Scheme (CLASS) is also being put in place to help schools mitigate the adverse impacts of Covid-19 on pupil/student learning loss and wellbeing arising from the periods of school closures in 2020 and 2021.
Under the Covid Learning and Support programme, provision is being made for up to €52 Million in extra teaching hours for schools.
When combined with the additional provision now being made for the COVID Learning and Support Scheme (CLASS), this will bring the total package of support for enhanced educational programmes this year to over €100 Million
School Transport
Questions (300)
Seán Sherlock
Question:300. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she will amend the concessionary scheme for a family (details supplied). [49700/21]
View answerWritten answers
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.
Under the terms of the Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on 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 and who apply for school transport are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Bus Éireann has advised that their service supervisor recently checked the distance from home to school for the family in question and has confirmed that the family to whom the Deputy refers resides 2.6kms from the school that they are attending and therefore they are not eligible for school transport. The pupils in question were unsuccessful in obtaining seats under the selection process for concessionary pupils for the 21/22 school year.
School Staff
Questions (301)
Joe Carey
Question:301. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education the progress made in relation to the terms and conditions of school secretaries and caretakers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49707/21]
View answerWritten answers
School secretaries and caretakers are valued members of our school communities and my Department is fully aware of the vitally important role played by them in the running of our schools.
The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools receive assistance to provide for secretarial, caretaking and cleaning services under grant schemes. Where a school employs a staff member to support these functions those staff are employees of individual schools and responsibility for terms of employment rests with the school.
The Department previously fully implemented and funded the 2015 recommendations of an independent arbitrator for a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period. Fórsa trade union has tabled a follow-on claim and officials from the Department and school management bodies have been engaging with Fórsa on the issues. On the 27th of October 2020, under the auspices of the WRC, an understanding was agreed on a pathway to progress the issues. Several key strands have been identified, and a phased approach is being taken to the development of proposals.
Following intensive discussions at the WRC on 13th September, there has been significant progress in this dispute. Subject to agreement on all elements of the claim, the Department has offered to move School Secretaries’ pay rates to a scale which is aligned with the Clerical Officer Grade III pay scale within education and training boards on a pro rata basis with an effective date of implementation for these new pay arrangements of 1st September 2021. Pay rates will be pro rata according to a secretary’s current working pattern. The assimilation of School Secretaries to the CO Grade III pay scale will require further dialogue between the parties and further engagement is taking place at present to allow this to be finalised.
My Department has also offered to improve the conditions for School Secretaries with regard to sick leave, annual leave and maternity provisions for this cohort of staff. This will take place via direct engagement with the unions in the coming weeks in addition to engagement on other elements of the claim and subject to all elements being agreed.
While there is agreement in principle to take the same approach to the consideration of appropriate pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers there remains a deficit of data on working terms and conditions of such staff. When the final package for secretaries has been agreed and an implementation plan in place for schools and DE, that intensive engagement will begin on regularising the pay and conditions of grant funded caretakers.
I welcomed the deferral of the action scheduled for Wednesday 15th September and I encourage all parties to focus on finalising an agreement.
School Patronage
Questions (302, 303, 304)
Cian O'Callaghan
Question:302. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 375 of 5 October 2021, the part the absence of non-denominational and coeducational schools play in planning the provision of school places in the Killester, Raheny and Clontarf area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49718/21]
View answerCian O'Callaghan
Question:303. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 375 of 5 October 2021, if the development of a new school is only dependant on the number of school-age children in an area; if not, the other factors that such a development is dependent on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49719/21]
View answerCian O'Callaghan
Question:304. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 375 of 5 October 2021, the process for taking account of the children from non-religious backgrounds, children of minority religions or children who wish to attend a co-educational school in assessing the need for a new school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [49720/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 302, 303 and 304 together.
New schools are established by my Department on the basis of identified demographic demand in an area, and only after consideration of the capacity of existing schools to absorb the expected school place demand.
As set out for the Deputy previously, in 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.
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date information on significant new residential development in each area. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
The New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG) is an external independent advisory group which was set up in 2011 to advise the Minister on the patronage of new schools. A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. The patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons.
An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) provides objective information to parents in the relevant school planning areas to assist them in making an informed choice about their preferred model of patronage and language of instruction for the new school. A prospective patron can choose the school(s) it wishes to apply for and complete an application form in that regard for each school, for submission to my Department. The Department provides details on the OPPS of the school(s) and the list of applicant patrons which have applied for patronage of the school(s). Parents access the OPPS website, which allows them to access the appropriate survey for their area, to input the details of the eligible child(ren) and to select their preferred patron and language of instruction (where applicable). Parental preferences from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of the process.
Following their consideration of my Department’s assessment reports, the NSEG submits a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are made available on my Department's website.
The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review. Additionally, my Department will continue to liaise with Dublin City Council in respect of its review of the Dublin City Development Plan with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements.
Question No. 303 answered with Question No. 302.
Question No. 304 answered with Question No. 302.
Departmental Contracts
Questions (305)
Catherine Connolly
Question:305. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the number and value all procurement contracts that took place by way of negotiated procedure without prior publication in 2020 and to date in 2021; and the date, value and purpose of each negotiated procedure contract in tabular form. [49726/21]
View answerWritten answers
The details regarding procurements that took place by way of negotiated procedure without prior publication in 2020 and 2021 for my Department are listed in tabular form in the attached table. Eleven contracts with a total value of €3,990,113 were placed in 2020 and twelve contracts were placed or continued (from 2020) in 2021 with an aggregated spend to date of €5,880,646.
|
Date |
Value -2020 |
Value - 2021 |
Purpose |
|
01/01/2020 |
€672,771 |
€379,651 |
The continued provision and upgrade of payroll system software. |
|
31/01/2020 |
€30,299 |
€42,417 |
The continued provision of a reporting tool for a legacy ICT system. |
|
28/02/2020 |
€34,129 |
€26,857 |
The provision of software support for legacy systems. |
|
09/03/2020 |
€191,875 |
€101,200 |
Completion of the payroll modernisation requirements with the sole supplier of legacy time and attendance system for ETB apprentices / learners. |
|
31/03/2020 |
€188,745 |
€22,837 |
To develop and maintain the Calculated Grades model for the Leaving Certificate examinations |
|
22/04/2020 |
€1,443,344 |
€1,184,668 |
The provision of software support for payroll and FMS systems. |
|
05/05/2020 |
€36,883 |
€9,221 |
To support data migration from historic systems to a new payroll system with a sole supplier. |
|
01/07/2020 |
€160,000 |
€0 |
Continued provision, support and maintenance of routers in schools. |
|
30/07/2020 |
€43,306 |
€0 |
A service was modified, as a consequence of COVID-19, to provide catering for essential on-site operations. |
|
31/08/2020 |
€193,971 |
€104,939 |
A service to undertake COVID-19 health risk categorisation assessments in the school sector was placed with an existing provider. |
|
01/09/2020 |
€994,790 |
€3,540,000 |
Fire Consultancy Services for remediation of issues discovered in school buildings |
|
12/02/2021 |
€0 |
€28,510 |
The continued provision of online forms software support |
|
07/03/2021 |
€0 |
€390,346 |
To review the Calculated Grades coding for the Leaving Certificate examinations |
|
27/08/2021 |
€0 |
€50,000 |
Continued provision of software used for the Design, Communications and Graphics Leaving Cert examination subject. |