Bríd Smith
Question:564. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) has onsite therapists and behaviour therapists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50696/21]
View answerSpecial Educational Needs
Questions (564)
Written answers
Special schools generally cater for children with the most complex needs. Accordingly, these schools have enhanced staffing levels with greatly reduced pupil/teacher and SNA staffing allocations.
In general, speech and language and occupational therapy supports are provided by the HSE.
On an ongoing basis, special schools also have access to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) advisory support service which advises on children with the most complex needs, including behavioural needs.
Special schools in a start-up situation are targeted for specific support. Care is taken in the planning of these schools and the provision of specialist training and support. A bespoke package of CPD and professional learning for the staff of this new school is currently taking place with inputs from my Department, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and the relevant agencies including the NCSE. This school will also continue to be supported by NEPS.
I can assure the Deputy that my Department and NCSE will continue to prioritise this school for support.
School Staff
Questions (565)
Fergus O'Dowd
Question:565. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education if she will respond to concerns raised by a person (details supplied) in respect of circular 0050/2021 and principal release days; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50721/21]
View answerWritten answers
I am keenly aware of the huge contribution made by all Principals in our schools, including teaching principals.
The COVID-19 supports provided under The Roadmap for the Full Return to School in 2020, included specific funding to support Principals who undertake teaching duties in primary schools. This funding provided each teaching principal with a minimum of one release day per week. Schools have been advised that, in the context of COVID-19, the additional allocation of Principal Release Days will remain in place for the 2021/22 school year and each school with a teaching principal will have 37 Principal Release Days.
Budget 2022 has maintained these Principal Release Days going forward.
Further and Higher Education
Questions (566)
Noel Grealish
Question:566. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education the status of her plans for the former Technological University of Dublin Conservatory of Music campus in Rathmines, Dublin 6; if space at the buildings will be made available to the adjacent Rathmines College of Further Education following the current temporary allocation of the buildings to a school (details supplied); the steps she will take to ensure that the current overcrowding at Rathmines College of Further Education is remedied by the long-term allocation of space at the former Technological University of Dublin buildings to it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50726/21]
View answerWritten answers
The former Technological University of Dublin Conservatory of Music campus in Rathmines, Dublin 6 is in the ownership of my Department. Currently Harcourt Terrace Educate Together National School are using the property under an arrangement with my Department. This building was identified as a temporary location for the school for the next number of years pending the development of their permanent at school at Harcourt Terrace.
Earlier this year my Department reviewed the facilities in the Rathmines building to identify how best it could be used and whether it could support the co-location of a number of entities. Following this assessment, however, it was identified that the building had a number of severe limitations, in particular the limited number of toilets and the location of toilets within the building. Unfortunately, the layout of the building does not support the subdividing of the building for use by different users where there would be a need to separate those users, as would be the case if primary school-aged pupils were to share the building with adult students who would attend a college of further education. While there are a number of modular units located in a yard attached to the building, the primary school pupils would be using this yard as a play area. Again, it would not be appropriate to have primary-aged pupils and adult students sharing the one area.
It is planned to use the property as a regional solution for a post-primary school for the Dublin 2 and Dublin 4 school planning area.
Regarding the current overcrowding at Rathmines College of Further Education this is a matter for the City of Dublin Education Training Board (CDETB) in conjunction with SOLAS and my colleague the Minister for Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
After-School Support Services
Questions (567)
Joan Collins
Question:567. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education if she will address a matter regarding the case of a school (details supplied). [50732/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department provides a number of policies and programmes which are supportive of homework clubs for students at risk of educational disadvantage.
All DEIS schools receive an additional DEIS grant which is to be used to support the implementation of the schools’ DEIS Action Plan for Improvement. This Plan sets targets under key themes, such as attendance, retention, progression, literacy and numeracy, partnership, transition, wellbeing and examination attainment (post-primary only). A key focus of these themes is that they are targeted at those students most at risk of educational disadvantage. It is a matter for the school Board of Management to allocate DEIS grant funding so that it targets those students deemed most in need which can include afterschool activities.
The School Completion Programme (SCP) is a key support under my Department’s Delivering Equality of Opportunity in School (DEIS) programme. Tusla is responsible for the operational management and delivery of SCP.
In relation to the school in question, I am informed by Tusla that the SCP Local Management Committee is currently planning the suite of service provision, to ensure that all of the available SCP resource is maximised to support students in relation to school attendance, participation and retention across all schools in this SCP cluster. These interventions and supports may include afterschool clubs, which are allowable under the SCP funding.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (568)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:568. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) will have onsite therapists and behavioural therapists. [50858/21]
View answerWritten answers
Special schools generally cater for children with the most complex needs. Accordingly, these schools have enhanced staffing levels with greatly reduced pupil/teacher and SNA staffing allocations.
In general, speech and language and occupational therapy supports are provided by the HSE.
On an ongoing basis, special schools also have access to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) advisory support service which advises on children with the most complex needs, including behavioural needs.
Special schools in a start-up situation are targeted for specific support. Care is taken in the planning of these schools and the provision of specialist training and support. A bespoke package of CPD and professional learning for the staff of this new school is currently taking place with inputs from my Department, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and the relevant agencies including the NCSE. This school will also continue to be supported by NEPS.
I can assure the Deputy that my Department and NCSE will continue to prioritise this school for support.
Departmental Properties
Questions (569)
Cian O'Callaghan
Question:569. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the details of the process of when buildings are gifted to her Department to provide schools; the reason such gifts are not always accepted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50859/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department would consider any offer of a gift of a building for use as a school on a case-by-case basis
Some of the main considerations which apply in such an instance, as with any acquisition, would be the requirement for education provision in the area which could not be met from existing school capacity or by other planned future educational development in the area; the suitability of the property for use as a school; the cost of developing the property for school use, and proper legal title.
This list of considerations is not exhaustive as there may be other matters that may fall for consideration in a specific case.
Irish Language
Questions (570)
Pauline Tully
Question:570. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if she will begin an immediate consultation process to formulate the policy for Irish in the education system from preschool to third-level and immediately stop the introduction of new specifications for the leaving certificate and all other consultations relating to the Irish language until this policy is formulated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50864/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is working on an ongoing basis on the initial planning required for the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside the Gaeltacht. This policy is part of the overall framework of the 20-year Strategy for the Irish language and will complement and build on the achievements of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education. Planning underway will include the development of a consultation framework to ensure the meaningful engagement of stakeholders throughout the process to inform the development of the policy.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) consultation on the new draft specifications for Leaving Certificate Irish is still underway. The NCCA is using a range of consultation techniques including an online survey, focus groups, information meetings 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. The consultation will remain open until 30 November 2021. 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 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.
Following the completion of the consultation process and analysis of feedback, my Department will carefully consider the feedback received during the consultation process.
After-School Support Services
Questions (571)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Question:571. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) has been told by its school completion programme co-ordinator that it can no longer use school completion programme funding to subsidise its after school club; the other Departmental funding available for this key element of the school completion programme in this and other schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50865/21]
View answerWritten answers
My Department provides a number of policies and programmes which are supportive of homework clubs for students at risk of educational disadvantage.
All DEIS schools receive an additional DEIS grant which is to be used to support the implementation of the schools’ DEIS Action Plan for Improvement. This Plan sets targets under key themes, such as attendance, retention, progression, literacy and numeracy, partnership, transition, wellbeing and examination attainment (post-primary only). A key focus of these themes is that they are targeted at those students most at risk of educational disadvantage. It is a matter for the school Board of Management to allocate DEIS grant funding so that it targets those students deemed most in need which can include afterschool activities.
The School Completion Programme (SCP) is a key support under my Department’s Delivering Equality of Opportunity in School (DEIS) programme. Tusla is responsible for the operational management and delivery of SCP.
In relation to the school in question, I am informed by Tusla that the SCP Local Management Committee is currently planning the suite of service provision, to ensure that all of the available SCP resource is maximised to support students in relation to school attendance, participation and retention across all schools in this SCP cluster. These interventions and supports may include afterschool clubs, which are allowable under the SCP funding.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (572)
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:572. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the number of approved ASD classes for secondary level schools in the Ballincollig catchment area; the timelines for each of these classes to be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50881/21]
View answerWritten answers
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory function to plan and co-ordinate the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, in consultation with the relevant education partners and the Health Service Executive (HSE). This includes the establishment of special class and special school placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.
In deciding where to establish a special class in an area, the NCSE takes account of the current and projected demand and the available school accommodation both current and planned. The Council ensures that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements.
Major buildings projects that include accommodation for special classes are being planned for two post primary schools in Ballincollig, Le Chéile Secondary School and Coláiste Choilm.
Le Chéile Secondary School opened in interim accommodation in September 2021. It is my Department's intention to make provision for two special classes in the school's interim accommodation for September 2022. This is subject to planning permission being granted by the local authority.
The process to secure a site to construct a new 1,000 pupil school, to include a 4-classroom special education needs (SEN) base for the school has been initiated.
In relation to Coláiste Choilm, a major building project to provide permanent accommodation for 1,300 pupils is currently at stage 1 of the architectural planning process. The project, when completed, will include accommodation for a 2-classroom SEN base.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (573)
Aindrias Moynihan
Question:573. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the number of approved ASD classes for primary level schools in the Ballincollig catchment area; the timelines for each of these classes to be delivered; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50915/21]
View answerWritten answers
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
Next year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing additional teaching and care supports for children with special educational needs.
An additional 269 special classes have opened this school-year. This brings the total number of special classes nationally to 2,118. The new classes provide 1,600 additional places, spread right throughout the country.
Two new special schools have also opened recently, one in Dublin and one in Cork.
The additional provision secured in Budget 2022 for measures supporting children with special educational needs also includes an additional 360 new teaching posts which will facilitate the opening of 287 new special classes next year providing over 1,700 new places in 2022 and 140 new special school places.
Despite this unprecedented increase, I am very aware of the need for further specialist education places in a small number of areas.
I can confirm that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have specific plans in place for the establishment of new special classes and continue to engage with schools and my Department's Planning and Building Unit regarding planned school building projects in the area referred to by the Deputy.
I acknowledge that any delay in securing a suitable school placement can cause much anguish for parents and families involved.
My Department and the NCSE have therefore put in place new planning structures and procedures to ensure sufficient places become available to meet local need. As new need emerges, there is a cohesive response available to ensure places become available in a timely and targeted way.
The willingness of school communities to open special classes is central to ensuring that every child can obtain a suitable placement. My Department and the NCSE can provide the necessary funding, teaching and SNA resources, professional supports and training so that the required special class places can be provided as soon as possible.
I can reassure the Deputy that the local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) continue to be available to assist and advise both schools and the parents of children with special educational needs.
Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list .
A full list of all schools with special classes is also available on the NCSE website.
School Accommodation
Questions (574)
Jennifer Whitmore
Question:574. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education the date of expiry of the temporary buildings in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [50919/21]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that the need for rental of temporary accommodation at the school in question is expected to continue until the permanent building project for the school is completed.
My Department will continue to liaise directly with the Patron of the school in relation to the school's accommodation needs.
School Staff
Questions (575)
Michael Fitzmaurice
Question:575. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question number 258 of 30 September 2021, when a payment will issue to a person (details supplied) by the Department for teaching services within a school from September 2020 to May 2021 in view that the date of registration for the post primary qualification level was updated by the Teaching Council in July 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51042/21]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that the person referred to in this question has recently had the date of registration for their post primary qualification level updated by the Teaching Council.
An amendment has been made to the teachers service record, in order to reflect this, and to regrade the service referred to as teaching services. A payment for arrears arsing from this regarding will be paid to this teacher at the next available paydate, on 21/10/2021.
School Transport
Questions (576)
Frank Feighan
Question:576. Deputy Frankie Feighan asked the Minister for Education if additional school transport will be provided for nine students in a rural school (details supplied) in County Leitrim that were unable to obtain seats in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51043/21]
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 Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest primary school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
All children who are eligible and who completed the application and payment process on time for the 2021/22 school year are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who apply for school transport, but who are not eligible, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats. Due to the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann allocates tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Under the terms of the scheme, the availability of concessionary transport varies from year to year based on the capacity on the buses running on all of the various routes and the number of eligible children accommodated on each route. Routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.
Bus Eireann has confirmed that one mainstream service operates into the school to whom the Deputy refers. lt is a sixteen seat vehicle with 5 eligible pupils and 10 concessionary pupils onboard. Eight concessionary pupils were not successsful in acquiring a ticket in the selection process. Bus Éireann has confirmed that these pupils are not eligible for transport as they are not attending their closest school.
School Staff
Questions (577)
Cathal Crowe
Question:577. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education the way that section 6 of Circular 50/2021 relating to sequencing of access to substitution for primary teachers will operate in practical terms. [51045/21]
View answerWritten answers
The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).
In accordance with Department Circular 0044/2019 schools are required to employ appropriately qualified and registered teachers and ensure that unemployed teachers should be offered employment in preference to those who have retired.
Number 6. of Circular 0050/2021 sets out the sequencing of access to substitution for primary schools to assist in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Schools should have plans in place to access substitutes in the sequence outlined below.
Sequence for covering all teacher absences:
- Supply panel if the school is part of a supply panel cluster arrangement,
- School’s own panel of regular substitutes,
- National substitute service,
- Administrative Principal if applicable
- Local arrangements that facilitate the pupils to be supervised in a manner that does not involve them being split between existing classes in classrooms
Special Educational Needs
Questions (578)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:578. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of the 145 special education teacher posts promised under Budget 2021 that have been hired. [51052/21]
View answerWritten answers
The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
Under the allocation model, schools have been provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation is designed to give a fair allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the level of need in each school.
Schools are frontloaded with resources, based on each school’s profile. The allocations to schools include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.
The total number of SETs has increased by 39% since 2011, from 9,740 at that time, to over 13,600 at present.
Budget 2021 provided for an additional 145 special education teachers half of which have been allocated to schools. The remainder of this provision will be allocated by the end of 2021 to schools that achieve developing school status and those who qualify for an increase following an exceptional needs review .
Both the Department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which their school profiles have been calculated.
Accordingly, a number of review processes have been put in place to support schools.
A process is in place to address circumstances where the school profile significantly changed following the allocation process e.g. a developing school where the net enrolment numbers significantly increased.
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.
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.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (579, 580)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:579. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of the 990 SNA posts promised under Budget 2021 that have been hired.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51053/21]
View answerDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:580. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if the funding for any SNAs not delivered under Budget 2021 was carried over into Budget 2022. [51054/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 580 together.
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 are at unprecedented levels.
Following Budget 2021, it is expected that a total of 18,004 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts will have been allocated to primary, post primary and special schools by the end of December 2021 .
The allocation of SNA posts for 2021 will continue until the end of December 2021.
The NCSE advises that of the 990 post sanction in last year’s budget, 919 have been allocated to date and the remaining 71 will be allocated before the 31st December 2021.
Budget 2022 announced details of €9.2 billion in funding for education and includes funding for an additional 1,165 additional special needs assistants to provide support to children with special educational needs, bringing the total number of SNAs to 19,169. This represents an increase of 81% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.
The allocation of 1,165 SNAs announced in Budget 2022 is to meet the care needs of pupils in2022 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support children in mainstream classes for the 2022/23 school year.
The allocation of the 1,165 SNA posts covers primary and post-primary schools as follows:
- 574 to support students in new special classes
- 46 to support students in new special school places
- 545 to support students in mainstream classes
The special education funding for 2022 is over a quarter of the current expenditure budget for the Department of Education.
Question No. 580 answered with Question No. 579.
Disadvantaged Status
Questions (581, 583, 586)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:581. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of schools that will benefit from DEIS status under the €18 million funding announced in Budget 2022. [51055/21]
View answerDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:583. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the breakdown of the €18 million allocated to DEIS in Budget 2022 in tabular form. [51057/21]
View answerDonnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:586. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of additional home school community liaison coordinator posts; and the amount of additional funding for the school completion programme that has been secured within the €18 million allocated to DEIS in Budget 2022. [51060/21]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 581, 583 and 586 together.
Budget 2022 has provided for an allocation of €18million for 2022 and €32million for 2023 to extend the DEIS programme to further schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. This represents an increase of over 20% in funding for the DEIS programme and will enable an expansion in 2022 of the programme to further schools.
This package follows an extensive body of work which has been under taken by the DEIS technical group in relation to the development of a model to identify the concentrated levels of disadvantage of schools. The refined model is an objective, statistics based process, based on school enrolment data and data available from Census 2016 under the HP Deprivation Index.
This work involved an initial process of consultation by my Department with the education partners on the technical aspects of the model. Over the coming weeks there will be further consultation with relevant stakeholders to outline the components of the model. The purpose is to ensure that, as far as possible, the refined DEIS identification model can provide an objective and independent means of identifying schools serving high concentrations of pupils at risk of educational disadvantage and also to ensure there is a full understanding of the refined model and its potential application.
The costing of DEIS supports vary from school to school depending on enrolment and the profile of a given school. A definitive breakdown of the numbers of schools to be supported will not be available until the current phase of work is completed.
The full list of supports available to DEIS schools is available on my Department's website at the following link: www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Supporting-Information/Supports-to-DEIS-Schools.html
School Transport
Questions (582)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Question:582. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the way the €30 million investment in school transport in Budget 2022 will be designated; the number of additional places on the scheme this will provide in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [51056/21]
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.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who completed the application and payment process on time for the 2021/22 school year are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. This year I have extended measures to all post-primary pupils who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and who have applied and paid on time so that they will be accommodated on school transport services. This arrangement is in place for current school year pending completion of the full review of the School Transport Scheme.
To date in the 2021/22 school year some 104,324 tickets have been issued for children availing of transport on the Primary and Post-Primary School Transport Schemes. In addition services are operating or have been sanctioned to provide transport for some 15,800 children on the School Transport Scheme for children with special educational needs, giving a total of 120,124 children availing of transport services. This figure is subject to change as Bus Éireann continues to offer tickets where capacity exists once all eligible children have been accommodated.
Based on an analysis conducted for phase 1 of the review of the School Transport Scheme it is projected that nationally numbers of children to avail of school transport will increase to a projected 125,220 children in 2022, including some 15,969 children on SEN transport services.
The increased investment on the scheme is due in the main to the cost of contractors to cater for the increase in pupil numbers projected in 2022. In addition the expected increase of children requiring transport on the scheme for children with special educational needs will result in a subsequent increase in the number of School Bus Escorts required and this is factored into the additional costs for 2022. As these figures are projected on a national basis it is not possible to provide the information in tabular format as requested by the Deputy.
The Deputy may also be aware that my Department commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme earlier this year. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately.
Following commencement of this review the Steering Group recently presented me with an initial interim report on eligibility with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school. Following consideration of this report, I approved the extension of temporary alleviation measures for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and have applied and paid on time.
Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme will take place in the next phase of the review which is now underway. The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses, with a view to presenting a final report with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.
Question No. 583 answered with Question No. 581.