Written Answers Nos. 802-818
802. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied that classrooms are sufficiently warm for children and staff with respiratory conditions given the low temperatures recorded due to the open windows policy and that such low temperatures can exacerbate lung conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1573/22]
View answerManaging ventilation is one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe.
The Expert Group note in its own report that very good advice is contained in the Department of Education’s Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools.
They also note that it must be emphasised that ventilation should be delivered as part of a layered strategy of protective measures to control the spread of the virus that causes COVID-19. Along with these preventative actions, ventilation further reduces the risk of COVID-19 transmission 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 and partially open when classrooms are in use.
The Departments Guidance is clear that where the recommended measures in the Practical Steps and poor ventilation continues to exist in a particular room/area, air cleaners may be considered as an additional measure in conjunction with other methods of ventilation that are available. This is line with Expert Group guidance which identifies that in areas with poor ventilation that structural interventions and measures to increase natural ventilation should be completed.
In the current climate and unique circumstances presented by COVID 19 it is important that schools find a balance between comfort levels and ventilation.
The Department’s guidance on ventilation aims to assist schools achieve this balance. The following points are noted in guidance:
- The guidance provide to all schools advised that “the over-arching approach for schools should be 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. It is worth noting that windows do not need to be open as wide in windy/colder weather in order to achieve the same level of airflow into the classroom. This will assist in managing comfort levels in classrooms during periods of colder weather.
- Similarly ensuring that at the end of the school day each evening, the windows in each room are opened (as wide as is practical and safe, while also considering security issues) for at least 15 minutes to ventilate the room fully will ensure that the classrooms are ventilated from the night before and this does not need to be repeated prior to class in the morning. During this first class of the school day windows should, weather conditions permitting, be partially opened (as per guidance in this document) to keep the room fresh and prevent stuffiness and condensation etc. This is in addition to and complements the end-of-day ventilation described above.
- Achieving fresh air by having a number of windows partially opened as required rather than one window fully open can help to maximise the use of window driven natural ventilation distribution across the room without causing discomfort. In colder weather any local chilling effect can be offset by partially opening the windows nearest to and above the radiators.
- As part of managing comfort levels in classrooms, schools should check that their boilers operation temperatures are set at the recommended manufacturers’ guidance levels to maximise the available heat to the school.
- In addition, heating should operate for extended periods during colder weather to counteract, as best as possible, the impact of windows being open (partially when classrooms are in use and fully when not in use) in order to maintain an appropriate balance between ventilation and comfort levels”
Schools can use their CO2 monitors to determine the quality of ventilation in their classrooms noting CO2 concentrations above 1400 – 1500 ppm are likely to be indicative of poor ventilation and therefore require ventilation to be increased by opening windows, doors etc. Correspondingly where monitors indicate good levels of ventilation there is no need to for additional ventilation.
Where a school cannot maintain good ventilation it is essential they contact their local engineer/ architect in order to determine how ventilation can be improved. If the school has difficulty sourcing a professional the Department can provide assistance.
805. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she will address the matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and the status of the project. [1610/22]
View answerThe building project for Carrigtwohill campus will accommodate two primary schools and one post-primary school when complete and is being delivered under the Department’s Design and Build Programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction.
On June 14th 2021, this campus project was included in a bundle of projects which were tendered to a newly established Design & Build Contractors Framework. The tenders were returned on October 27th 2021 and the tender assessment report from the Department's Project Manager has been recently received by the Department and is currently under review. It is anticipated that the Letter of Intent to appoint the Building Contractor will issue in the coming weeks in Quarter 1. Once a Contractor has been appointed, the Department will keep the school informed of the construction programme underpinning the contract.
With regard to the matter of road safety measures at the school's temporary site, the road network outside the school including traffic calming measures and pedestrian facilities are the responsibility of the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools to ensure that measures are in place to protect the safety of local school children.
806. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education the basis on which teachers deemed by medical consultants to be very high risk are being reclassified as high risk by a company (details supplied); if the medical reasons for this reclassification are being provided to those teachers; if not, if she will make them available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1617/22]
View answerThe most up to date guidance in respect of the higher risk categories, for the education sector staff was published by the HSE in July 2021. As with all other guidelines around public health measures, my Department has been led by expert medical advice provided by the Government through the HSE and other relevant public bodies. This HSE guidance was reviewed by these medical experts in December 2021.
My Department’s Circular Letter 0042/2021 details the current working arrangements and leave arrangements during the COVID-19 pandemic for teachers and special needs assistants employed in recognised primary and post primary schools. This Circular should be read in conjunction with Information Note TC 0001/2022 which was published on 18th January 2022.
The HSE advice on the ‘very high risk’ group is at link: www2.hse.ie/conditions/covid19/people-at-higher-risk/overview/. Having considered the most up to date HSE advice, if a teacher considers they are at very high risk of serious illness from contracting COVID-19, they may apply to the Occupational Health Service (Medmark) for a COVID-19 health risk assessment to be carried out. Having considered the medical information provided with the OHS Risk Assessment Questionnaire, the OHS will provide the teacher with a ‘COVID-19 Health Risk Categorisation Report’ which advises whether they are at a very high risk of serious illness from contracting COVID-19. The COVID-19 health risk categorisation assessments are performed by a team of qualified and experienced specialists in occupational medicine. Available medical evidence, including reports from treating consultants as well as vaccination status of SNAs, are considered during the OHS COVID-19 health risk categorisation assessment process.
A teacher who has been categorised by Medmark and considers that the OHS ‘COVID-19 Health Risk Categorisation Report’ places them in an incorrect risk category, may request a review. Medmark will re-evaluate the medical evidence provided. The teacher may provide additional medical evidence as part of the review process. In a situation where the review outcome is that the COVID-19 health risk categorisation remains the same, a further review will only be undertaken, where additional medical evidence indicates there has been a change in the teacher’s medical status or where there is a change in the HSE guidelines for the ‘high risk’ group.
My Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. These measures protect students, their parents and school staff and are very effective to help prevent and control COVID-19 in schools. My Department will continue to work closely with public health officials and the education stakeholders in respect of the safe operation of schools during COVID-19.
808. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the amount spent on social media by her Department and agencies under her remit in 2021; and the platforms the monies were spent on in tabular form. [1696/22]
View answerThe Department engaged in social media advertising in respect of the 2021 Leaving Certificate Accredited Grades and Examinations process and also to highlight the public health advice for all of the school community for the period outlined. The total cost of this social media advertising was €38,165.04.
This content was promoted on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
The Department also incurred costs for 2021 related to the provision of Irish Sign Language (ISL) in social media videos. The total cost of this was €8,081.41.
The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by the Department. Contact details for these bodies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query.
Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Education as at 11 May 2021
|
Name of Body |
Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas |
Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta Note 1 |
oireachtas@cogg.ie |
muireann@cogg.ie |
|
Educational Research Centre |
oireachtas.queries@erc.ie |
jude.cosgrove@erc.ie |
|
National Centre for Guidance in Education |
oireachtas@ncge.ie |
Jennifer.mckenzie@ncge.ie |
|
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment Note 2 |
oireactasqueries@ncca.ie |
Aine.ArmstrongFarrell@ncca.ie |
|
State Examinations Commission |
Oireachtas@examinations.ie |
Paddy.Quinn@examinations.ie |
|
The Teaching Council |
pqrep@teachingcouncil.ie |
Tomás Ó Ruairc |
|
National Council for Special Education |
oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie |
patrick.martin@ncse.ie and cindyjane.oconnell@ncse.ie |
|
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund – Caranua Note3 |
Hugh_Geoghegan@education.gov.ie |
Hugh_Geoghegan@education.gov.ie |
Note 1 – The designated officer responsible within An Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta is Muireann Ní Mhóráin
Note 2 – The spelling of the NCCA e-mail address to which Oireachtas queries may be addressed has been verified with the NCCA as being accurate
Note 3 –The Executive Office of Caranua (Residential Institutions Statutory Fund) has completed its work, work is now underway to address the winding up of Caranua. In the interim queries in regard to Caranua are being addressed by the Department of Education, pending the passing of legislation to address the windup. Contact details for a Departmental official are provided above.
809. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the amount spent on consultancy services by her Department in 2021; the reason for each consultancy; and the name of the consultancy in tabular form. [1714/22]
View answerInformation in relation to consultancy expenditure in my Department is compiled annually in respect of the previous year and published online at www.gov.ie/en/collection/department-of-education-and-skills-expenditure-on-consultancy/. The data in respect of 2021 will be compiled in the 1st quarter of 2022 and will be published online as soon as it is available.
810. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education the measures she will take to deliver on the commitment to have 400 non-denominational primary schools by 2030; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1739/22]
View answerThe Government’s objective is to have at least 400 multi-denominational schools in the primary system by 2030 to improve parental choice.
I fully support this commitment and am working with my Department to develop a number of different approaches in the context of an expanding population in some areas and an increasing demand for multi-denominational education. The Schools Reconfiguration process, along with approaches such as the patronage divesting process, voluntary reassignments of patronage under Section 8 of the Education Act 1998 and the patronage process for new schools, which includes consideration of parental preferences for different types of school patron, will contribute to the achievement of this target. In recent years there has been progress towards increasing the numbers of multi-denominational primary schools with the vast majority of new primary schools established to cater for demographic demand in the last decade having a multi-denominational ethos.
The Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process, supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local families, has been developed in order to accelerate the delivery of multi-denominational schools across the country. This Reconfiguration process involves the transfer of existing live schools as opposed to the amalgamation and/or closure model of the patronage divesting process.
Since 2011, 103 new primary and post-primary schools have been established for demographic reasons, 97 of which have a multi-denominational ethos
A further 12 primary schools have been established under the patronage divesting process, all of which have a multi-denominational ethos.
The “Early Movers” provision of the schools reconfiguration process enables school communities that have already decided to seek a transfer of patronage to engage with their school patron on the matter. A patron may transfer patronage under section 8 of the Education Act 1998. A number of patronage changes have taken place in recent years in this context, resulting in the provision of an additional 11 multi-denominational Community National Schools (three of which already had a multi-denominational ethos). In addition in 2021, an Irish-medium gaelscoil transferred patronage from its Catholic patron to An Foras Pátrúnachta. This school now offers parents of junior infants the choice of undertaking an Ethics and Morality Programme or a Catholic Programme.
A further three new multi-denominational mainstream primary schools and a multi- denominational special school opened in September 2021.
In September 2022 another planned primary school patronage transfer, from Catholic patronage to the local Education and Training Board, to become a multi-denominational Community National School is expected to take place.
The Department of Education has been engaging with representatives of the Irish Episcopal Conference (Catholic bishops) as the majority patron in the 16 areas of the initial identification phase of the reconfiguration process and of schools nationwide with a view to developing an agreed approach to the next phase of the reconfiguration process
School communities who wish to explore the potential to transfer patronage should contact their school patron in the first instance.
811. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the review her Department is undertaking of DEIS categorisations; when schools can expect recategorisations to commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1766/22]
View answerBudget 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 to additional 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 DEIS ID model is an objective, statistics based process, based on school enrolment data and data available from Census 2016 under the HP Deprivation Index. It is important to note that there is no application process for the DEIS programme and all schools will be considered under the refined DEIS model when it is applied.
In advance of the implementation of the refined DEIS identification model, there will be further engagement with relevant stakeholders. 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.
812. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will address concerns among leaving certificate students relating to the uncertainty of the format of the 2022 examinations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1768/22]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
813. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a schedule of all client and or customer-facing and or orientated services that her Department provide via a contracted service provider; the contractor that provides the service; and the cost of same for the past five years to date in 2022. [1796/22]
View answerCustomer facing services provided by my Department are provided by officials of the Department and are not provided via a contracted service provider.
814. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when she will publish her plans for the junior and leaving certificate exams for 2022; if she will publish them at the earliest possible date to allay the fears and concerns of students, parents and teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1811/22]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
815. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils that were enrolled in third year of secondary school in the 2018-2019 academic year. [1856/22]
View answer816. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils that were in transition year in the 2019-2020 academic year. [1857/22]
View answer819. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of students in sixth year of secondary education in the 2021-2022 academic year. [1860/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 815, 816 and 819 together.
Please find attached requested information.
817. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils that were in third year of secondary school in the 2019-2020 academic year that chose not to take transition year and instead to enter straight into fifth year in 2020-2021. [1858/22]
View answerThere were 65,202 third year pupils in 2019-2020. Of this cohort, 45,981 went into fourth year (TY), 17,357 transferred directly into fifth year and 69 pupils repeated third year for the 2020-21 academic year.
818. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils that were in third year of secondary school in the 2019-2020 academic year that are now enrolled in sixth year. [1859/22]
View answerThere were 65,202 third year pupils in 2019-2020. Of this cohort, currently 15,783 are enrolled in sixth year and 45,379 pupils enrolled in fifth year for the 2021-22 academic year.
