Written Answers Nos. 91-105
91. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the steps that she is taking to increase the number of places in primary and secondary schools for young people with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23547/22]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 Billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing a wide range of schemes and supports for children with special educational needs.
This includes additional teaching and care supports.
As a result, the number of special education teachers, special needs assistants and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.
Over the last two years, my Department and the NCSE have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special needs placements ahead of each new school-year
I am satisfied that this more joined up approach is delivering. Through this intensive intervention, we have seen over 300 special classes, providing over 1,800 new places, opened nationwide for the 2021/22 school-year.
I also acknowledge that notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.
NCSE has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents and seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special class placements.
NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding the establishment of additional special classes for 2022/23 and beyond. There are specific plans in place to open additional special classes and every support will be made available to progress their opening in the shortest possible timeframe with a particular focus on September next.
It is of course open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class.
The Deputy will also be aware of increased special school provision generally with two new special schools opened in Carrigaline and Crumlin in the current school-year and further expansion planned in 2022/23 which Minister Foley and I were pleased to announce in March.
We have also secured funding for the opening of 287 new special classes from September next.
My Department is committed, in conjunction with the NCSE, to continue to work with parents, schools, patrons and all stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places for students with additional needs and to support all students to achieve their potential.
I want to also reassure the Deputy that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.
92. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the status of the roll-out of the expansion of delivering equality of opportunity in schools, DEIS, as committed to in Budget 2022 particularly in view of recent new allocations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23545/22]
View answerDelivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools is the main policy initiative of my Department to address educational disadvantage at school level. In the 2021/22 academic year there are 884 schools in the DEIS Programme - 687 Primary and 197 Post Primary, serving over 180,000 pupils. This represents approximately 20% of the overall school population.
On the 9th March, I announced the expansion of the DEIS programme. This will see the programme extended to an additional 310 schools. In addition, 37 existing primary DEIS schools are being reclassified and eligible for increased supports. These schools were identified as having the highest levels of educational disadvantage. This now means that in the 2022/23 academic year there will be 1,194 schools in the DEIS Programme and it will support some 240,000 students or nearly 1 in 4 students will be supported in the programme.
My Department will work with the schools that will benefit from the programme to support them to make the transition. Information sessions will be held for schools in the coming weeks on the DEIS programme, what supports will be available to schools and to support them in planning for improvement.
My Department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools who were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data have been provided with the opportunity to make an appeal.
Circular 0019/2022 outlining the details of this appeals process was published on the 30th March by my Department and is available at www.gov.ie/en/circular/7e7ca-deis-identification-2022-appeals-process-for-schools/. Schools had until 5pm on Friday April 29th to submit an appeal. It is my Department’s intention to provide schools with the outcome of their appeal in the coming weeks to allow time for schools to plan for the 2022/23 school year.
93. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Education the supports that are in place for schools to administer the summer programme 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23655/22]
View answer126. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education her plans for the summer programme 2022. [23799/22]
View answer130. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the schemes that are covered under the €40 million funding for school summer programmes; the incentives to encourage additional schools to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23549/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 93, 126 and 130 together.
Earlier this month, the Government announced the Summer Programme to allow all primary and post-primary schools to offer a summer programme for students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.
The total funding available to provide summer programmes this year is up to €40 million.
The programme was developed following extensive engagement with education stakeholders, parent and disability advocacy groups.
The programme aims are to support pupils to maintain their connection with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote well-being and for those who are at key transition stages, helping to ensure they continue their education journey in September either in school or in further/higher education or training.
The programmes on offer this summer include:
- Inclusion Programme (Primary) for all primary schools (2-3 weeks programmes) for mainstream pupils with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.
- Special Classes and Special School Programme in primary (2-5 weeks programmes)
- DEIS Numeracy and literacy Camps/Campaí Samhraidh in DEIS primary schools (one week per camp)
- Inclusion Programme (Post-Primary) for all post-primary schools (2 weeks) for students with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage
- Home based provision for students with complex needs where no school-based programme is available (4 weeks – 40 hours)
Similar to last year children with complex needs entering primary school next September are also eligible to participate in summer programmes.
The supports to support this range of programmes builds on the success last year and incorporates feedback from education stakeholders as to how to better support the programme for all involved in summer 2022.
The Department has addressed concerns previously raised by stakeholders by introducing measures to support schools to encourage schools to offer the programme; funding for a Programme Overseer, preparation time, faster payments of staff, ease of administrative burden on schools and greater guidance materials on programme content.
The programmes can be run at any time over the summer providing schools with autonomy to split the programme weeks to best meet the needs of pupils and staff participating in the programme.
A home-based summer programme will be available for students with complex special educational needs where schools are not providing a school-based programme.
94. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education the reason for the delay in finding a builder to build the autism class in a school (details supplied). [23586/22]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers was granted approval under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2021 for reconfiguration works in existing space to create a 1 Class SEN Base with sensory room and outdoor SEN play area.
The Department notified the school authorities of this approval in December 2021 and, as this is a Devolved project, the first step for the school authorities to undertake was to appoint an Architect as a consultant to lead the project on its behalf. Unfortunately the school authorities this week reported to the Department that the none of the Architects contacted regarding this project actually tendered for the position and so the school has been unable to appoint a Consultant to date.
The Department is currently compiling a list of Dublin-based architects engaged across the ASA Scheme to assist the school in its appointment of a Consultant. Once a Consultant is appointed, the project may proceed as laid out in the original terms of approval.
95. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the funding that is available to schools to support the purchase of schoolbooks and reading books; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23665/22]
View answerMy Department provides a book grant to all recognised primary and post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, my Department provided funding of €17.2 million in 2021 to all of these schools. Schools participating in my Department’s DEIS Programme receive an enhanced rate of book grant.
School book rental schemes have an important role to play in reducing the cost of school books for parents and guardians. In order to support the establishment of book rental schemes, my Department provided €15.7 million seed capital in 2014, 2015 and 2016 to all primary schools.
From the information available to my Department currently, approximately 96% of all primary schools and 69% of all post-primary schools operate a book rental scheme.
It is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own policy in relation to the use of book grant funding in the school. Schools are expected to adopt a cost-conscious approach to the selection of books for use in their classes. The current arrangement relies on the local knowledge of the school in order to ensure a fair allocation of funds to those students most in need.
Additional funding of €1million was provided under Budget 2020 to provide free books in DEIS primary schools on a pilot basis. This funding was allocated to 102 DEIS primary schools for a new pilot programme for the 2020/21 school year. This funding continued this for the 2021/22 school year.
The aim of this pilot is to provide free school books for students in the schools involved, and to support these schools in eliminating the cost of school books for parents. It will continue to run for the 2021/22 school year and its effectiveness and impact will be monitored and evaluated before any decision is made as regards its possible extension or continuation. It is my intention to complete this process as soon as possible. Under Circular 46/2013, DEIS primary schools receive a book grant of €21 per pupil. This pilot provided an additional €64 per pupil to increase the overall book grant rate to €85 per pupil enrolled in the school. This is in line with the costings as set out in the 2019 Barnardos report on the Real Cost of School which states that €85 is the average cost of school books at primary school.
Funding of €20 million is being made available in 2022 to enable schools (primary and post-primary) to purchase books, audio books and other media for the purposes of improving their existing literacy resource banks. This funding is additional to that already given for the school books rental scheme and book grants to all recognised primary and post-primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to alleviate the cost of school books for parents.
The grant is to be paid to schools based on pupil numbers at the same rate for all schools, primary and post-primary. The Department with support from the Public Library Service will provide support to schools on how best to use the funding received. This will be in the form of a guidance note, webinars and support from local libraries.
96. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education if her Department has engaged with the State Examinations Commission to ensure that reasonable accommodations be made at State examinations for a particular provision for students with epilepsy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23544/22]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission (SEC) provides a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE Scheme) to support candidates with a complex variety of special educational needs including learning difficulties as well as permanent or temporary physical, visual, hearing, medical, sensory, emotional, behavioural or other conditions. In common with similar schemes which operate in other jurisdictions, the focus of the RACE scheme is on the need to remove examination access barriers, while retaining the need to assess the same underlying skills and competencies, and to apply the same standards of achievement, as apply to all other students.
Under the existing provisions of the RACE Scheme, every possible effort is also made by the SEC to accommodate candidates who experience accidents, serious illness or other trauma either immediately before or during the examinations.
There are arrangements that can be made between the SEC and the school in the best interests of an ill or injured candidate to enable the candidate to proceed with their examination on the scheduled date. For candidates who suffer from epilepsy, these arrangements might include supervised rest breaks during the examinations; access to a smaller special examination centre; and alterations to the start and end time of the examinations.
It is acknowledged that students experience many forms of trauma and adversity, such as serious illness and bereavement, around the time of the Leaving Certificate examinations. The issues arising here are complex and must be balanced against the absolute need to maintain integrity and public confidence in the examinations system.
Deferred examinations were held for the first time in 2019 for students who had experienced bereavement of a close family member. The SEC had commenced a comprehensive review of the broader issue of how best to support students experiencing other forms of trauma and adversity at examinations time which included consultation with stakeholders as well as research into practices in other jurisdictions.
For the 2022 Leaving Certificate, I have announced that there will be a deferred sitting of the Leaving Certificate for students unable to sit one or more papers in the main sitting in June due to serious medical conditions or close family bereavement. It is intended that the deferred sitting will commence shortly after the conclusion of the main sitting.
Epilepsy Ireland was among the organisations which submitted a response to the SEC’s consultation in early 2020 noting that this process was halted due to the pandemic. More recently, officials from the SEC met with Epilepsy Ireland on Friday the 29th April 2022 in relation to access to the deferred examinations series.
Further details of the deferred sitting of the Leaving Certificate will be issued by the SEC in due course.
97. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education the status of the acquisition of a building space for a special educational needs class for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23677/22]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the acquisition process is at an advanced stage for Booterstown Parish Hall. Heads of Terms have been agreed with the Vendor and draft contracts have been exchanged.
My Department is currently engaging with the school in question relating to the proposed reconfiguration of the property for educational needs, including special education needs.
98. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education her Department’s plans to support the establishment of a new second-level school in the east Cork area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22887/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity within that particular area and its ability to meet any increased demand.
Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department's projections of post primary school place requirements in East Cork show some continued growth in enrolments in the short- to medium-term across most areas, with most growth anticipated in the Midleton_Carrigtwohill school planning area.
However, in response to projected future need and to enrolment pressures in the area, there has been significant capital investment by my Department at post primary schools in East Cork. A new post primary school, Carrigtwohill Community College, was established in 2016. A project to deliver a new, modern 1,000 pupil school building for that school is underway. Additionally, an extension at St. Colman's Community College, Midleton has been recently completed and a number of other large school building projects are also in train, delivering expanded capacity at St. Aloysius' College in Carrigtwohill, Midleton CBS, St. Mary's High School in Midleton, Pobalscoil na Tríonóide in Youghal, Coláiste an Phiarsaigh in Glanmire, Coláiste Mhuire in Cobh and Carrignafoy Community College Cobh..
While my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in East Cork, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
My Department is working to establish the true extent of any capacity issues through ongoing discussions with the relevant school authorities. In that context, similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including patrons of schools in East Cork areas, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming years which may necessitate further action to that already in train including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
As a result of ongoing discussions with patrons in the School Planning Area, St Colman’s College, Midleton has recently offered places for an additional 1st year class group for the 2022/23 school year.
Additionally, my Department will continue to work to advance the planned and current projects in East Cork and to ensure sufficient places for both mainstream provision and for pupils with special education requirements both for the coming academic year and into the future.
Given medium- to long-term projected demographic trends, it is not currently anticipated that there will be a requirement for a further new post primary school in the area, nevertheless, my Department will continue to monitor the situation.
99. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the estimated cost of a 10% increase in the ancillary services grant for primary and special schools; the costings broken down to cover the cost from 1 September 2023 to 31 December 2023 and for the period 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2024. [23613/22]
View answerMy Department provides funding to recognised Primary and Post-Primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the Ancillary/School Services Support Fund (SSSF) to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff.
Schools are permitted to regard the capitation and ancillary/SSSF grants as a combined grant. It is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs.
The current standard rate of Ancillary Grant is €173.00 per pupil.
The estimated full year cost in 2024 of increasing the ancillary grant by 10% per pupil in primary schools is circa €9.4m. The estimated cost for the period 1st September to 31st December, 2023 would be €3.2m.
The Ancillary Services grant was increased by €26 from 2016 to 2021, in order to enable primary schools to implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.
100. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education the steps that she is taking to ensure that her Department’s plans with regard to support for children fleeing from Ukraine are integrated with plans from other Departments in order to achieve a whole of Government approach; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23815/22]
View answer140. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education the strategies in place to support students from Ukraine coming to Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23645/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 140.
I would like to thank the Deputies for their questions. My Department is currently working collaboratively with a number of Departments and organisations to ensure a whole of Government approach to support education provision for arriving children with immediate education needs.
Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, I and my Government colleagues have also received regular updates at Cabinet on supports for people arriving from Ukraine in order to ensure appropriate coordination and integration of each Department’s response. It was agreed that a co-ordinated, whole-of-Government response will be essential. Particular emphasis was placed on the need for co-ordination across Government of policy, the implementation of actions and communications.
In this regard, my Department is engaging closely with colleagues in the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. My Department is also working with the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government in respect of the relationship between the location of the accommodation provided for people arriving from Ukraine and the identification of appropriate school capacity.
Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) have been established to help ensure good coordination and alignment of supports for Ukrainian children arriving in Ireland. These Education and Language Teams are hosted by the 16 regional education and training boards (ETBs) and are staffed by existing regionally-based education support personnel working closely together to ensure good coordination and alignment of supports for Ukrainian children. My Department is liaising with the teams to ensure all necessary supports for the Ukrainian children are provided as quickly as possible.
The primary role of the REALT is to build on existing regional education support structures and the initial focus will be on assisting families in securing school places. REALT will also support schools in the area to meet the needs of these children as they emerge, to advise and support my Department in developing new capacity where required, and to co-ordinate the provision of education services to schools and families across their defined area.
These teams will ensure that clear, accessible information flows are in place between schools, local education support services and national support structures in relation to people arriving from Ukraine.
The regional teams will be hosted and administratively supported within the ETBs and will lead a network of other key agencies, including Tusla Education Support Service (TESS), NEPS regional personnel, NCSE regional personnel and Management body local nominees working together with local schools.
Many resources for teaching, learning and inclusion of Ukrainian pupils have been published to date, including a central repository of information and CPD resources for school leaders and teachers to support cultural and linguistic diversity, which is available on the Scoilnet.ie website.
These resources include those designed by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) to help children suffering from trauma. NEPS psychologists are available on the ground to consult with schools and provide support as needed.
Resources also include EAL, intercultural and relevant curriculum supports developed by the teacher education supports services including PDST, the NCCA and the ETB sector. A helpline for school principals is also in place. Schools that have enrolled students from Ukraine can apply for additional EAL support and hundreds of schools are already receiving this support.
My Department is working to ensure that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will be available to support schools that have children from Ukraine with additional or special educational needs. Local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) will be available to support individual families in accessing education and related supports for their children with special education needs. In this regard the SENOs will link with other relevant state agencies including Education Welfare Services and the HSE.
I recently announced that a summer 2022 education programme for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage. All schools (primary and post-primary) will be encouraged to provide summer programmes including post-primary children with complex needs and children at risk of educational disadvantage.
The Inclusion element of this programme also offers an opportunity for schools to address the needs of migrant students such as addressing English language skills and integration, including students who have recently arrived in Ireland from Ukraine.
Further information in relation to my Department’s approach and the supports in place is available on the Department’s website and is updated as appropriate. www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-education/
101. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education the number of appeals received by her Department in relation to the new DEIS programme designations; the process by which these will be evaluated; when this process will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22656/22]
View answerSchools were identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme using the refined DEIS identification model. The model was applied to all primary and post primary schools in the State.
My Department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools who were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data have been provided with the opportunity to make an appeal. Circular 0019/2022 outlining the details of the DEIS appeals process, was published on the 30th March 2022 by my Department and is available at gov.ie website. All schools were notified of the appeals process.
Schools who wished to make an appeal were afforded the opportunity to do so in line with the process outlined in the Circular. The deadline to submit an appeal was 5pm on Friday 29th April 2022.
Appeals were received from 197 schools out of 3832 mainstream primary and post primary schools in Ireland, indicating that just under 95% of schools were satisfied with the application of the model to their school enrolment data.
For the purposes of identifying schools for inclusion in the DEIS programme from September 2022, the refined 2022 DEIS identification model was applied to the enrolment returns provided by schools in the National School Annual Census for 2021/2022, which was returned via the POD and PPOD school enrolment databases.
Appeals are being facilitated where a school has identified an error in the information they provided for the preliminary enrolments. Schools may also request, without amending any of their POD or PPOD data, that the Department verify that the steps of the model have been applied correctly to the school’s enrolment data for the application of the refined 2022 DEIS identification model.
When all appeals have been processed, schools will be informed in writing by my Department outlining the outcome of the appeal. It is my Department’s intention that schools will be provided with the outcome promptly to allow schools time to plan for the 2022/23 school year.
102. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education the status of her Department’s engagement with a school (details supplied) in order to progress an application for a new school building. [23363/22]
View answerI wish to confirm to the Deputy, that an application for Major Capital Funding, has been received from the school in question. Applications from schools for major capital works must be considered in the context of the demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming years.
The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under project Ireland 2040, may be viewed on my Department's website, www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, including accommodation for pupils with special educational needs, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed.
My Department is also in receipt of an application for funding under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation. The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The latter part of the National Development Plan will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock.
The application is currently under consideration following my officials' recent meeting with the school. Once the assessment process has been completed a decision will issue to the school authority directly.
103. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education if she will report on the capital project for a school (details supplied); the remaining steps in the approval process: when a project manager will be appointed; when her Department was last in contact with the school in relation to the process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23825/22]
View answerThe project for the school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s Construction Programme which is being delivered under the National Development Plan (NDP) as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework.
This major building project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT Programme. ADAPT is an acronym for the "Accelerated Delivery of Architectural Planning and Tendering".
The ADAPT programme uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning, to Tender and Construction.
The tender process to appoint a Project Manager is being completed this week.
Once appointed, the Project Manager will commence the tender process for the appointment of a Design Team for each of the projects on this ADAPT programme, including this project.
My Department will keep the school authorities informed of the progression of these appointments as they proceed.
104. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if her Department has received an application for additional school accommodation from a school (details supplied). [23364/22]
View answerI can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for funding under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question.
The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation. The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The latter part of the National Development Plan will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock.
Officials from my Department have recently corresponded with the school authority and on receipt of their response, the application will be progressed and a decision will issue to the school authority directly.
105. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education the status of the DEIS appeal process for primary and secondary schools (details supplied) in County Mayo due to the increasing enrolment policy with diverse inclusion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23824/22]
View answerI recently announced that from next September the DEIS programme will be extended to an additional 310 schools. 37 schools will also benefit from additional supports following reclassification. Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.
My Department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools who were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data will now have the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed.
Circular 0019/2022 outlining the details of this appeals process was published recently by my Department and is available at www.gov.ie/en/circular/7e7ca-deis-identification-2022-appeals-process-for-schools/
My Department notified all schools of the appeals process on 30th March 2022. Schools had until 5pm on Friday April 29th to submit an appeal. All appeals submitted are currently being processed by my Department. It is my Department’s intention to provide schools with the outcome of their appeal in the coming weeks to allow time for schools to plan for the 2022/23 school year.
