Written Answers Nos. 216-230
217. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application for a person (details supplied) will be processed on time for an intended travel date of 13 July 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36913/22]
View answerWith regard to the specific applications about which the Deputies have enquired, the Passport Service has provided an update as to the steps they must take to progress their passport application.
220. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if a passport application for a child (details supplied) will be issued on time given that they are due to travel in one weeks’ time. [36966/22]
View answerWith regard to the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired the Passport Service has reviewed the application and progressed as appropriate.
221. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that transport has not been sanctioned for July Provision for a school (details supplied). [36778/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The cost in 2021 was over €289m.
In order to plan for, and provide transport for all schools operating the Summer Programme, Bus Éireann require applications to be submitted as quickly as possible. In May of this year, schools that indicated they would take part in the programme were invited to apply for school transport.
An application for school transport for the Summer Programme was made by the school referred to by the Deputy on 1st July 2022 and on receipt of the application, the Department sanctioned services immediately. I am pleased to inform you that school transport services for pupils attending the school mentioned by the Deputy for the summer programme commenced on 5th July 2022.
222. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the way that the factors such as, a very high proportion of pupils exiting the catchment, the lack of balanced mix of places for girls and boys and lack of options for those who wish for a non-religious school are taken into account when setting a framework for additional school places in a catchment area; and if this will cause her to consider a new school rather than extensions to existing school as in the case of a school planning area (details supplied). [36805/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
The level of demand volume across school planning areas with an increasing net requirement ranges from small to medium increases that are likely to be accommodated by existing schools through to significant projected growth that may require additional provision. 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.
Where capacity issues 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 there are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
The post-primary School Planning Area referred to by the Deputy is served by 7 post-primary school for which 3 of these current have building projects with the Department as follows:
- Mount Temple Comprehensive School – Major Project for an extension to expand school to 1,000 pupils. This project is currently at stage 2b to provide a new school building
- St. Paul’s College Raheny – Additional School Accommodation application at stage 1 for a 2-classroom SEN class, 2 Construction rooms ,1 Music room and Home-Economics room
- Ardscoil De La Salle College Raheny – Additional Accommodation application at stage 1 for a 2-classroom SEN class plus 1 music room.
The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review and work on an updated exercise to assess needs for the coming years, including those which may arise in the Killester Raheny Clontarf and adjacent areas is ongoing. Additionally, my Department will continue to liaise with the local authorities in Dublin in respect of their Development Plan and Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across the county.
As the Deputy is aware, there is a significant degree of movement into and out of this school planning area of students from 6th class entering 1st year of secondary school. Of the first year pupils entering post-primary schools in the school planning area in 2020, over 32% of the pupils came from primary schools located outside the school planning area, while some 40% of 6th class students of primary schools within the school planning area started 1st year in schools outside the school planning area. Such patterns of transfer are not uncommon in urban areas where there is a high degree of proximity and permeability between school planning areas.
223. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she will give a breakdown by gender of the pupils entering or leaving Killester, Raheny and Clontarf school catchment area for secondary schooling. [36806/22]
View answerFor the 2020-21 academic year, the available data shows there were 588 sixth-class pupils with home addresses in the Killester, Raheny and Clontarf school planning area (SPA). For the 2021-22 academic year, the available data shows there were 325 pupils remained in the SPA to attend their first year in a post-primary school within the catchment, while 263 pupils left the SPA to attend schools in neighbouring SPAs. There were 683 first-years in the SPA, with 358 pupils entering the catchment area from neighbouring SPAs to attend first-year of post-primary.
When split by gender, there were 298 boys, with 104 staying in the SPA, 194 leaving, 103 entering from other SPAs resulting in a total of 207 boys in post-primary for Killester, Raheny and Clontarf SPA.
|
SPA.NAME.PP |
P.SPA.NAME |
Gender_PP |
total.6th.class |
stay |
pupils.leave |
total.1st.year |
pupils.enter |
net |
|
Killester_Raheny_Clontarf |
Killester_Raheny_Clontarf |
FEMALE |
290 |
221 |
69 |
476 |
255 |
186 |
|
Killester_Raheny_Clontarf |
Killester_Raheny_Clontarf |
MALE |
298 |
104 |
194 |
207 |
103 |
-91 |
|
Total |
- |
- |
588 |
325 |
263 |
683 |
358 |
95 |
224. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education when a detailed review of the need for new second level schools across Dublin will be undertaken in view of the surge in housing development. [36807/22]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country, including Dublin, will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of annual demographic exercises, my Department obtains the up-to-date information on significant new residential development in each area. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review and work on an updated exercise to assess needs for the coming years, including those which may arise in the Dublin area is ongoing. Additionally, my Department will continue to liaise with the local authorities in Dublin in respect of their Development Plans and Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across the county.
225. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education if University College Dublin as a university is capable of offering accreditation at level 5 or 6 to the ten-month SNA course launched in 2020; if she will provide an update on any development in terms of providing an accreditation for the SNA programme in UCD; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36813/22]
View answerSpecial Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in helping to ensure the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in school life. This was acknowledged in the Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018.
The Review made a number of recommendations regarding SNAs including referencing the training needs of SNAs. In this regard, the NCSE recommended that a new national training programme at Level 5 of the National Qualification Framework be developed for existing SNAs who do not have the requisite level of training and for new SNAs on appointment. The NCSE also recommended that training tailored to the specific complex needs of some students being cared for by SNAs would also be provided.
The policy advice has been considered by the Department. It was decided that priority should be given to the development of a training programme for SNAs who may not have had a recent opportunity to access a training programme tailored to their role. The new first national training course for SNAs provided by UCD aims to enhance the knowledge, skills and expertise of SNAs whose work is central to the inclusion of students with additional care and complex needs in school life. The programme is fully funded by the Department and delivered at no cost to the SNA.
This is the first national training programme for SNAs employed in schools and is tailored to their needs. As this is the first programme, it is appropriate to take the time to review outcomes which will inform the future approach to ongoing training and professional development of SNAs. Part of that consideration will include accreditation.
Officials in my Department have recently received two reports of the programme from UCD:
- A Report of review on the SNA programme, conducted by the Teaching and Learning Committee within UCD School of Education and
- An evaluation report based on data gathered from the first cohort of students to complete the programme
The reports are under review at present and will inform our consideration on accreditation.
226. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 88 of 29 June 2022, the number of parents in receipt of remote transport grant at primary, special and post-primary level respectively, in the last available school year for which statistics are available; the corresponding total annual cost of the grant in the school year concerned at primary, special and post primary respectively; the total cost in at primary, special and post-primary in the 2021-2022 school year; the rate that the grant was paid in each of the past three school years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36816/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The cost in 2021 was over €289m.
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 School Transport Schemes, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school. At post primary level, they are eligible where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre. Distance is determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, and rules have regard to ethos and language.
An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kilometres or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.
Grants are based on the distance from home to school and the rates range from €1.30 per day to the maximum daily allowance payable of €5.10 per day, per family.
The number of families who received a remote area grant for the 2020/21 school year was 2,821, of that 2,139 were at primary level and 682 at post primary level.
The total remote area grants paid to families for the 2020/21 school year was approximately €800,000.
The purpose of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the scheme children are eligible for transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability and are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class/special school or unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.
A Special Transport Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided in certain circumstances.
The rate of grant payable is calculated at 39.12 cent per kilometre from home to school for the first 6,437 kilometres and 21.22 cent per kilometre thereafter. Payment is based on the number of days that the families provided transport for their children.
Approximately €2.9m was issued to families in receipt of the Special Transport Grant in the 2020/2021 school year.
The total cost of all grants made to families for the 2021/2022 school year is not yet available as these payments are currently being processed.
227. Deputy Joe O'Brien asked the Minister for Education the expected timeframe for changes to the school transport system to be introduced following the review of the system that is currently underway; if she will consider an entitlement to attend the nearest non-denominational school to be of equal importance to an entitlement to attend the nearest minority religion school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36823/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
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.
As previously outlined to the Deputy, in relation to school transport provision, supports are provided to children with regard to the choice of schools in relation to ethos and language.
At Primary level, eligibility for school transport is to the nearest school, having regard to ethos and language.
At Post Primary level, eligibility for school transport is to the nearest education centre/school, subject to limited exceptions. The scheme has regard to ethos and language in that exceptions to eligibility for the scheme are considered in the case of minority religions and the Irish language. The scheme at Post Primary level provides transport for children of minority religion for whom there is less choice of school given the dispersed nature of these schools and also facilitates the viability of those minority religion schools.
The review of the School Transport Scheme is currently underway and is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme and how it currently operates, its broader effectiveness and sustainability and that it adequately supports the provision of services to students and their families.
Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme are now taking place in the next phase of the review which is currently underway. The Technical Working Group has undertaken extensive consultation over the last number of months; including running a public survey for parents/guardians and students who use the service and those who do not use the service but who would like to. These engagements have yielded extensive data for consideration. The Group has also consulted with a broad array of stakeholders including schools, special education interest groups, industry representatives and other Government Departments.
The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses.
228. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will implement appropriate education surrounding the LGBT+ community, particularly in relation to comprehensive and inclusive sexual education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36839/22]
View answerAccess to Relationships and Sexuality Education, or RSE, is an important right for students. This is reflected in the Programme for Government, which states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and Social, Personal and Health Education across all schools.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (the NCCA) was requested to conduct a review of RSE provision in Irish schools, focusing on a range of topics including healthy, positive sexual expression and relationships and LGBTQ+ matters. The NCCA published “The Report on the Review of Relationships and Sexuality Education in primary and post-primary schools” in December, 2019.
This report resulted in the NCCA establishing two development groups, one for primary and one for post-primary, to oversee the work of developing an updated curriculum in this area and supporting the development of guidance material for schools.
The immediate focus of the work of the NCCA has been on creating support materials for teachers for publication online as part of an Interim Guidance Toolkit. The toolkit's purpose is to support effective teaching and learning of SPHE and RSE linked to the current curriculum and to provide guidance on how SPHE and RSE may be approached in a comprehensive way that meets the needs of young people today. This work is progressing well and already teachers will find much support there, including a portal repository of teaching and learning resources linked to the Primary SPHE Curriculum, the SPHE Junior Cycle Short Course and the Senior Cycle SPHE Framework.
In tandem with this work, preparation for the broader redeveloping and updating of the SPHE curriculum is underway. Updated curricula will be developed for Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle.
A draft revised Junior Cycle specification has recently been approved by NCCA Council, with a public consultation to follow, running from July to October. It is expected that the finalised specification will be presented to Council for approval by the end of this year, and will be implemented in schools in September 2023.
Work in preparing a background paper that will inform the updating of senior cycle SPHE/RSE is underway. It is intended that the curriculum redevelopment work will commence in September 2022 and a draft updated specification for senior cycle SPHE will be ready for public consultation by summer 2023 and finalised in early 2024 for implementation in schools in September 2024.
Following publication of the Primary Curriculum Framework, expected in early 2023, the NCCA will establish a development group which is due to commence development on updated primary specifications in Quarter 4 2022, with a draft estimated to be available for public consultation in Quarter 1 2024.
229. Deputy Richard O'Donoghue asked the Minister for Education when she will be able to provide a definite date for the Leaving Certificate results given that the exams are now over and students are very concerned that they will miss out on college places abroad; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36860/22]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission, SEC, has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the Leaving Certificate examinations. The SEC confirmed in June that it intends to issue the Leaving Certificate 2022 results on Friday, 2 September. The intended date is in line with the date that Leaving Certificate results issued to students in both 2020 and 2021.
Over the past two years, by working collectively with education stakeholders, it was possible for the further and higher education system to respond to the needs of students wishing to continue their education and training. I am confident this will be the case again in 2022.
In similar fashion to the past two years, contacts with international counterparts are also taking place and will continue over the summer to ensure Irish students continue to have all options available to them. I have written to my European counterparts to seek support and flexibility from universities on the admission dates process for Irish students who are awaiting their Leaving Certificate 2022 results.
230. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education the reason that a school (details supplied) in County Kerry has had its special education teacher allocation hours cut; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36862/22]
View answerThe 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 SET allocation model has been in place since 2017.The allocation model, which was recommended by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), is designed to distribute the total available number of Special Education Teachers across primary and post primary schools based on the relative need of each school, as evidenced by a number of key indicators.
Special Education Teachers provide additional teaching support for students with special educational needs enrolled in mainstream classes in primary and post primary schools.
The SET model is a fairer and more transparent way of allocating teaching resources to schools.
The number of teaching posts to support the SET model continues to increase. Budget 2022 provided an additional 620 new SET posts for allocation to primary and post primary schools in 2022/23. This will bring the total number of SETs in the system to 14,385.
The SET Model represented a significant shift in the way that students with SEN are supported in mainstream classes. Previously, students needing additional teaching support required a diagnosis in order to access support which caused delays in providing the support and also imposed a burden on both schools and parents. The change in policy was welcomed by both schools and parents. The Model is based on the principle that those students with the greatest need receive the most support.
When the SET model was introduced it was designed to be updated on a regular basis so as to distribute the total available resources across the school system based on profiled need. Because the level of student need may change in a school over time, some schools will gain under this distribution, with these gains balanced by equivalent reductions in schools where the model indicates reduced need. Re-profiling is the means of ensuring that new or increasing need in schools is met by transfer/redistribution of teaching resources from other schools whose need has reduced as shown by the model.
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.
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.
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.
If a school wishes to make an exceptional needs review appeal they may do so at the following link: ncse.ie/for-schools
