Thomas Gould
Question:1028. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Defence if his Department is still in ownership of the landing field currently used by a soccer club as home ground in Ballincollig. [41299/22]
View answerLanding Fields
Questions (1028)
Written answers
I can advise the Deputy that my Department's records indicate that land in question is in the ownership of Cork County Council and I understand my officials have also advised the Club of same.
Departmental Functions
Questions (1029)
Holly Cairns
Question:1029. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Defence the way that his Department and public bodies and agencies under his remit met their obligations under section 42 of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission Act 2014 in 2021, including the way that relevant policies and actions are monitored and the way that the obligation is reflected in their annual reports. [41365/22]
View answerWritten answers
My Department’s People Strategy underpins the approach to supporting employees. It has at its core, a commitment to equality of opportunity. Department employees are supported in working in a safe, inclusive environment through a Dignity at Work policy and through a range of learning and development opportunities, including unconscious bias training. There are also additional supports available through the Civil Service Employee Assistance Service and the Department’s Disability Liaison Officer.
The only State body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board and the only staff post is the secretary to the Board, which is provided from the staff of the Department.
In the Annual Report, related matters are dealt with in Section 2, "Ensuring the Capacity to Deliver" and specifically within the strategic goal, "Develop management structures, organisation and people.
State Bodies
Questions (1030)
Holly Cairns
Question:1030. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Defence the number of State boards under the remit of his Department or its agencies; the total number of members of each board; the numbers on each board broken down according to gender; and the number of persons with a declared disability on each board in tabular form.; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41383/22]
View answerWritten answers
The only State body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board. The Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act 1927. The Act specifies that the Board shall consist of a chairman and two ordinary members. The two ordinary members must be qualified medical practitioners, one of whom must be an officer of the Army Medical Corps. The Army Medical Corps ordinary member is appointed by the Minister for Defence on the recommendation of the Chief of Staff of the Defence Forces.
My Department reports on the gender balance of the Army Pensions Board annually to the Department of Justice which has a coordinating role in this regard. The most recent return showed a gender balance of 67% male and 33% female in respect of the Army Pensions Board.
As disability returns are anonymous and the number of persons who sit on the Army Pensions Board is small, my Department cannot provide a breakdown on the number of persons with a declared disability as it could constitute a breach of confidentiality. It should also be noted that there is no onus on an employee with a disability to declare it.
State Bodies
Questions (1031)
Gerald Nash
Question:1031. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Defence the dividends paid by State-owned enterprises under the remit of his Department in each of the past five years; the projected dividends to be received in 2022, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41646/22]
View answerWritten answers
No State-owned enterprise under the aegis of my Department has paid dividends over the last five years, or is expected to pay dividends in 2022.
State Bodies
Questions (1032)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Question:1032. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Defence if he will provide details of all properties in cases in which they were leased by State bodies under his aegis; the list of all State bodies under his aegis that are or could be currently acting independently of the OPW to acquire their own property; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42020/22]
View answerWritten answers
The only State body currently under the aegis of the Department of Defence is the Army Pensions Board. The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body, established under the Army Pensions Act 1927. It has no power to acquire property.
School Transport
Questions (1033)
Paul Murphy
Question:1033. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the reason that the decision was made not to grant the request for mainstream transport from Saggart and Citywest to a school (details supplied) given the fact that she has spoken about the need to improve parental choice and that the reason given for refusal is that they reside nearer to another school, which is not an Educate Together school; and her views that this policy of not providing transport in these circumstances undermines parental choice. [39610/22]
View answerWritten answers
School 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 the 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 Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, 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.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is not eligible for mainstream transport as this is not their nearest school. There is no mainstream school transport service available from where they reside, to the school of the family's choice.
A 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.
School Funding
Questions (1034)
Anne Rabbitte
Question:1034. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education the plans for sustained funding support of a school (details supplied); the requirements set out for the teaching staff of the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39626/22]
View answerWritten answers
The Purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement for whom such a placement is not available. Provision is also made for early educational intervention for children aged from 2.5 years to 3 years with autism.
Home Tuition is provided as an interim measure only for children for whom a placement in a recognised school is sought but not available and should not be regarded as an optional alternative to a school placement. Ensuring that every child with special educational needs gets a suitable education is a priority for the Department of Education.
Where parents of children, who are eligible for Home Tuition under the terms of the scheme, and for whom home tuition has been approved, have sought alternative arrangements to be put in place for the tuition, my Department has responded by putting arrangements in place with private pre-school providers which provide group tuition to children in a class type setting, Children’s Language Development Preschool (CDLP) are one of these pre-school providers. Each pre-school provider is selected by the parents.
In recognition of the demand for group arrangements by parents of children, who are eligible for Home Tuition under the scheme, my Department now advises all such parents of the option to enter into a group arrangement with other parents of children for whom home tuition has been sanctioned. My Department has no contract with the pre-school providers. The contract is essentially between the parents and the relevant provider. My Department does not provide capital funding to private pre-school providers. Consent of the parent/guardian of the eligible child must be provided to allow the child attend the facility and to allow the facility to receive the payments which are due to the parent under the Scheme. These arrangements allow parents to forego the home based provision in favour of provision in a classroom setting which is supported by a direct payment provision.
Parents wishing to enter into such an arrangement must notify my Department in advance for approval. Funding is provided to these pre-school providers on the basis they abide by the rules established by the Special Education Section of the Department of Education, as set out in Circular 0046/2022 found here at assets.gov.ie/228074/7b95d89e-cb2a-4f97-90c7-7ea663c9e41b.pdf. The Teaching Council has no role in determining the criteria that shall apply to such schemes.
The below extract from Section 3 (Page 9) of the Circular relates to teaching council registration,
“As tuition takes place outside the usual school structure it is important that home tutors are qualified to provide an educational programme. Accordingly, it is a condition of the scheme that parents/legal guardians recruit a tutor who is qualified in the sector in which tuition is being provided, and is registered with the Teaching Council for the duration of the approved tuition, up to and including issue of final payment. Where all efforts have failed to secure the services of a teacher qualified to teach in the sector concerned, the Department may consider the engagement of a person who is registered with the Teaching Council and has a primary degree (minimum Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications) in a relevant area, e.g. Psychology.”
It is also set out in the terms and conditions issued to pre-school providers,
“The facility will operate at least 1 class on the basis of 6 children per class with 1 qualified teacher and 3 assistants who must be registered and vetted with the Teaching Council of Ireland. A pro-rata reduction will be applied both in terms of the number of tutors/assistants and the payments where the class is not operating at full capacity. In this regard, every effort should be made to have classes operating with the full complement of both students and registered tutors/assistants. The minimum number of children required to operate a class is 3.”
The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council (Registration) Regulations 2016 (SI444 of 2016, as amended). As set out in the Schedule of the Regulations, the Council registers teachers under four routes of registration: Primary, Post-primary, Further Education and Other.
In order to be entered on the Register of Teachers, and depending on the route of registration, all registrants are required to hold, or attain within 3 years, an accredited initial teacher education qualification. Where a teacher holds qualifications in special education in addition to a teacher education qualification, such qualifications may be added to a teachers record.
School Transport
Questions (1035)
Darren O'Rourke
Question:1035. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if the grant for children who do not have a school bus service in their area will be increased given the rise in the price of diesel and petrol and the announcement of the waiving of school transport fees for the next school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39660/22]
View answerWritten answers
School 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.
Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having 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 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.
While there are no plans currently to increase the rate of payment for the Remote Area Grant, the Deputy will be aware, that Government announced a reduction in excise on fuel will result in a decrease in the cost of fuel. The reduction of 20 cent per litre on petrol and 15 cent per litre on diesel will be in place until 31 August at an estimated cost of €320m. This is a national measure aimed at easing the financial burden on families at this time.
School Transport
Questions (1036)
Seán Sherlock
Question:1036. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if she will address matters raised in correspondence (details supplied). [39666/22]
View answerWritten answers
School 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.
Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest Post Primary School/Education Centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application and payment/confirmation process on time are accommodated on school transport services.
Children who apply for transport and who are not eligible under the terms of the scheme are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s primary school education cycle. Where the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeds the number of seats available, Bus Éireann determines the allocation of the tickets and refunds payments where payments have been made on behalf of those concessionary applicants for whom no seats remain.
Bus Éireann have confirmed, the family referred by the Deputy reside 16.4 km from home their school of attendance, and reside 15.9 km from home to their closest Post Primary Centre. As the pupils are not attending their closest school, they can apply for transport on a concessionary basis. The pupils reside 2.2 km from home to their nearest pick up point for the service available.
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.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (1037)
Seán Crowe
Question:1037. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education the number of children at both primary and post-primary level who are in need of, but who do not have a special educational needs place for September 2022 in the Dublin south west area. [39677/22]
View answerWritten answers
Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.
It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education and Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The Deputy will be aware of many of the strategic initiatives already put in place, particularly in the last 2 years, to support and expand SEN provision in schools throughout the country. An additional 300 special classes have opened in the current school-year providing 1,800 new placements. A further 315 special classes are already planned for 2022/23. Two new special schools opened in Cork and Dublin last September with two further special schools to open in these areas during the next school-year.
In 2022, we will spend over 25% of our total educational budget on providing additional supports for children with SEN. This represents an increase of over 60%, in total expenditure, since 2011.
We are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
Continuing to add capacity in schools to support SEN provision is a key priority with a particular emphasis at post-primary level.
The Department’s Geographic Information Management System (GIS) will continue to support a strategic and coordinated approach to planning and delivery of SEN provision. This includes “real-time” data on capacity across the school system.
The Department is working actively with the NCSE and other key stakeholders including School Patrons and Management Bodies to provide additional special classes and special school places for the 2022/23 school year.
I am happy to say that the vast majority of children with special educational needs are educated in mainstream classes. My Department does not retain a separate register of these individual children, nor does the NCSE.
NCSE is however aware of a number of children who are currently seeking special class and special school places.
NCSE advise that just over 100 children, nationwide, remain without an appropriate special educational needs placement for the coming school year.
The NCSE initially advised that an additional 80 special class places at primary level and an additional 49 special school places are required in Dublin for September 2022.
Due to intensive engagement between the NCSE, school authorities and patrons and the sanctioning of a number of special classes, the shortfall of special class places has reduced from 80 to 56. It is expected that this figure will reduce further with the additional 9 special classes sanctioned by the NCSE last week and this week.
The Deputy will also be aware that my Department has actively engaged in reviewing and updating the relevant legislation at this time. The Government recently approved the text of an Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022. This legislation provides for a truncated and more streamlined Section 37A process and also places additional duties on schools to co-operate with the NCSE in relation to making additional provision for children with special educational needs.
Every support will be made available to progress additional special education capacity, in the shortest possible timeframe with a particular focus on Dublin, including the specific areas referenced by the Deputy. The NCSE is in ongoing contact with the families of children who have not yet secured a special class or special school placement for the 2022/23 school-year.
I want to reassure you also 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.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (1038)
Michael Lowry
Question:1038. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if she will address the concerns raised by the parents (details supplied) of a young child with an ASD diagnosis; the assistance that her Department can offer this family to alleviate their concerns; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39678/22]
View answerWritten answers
School 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.
Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO).
School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
The pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of the above scheme and the pupil is currently assigned to a transport service to their school of attendance.
A request for an alternative drop off point was received for this pupil in September 2021. In general, transport for children with special needs is provided from home to school and from school to home. The provision of school transport to and from childminders is not a feature of the scheme. Requests for transport to/from alternative addresses will only be considered having due regard for safety of all pupils and where there is no deviation from an existing route, no other child has been inconvenienced or additional cost to the State is involved.
Bus Éireann who operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of the Department has advised due to the additional mileage and cost involved, the request cannot be facilitated under the terms of the scheme to the alternative address.
School Transport
Questions (1039)
David Cullinane
Question:1039. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education if she will address a matter raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39698/22]
View answerWritten answers
School 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.
Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Pupils who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis in accordance with the terms of the School Transport Schemes and subject to a number of terms and conditions.
The closing date for applications for the 2022/23 school year was 29th April 2022. A late application process is available. These late applications will be processed in the normal way and a ticket is not guaranteed. Applications should be made online at www.buseireann.ie\schooltransport.
Any remaining seats left after eligible pupils are accommodated are then allocated to concessionary pupils. Where there is a transport service available, Bus Éireann liaise with families directly regarding ticketing.
The Department commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme in February 2021. The review 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.
Following commencement of this review, the Steering Group presented the Minister with an initial interim report in June 2021. Following consideration of this report, the Minister approved the extension of temporary alleviation measures for the 2021/22 school year for transport for post-primary students who were otherwise eligible for school transport but were attending their second nearest school and had applied and paid on time.
Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme are now taking place in the next phase of the review which is currently under way.
A number of meetings have been convened in recent weeks with both the Technical Working Group and the Steering Group with a view to finalising the second phase of the review. Decisions in regard to measures for the 2022/23 school year will be made shortly. The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (1040)
Seán Fleming
Question:1040. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education if a matter in relation to the Garda vetting process (details supplied) for participation in the Summer Provision Programme in a school will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39734/22]
View answerWritten answers
The National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Acts 2012 to 2016 (the Vetting Act), which was commenced in April 2016, put in place statutory requirements for the Garda vetting of persons involved in working with children and vulnerable persons.
The Vetting Act applies not just to schools but to any relevant organisation that employs, contracts, permits or places a person in relevant work with children or vulnerable persons. The Vetting Act provides that vetting is conducted by the National Vetting Bureau on foot of an application by a relevant organisation that is registered with it. The vetting legislation and the vetting procedures operated by the National Vetting Bureau fall within the remit of the Minister for Justice.
The Vetting Act provides that a relevant organisation must, other than in certain limited circumstances, obtain a vetting disclosure from the National Vetting Bureau prior to commencing the employment of an employee to undertake relevant work with children or vulnerable adults.
The Department of Justice has recently established an inter-departmental group to undertake a review of Garda vetting arrangements and legislation. The group will make recommendations for amending legislation and strengthening the Garda vetting process and the feasibility of the introduction of a centralised system for vetting SNA's can be considered as part of this work.
The Department of Education will continue to work with all stakeholders to support parents in accessing summer provision and with schools to ensure that they have the resources and supports necessary to successfully run these programmes.
Planning for the 2023 Summer Programme has commenced with a view to addressing future plans for the programme.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (1041)
Gerald Nash
Question:1041. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education when construction work on a proposed school (details supplied) will commence; the timeline for completion of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39763/22]
View answerWritten answers
A major building project for the school in question has been devolved for delivery to Louth County Council.
There were some issue including a design issue, that arose in respect of this project. This included how best to incorporate a revised Schedule of Accommodation which included an upgrade to a 4 Class SEN Base. Agreement on the best way forward was reached following discussions with Louth County Council, the Design Team and the school. The Tender short-list for this project has now been confirmed. Tender documentation issued and was recently received by my Department. Following a review of the Tender Assessment Report and in the absence of any further issues for resolution, construction will commence on-site.