Wednesday, 8 Feb 2023

Written Answers Nos. 242-259

School Enrolments

Questions (242)

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

242. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education if she will provide details of each school in each of the Wicklow school planning areas, national and secondary; the capacity of each school; the current enrolment figures for each school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6045/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area.

Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.  However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

The act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied.  Some schools may apply a catchment area as one of their selection criteria.  The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. My Department does not seek to intervene in the selection criterion that is applied by schools.

The Enrolment Data for each school requested is supplied in the tables below:

Primary:

School_Planning_Area	Roll_Number	School Name	2022 Enrolment
Arklow	18473T	AN CHROI RO NAOFA N S	244
Arklow	17181B	ST JOSEPHS N S	580
Arklow	17304O	ANNACURRA N S	127
Arklow	14829M	Scoil San Eoin	44
Arklow	14045B	CARYSFORT MXD N S	205
Arklow	18198A	PADRAIG NAOFA N S	173
Arklow	13224T	ST KEVIN'S BALLYCOOG NS	27
Arklow	20080M	GAELSCOIL AN INBHIR MHOIR	306
Arklow	01782O	S N NAOMH PADRAIG	88
Arklow	20469R	St John's Senior School	407
Arklow	20470C	St Michael's and St Peter's Junior School	320
Baltinglass	12688K	KILTEGAN N S	16
Baltinglass	18434J	RATHCOYLE N S	63
Baltinglass	12413R	DONAGHMORE N S	22
Baltinglass	20039P	SCOIL NAOMH IOSAF	408
Baltinglass	16027J	S N MUIRE	65
Baltinglass	18502A	S N NAOMH BRID	81
Baltinglass	19339U	STRATFORD LODGE NS	70
Blessington	10111O	LACKEN MXD N S	94
Blessington	20243O	Gaelscoil na Lochanna	163
Blessington	20242M	Blessington Educate Together NS	90
Blessington	10131U	MOIN AN BHEALAIGH N S	116
Blessington	17091A	S N MUIRE	236
Blessington	20110S	S N MHUIRE SENIOR SCHOOL	317
Blessington	10683N	KILBRIDE N S	89
Blessington	06176U	BLESSINGTON 1 N S	203
Bray	17223O	S N MUIRE IS GEARARD	184
Bray	18365Q	KILMACANOGUE N S	243
Bray	16872A	CRONAN NAOFA N S	438
Bray	17537O	SCOIL PADRAIG NAOFA	744
Bray	20466L	St Fergal's National School	382
Bray	13597M	ST ANDREWS N S	219
Bray	18357R	S N PADRAIG NAOFA	71
Bray	09760V	POWERSCOURT N S	91
Bray	20016D	GAELSCOIL UI CHEADAIGH	213
Bray	19754J	BRAY SCHOOL PROJECT N S	234
Bray	07246U	Ravenswell Primary School	465
Bray	18464S	St. Peter's Primary School	180
Bray	19584K	SCOIL CHUALANN	201
Carnew	18489L	TINAHELY N S	130
Carnew	18118W	COOLFANCY N S	81
Carnew	18033O	KILCOMMON N S	87
Carnew	19748O	Scoil Mhuire na nAird	75
Carnew	15359G	SHILLELAGH NO 1 N S	22
Carnew	14972R	ALL SAINTS NATIONAL SCHOOL	20
Carnew	18242A	CARNEW N S	206
Dunlavin	00973Q	GRANGE CON N S	18
Dunlavin	14269A	JONATHAN SWIFT NS	32
Dunlavin	17920N	DONARD N S	159
Dunlavin	18054W	HOLLYWOOD N S	136
Dunlavin	17810G	S N Nicolais Naofa	244
Greystones	12554M	St Patrick's National School	362
Greystones	13679O	DELGANY N S	218
Greystones	16573N	ST BRIGIDS SCHOOL	450
Greystones	19573F	ST LAURENCES N S	664
Greystones	20473I	Greystones Community NS	377
Greystones	20301C	Gaelscoil na gCloch Liath	320
Greystones	20300A	Greystones Educate Together National School	458
Greystones	17720F	SCOIL NAOMH CAOIMHGHIN	479
Hacketstown	17907V	CROSSBRIDGE N S	51
Hacketstown	18470N	NAOMH BRID N S	62
Kilcoole	20346B	Kilcoole Primary School	578
Kilcoole	20278K	Newtownmountkennedy Primary School	365
Kilcoole	20524W	Woodstock Educate Together National School	65
Rathdrum	12529N	ST SAVIOURS N S	125
Rathdrum	16634H	ST LAURENCE O'TOOLE'S NS	263
Rathdrum	16924Q	CAOIMHIN NAOFA N S	121
Rathdrum	17228B	CLOCHAR MUIRE N S	140
Rathdrum	17265H	RATHDRUM BOYS N S	151
Rathdrum	13246G	MONEYSTOWN N S	123
Wicklow	20178G	Wicklow Educate Together NS	402
Wicklow	00984V	GLENEALY 1 N S	108
Wicklow	15676S	PADRAIG NAOFA N S	364
Wicklow	19734D	ST FRANCIS N S	99
Wicklow	20208M	St Coen's National School	323
Wicklow	11372B	BRITTAS BAY MXD N S	152
Wicklow	11649S	NUNS CROSS N S	189
Wicklow	20045K	GAELSCOIL CHILL MHANTÁIN	230
Wicklow	17576B	SCOIL AN CHOROIN MHUIRE	448
Wicklow	14398L	GLEBE NS	213
Wicklow	17826V	Scoil na Coróine Mhuire	322
Wicklow	17500O	S N MUIRE MXD	19

Post Primary

School Planning Area	Roll_Number	School_Name	2022 Enrolments
Arklow	70740M	Glenart College	605
Arklow	61780A	St Marys College	539
Arklow	61770U	Arklow CBS	379
Arklow	76106S	Gaelcholáiste na Mara	323
Baltinglass	70750P	Scoil Chonglais	480
Blessington	70760S	Blessington Community College	627
Bray	68261L	North Wicklow ETSS	343
Bray	70821M	Coláiste Raithín	344
Bray	91376L	St. Kilian's Community School	411
Bray	61790D	Woodbrook College	535
Bray	61800D	Presentation College	647
Bray	61811I	St Gerard's School	598
Bray	61820J	Loreto Secondary School	699
Carnew	70790E	Coláiste Bhríde Carnew	957
Dunlavin	70800E	St Kevin's Community College	706
Greystones	61830M	St David's Holy Faith Secondary	731
Greystones	68081J	Temple Carrig Secondary School	916
Greystones	76596P	Greystones Community College	287
Kilcoole	76076M	Colaiste Chraobh Abhann	782
Rathdrum	70810H	Avondale Community College	618
Wicklow	61860V	Dominican College	488
Wicklow	68345R	Wicklow ETSS	227
Wicklow	76099B	Coláiste Chill Mhantáin	919
Wicklow	81016V	East Glendalough School	360

Enrolment figures can be viewed at the following: 

www.gov.ie/en/collection/63363b-data-on-individual-schools/

Education Policy

Questions (243, 244)

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

243. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a map of each of the Wicklow school planning areas; if she will specify whether results from Census 2022 have been incorporated into the planning for those areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6046/23]

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

244. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education if the Department has conducted a review of requirements for additional places for each school planning area in County Wicklow for primary and secondary schools; if so, if she could provide the results of that review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6047/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 243 and 244 together.

I 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.

Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the annual demographic exercises, my Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain 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.

The 2022 demographic exercise indicates that 85% of the 314 school planning areas at primary level show static or decreasing enrolments for the period to 2026 compared with 2021. At post-primary level some 74% of school planning areas are anticipated to have increased enrolments for the period to 2029, with most expected to reach a peak within the next two or three years.

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.

There are 13 school planning areas located in or partially in Co. Wicklow. The most recent projections indicate that enrolments at primary level remain steady or are decreasing and, while enrolments at post primary level continue to rise, they are projected to peak between now and 2026, across the school planning areas.

The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity. Additionally, the Department will continue to liaise with Wicklow County Council in respect of their County Development Plans and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across these school planning areas.

While my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in Wicklow, 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 across school planning areas through ongoing discussions with the relevant school patrons and authorities.

This close engagement will allow my Department to identify at an early stage 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.

The availability of places is a matter for each individual school in the context of their Admissions legislation. Enrolment data for previous schools years is on available on the Department website. Enrolment data for the 2022/23 school year is currently being finalised.

In the latest published primary and post-primary schools enrolments national projections (www.gov.ie/en/collection/projections/ ), the CSO population projections (based on 2016 Census data) were used. In order to derive future schools enrolments, the new CSO population projections (based on 2022 Census results) are needed. The new population projections are not compiled yet. As soon as CSO population projections are available, the Department will update the schools’ enrolment projections model in order to reflect the recent population trends.

Question No. 244 answered with Question No. 243.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (245)

Johnny Mythen

Question:

245. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Education how her Department collects data on the number of pupils with special educational needs at primary level; how that data is processed; if this data is communicated to second level schools in the area to ensure future suitable school places for these pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6051/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

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 & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion providing supports to children and young people with special educational needs and to their schools..

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.

This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers and special needs assistants. 

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.

Over the last two to three years, my Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places.

These initiatives are bearing fruit with over 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level, almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level and five new special schools established over the last three years.

My Department has engaged intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning for new special classes for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements, and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level. As demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years, due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates, my Department and the NCSE are engaging with post-primary stakeholders in relation to the provision of special classes. My Department has also previously written to all post-primary schools to advise them of the need to begin planning to provide additional special classes.

If the recent growth in the need for special classes continues, it is expected that a similar level of special classes will be needed at primary level over the next three years as have been provided over the last three years. At post-primary level however, it is expected that we will need to double the number of new special classes being provided over the next three years as compared to the last three years. In addition, it is estimated that an additional 300 special school places may be needed over each of the next 3 years.

At local level, the NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding the establishment of additional special classes in both mainstream and special schools for the next school year 2023/2024. Every support will be made available to schools to progress the opening of special classes in the shortest possible timeframe.

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 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 appropriate education.

School Staff

Questions (246)

Duncan Smith

Question:

246. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will accept the application from a person (details supplied) under incremental credit circular - 0139/2006, as is her entitlement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6052/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The criteria required to have incremental credit awarded to qualified Special Needs Assistants(SNA's) is set out in Circular 0139/2006 and was agreed with the unions representing SNA's, School Management Representatives, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Education.

An application for previous service as a Clerical Officer with the Department of Social Protection was received from the person named by my Department on 8 August 2022.  This application was refused as it did not meet the terms of Circular 139/2006 as set out at Section 4, Paragraph 4.3 which states that: Incremental credit shall not be awarded in respect of work undertaken in a clerical/administrative capacity.

A letter issued to the person named from my Department on 20 December 2022 to advise them of this decision and the reason for the refusal.

Question No. 247 answered with Question No. 183.

Educational Disadvantage

Questions (248)

Denis Naughten

Question:

248. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education if DEIS schools are mandated to provide reading recovery and the associated whole class programme literacy lift-off as a condition of accessing extra funds for DEIS and the DEIS scheme in general; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6065/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) is a key initiative of my Department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level. My Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential. Supplementing these universal supports, the DEIS programme provides a targeted and equitable way to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level, that promotes equity across the primary and post-primary sector.

In March 2022 I was glad to be able to announce a major expansion of the DEIS programme. This means that, for the first time since 2017, the programme has been significantly expanded to include an additional 322 schools. This means that the DEIS programme now supports over 240,000 students in over 1,200 schools addressing educational disadvantage.

Inclusion in the DEIS programme provides schools with access to a wide range of additional supports including:

- HSCL supports to all DEIS Urban Primary and DEIS Post Primary schools. 

- Reduced pupil teacher ratio.   

- Curriculum supports and access to planning supports

- Priority access to continuing professional development

- Additional funding through the DEIS grant for schools to use to support the achievement of targets set in the schools' DEIS plan

- Access to the school completion and school meals programmes

Schools in the programme also have access to a range of literacy and numeracy supports such as Reading Recovery, Maths Recovery, First Steps and Ready Set Go Maths.

Reading Recovery is a school-based, short-term literacy programme designed for children in senior infants and first class identified as the lowest literacy achievers following one year at school. It is a thoroughly researched and evidence-based early literacy intervention.  Children are taught individually by a specially trained teacher for 30 minutes daily for 12-20 weeks. The goal is for children to become effective and efficient literacy learners able to work within an average range of classroom performance.  In Ireland, four out of five children consistently reach this goal.

Reading Recovery was chosen by the Department of Education as part of the multi-faceted support provided for schools in the DEIS programme.  Schools in the programme are asked to nominate one member of teaching staff to train as the specialist Reading Recovery teacher. These are trained by Reading Recovery Teacher Leaders who are seconded to PDST and operate from education centres throughout the country. Some schools have also decided to adapt aspects of Reading Recovery into the mainstream class teaching programmes through programmes such as Literacy Lift Off and the Power Hour. When implemented effectively this can have a positive impact on pupils’ literacy attainments. 

Literacy Lift Off is an intervention that gives children lots of opportunities to read books at their own level of competency and gradually lift the complexity of what they can do in both reading and writing.

The Primary Language Curriculum/Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile was introduced on a phased basis in 2016 for junior infants to second class. In September 2019 the full curriculum was introduced which supports teaching and learning in Irish and English in all stages across our primary and special schools. The integrated nature of the Primary Languages Curriculum allows teachers to plan for and support children’s progression in Irish or English.

It is an integrated curriculum that makes connections across and within languages and that seeks to support the transfer of skills between languages. Integration between the two languages supports teachers to plan for and progress children’s learning in Language 1 and Language 2 of the school, whether English or Irish. This builds on the approaches to integration described in the 1999 curriculum, while supporting multi-disciplinary, inter-disciplinary and trans-disciplinary approaches to language learning.

A sustained programme of professional development has been made available by the Department to support teachers in their implementation of the curriculum since 2016.

In the first cycle of School Self Evaluation (SSE), 2012-2016, all schools, including schools in the DEIS programme, were encouraged to develop and implement improvement plans for teaching and learning with a particular focus on literacy and numeracy. In the current SSE cycle, DEIS schools are required to continue to use the SSE process across key themes of DEIS, which includes literacy, to target their resources, specific interventions and supports for children and young people who are at risk of educational disadvantage.

Education Schemes

Questions (249)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

249. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education when the national roll-out of free period products will be completed in all secondary education and training centres; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6106/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The Programme for Government (PFG) includes the commitment to ‘provide a range of free, adequate, safe, and suitable period products in all educational publicly-funded settings (including schools, colleges and HEIs), to ensure that no students are disadvantaged in their education by period poverty.’

The Government has also taken the decision to support the Private Members’ Bill, the Free Provision of Period Products Bill, 2021 (Bill 4) which seeks to make period products freely available to all those who need them.  It has also been  agreed that the recommendations of the 2021 Discussion Paper on Period Poverty in Ireland will be taken into account in the development of the Bill.

To co-ordinate all of the work here, an implementation group, led by the Department of Health has been established. My Department is represented on this group and is engaging with it to determine how best these commitments will be taken forward in the context of schools and to ensure no students are disadvantaged in their education by period poverty as we have committed in the Programme for Government.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (250)

Robert Troy

Question:

250. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will consider introducing additional supports for second level schools to develop autism-friendly rooms for recently diagnosed students (details supplied). [6107/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

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 & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion providing supports to children and young people with special educational needs and to their schools..

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.

This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers and special needs assistants. 

It also includes funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) for an additional 54 psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes.

For 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 special needs assistants in our schools next year.

For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special needs assistants. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.

It is important to recognise that the vast majority of our children with special educational needs or additional needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children have more complex needs, special classes and mainstream schools and special schools are available. A professional report is required to access a special class or special school placement.

Over the last two to three years, my Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places.

These initiatives are bearing fruit with over 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level, almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level and five new special schools established over the last three years.

My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class and special school places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level. 

At local level, the NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding the establishment of additional special classes in both mainstream and special schools for the next school year 2023/2024. Every support will be made available to schools to progress the opening of special classes in the shortest possible timeframe.

The NCSE has developed a resource regarding Sensory Spaces, titled “Sensory Spaces in Schools’. This resource aims to highlight the importance of teachers and school staff creating and using sensory spaces in schools to enhance and promote the health and wellbeing of the whole school with a focus on both the culture and the environment. This closely links with the aims of the Wellbeing Policy Statement Framework for Practice 2018-2023. This resource provides a strengths based, student centred approach to looking at the sensory environments within a school and establishing a culture where sensory spaces and sensory strategies are utilised throughout the school day. It offers guidelines for teachers and school staff to holistically support students by collaboratively creating and using sensory spaces with their students.

In addition, a Special Education Need Office is included in my Department's Planning and Building Unit standard Schedule of Accommodation (SOA) for SEN Base accommodation in mainstream schools. This room is intended as a multi purpose space that can be used for meetings and for visiting therapist.

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 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 appropriate education.

School Staff

Questions (251)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

251. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the number of unfilled and-or vacant teacher positions at primary and second level in County Kildare, by school and number of vacancies. [6110/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authorities, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). My Department does not currently collate data on the number of vacant posts in primary and post primary schools per county.

The recruitment of teachers is a priority area of action for the Department given the importance of ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have available to them qualified, engaged, and supportive teachers to support them in their learning.

My Department is undertaking a comprehensive programme to support the supply of teachers. A number of measures are being implemented, including:

- a range of special, temporary arrangements introduced by HEIs to create greater capacity for student teachers to provided substitute cover,

- adjustment of the provision of continuing professional development (CPD) to reduce the need for substitution and to provide additional personnel to support schools,

- increasing the additional hours that post primary teachers can teach each term from 20 to 35 for the remainder of the 2022/23 school year,

- launching a communications campaign to encourage retired teachers to take up short-term substitute positions and to enable them to teach for up to 50 days in each of the calendar years 2021 to 2023 without, in most cases, a reduction in their pension, - providing the allocated staffing resources for the 2023/34 school year to post-primary schools on 26 January and to primary schools on 31 January,

- introduction, by the Teaching Council of regulations to allow the registration of 3rd and 4th year undergraduate student teachers, which has lead to over 2,100 student teachers applying for registration,

- providing for fully funded upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish. Beginning with 170 places in January 2021, I have agreed to increase places to over 300 in 2023, and a new Irish upskilling programme is planned for 2023/24,

- providing for the allocation of a significant number of additional posts to primary substitute teacher supply panels in areas where significant challenges in sourcing substitution continue. This brings the total to 610 posts on 151 panels covering more than 2,840 schools,

- allowing job sharing teachers to be employed to work in a substitute capacity, during the period they are rostered off duty, in their own or in other schools on a temporary basis for the 2022/23 school year, and

- suspending, on a temporary basis, the limits on substitute work that apply to teachers on career break for the 2022/23 school year.

These measures are underpinned by the Teaching Transforms campaign which promotes the teaching profession and encourages students to follow a career in teaching.

Despite the positive impact of these important actions, work remains to be done to address teacher supply challenges, particularly to ensure the availability of sufficient numbers of substitute teachers. My Department continues to work intensively with all stakeholders to develop and implement creative solutions to address the teacher supply challenges for schools.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (252)

Holly Cairns

Question:

252. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education to provide children with Down's syndrome with early intervention facilities and accompanying home tuition, similar to the schemes available to children with ASD and autistic children [6181/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.

It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.

This includes additional teaching and care supports. It also includes funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) for an additional 54 psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes.

In 2023 the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 special needs assistants in our schools next year.

For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special needs assistants. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide.

The State supports early intervention for children with special educational needs through providing funding to a number of crèche/early years settings including:

- Early Intervention classes in mainstream and special schools

- Early Intervention settings in HSE funded service providers

- Early years settings supported by the Early Childhood Care & Education Scheme (ECCE) and the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM)

- Early years settings supported by HSE grant aid or HSE funded Pre-School Assistant and

- A Home Tuition Grant Scheme for children aged between 3 and 4 years of age with a diagnosis of autism where a placement in an Early Intervention setting is not available.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides up to two years of pre-school within the eligible age range, without charge. The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), introduced in 2016, enables the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities/additional needs, including children with Down Syndrome, in the ECCE Programme.

The goal of AIM is to create a more inclusive environment in pre-schools, so all children, regardless of ability, can benefit from quality early learning and care.

AIM is based on the needs of the child in the context of the pre-school setting. It does not require any diagnosis, recognising that many children do not have a diagnosis of a disability/additional need when starting pre-school.

The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is under the remit of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth providing universal pre-school of up to two years for all children.

AIM involves 7 levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the child and the pre-school setting. Universal supports are designed to create a more inclusive culture in early learning and care settings, through training courses and qualifications for staff. Where universal supports are not enough to meet the needs of an individual child, targeted supports are available to ensure the child can meaningfully participate in pre-school.

More than 4,000 children with disabilities/additional needs receive targeted AIM supports every year to enable them to participate in mainstream pre-school, and many other children are benefitting from universal AIM supports.

The Home Tuition Grant Scheme provides funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement. Eligibility for children seeking an educational placement is determined in consultation with the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO).

Under the Early Intervention strand of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme, the children that are catered for are between 3 and 4 years of age with an ASD diagnosis and for whom an early intervention placement is not currently available, as confirmed by the NCSE.

The Home Tuition Grant Scheme is an interim measure to provide for education until an educational placement becomes available. When an Early Intervention placement becomes available the home tuition grant will be discontinued.

I accept that there is a need for my Department and the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to review existing provision and consider how children with special educational needs in the early years sector can best be supported.

Question No. 253 answered with Question No. 183.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (254)

Gary Gannon

Question:

254. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if a decision has been made regarding SNA allocations for September 2023; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6189/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

I would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.

For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.

This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.

This includes additional teaching and care supports. It also includes funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) for an additional 54 psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes.

In 2023 the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 special needs assistants in our schools next year.

For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special needs assistants. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.

The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.

The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.

SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.

It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, and the SENO is available to offer assistance and advice to the school. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations and the school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required.

Social Welfare Benefits

Questions (255)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

255. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Social Protection when a decision will be made on a fuel allowance application by a person (details supplied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5536/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

We are currently reviewing the pension entitlement of the person concerned.

An application form for state pension contributory has issued by post to the person concerned.  On receipt of the completed form, his entitlement to both state pension contributory and fuel allowance will be examined and he will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Media

Questions (256)

Neasa Hourigan

Question:

256. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Social Protection the percentage of social media videos posted on her Department's social media accounts or the social media accounts of public bodies and agencies that operate under the remit of her Department, that included closed captioning, subtitling and Irish sign language translations between 1 January 2022 and 31 December 2022, inclusive. [5577/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

Between 01 January 2022 and 31 December 2022, 90% of the videos posted on the Department's social media channels included subtitles.  Of the bodies and agencies that operate under the remit of my Department, 100% included subtitles.

I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Questions (257)

James Lawless

Question:

257. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) will qualify for a carer’s allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5619/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

I wish to advise the Deputy that carers may be entitled to a number of supports from the Department. The two main social welfare payments for carers providing full-time care are Carer's Allowance and Carer's Benefit.

Carer's Allowance (CA) is a means-tested social assistance payment made to a person who is habitually resident in the State and who is providing full-time care and attention to a child or an adult who has such a disability that as a result they require that level of care.

Carer’s Benefit is a payment made to insured people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full time care and is payable within the European Union. It is payable for a period of 2 years (104 weeks) for each care recipient and may be claimed over separate periods up to a total of 2 years (104 weeks). 

It is possible to provide care to a care recipient in Portugal under the Carer's Benefit scheme. All parties require a PPSN for the Scheme. Eligibility for the scheme is dependent on meeting various other conditions and criteria. These include that the care recipient must be deemed to require fulltime care and that the carer must have the relevant qualifying PRSI contributions and meet the employment conditions as well as meeting the care provision conditions. 

Credited employment contributions (credits) are awarded to recipients of Carer's Benefit for each week of benefit at the same rate as the claimant's last paid contribution. Details of credits are transmitted by the Carer's Benefit computer system to Central Records upon closure of a claim.

If the person concerned wishes to make an application for Carer's Benefit they may complete a CARB1 form (available to download on www.gov.ie) and return it to Carer's Benefit Section, Social Welfare Services Office, Government Buildings, Ballinalee Road, Longford, Co. Longford, N39 E4E0.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

Social Welfare Eligibility

Questions (258)

Seán Canney

Question:

258. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Social Protection the rationale behind only giving carer's benefit to people previously working 18 hours per week, as some applicants were working 16 hours per week at higher per hour averages and were taking home more wages and paying more in PRSI than those on the minimum wage working 18 hours per week; if she will consider amending the current criteria in view of the severe shortage of available carers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5633/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

My Department provides a comprehensive package of carers’ income supports including Carer’s Allowance, Carer’s Benefit, Domiciliary Care Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant.  Combined spending on these payments in 2023 is estimated at almost €1.6 billion. 

The Carer's Benefit payment is an entitlement based on social insurance contributions.  Carer’s Benefit is a payment made to insured people who may be required to leave the workforce or reduce their working hours to care for a person(s) in need of full-time care.  It is payable for a period of 2 years (104 weeks) for each care recipient and may be claimed over separate periods up to a total of 2 years (104 weeks). Carer's Benefit is €237 a week in respect of one care recipient.

A primary qualifying condition for the Carer’s Benefit and Carer’s Allowance payments is that the applicant provides full-time care and attention to a person in need of such a level of care.  The person being cared for must be so incapacitated as to require full-time care and attention and be likely to require this full-time care and attention for at least 12 months. 

The minimum weekly work hours requirement for eligibility is set at 16 and not 18 as the Deputy outlines.  A person may qualify for Carer’s Benefit if they meet the PRSI and other conditions of the scheme and have been full-time employed for at least 8 weeks in the previous 26 weeks.  Full-time employment in this context is defined as insurable employment for at least 16 hours per week or 32 hours per fortnight.  This condition does not need to be satisfied on a second or subsequent claim where a person was in receipt of Carer's Benefit within the previous 26 weeks.

The provision of full-time care and attention requirement is moderated somewhat by allowing a carer to work or engage in education or training for up to 18.5 hours a week.  Budget 2020 changed the rules so that those in receipt of Carer’s Benefit, Carer’s Allowance and the Carer’s Support Grant could increase the number of hours they work, study or attend a training course from 15 to 18.5 hours.  This measure was prioritised in response to the carers who expressed that they found 15 hours to be too restrictive, not only for work but for education and training purposes.    

During any period of employment or education or training, adequate provision must be made for the care of the relevant person.  It is considered that the current hours condition represents a reasonable balance between meeting the requirement for providing full-time care for the care recipient and the needs of the carer to engage in employment, training or education. It also serves the additional purpose of reducing the social alienation experienced by many carers.  

I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.

State Pensions

Questions (259)

Duncan Smith

Question:

259. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person (details supplied) in County Kildare is not entitled to a higher weekly state pension contributory; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5654/23]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The person concerned reached pension age on 17 November 2022. An application for the state Pension (contributory) was received on 31 August 2022.

According to the records of my department, the person concerned has a total of 1746 reckonable contributions from 1973 to 2022. Based on this record the person concerned has a yearly aver of 38 giving entitlement to state pension (contributory) at the weekly rate of €238.50. This is the correct rate commensurate with the social insurance record as held by my Department.

To qualify for State Pension (contributory) at the maximum rate of €265.30, the person concerned would need a yearly average of at least 48 contributions.

I have arranged for a copy of the person’s social insurance record to issue to them.  If the person considers that additional contributions or credits have not been recorded, it is open to them to forward documentary evidence to my Department and their pension entitlement will be reviewed.

It is also open to them to apply for the means-tested State Pension (Non-Contributory), the maximum rate of which is over 95% of the maximum rate of the State Pension (Contributory).  I have arranged for a State Pension non-contributory application form to issue to them.

I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.