Michael Ring
Question:104. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if a second mainstream teacher will be appointed to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7474/23]
View answerSchool Staff
Questions (104)
Written answers
The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
For the 2023/24 school year, the staffing schedule for primary schools has been improved by one point and schools will be provided with class teachers on the basis of 1 teacher for every 23 pupils which is a historical low ratio. Lower thresholds apply to DEIS Urban Band 1 schools.
The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria, to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Information and application forms are available in Circular 0006/2023, published on the Department website.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (105)
Steven Matthews
Question:105. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the status of a new school build for a school (details supplied); the timeline for the completion of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7481/23]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware, my Department has reached agreement in principle, subject to contract, for the acquisition of a site at Fassaroe, Bray, Co. Wicklow as a permanent location for the school in question.
The conveyancing stage of the acquisition process has commenced and Head of Terms have been agreed with the Vendor.
It is not possible at this early stage to provide a timeline for the construction of the new school. My Department will continue to engage directly with the school patron to keep it informed of progress.
Special Educational Needs
Questions (106)
Jim O'Callaghan
Question:106. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education when a school (details supplied) it is expected that will open an ASD classroom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7485/23]
View answerWritten answers
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 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 SEN 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 mainstream, 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.
The NCSE have sanctioned 208 new special classes in Co. Dublin over the last 3 years. Of these, 156 special classes are at primary level and 52 are at post-primary level.
There are a total of 474 special classes in Co. Dublin. Of these, 367 special classes are at primary level and 107 are at post primary level.
My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of 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.
At local level, the NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding which children can be supported to attend a mainstream class and with regard to the establishment of additional special classes 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.
In relation to the school referred to by the Deputy, I am advised that the school were approved a 4 Classroom SEN base, General purpose room and Ancillary in June 2021. This school building project is at Stage 1 and my Department are awaiting submission of a Stage 1 report from the school authority.
It is of course open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class.
Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes is published on the NCSE website and is available at www.ncse.ie
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. The local SENOs remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: https://ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list .
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 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.
Period Poverty
Questions (107)
Bríd Smith
Question:107. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she can clarify the policy of her Department in relation to the provision of free period products in secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7487/23]
View answerWritten answers
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 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 committed in the Programme for Government.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (108)
Pauline Tully
Question:108. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the timeframe for the updated schedule from the building department within her Department to be issued to (details supplied) in order that work on the proposed extension, which has been marked as urgent since December 2022, can go ahead; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7496/23]
View answerWritten answers
I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
My Department has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was achieved again in 2022 notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues. There were circa. 180 school building projects delivered during 2022 and a further 273 school building projects continued in construction at the start of 2023 - most of which will be completed in 2023.
I am very appreciative of the strong support provided by Government for our education budget. As part of the supplementary budget, €300m additional capital funding was provided in 2022. This helped to alleviate capital funding pressures that arose in 2022 which was reflective of the strong delivery by the Department of school building projects – particularly to support mainstream provision and special education needs provision. My Department’s overall capital outturn for 2022 was €1.12 billion.
My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €0.86 billion. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for 2023, my Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to be able to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023.
Key priorities for my Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023/24 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting special needs provision. The school to which the Deputy refers is among the many school accommodation needs across the country being considered as part of this process.My Department’s overall approach is to ensure that available capacity is maximised to the greatest extent possible as part of its consideration of applications for additional accommodation. Additionally, my Department is working to ensure that projects in the pipeline for planning and delivery are focused on maximising their alignment with overall capacity requirements. Engagement with relevant patrons will be important in this regard. The medium to longer term trajectory on overall enrolments is also particularly relevant given that at national level, enrolments at primary are projected to reduce by circa. 100,000 over the next decade notwithstanding that there can be regional and local variations to this trajectory.
My officials will be in further contact with the school authorities in due course.
School Staff
Questions (109, 111)
Michael Ring
Question:109. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if she will clearly outline the reason time spent teaching in private secondary schools (details supplied) is not reckonable as experience for increments; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7498/23]
View answerMichael Ring
Question:111. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education the reason a primary school (details supplied) complies with the eligibility criteria for incremental credit for teachers while the secondary school does not; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7497/23]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 and 111 together.
The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in my Department’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).
These circulars provide for the award of incremental credit in respect of teaching service outside the EU where the schools satisfy the criteria set out in the circulars to have service at that school recognised for incremental credit. In particular at post primary level, criteria such as if the school receives state funding and the length of time the school has been in existence must be satisfied in order for service at that school to be recognised for incremental credit. Where schools do not satisfy the required criteria, then service at that school cannot be considered towards incremental credit.
My Department's records show that there were a number of awards for incremental credit relating to Primary teacher applications for service at this school. At Post Primary, level no awards for incremental credit at this school were given as the school did not comply with the eligibility criteria in the circular.
A number of claims have been submitted at TCC in relation to incremental credit, including one in relation to recognising private teaching service, given by post-primary teachers, outside the EU and this claim is under consideration at TCC.
Teacher Training
Questions (110)
Michael Ring
Question:110. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education if there are any plans to update circulars (details supplied) given the current shortage of secondary school teachers which may encourage more teachers to return to work here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7499/23]
View answerWritten answers
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 led 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.
Circulars 29/2007 and 29/2010 provide for the recognition of prior post-primary service for incremental credit purposes. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).
A number of claims regarding the award of incremental credit to teachers have been lodged at TCC and are still under consideration. My Department will review these circulars when agreement has been reached at TCC with regard to those claims.
Question No. 111 answered with Question No. 109.
Schools Building Projects
Questions (112)
John Brady
Question:112. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education if the tender document that was due to go out by the end of 2022 for the next bundle of schools has been issued for a school (details supplied); and if so, to confirm that the school is listed on the tender document; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7568/23]
View answerWritten answers
My Department has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was achieved again in 2022 notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues.
There were circa. 180 school building projects delivered during 2022 and a further 273 school building projects continued in construction at the start of 2023 - most of which will be completed in 2023.
I am very appreciative of the strong support provided by Government for our education budget. As part of the supplementary budget, €300m additional capital funding was provided in 2022. This helped to alleviate capital funding pressures that arose in 2022 which was reflective of the strong delivery by the Department of school building projects – particularly to support mainstream provision and special education needs provision. My Department’s overall capital outturn for 2022 was €1.12 billion.
My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €0.86 billion. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for 2023, my Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to be able to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023.
Key priorities for my Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023/24 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting special needs provision. The school to which the Deputy refers is among the many school accommodation needs across the country being considered as part of this process.My Department’s overall approach is to ensure that available capacity is maximised to the greatest extent possible as part of its consideration of applications for additional accommodation. Additionally, my Department is working to ensure that projects in the pipeline for planning and delivery are focused on maximising their alignment with overall capacity requirements. Engagement with relevant patrons will be important in this regard. The medium to longer term trajectory on overall enrolments is also particularly relevant given that at national level, enrolments at primary are projected to reduce by circa. 100,000 over the next decade notwithstanding that there can be regional and local variations to this trajectory.