Written Answers Nos. 571-588
571. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the timeline for when construction will start on additional accommodation at a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17611/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.
The project will provide the following accommodation at the school: 1 Classroom SEN base & 2 Mainstream classrooms as outlined in the project brief. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.
I wish to confirm that additional capital funding is being provided to the Department to address capital funding pressures. This will facilitate the progression of school building projects including this project to proceed to construction in due course.
Officials in my Department will be in contact with the school Board of Management shortly in relation to the formal arrangements and next steps in respect of same.
572. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education if she has plans to undertake a consultation on the medical and social models of service provision to autistic pupils; and if she has plans to undertake a consultation on the use of identity-first and person-first language in materials produced by her Department. [17636/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and wish to advise the following:
There is no universally agreed consensus on what terminology to use in relation to disability and there is currently no consensus regarding an alternative for the word ‘special’ in an education context.
As noted by the National Disability Authority in their recent advice paper on Disability Language and Terminology (NDA, 2022), some people use the term ‘additional education needs’ to replace SEN which is not fully satisfactory from an inclusive education perspective, as all children and students have individualised needs and no-one’s needs are additional. The term SEN is used in legislation which means at present its use is unavoidable.
It is recognised the variations in language usage to describe special educational needs and disability, for some individuals, person first language (PFL), for example, “person or individual with disability” is the preferred term, for others, their preference is identity first language (IFL), for example “autistic”.
Some young people and adults have indicated that they prefer to use the term ‘autistic’ as they believe this embraces their neurological difference (AsIAm, 2019). Importantly, teachers and other professionals can acknowledge individual preferences by asking parents and students their preferred term and applying this in their communication.
My Department is conscious that language around Autism and special or additional needs is constantly evolving.
Officials in my Department have begun consideration of a recently-published National Disability Authority Advice Paper on Disability Language and Terminology in the context of ongoing work in the Department.
573. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she acknowledges that in communities that have been identified as suffering deep and embodied trauma (details supplied), there is a need to go beyond general health and well-being practices and to also acknowledge that teachers working in such communities would benefit from expert support in integrating trauma informed and recovery practices into the school community. [17663/23]
View answer574. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if her Department is planning to support schools identified as having high levels of socially generated trauma in the school community, to integrate trauma-informed and recovery practices into their pedagogies and behaviour management approaches; and the teacher supports and teacher professional development opportunities she has identified to deliver such support. [17664/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 573 and 574 together.
The Department of Education plays an important role in supporting the wellbeing and mental health of our children and young people. The Department’s Wellbeing Policy and Framework for practice has given recognition to the importance of promoting wellbeing in education. The approach set out in the Wellbeing Policy is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include providing children and young people with opportunities to build core social and emotional skills and competencies, experience supportive relationships within the school setting and be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe.
The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all recognised primary and post-primary schools. This involves consultation with parents and teachers, access to individual pupil casework, the provision of support and development services for school staff and direct support in the event of a critical incident. NEPS also works closely with the HSE and its agencies to ensure that those who may require the provision of therapy or counselling are referred on to the appropriate clinical services for intervention and support.
NEPS provides national and regional support and development to schools to build school capacity to support students. Part of this work includes trauma informed approaches. NEPS psychologists have engaged in extensive national training in the area of trauma in recent years to inform their practice and the development of professional learning opportunities for school staff. Training called ‘Introducing a Trauma Informed Approach: The Stress Factor - Getting the Balance Right’ was delivered to school leaders in acknowledgement of the important role they have in embedding practices in their schools. Subsequently, a new eLearning course - ‘Introducing a Trauma Informed Approach: The Stress Factor - Getting the Balance Right’ was launched recently and will be followed by a series of special interest modules. The eLearning course explores the use of whole-school, compassionate and trauma-informed approaches to build safe and connected schools. The approaches outlined in the workshops are based on research findings, on the experience of experts in their fields and on the experience of practicing psychologists working in schools. The focus of the webinars is on exploring and understanding the sources and impact of stress on children and young people including attachment, trauma and adverse experiences. The emphasis is on creating environments to reduce stress and on developing skills all children and young people need to better manage in school. Individual psychologists also offer bespoke training to schools on trauma informed practice when requested.
Psychologists from NEPS on behalf of the Department provide essential support to schools when traumatic events and tragedies occur. The psychologists support schools to activate a Critical Incident Management Plan (CIMP) and psychologist provide step by step guidance, advice and support to schools in responding to the traumatic event. The psychologists attend and facilitate meetings with staff and work with them to identify students who are most in need of support, and help develop procedures for reviewing their needs and supporting onward referral, if necessary. In addition, NEPS psychologists liaise with colleagues in different agencies and services as needed in relation to an interagency response to support all members of the school community. NEPS have developed advice and resources for schools to support school communities who have experienced tragedy which can be accessed at this link gov.ie - National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) (www.gov.ie). NEPS recently launched an eLearning course – Responding to Critical Incidents in Schools. This course is aimed specifically at the school’s Critical Incident Management Team, but open to all interested staff. To date this training has been accessed by a large number of school staff. It provides a step by step guide on how schools might respond in the event of the tragedy and includes school staff talking through their experiences of responding to tragic events in their schools.
Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of the Department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector. In March last year the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme was announced, benefitting 347 schools. The programme now includes over 1,200 schools and supports approximately 240,000 students. This means 1 in 4 of all students are now supported in the programme. This recent expansion will add an additional €32million to the Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the overall Department of Education allocation for the programme to €180 million. The extension of the DEIS programme followed on from an investment of €5m secured for the programme in Budget 2021. This investment allowed for a 1 point improvement in the staffing schedule for Urban Band 1 schools, a reduced student threshold for the allocation of additional Deputy Principal posts in DEIS post-primary schools. It also provided for a 5% increase in funding for the School Completion Programme. Funding for this programme was increased by a further 5% under Budget 2023, as part of an €8 million allocation to address the impacts of COVID-19 and increase retention rates of students in schools, especially those from groups at risk of educational disadvantage. In addition to this a further €3 million was secured in Budget 2023 which will be provided for social inclusion measures, including enhancing the capacity of the education welfare services in Tusla that are now under the remit of the Department. Analysis has shown that since the DEIS programme began in 2006, it has helped to close the gap in achievement between schools serving the highest levels of educational disadvantage and those serving populations with little or no disadvantage. It has provided children who come to education at a disadvantage with an equitable opportunity to achieve their potential in education.
The Department provides funding for a number of projects in local drugs task force areas. The aim of these projects are to promote healthy choices and to prevent or reduce substance misuse. Funding provided over the period for these projects was €311,001 in 2020, €176,817 in 2021 and €192,729 in 2022.
Following the National Census 2022 held on the 3rd April last, it is envisaged that an updated HP Deprivation Index will be generated by Pobal and will be available in Q3 of 2023. The Department will engage with Pobal in relation to this process. The updated HP Deprivation Index, when available, will be considered by the Department to help inform future resource allocation to tackle educational disadvantage.
The next phase of work will consider all schools, within and outside the DEIS programme and explore the overall allocation of resources to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with relevant stakeholders over the coming months.
575. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education the minimum number of eligible students required to establish a new bus service in a primary school that is not currently served by school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17669/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 3,800 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. The Remote Area Grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.
Families who wish to avail of school transport and have their eligibility status assessed should apply on-line before the closing date. Further details are available at: www.buseireann.ie/schooltransport.
The closing date for new school transport applications for the 2023/2024 school year is Friday 28 April 2023.
576. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education when additional accommodation will be provided for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17672/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question.
My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. Key priorities for the 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 accommodation needs of the school in question are being prioritised and a decision will issue to the school authorities as soon as possible in this regard.
577. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if her Department will work to progress the issuing of a Schedule of Accommodation for a school (details supplied) in its new building development as soon as possible, in order that it can proceed to the next phase of the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17683/23]
View answer600. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a schedule of accommodation for a school (details supplied). [18148/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 577 and 600 together.
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has informed the school authority that the accommodation brief for the building project in question is being prepared and that my Department will be in further contact with the patron when this process has been completed.
In the meantime, my Department has provided an indicative schedule of accommodation to the school authority for information.
578. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will expedite the provision of instructions to a school (details supplied) advising them of their current construction projects so that they might proceed to the tender stage. [17686/23]
View answerThe school referenced by the Deputy was granted funding under the Additional Accommodation Scheme to build 1 x 80m2 General Classroom with User Assisted WC and 2 x 15m2 SET Rooms.
My Department can confirm that a Stage 2b Report was received in Quarter 1 2023 and forwarded to the Professional & Technical Team for review.
However, the school had a subsequent query in relation to the inclusion of a new septic tank in their application.
A representative from the Department was in direct communication with the school regarding this. My Department is still awaiting clarification from the school as to whether they wish to incorporate this provision in their application.
The matter now rests with the school to advise the Department accordingly.
579. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the status of an application submitted by a school (details supplied) which is in dire need of construction to accommodate increased enrolment, improve school conditions and ease its patronage transfer under the pilot scheme for school reconfiguration for diversity. [17688/23]
View answer601. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the application for a new school building of a school (details supplied). [18149/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 579 and 601 together.
I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question have submitted an Additional Schools Accommodation application form and officials from my Department are in the process of assessing this.
The Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 having regard to available funding. Key priorities in this regard including 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.
The school to which the Deputy refers is among the accommodation needs being considered as part of this process and my officials will be in further communication with the school shortly.
580. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education if she made the decision to include a book (details supplied) on the Junior Cycle Relationships and Sexuality Education 1 reading list for children as young as 12 years of age; and if not, which section within her Department made the decision. [17700/23]
View answer587. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will conduct a review of all recommended book reading lists for primary and post primary schools to ensure that they are age-appropriate and do not contain age inappropriate graphic sexual imagery and language; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17834/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 580 and 587 together.
The development of a portal site where teachers can access Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) teaching and learning resources arose as a recommendation in the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment's (NCCA) 2019 Report on the Review of RSE in primary and post-primary schools. These online toolkits are published by the NCCA to support teachers in teaching SPHE at each stage of learning, and are found on curriculumonline.ie.
Across all three Toolkits (Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle) one of the three sections is entitled ‘Resources for learning and teaching’. The resources presented in the toolkits aim to provide a range of relevant materials for teachers to support teaching and learning in SPHE. Each resource should be considered by teachers with respect to the needs and interests of the school community, and a school’s SPHE and RSE policies, and are not intended to be exhaustive or prescriptive.
The ‘Resources for Teaching and Learning’ section of the toolkits include material which is intended to be used as background information/reading on the topic for the teacher.
The resources within these toolkits include resources developed by the Health Service Executive (HSE) and the HSE has advised it is currently revising these in the context of the updating of the SPHE specification for Junior Cycle. The HSE has advised that the new versions of these resources will not include suggested or recommended reading lists for teachers or parents.
While the curriculum specification and prescribed syllabus material are determined by the NCCA, ultimately the decision on which resources, if any, most appropriately covers the curriculum rests with the school itself.
581. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education the status of an application for additional school accommodation for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17718/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question.
My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. Key priorities for the 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 accommodation needs of the school in question are being prioritised and a decision will issue to the school authorities as soon as possible in this regard.
582. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education if the board of management of a school (details supplied) will be entitled to rent additional space in order to accommodate the students in the school in a safe manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17756/23]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application for additional school accommodation (ASA) from the school authority in question.
Officials from my Department have corresponded with the school authority and approval has recently issued for rental of additional rooms to facilitate the opening of a special class in September 2023.
The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or a new SEN class has been sanctioned by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.
583. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education given the profound difficulties experienced with the school transport system in 2022, the changes she plans to introduce for primary, post primary, children with special education needs and the special transport grant for the upcoming 2023/2024 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17765/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 4,500 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
A review of the School Transport Scheme commenced in February 2021. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately.
Significant consultation has been undertaken as part of this review. A public survey was administered for parents/guardians and students who use the service and those who do not use the service but who would like to. A broad array of stakeholders including schools, special education interest groups, industry representatives and other Government Departments were all consulted as part of this review.
Phase 1 of the review examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who were eligible for transport to their nearest school but attending their next nearest school. The report was completed in June 2021.
Following consideration of this report, for the 2021/2022 school year, the provision of temporary alleviation measures was approved for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport, but were attending their second nearest school and had applied and paid on time. These measures have been continued for the current 2022/2023 school year, and will again continue in the 2023/2024 school year pending completion of the review.
These measures mean that transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and, who applied for school transport by the 28th April 2023 and pay for a ticket/enter medical card details by the 9th June 2023.
Phase two of the review has progressed significantly and is being completed in tandem with phase three which is well underway.
While work on the review was impacted somewhat by the current conflict in Ukraine, and by the increased demand for the scheme in summer 2022 due to fees being waived, my officials are working to complete phase 3 of the review within the coming weeks with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme. Once approved by Government it is planned that the review will be published.
For the 2023/2024 school year, reduced charges will apply, mainstream ticket holders will save up to €50 at primary and €275 at post-primary, with an overall reduction in the family maximum contribution of €525 compared to the fees for 2021/2022 school year. This reduction in fees is at a cost of €49m. Children availing of Special Educational Needs Transport remain exempt from ticket charges.
584. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the number of Departmental staff currently on sick or stress leave; and the number who took stress or sick leave in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, in tabular form.; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17775/23]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table.
Department of Education
|
Period |
Total no. of staff on sick leave[1] |
No. of staff on sick leave with stress indicated as reason |
|
2018 |
944 |
28 |
|
2019 |
960 |
34 |
|
2020 |
646 |
25 |
|
2021 |
574 |
16 |
|
2022 |
825 |
13 |
|
2023 (January to date) [2] |
390 |
2 |
|
Current position[3] |
70 |
2 |
[1] The total number of staff on sick leave figures include those staff on sick leave with stress indicated as reason for sick leave absence
[2] The 2023 figure includes those currently on sick leave
[3] Figures as of 6 April 2023
Please note that the figures indicated above relate to short term incidences of sick leave from 1 day up to longer term sick leave absences.
585. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the number of allegations of bullying made by departmental staff against departmental staff in each of the past five years and to date in 2023, in tabular form; and if she will detail what actions are being taken by her Department to investigate the allegations or if they are being investigated. [17793/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that in the event that a member of staff in my Department is concerned about bullying at their place of work they are advised of the anti-bullying, harassment and sexual harassment policy for the Irish Civil Service, entitled "Dignity at Work", which is published by the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform.
During the period outlined in the Deputy's question, my Department has not received any formal bullying allegations which required investigation under the said policy.
586. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the number of Departmental staff dismissed in each of the past ten years and to date in 2023, in tabular form. [17811/23]
View answerDuring the period stated in the Deputy’s question, no officials at my Department were dismissed from duty.
588. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 416 of 28 March 2023, the steps her Department can take to address the anomaly that has arisen in relation to a PhD postgraduate allowance, which meant that in September 2013 PhD students could not both retire to claim their award and also stay in service to fulfil the new timeframe of the pre-existing and changing regulations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17839/23]
View answerAs outlined in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 416 of 28 March 2023, and as detailed in Circular 03/2012, in 2012 a public service-wide review of allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The result of this review was that qualification allowances were abolished with effect from 1st February 2012.
This provision was confirmed in paragraph 2 of Circular 08/2013 which stated that: Qualification allowances were abolished with effect from 1 February 2012. The effect of this is that except for the limited exemption set out in paragraph 12 (i), no such allowances may be paid to an individual after that date.
The exemption provided for in paragraph 12(i) of Circular 08/2013 stated that:
In the case of persons first employed in a qualified (and for appointments after September 2010, registered) capacity in a teaching position in an Oireachtas funded post in a qualified capacity on or before 4 December 2011 qualification allowances are payable in respect of qualifications acquired on or before 4 December 2011. No allowances are payable should the individual acquire a further qualification regardless of the purpose of the qualification or the date of commencement of the course of study. The sole exception to this general position arises where as at 5 December 2011, a teacher in employment on that date and eligible for receipt of a qualification allowance in respect of the post they held on that date, was actively undertaking a course of further study leading to an additional qualification, provided that the teacher does not cease to be a registered student on that course before its completion.
Circular 0008/2013 was produced under the auspices of The Teachers Conciliation Council which is made up of representatives of the Teacher Unions, the School Management Bodies, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education & Skills chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.
Circular 0063/2021 issued by my Department on 14th December 2021 and extended the closing date for receipt of eligible qualification allowance applications to 30th April 2022.
My Department received an application for payment of a doctorate degree allowance from the teacher in question on 30th April 2022. The teacher’s application was refused on 17th January 2023 as the date of award of his PhD qualification, as confirmed by the awarding authority was 11th October 2013, ie. after his date of retirement on 31st August 2013.
As qualification allowances are paid to eligible teachers with effect from the date of award, this teacher has no entitlement to payment of a doctorate degree allowance as the date of his PhD award was after his date of retirement in 2013.
The individual concerned retired voluntarily on the 31st August 2013. In accordance with the provisions of the pension scheme, his benefits were calculated based on his salary and the allowances he held at the date of his retirement.
A letter of appeal was received from the teacher in question on 27th January 2023 and his appeal was refused by my Department on 2nd February 2023. A further appeal was submitted to my Department by the teacher in question on the 26th of March 2023 and is currently under review by officials of my Department.
