Written Answers Nos. 751-770
751. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education if she is aware that the return school start date for students at school (details supplied) has been delayed due to a failure to finish building works on time; the reason the school was not completed on time; the reason parents were not informed that the building was not completed on time until a week before students were due to return; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39112/23]
View answerThe building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has provided a new 16 classroom primary school including accommodation for children with special educational needs and was delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme.
The school commenced operation in the new school building on Friday 1st September, two days later than anticipated due to resource and material supply difficulties experienced by the contractor in the latter stage of the build. My Department agreed the revised return date with the school and its patron body in advance of the scheduled return to school and provided regular updates on progress during this period.
752. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide data on the current number of teacher vacancies by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39117/23]
View answerThe recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for individual school authorities, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In that regard there are more than 3,700 individual employers (boards of management of primary schools and post primary schools, as well as ETBs). My Department does not currently collate data on teacher vacancies by county.
Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have available to them qualified, engaged teachers to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government. The Department of Education works with school management bodies, teacher unions and other education stakeholders in this regard
The Department is undertaking a comprehensive programme to support the supply of teachers. To support the supply of substitute teachers:
• Primary substitute teacher supply panels will continue to operate in 2023/24.
• Job-sharing teachers may be employed to work as substitutes during the period they are rostered off duty and the limits on substitute work applying to teachers on career break have been suspended.
• Post primary teachers can provide up to 35 additional hours substitute cover per term in the subject they are qualified to teach.
• 3rd year undergraduate teachers are eligible to apply for registration with the Teaching Council under registration Route 5 (Student Teachers). The registration process for student teachers is due to commence in October. More than 2,700 student teachers were registered under Route 5 last year.
• A waiver of abatement for retired teachers returning to teach for up to 50 days in each of the three calendar years 2021 to 2023 inclusive has been agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP and Reform.
Other measures include:
• The implementation of a pilot of the teacher sharing scheme in a small number of post primary schools. The pilot scheme will facilitate two schools to collaborate to provide high priority subjects, and to enhance the teaching hours available for those teachers employed on less than full hours.
• Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) who qualify outside Ireland and apply before 1 February 2024 will continue to be able to complete induction (Droichead) in Ireland. This measure seeks to enhance the supply of NQTs available to schools and is particularly relevant for Irish teachers who have studied and qualified abroad and who may wish to return to the Irish education sector.
• Following from the Department’s Action Plan on Teacher Supply, the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) operates a portal for the recruitment of teachers to long-term teaching positions. The portal facilitates the matching of demand and supply and provides an efficient and user-friendly recruitment process for both schools and teachers, including teachers working abroad who wish to apply for posts here.
• Turas Abhaile is an initiative of the post-primary school management bodies and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) which has assisted teachers based abroad to return teach in Ireland since September 2019. Turas Abhaile matches available post primary teachers with specific vacancies.
Measures targeted at supporting the long-term supply needs of the system which are already in place include:
• At primary level, I approved 610 additional places on initial teacher education programmes over the next two academic years (2023/24 and 2024/25).
• At post-primary level, the Department has increased the number of places on teacher upskilling programmes in mathematics, Spanish and physics. The programmes are delivered outside of class time and are offered at no cost to the teacher. Approximately 170 places were provided in the first intake across the three programmes with an increase in places to over 300 in 2023. A new programme to upskill teachers in Irish is planned for 2024 and the Department is also considering additional upskilling programmes in other priority subject areas.
• The Teaching Transforms campaign continues to promote the teaching profession and encourage students to follow a career in teaching. The campaign uses digital, radio and video media, and is supported by a dedicated webpage, www.gov.ie/teachingtransforms.
The Department meets on a regular basis with the school management bodies and the teacher unions on this very important issue and we will continue to work intensively with all stakeholders to develop and implement creative solutions to address the teacher supply challenges facing schools.
753. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education the reason an application (details supplied) was rejected; the reason it is taking so long for a decision on the review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39120/23]
View answerThe Teaching Council is the competent authority for the recognition of qualifications for those who qualified as teachers outside of Ireland. The Teaching Council adheres to the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015, the Teaching Council Registration Regulations (2016) and in its role as a competent authority, it operates in accordance with the EU Mutual Recognition of Professional Qualifications Directive (2005/36/EU as amended). As a statutory professional standards body, the Teaching Council is required by law to properly determine and to authenticate the relevant standards and qualifications of all applicants for registration. One of the ways the Council ensures and regulates standards is by ensuring that all teachers entering the profession in Ireland have met the required standards.
Fully qualified teachers are eligible to apply for registration with the Teaching Council. The Council registers teachers under four Routes of Registration; Route 1 Primary, Route 2 Post-primary, Route 3 Further Education and Route 4 Other.
The Teaching Council has advised that the person referred to by the Deputy is currently registered in full as a post-primary teacher with two subjects. As a registered post-primary teacher, this person has met the registration requirement to teach at least one post-primary curricular subject. Deployment within schools to teach subjects is a matter for individual school authorities. It is not a registration requirement to be recognised for additional subjects. The Council does however accept applications from teachers who have upskilled and wish for information purposes to add a subject to their registration.
The person referred to by the Deputy applied to add a subject to their registration. An assessment was carried out by a subject advisor to ensure the person met the subject criteria as per the Curricular Subject Requirements, 2017 before the subject was added. The requirements include a European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) credit requirement, the study of various areas of the subject and the requirement to have completed a programme of post-primary initial teacher education (age range 12-18 years) in which the theory, methodology and practice of teaching the subject forms the central aspect.
The person referred to meets the ECTS credit requirement and has demonstrated they have studied the required areas. A shortfall however was identified in that the person referred to has not studied the theory, methodology and practice of teaching the subject. The decision of the Council’s Qualification Panel was communicated to the person referred to explaining that they did not meet the criteria for the subject in full.
The individual referred to was informed that upon successfully addressing the shortfall area through further study, the subject would be added to their registration.
Following a request from the person referred to, they have been offered the benefit of a second assessment by a second advisor. The second advisor’s recommendation is listed for the next Qualification Panel on 19th September in accordance with Teaching Council regulations and procedures. The individual referred to by the Deputy will be informed of the Panel’s decision as soon as possible after the meeting.
The person referred to has been updated in this regard and has been communicated with on numerous occasions throughout the application process including from the Qualification Assessment Manager.
754. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if the primary and special schoolbook scheme which has been introduced for recognised primary schools, including special schools can be extended to post-primary special class setting students that is, ASD students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39128/23]
View answerEarlier this year I announced the establishment of Ireland’s first national primary school book scheme. More than 558,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, will benefit from this new measure.
Detailed guidance for primary schools on the scheme was published and issued to all recognised primary schools and special schools in March 2023.
The investment in this scheme significantly increases the funding for school books provided to date to all recognised primary schools in the country.
The primary school book grant funding for the 2023/24 academic year, totalling over €53 million was paid directly to all recognised primary and special schools in April, to allow schools implement the scheme in time for the start of the 2023/24 school year.
A full evaluation of the first year of implementation of the scheme will be undertaken in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform, to inform the guidance, implementation, costs and efficiency of the scheme for future years.
My Department currently provides a book grant to all recognised post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books, including Book Rental Schemes. Under this scheme, my Department provided funding of €10.2 million in 2022 to these schools.
The extension of the free school book scheme to students in recognised post-primary schools will be considered in the context of the available resources going forward.
755. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the position regarding the permanent extension for a school (details supplied); if her Department is committed to delivering this project; the timeline for its completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39129/23]
View answerThe School project to which the Deputy refers has been approved funding under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to provide –1x General classroom, 1x Music room, 1x Textiles room, 1x Art room, 1x Graphics room, 1x Multimedia room, 1x Science lab, 1x Science Preparation area, 2x Technology and shared Preparation area, and a 3 Classroom Special Education Needs base. Delivery of this project has been devolved to the school authority.
A design team was appointed and a design stage report from this team is currently under review by my Department officials. The recommendations from this review will be communicated to the School Authority in order to progress the project. At this early stage, it is not possible to provide a date for completion of the project.
In order to meet the immediate requirements of the school for the current school year, I am pleased to advise the Deputy that additional approval under the ASA scheme was provided for the provision of four general classrooms. The project is being delivered under the Department’s Devolved SEN Reconfiguration and Modular Accommodation programme assisted by a project manager and this project has reached practical completion.
756. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education the progress of plans for additional accommodation for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39131/23]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application, for additional school accommodation, from the school authority in question.
The purpose of the ASA (Additional School Accommodation) 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.
Officials from my Department's Professional and Technical section are currently reviewing the application and the site in question, to determine the feasibility of expansion here. Once this review has been finalised the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.
757. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for an extension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39132/23]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved funding under my Department's Additional School Accommodation Scheme 2023 for the provision of a two classroom special education needs base. The project is devolved for delivery to the school authority and it has appointed a design team to progress the project. The project is currently at design stage of the architectural process.
It is now a matter for the School Authority to advance the project and my Department is available to provide practical support and advice for this purpose.
758. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if any assistance can be given to pupils (details supplied) who need bus transport to school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39135/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
There was an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and an increase of 38% in tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the 2022/23 school year compared to the 2021/22 school year.
In addition, school transport scheme services were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Already over 132,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the same time last year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.
Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level will be continued for the 2023/2024 school year pending completion of the review of the School Transport Scheme. This will mean that transport arrangements will continue to be provided for a number of post-primary students who are attending their second nearest school, who have applied and registered on time and who live more than 4.8km from their nearest school.
Bus Éireann have advised that the pupils residing in the area referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for transport as they are not attending their closest school.
School Transport Section are liaising with officials in Bus Éireann regarding capacity on board the service referred to by the Deputy and will be in touch with families directly should seats become available.
759. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education if an organisation (details supplied) can apply for funding announced this year for counselling within DEIS schools; to outline the qualifying criteria and application process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39149/23]
View answerThe Department of Education is committed to supporting the emotional well-being of our children and I was delighted to announce the establishment of a programme of counselling and mental health supports to be piloted in a number of primary schools from September 2023. There are two Strands to the pilot:
Strand 1 will see the provision of one-to-one counselling to support small numbers of children in all primary schools, including DEIS schools in counties Cavan, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Mayo, Monaghan and Tipperary. Schools in the pilot will be allocated a number of blocks of up to eight sessions of counselling per child.
My Department will establish county panels of pre-approved experienced counsellors to work in the selected schools for the duration of the pilot. In view of the fact there is no single recognised counselling qualification and no national regulatory body for counselling in Ireland at this point in time, the Department has liaised with three main accrediting bodies for counsellors in Ireland the Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapists in Ireland (IAHIP); the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)) and the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) in relation to supporting the counselling pilot in primary schools. This ensures that
• the high level of governance and quality that is required for this landmark project is achieved particularly in view of the highly sensitive nature of providing counselling for children.
• that the counsellors have appropriate training, skills and competencies to engage ethically, professionally and effectively with this age group.
• that the counsellors operate and adhere to the Code of Ethics of their relevant accrediting body .
The Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapists in Ireland (IAHIP); the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)) and the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) advertised the application process for the pilot and shared the Terms and Conditions for Counsellors to be placed on the panel with their members.
The qualifying criteria for counsellors to be considered for placement on the panel are as follows:
• currently hold a recognised qualification at Level 7 (primary degree) or higher in a relevant human science as well as an accredited qualification in counselling or psychotherapy. This qualification must be recognised by the Psychological Society of Ireland; or the Irish Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy; or the Irish Association for Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy
• AND
• have at least two years’ (minimum of 150 hours), relevant supervised experience of providing counselling for children
• OR
• currently hold a professional accredited qualification in the area of child and adolescent counselling
• AND
• have at least one year’s supervised experience of providing counselling for children
• AND
• be an accredited member of one of the following professional bodies:- the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI); Irish Association of Humanistic and Integrative Psychotherapy (IAHIP); Irish Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (IACP)
Strand 2 of this pilot will see the establishment of Education Well-being/Mental Health Teams to support selected DEIS and non DEIS schools in cluster areas in Cork, Carlow, Dublin 7 and Dublin 16, under the direction and supervision of the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). Each team in the 4 cluster areas of the pilot will comprise one NEPS psychologist and four Education Well-being/Mental Health Practitioners. The focus of the support to be provided will be on:
• strengthening whole school preventative approaches to promoting well-being and mental health
• providing psycho-educational support for parents and teachers
• providing early intervention to children using evidenced based programmes and approaches
The Education Well-being/Mental Health Practitioner is a new type of practitioner being introduced as part of this pilot, to provide enhanced in-school support.
The pilot will run from September 2023 – June 2024. Through the pilot and subsequent evaluation we are confident that we will gather valuable learning that will inform future policy and provision in this area.
760. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education to outline her plans to improve the pay and conditions for special needs assistants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39153/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to the delivery of quality public services, and continues to approach public service pay in a balanced way that is reasonable and fair to both public servants and to the taxpayer. This has been achieved through a series of national collective agreements, agreed between trade unions and the Government, applying across the public sector. In the last year the current agreement, ‘Building Momentum’, has provided for further increases of 6.5% to October 2023, with an initial 3% increase backdated to February 2022, which provided a lump sum to SNAs during the previous winter period, a 2% salary increase in March of this year and a further increase of €750 to their salary to take effect in October 2023. The starting pay for an SNA will increase further to around €28,000 by October 2023, and SNAs will see increases from €2,500 to €3,500 per annum under the salary increases. SNA’s have also benefited from the application of an increase of €1,100 to the current long service increment point, raising the maximum pay level for a SNA, through Building Momentum’s ‘sectoral bargaining’ process.
In terms of improving conditions for SNAs in our schools, the Department has established an SNA Workforce Development Unit (SNAWDU) in order to ensure that sufficient time and attention is given to examination of the SNA role and any reform or development required. This dedicated unit enables a strategic approach to SNA policy development with the objective of developing an enhanced SNA service which delivers the best outcome for children with significant care needs in our schools.
A priority task for this Unit has been the review of the SNA Contract of Employment in line with a commitment under the Building Momentum National Pay Agreement. An extensive review of the SNA contract is progressing in collaboration with internal stakeholders in my Department. Once this stage concludes the draft SNA contract will be provided to the education partners and relevant external stakeholders for consideration and feedback. The SNAWDU also recently convened focus groups with SNAs around the country as a first step in establishing a learning and development programme for SNAs. A dedicated SNA Information Hub was set up on foot of direct feedback from the SNAs in these focus group. The Information Hub, which contains useful information and links to resources for SNAs, can be accessed at the following link: gov.ie/en/publication/2a977-special-needs-assistant-sna/.
761. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education when a school (details supplied) will be able to provide the promised school place to a pupil; if there has been a teacher appointed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39159/23]
View answerI 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).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
For 2023, the spend by my department on special education has been 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 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, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).
In 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 SNAs.
For the first time ever there will be over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 SNAs. 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 the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
389 new special classes – 253 at primary and 136 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening in the 2023/24 school year, with more to be confirmed in the coming weeks.
In addition, two special schools for the 2023/24 school year have been established; one Carrigtwohill Community National School in Carrigtwohill, east Cork and the other An Cósan special school in Grangegorman Dublin 7.
The City of Dublin Education Training Board (ETB) are the patron body of An Cósan special school.
My Department continues to work with the City of Dublin ETB and the NCSE in supporting the opening of this special school. My department has been advised that the City of Dublin ETB are currently progressing the recruitment of staff for the new school. A school principal has recently been appointed.
Correspondence to all parents from the ETB providing indicative timelines in regards to the school opening in term 1 of the 2023/24 school year has issued. The NCSE through the special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are currently contacting all parents who have accepted a place in An Cósan special school to support them in applying for a Home Tuition Grant as an interim measure until the school opens.
The department's Home Tuition Grant Scheme provides funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school. By its nature, it is intended to be a short term intervention.
The scheme is governed by annual circulars which set out the details, purpose and eligibility criteria. Circular 0024/2023 provides information in relation to the 2023/24 Home Tuition Grant Scheme and can be accessed by clicking on the following link: www.gov.ie/en/circular/67f37-home-tuition-grant-scheme-20232024-special-education-component/
The purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for:
Early educational intervention for children with autism who meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria
Students with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school
Students, enrolled in schools, with a significant medical condition, or school phobia and/or associated depression/anxiety, which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school
I want to assure 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.
762. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education if the case of a child (details supplied) will be examined, who has not received a school bus ticket for the coming year and will miss out on school due to having no access to transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39165/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
There was an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and an increase of 38% in tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the 2022/23 school year compared to the 2021/22 school year.
In addition, school transport scheme services were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Already over 132,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the same time last year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.
The purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
The closing date for new applications for the 2023/2024 school year was Friday 28th April 2023. The closing date for payment/entering medical details for tickets for the 2023/2024 school year was Friday 9th June 2023.
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 my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
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 not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis in accordance with the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme and subject to the following conditions:
• an application is made by the deadline date
• there is an existing service in place
• there is spare capacity on the service;
• routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis;
The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s post primary school education cycle. Where the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeds the number of seats available, Bus Éireann will determine the allocation of the tickets using an agreed selection process.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport. While an application was received on time for this pupil for the 2023/24 school year, payment/medical card details were received late after the 9th of June closing date and at that stage the existing service was already operating to capacity. There are currently no seats available on the service.
763. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if, given that Ireland is facing a huge surge in Covid cases due to new variants with high transmissibility, she will commit to ensuring that there is clean air in schools, without any further delay; if, given that her Department’s promise in December 2021 to make funding available for the purchase of Hepa filters was not a successful method of ensuring each school received a filter, she will guarantee that Hepa filters are provided directly to schools by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39179/23]
View answerMy Department’s guidance in relation to managing ventilation in a Covid environment sets out the practical steps for improving ventilation and where poor ventilation continues to exist in a particular room/area, air cleaners may be considered as an additional measure in conjunction with other methods of ventilation that are available. This was in line with the Expert Group guidance which identified that in areas with poor ventilation that structural interventions and measures to increase natural ventilation should be completed. Where such structural interventions or measures were not possible in the short term, that consideration should be given to using stand-alone HEPA filter devices in poorly ventilated spaces pending the completion of structural interventions.
My Department provided additional support in the context of Covid-19 through the provision of CO2 monitors and payment of enhanced minor works grants to schools in the free scheme, circa €100 million in 2020 and €32 million in 2021. This funding enabled schools to address both their reconfiguration requirements and also to address small-scale ventilation improvements at school level. Primary schools also received standard Minor Works Grant totalling €90 million during this period.
As there is no one solution that fits all scenarios, each school required bespoke analysis and an appropriate ventilation solution matched to the specific room size and volume. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools were best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs in line with the Department’s Guidance. In this context the requirements for each school were determined locally by schools and my Department does not therefore hold this type of information centrally.
Schools that identified inadequate ventilation in a room can utilise their minor works grant (for minor improvements) or apply for emergency works grant assistance to address ventilation enhancements on a permanent basis. If a school feels that its individual space may require specific technical specialist advice then the assistance of a Chartered Engineer or Registered Architect can be sought. In the case where a school has difficulty engaging a Chartered Engineer or Registered Architect my Department can assist, with a dedicated ventilation team available to support school principals in this regard.
As of the end of August 2023, 42 schools have applied for additional funding under the emergency works scheme to assist with ventilation. Of these, 35 have been approved, 2 were incorrectly classified as ventilation-related and assessed separately, 4 applications were rejected, and 1 application is awaiting the school to revert with further information. None of these applications were for the funding of HEPA filters and contact was made with each of the schools who had applications rejected to advise them how best to proceed.
764. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 316 of 16 May 2023, regarding school transport for a pupil in County Cork (details supplied), if she will provide an update on the tender process for this transport contract and the appointment of an escort for the pupil in question; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39185/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
There was an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and an increase of 38% in tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the 2022/23 school year compared to the 2021/22 school year.
In addition, school transport scheme services were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Already over 132,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the same time last year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
I am pleased to advise that the child referred to by the Deputy is eligible under the terms of the scheme. School Transport Section of my Department have sanctioned an individual transport service for the child to Bus Éireann. School Transport Section have also sanctioned funding to the School for the employment of a school transport escort.
Bus Éireann are still in the process of trying to allocate a contractor to operate this service, once a contractor has been sourced, the service will commence.
Both the Department and Bus Éireann are very conscious of the challenges faced by parents awaiting transport for students with special educational needs. Families of children who are eligible for these services may therefore apply for the Special Transport Grant which is a once off payment, paid retrospectively to families once the School Transport service is in place and is to assist with the cost of private transport arrangements the family had put in place until services are finalised. School Transport Section of my Department have contacted the family directly in respect of the Special Transport Grant.
765. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if her Department has conducted any analysis of the impact of the removal of the special cleaning allowance made during Covid; if her Department has conducted a survey of what the increase in cleaning costs has been for schools; and whether she will ensure that schools can meet the rising costs of school cleaning. [39187/23]
View answerMore than €400.7 million of additional Covid-19 Capitation grant funding has been made available to recognised primary and post primary schools to provide for the implementation of infection prevention and control measures to reduce the risk of the spread of Covid-19 to date.
Schools have been reminded that the Covid-19 Capitation payment is a temporary measure and is kept under review.
As the Deputy is aware, the continued payment of Covid-19 Capitation grants is determined by the prevailing public health advice at the time.
766. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, INTO budget 2024 campaign (details supplied) "Building a brighter future for every child"; if she agrees with the measures put forward; and if she will ensure these are implemented in the upcoming Budget. [39201/23]
View answerOver recent years, additional resources have been made available to our schools, including through the delivery of thousands of extra teaching and Special Needs Assistant posts, increased capitation in schools, enhanced supports for school leadership and improved staffing schedule and free school books in primary schools.
My aim for Budget 2024 is to continue to deliver on the priorities outlined in the Programme for Government and to continue to support the students, staff and families in the education sector.
In the lead up to the Budget, my Department receives a number of pre-budget submissions from a range of different stakeholders in the education sector and from organisations involved in other areas of public policy. As in previous years, relevant submissions continue to be reviewed and they will inform the specific budgetary priorities that I will be seeking to achieve in Budget 2024. As I am sure the Deputy appreciates, it would not be appropriate for me to outline any more specific plans at this stage of the Budgetary process.
767. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if a school (details supplied) can be allowed pay a substitute teacher where a fixed-term position is available but unfilled; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39205/23]
View answer768. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if the prohibition on paying a substitute teacher where no fixed term or permanent teacher can be found can be lifted for a year in view of the shortage of teachers as in the case of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39206/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 767 and 768 together.
Substitutes on supply panels may be used to replace existing teachers who take periods of leave such as sick leave among others, but cannot be used to fill vacant posts. Teachers who do casual subbing and are not on supply panels can fill vacant posts where a school cannot secure a teacher on a longer-term basis. The school needs to continue to seek to recruit a teacher on a longer-term contract.
Fixed term replacement teacher posts must be filled according to the current rules for teacher recruitment. These include that the recruited teacher shall be offered a fixed term contract.
There is a requirement that a person employed in a teaching position is registered with the Teaching Council in order to be paid by the public purse. This is provided for under legislation and therefore it is not possible for the State to pay a person whose Teaching Council Registration is pending.
There is an exception to this rule which permits an unregistered person to be employed for up to 5 days in place of a teacher.
769. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been brought to a situation regarding a school bus service (details supplied); what engagement she or her Department has had with Bus Éireann with regard to resolving this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39209/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2022/2023 school year, over 149,000 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
There was an increase of 21% in tickets issued to eligible students and an increase of 38% in tickets issued on a concessionary basis in the 2022/23 school year compared to the 2021/22 school year.
In addition, school transport scheme services were provided for over 5,400 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Already over 132,000 tickets have issued for the 2023/2024 school year which is an increase of 12% when compared with the same time last year. This number of tickets has already exceeded the total number of tickets issued in the 2022/23 school year.
Bus Éireann has reported that unfortunately, for a small number of families assigned to school transport services, a number of difficulties have arisen in some localities with just under 2% of contracted services nationally. These services were secured for the 2023/2024 school year however, Bus Éireann was informed at the last minute that due to driver/contractor unavailability, services could not commence as expected. These services are not cancelled, and the Bus Éireann School Transport team is working intensively to ensure that transport arrangements are put in place as soon as possible.
770. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education to respond to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied) regarding the “Guide to Potential Government Responses” booklet sent to survivors of institutional abuse taking part in the scoping inquiry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39232/23]
View answerThe Scoping Inquiry's remit is to inform the Government's response to revelations of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders. It is independently-led and the booklet referred to was issued by the Scoping Inquiry. However, it is my understanding that the survivor engagement process will provide an opportunity for survivors to outline to the Scoping Inquiry what they would like to see happen next in respect of the Government's response.
