Written Answers Nos. 312-325
312. Deputy Francis Noel Duffy asked the Minister for Education the reason that a school (details supplied) is not recognised by the State; if, since 2007, the school has applied to be recognised; if so, the outcome of this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42397/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is not in receipt of an application from the school in question for recognition.
Private primary schools are not recognised schools under the Education Act, 1998 and therefore do not fall within the remit of the Minister for Education. The Department has no responsibility regarding funding or any other matter relating to private primary schools that are not recognised by the Minister as such schools are privately owned and managed.
New schools are established by my Department on the basis of identified demographic demand in an area, and after consideration of the capacity of existing schools to absorb the expected school place demand. A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. This patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. Such new schools are recognised by my Department.
The new Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been developed by my Department to provide objective information to all parents and guardians which will allow them to make an informed choice in expressing a preference for their preferred model of patronage for their child’s education.
There is no mechanism for the establishment or recognition of new schools outside of this process.
313. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education if any reviews or studies have been conducted by her Department into the use of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in the construction of public buildings and buildings providing educational services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42434/23]
View answerMy Department is closely monitoring the situation in the UK with regard to the identification of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in schools and other public buildings.
RAAC is a lightweight, ‘bubbly’ form of concrete commonly used in construction in the UK between the 1950s and mid-1990s. It is predominantly found as precast panels in roofs (commonly flat roofs, sometimes pitched) and occasionally in floors and walls. RAAC panels are light-grey or white in appearance, the underside of the panels will appear smooth. The inside of the planks will appear bubbly, often described as looking like an Aero bar. Unlike traditional concrete, there will not be visible stones (aggregate) in the panels.
The Department’s initial research to ascertain whether RAAC was used in Irish schools has focused on reaching out to the wider construction industry including designers, contractors, and the Irish Concrete Society. All feedback received to date suggests that this product was not specified in Irish school buildings and indeed may not even have been available as a product to purchase/use in Ireland.
Notwithstanding this positive response, the Department is expanding its research by undertaking a number of structural surveys across a representative sample of schools and is liaising with relevant stakeholders in relation to the arrangements for same. It is the Department’s intention that by carrying out representative sampling of Irish school buildings that could potentially fit the profile for RAAC use (i.e. by building type and age), that it will strengthen its knowledge and position that RAAC is not a product used in our schools.
314. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will provide details of how the €500,000 funding that was made available in 2009 for a memorial to honour all survivors of all State-run industrial schools is to be used; if she will outline details of the proposed memorial; to provide a timescale for when it will be in place; if she will acknowledge that survivors are eager to see the plans for a memorial brought to fruition; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42459/23]
View answerThe establishment of a national memorial for children who were victims of abuse in residential institutions is the final outstanding recommendation of the Final Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, the Ryan Report, which was published in 2009.
For a number of years, the Department has ring-fenced capital funding of €500,000 for this purpose. However, a number of previous initiatives to establish a memorial were unsuccessful, due to both a lack of consensus regarding the nature of such a memorial and issues relating to planning. This included a proposal to develop a specific memorial integrated with the Garden of Remembrance.
Since the publication of the Ryan Report in 2009, separate investigations into the Magdalen Laundries and the Mother and Baby and County Home Institutions have taken place, and it is clear that there were referral pathways between the various institutions and that some individuals transferred from one type of institution to another over time.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government has approved proposals for the development of a National Centre for Research and Remembrance in Dublin 1. The Centre will be comprised of a number of elements including –
• a museum and exhibition space, the development of which will be led by the National Museum of Ireland;
• a research centre and repository of records related to institutional trauma in the 20th century, which will form part of the National Archives;
• a place for reflection and remembrance;
• social housing; and
• educational and community facilities.
The National Centre will stand as a site of conscience, and will be a national memorial to honour equally all those who were resident in Industrial Schools, Magdalen Laundries, Mother and Baby Homes, Reformatories and related institutions. This will reflect the connections between those institutions while also fulfilling the Government’s commitment to establish a national memorial in response to the recommendation of the Ryan Report.
315. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the reason that students in a school in Dublin (details supplied) who require full access to an SNA have been denied this access, with only one SNA shared between two junior infant classes; and the plans she has to ensure that children with SEN receive a full education, like their peers, and do not miss out on school due to lack of SNAs/ SNA hours. [42467/23]
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.
SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into mainstream education, special classes and special schools ensuring that these students can access education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.
SNAs are allocated to schools as a school based resource and not to individual children. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual principal/board of management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
The NCSE have published the SNA allocations for the 2023/24 school year. For ease of reference these allocations are broken down by school type and are available on the NCSE's website at: www.ncse.ie/set-hours-and-sna-allocations
As the NCSE have the responsibility for allocating SNAs to schools I will arrange to have your query referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.
316. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the measures her Department can take to review the catchment area of a school (details supplied), to allow children who live a 90 second walk away from the school attend it, in the interest of sustainability. [42469/23]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
As the Deputy may be aware, on the basis of demographic demand identified by the Department, Stepaside Educate Together Secondary School was established in 2016 and Stepaside Educate Together National School was established in 2012, both to serve the Ballinteer_Stepaside School Planning Area.
New schools established since 2011 to meet demographic demand, are required, in the first instance, to prioritise pupil applications from within the designated school planning area(s) which the school was established to serve. This does not preclude schools from enrolling pupils from outside of the school planning area where they have sufficient places, rather it reflects the need to accommodate in the first instance the demographic for which the school was established.
The question of enrolment in individual schools, including the setting of catchment areas, is the responsibility of the Board of Management on behalf of the school Patron and my Department does not seek to intervene in decisions made by schools in such matters. It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.
This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process may be necessary.
317. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education to review correspondence (details supplied); if she will provide clarity on this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42477/23]
View answerI understand that the School Authority has been granted capital funding under the Department’s SEN Reconfiguration & Modular Accommodation Programme for the provision of 2 x Special Educational Needs classrooms with 100m2 soft-play area and 2 x Special Education tuition rooms.
This programme involves the use of Project Management supports which is designed to enable the accommodation to be provided as quickly as possible and help ease the administrative workload for school authorities in relation to the management and delivery of projects.
Rogerson Reddan & Associates has been appointed, from the Department’s Framework, to design and tender the project at the school in question. This is a collaborative process between the Project Manager, School Authority and the Department. The first step in the process was submission of a project viability report to the Department following consideration by the project manager and school authority. This report presented the preferred and most technically suitable location for the additional accommodation and highlighted that some of the school’s existing hard-core play area would be displaced. To compensate for this, additional funding was granted for the relocation of this hard-core area. The School Authority accepted the conditions associated with the report and signed a ‘Form of Acceptance’ which is an agreement between the School Authority and the Department to proceed with the works outlined.
In relation to the drainage issue alluded to. I have been advised that from a professional and technical point of view, it will be feasible to install drainage after the modular project is delivered and certified as compliant with building regulations. The proposal outlined in the email does not form part of the current project brief and therefore, cannot be considered by the Department at this time.
318. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education whether she is aware of issues with a new secondary school building in Blarney that is causing traffic chaos; what actions have been taken to mitigate this pending the completion of the staff car park; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42480/23]
View answerThe large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy reached substantial completion in August 2023. The project brief was for a new school building on the existing site to accommodate 1,200 pupils and accommodation, including 4 classrooms, for children with special educational needs.
The current site works could only commence once the new school building was fully occupied, the temporary accommodation was removed from site and the old school building was demolished. Works are progressing well and it is anticipated that full completion can be achieved in Q4 2023.
319. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on plans to roll out of the ICT grant to schools (primary and secondary) for the current school year under the digital strategy for schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42515/23]
View answerThe Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 was published last year and is underpinned by an investment of €200m to support its implementation, committed to under Ireland’s National Development Plan (NDP). The first tranche of €50m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in late 2021.
The previous Digital Strategy for Schools 2015 to 2020 saw overall investment of €210m issued to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in annual grant funding. This funding enabled schools to invest in appropriate digital infrastructure to enable the embedding of the use of digital technology in teaching, learning and assessment.
Funding of €50m secured as part of Ireland's National Recovery and Resilience Plan under the NextGenerationEU Recovery and Resilience Facility also issued to all recognised schools in the free education scheme to support learners at risk of educational disadvantage through the digital divide in late 2021.
My Department intends to issue the next tranche of ICT grant funding in the 2023 to 2024 school year. The specific timing for issue of the ICT grant is subject to the availability of Exchequer funding and the wider capital needs of the Department including the building programme to ensure the supply of school accommodation.
As part of the forthcoming Review of the National Development Plan, my Department’s aim is to provide better clarity and certainty for schools on the timelines for payment of minor works and ICT grant funding.
320. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if she will expedite an application for a school extension (details supplied). [42522/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, my Department approved funding for the school referred to under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme. This approval was for the provision of 8 general classrooms, a special education teaching room, a science laboratory and preparation area, a DCG room, a music room, a textile room, 2 special education needs classrooms, a general purpose dining area, and a construction room and preparation area. The project is devolved to the school authority for delivery and it has appointed a design team to oversee this.
My Department is currently finalising its technical review of the submission of further information from the school authority regarding its Stage 1 (initial design) report. Once the review is complete, the Department will engage with the school authority directly on how best to progress the project to the next stage of the architectural process.
I am pleased to advise the Deputy that additional approval was also provided by my Department for the provision of two special education needs classrooms under the Department’s Modular Accommodation Framework. The use of the Department’s Modular Accommodation Framework assists in ensuring lead in periods for procurement of modular accommodation are minimised to the greatest extent possible. To date, this has worked very well in the education sector and has seen delivery of large scale, high quality modular accommodation to meet the needs of children, particularly those with special educational needs.
My Department will continue to liaise with the school authority in respect of both of these projects.
321. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education if she will consider that an additional minor works grant be paid to primary schools again this year, in light of the extra costs of running schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42524/23]
View answerMy Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The funding provides good flexibility at local level to assist schools to manage and undertake works that support the operation of the school.
A total of €280 million in Minor Works Grants and Enhanced Minor Works Grants has been allocated to schools between 2018 and 2022.
For the school year 2022/2023, to provide additional support in the context of Covid-19 the payment of an Enhanced minor works grant totalling €45m for primary schools and special schools, plus once-off Covid-19 minor works funding of €17m for post-primary schools, was issued in December 2021.
For the school year 2023/2024 minor works grant funding totalling €29m for primary schools and special schools issued in April 2023.
Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs.
The works that can be undertaken under the minor works scheme include maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds, improvement or replacement of mechanical and electrical services, the purchase of standard furniture and physical education equipment, the purchase of floor coverings and window blinds, the purchase of IT related equipment, ventilation improvements, and enhancements to outdoor learning environments.
In addition schools can apply for refurbishment/improvement works under the multi-annual Summer Works Scheme. An Emergency Works Grant Scheme is in place to deal with emergency issues such as a boiler breakdown etc. During 2022, €116 million was invested in necessary small scale repair/improvement works in schools through the Emergency Works and Summer Works Schemes. This funding provided for over 1,000 projects which includes Fire and Life Safety projects in over 100 schools, roof repair works for over 200 schools, window replacement projects in over 80 schools, external works in over 120 schools, Mechanical/ Boiler works in over 130 schools, Electrical works and Structural Improvements in more than 150 schools, modernised toilet facilities in over 75 schools along with in excess of 80 projects in schools to improve universal access facilities for pupils with additional needs.
My Department also provides funding to all recognised schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. These grants are based on recognised enrolments in September of the relevant school year.
The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating, lighting etc. and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff.
As part of my Budget 2023 announcement, and as part of the Cost of Living measures, €90m was allocated in one-off additional funding to support increased running costs for primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme in dealing with challenges they face in light of rising energy costs. This was paid out in December 2022 at a rate of 40% of schools’ basic and enhanced rates of capitation.
My Department has also ensured that centrally negotiated rates are available to schools for electricity and bulk heating fuels. These rates are available through existing frameworks sourced by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). OGP has run competitions specifically for Schools at a national level and the Schools Procurement Unit and the Department has communicated with schools and school management bodies informing them of the options available to them through these national arrangements. Information on how to avail of these arrangements is available via the Schools Procurement Unit website, www.spu.ie.
There is no provision for additional funding under the minor works grant this year.
322. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will be completed and the estimated cost for these works. [42540/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.An ASA application from the school is currently being assessed. When this stage is completed the school authority will be notified of the decision and a brief issued directly to the school. Accommodation has already been delivered for two special education needs classes in advance of the completion of the overall assessment.
The main focus of the Department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics particularly at post-primary level, and for provision to meet the needs of children with special educational needs. The Department has successfully supported and facilitated the enrolment of over 14,000 children from Ukraine in our primary and post primary schools.Under Project Ireland 2040 the education sector will receive a total of approximately €5 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. There will be a rolling 5 year funding envelope which will be updated annually for the period 2026 to 2030 within the Government’s overall NDP funding envelope of €136 billion in exchequer capital (€165 billion total capital including non-Exchequer) that will facilitate building a modern and sustainable school infrastructure.This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. The strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands and will include a PE build and modernisation programme.
323. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education when refurbishment works at a school (details supplied) will move to the tender stage of works. [42542/23]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers, has been devolved for delivery to Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB).
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project is currently at Stage 2b of the architectural planning process and planning permission has been granted. My Department now awaits submission of the Stage 2b report from the ETB. Once this report has been reviewed and approved by the Department, it will progress to tender stage and construction in due course.
WWETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep them informed of progress.
324. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education if her Department plans to raise four concerns from an organisation (details supplied) as part of submissions on Budget 2024. [42648/23]
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, including the INTO 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.
325. Deputy Neasa Hourigan asked the Minister for Education the schemes and funding streams available to assist schools green their external spaces, with, for example, trees and landscaped green areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [42650/23]
View answerIt is open to schools to utilise their Minor Works Grant or to apply under the Summer Works Scheme for improvement works to external facilities.
The Minor Works Grant is the funding mechanism for schools to deal with small-scale improvement or maintenance works.
The Summer Works Scheme is the funding mechanism for dealing with more significant improvement works that are usually carried out during school holiday periods to minimise disruption to the operation of schools. The Summer Works Scheme operates on a multi-annual basis. It is envisaged at this stage that the Summer Works Scheme will be next opened for new applications later in 2023 or early 2024. Schools will be notified of the details of the Summer Works Scheme as soon as is practicable.
