Tuesday, 17 Oct 2023

Written Answers Nos. 1-20

Special Educational Needs

Questions (7)

Thomas Gould

Question:

7. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the additional resources provided to special education schools in 2023. [44993/23]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

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

Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government. It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

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.

While the additional funding made available in recent years to provide more special education teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs), NCSE supports and the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) supports in our schools is significant, it is accepted that there are a range of additional challenges facing our special schools. Last years Budget has provided for at least 124 additional SNAs and at least 42 additional teachers in our special schools for 2023.

These schools support children and young people with the most complex special educational needs and need to invest significant time to establish and foster positive links between the home, school and other agencies.

My Department has been actively engaging with the representative bodies for boards of management, particularly the body representing special schools, the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE) over the last year or more to address some of these additional challenges.

In November and December 2023 NABMSE facilitated a series of meetings nationwide with special schools. This engagement has focused in on a number of issues including:

a. The challenges attached to the designation of special schools as primary schools (the vast majority of special schools enrol students from 4 through to 18) and how this could be addressed

b. The resources necessary for special schools to support their students and

c. How best to ensure that all children who require it have access to a summer programme.

Following this close engagement with special schools, and aware of the challenges facing special schools from my own engagement with and visits to these schools, I was determined to introduce a number of new measures to support special schools. Some of these measures require additional budgetary provision and I was delighted to be able to announce last week that Budget 2024 has provided for two very targeted measures to support our special schools.

Firstly, the removal of the current 15 teacher threshold for the appointment of Administrative Deputy Principals in special schools which cater for children with special educational needs, so that all of these schools, rather than just a quarter of them, can benefit from having an Administrative Deputy Principal. These posts will be instrumental in assisting Principals with leadership and management functions and to support learning and parental and community engagement. This will make a real difference to staff and students in our special schools.

Secondly an additional allocation of 100 teaching posts will be provided to special schools. I am very conscious that our special schools provide an education for children and young people aged from 4 – 18 years of age and these posts will allow schools to deliver a greater range of the national curriculum subjects and to improve student progression and transition.

In addition, special schools will also benefit from the increase in capitation grants for all schools. I was also happy to secure funding to continue to provide an enhanced summer programme for students with special educational needs, with a focus again on children in special schools.

These measures build on a number of additional supports provided for in Budget 2023, including increased NEPs psychologists to allow all special schools have greater access to educational psychological support and funding for an increase in frontline staff in the NCSE to support special schools. I was very happy to recently announce the new national recruitment campaign by the NCSE to hire additional Special Educational Needs Organisers.

In addition to these budgetary measures, my Department is also working closely with the NCSE to further support special schools in relation to a range of issues relating to administration, curriculum and training.

Questions Nos. 8 to 13, inclusive, answered orally.

School Facilities

Questions (14)

David Stanton

Question:

14. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 158 of 4 May 2023; to provide an update on his Department’s review of the guidelines of the use of school buildings outside of school hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44927/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I wish to thank the Deputy for the opportunity to give an update on the review of my Department's 'Guidelines on the Use of School Buildings Outside of School Hours'. My Department supports and encourages the use of school buildings for community and recreational purposes, where feasible, and this has remained a core feature of the new Guidelines.

My Department first published the Guidelines on the use of School Buildings outside of School Hours in October 2017. The purpose of these guidelines was to provide guidance to schools in relation to their current arrangements for the use of school buildings outside of school hours. The Guidelines outline the various scenarios and informs where consent of the Department of Education is required.

The publication of the Guidelines followed a Programme for Government commitment, for the utilisation of primary school buildings for after-school care provision for school age children to offer more options and flexibility to parents, where there is demand for such a service, in partnership with community groups or private providers.

The process of reviewing the 2017 Guidelines for the Use of School Buildings outside of School Hours is now nearing completion.

Part of the review included a school survey to inform the updating of the Guidelines. The survey was issued to patron bodies of a sample of selected primary and post-primary schools for distribution. The survey invited schools to share their views on topics including: whether and how their school facilities are currently used by organisations other than the school, future plans for the use of school buildings and any current barriers encountered regarding the use of school buildings after hours. The responses to the survey were returned and analysed and have informed this review. Further engagement has taken place with the stakeholders and patron bodies on the draft Procedures/Guidelines and the information received from them will allow the Procedures/Guidelines to be finalised.

When the review is completed, and in consultation with school authorities, the new Procedures will be published and all schools will be notified of the changes.

Educational Disadvantage

Questions (15)

Brendan Smith

Question:

15. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education if relevant data from the National Census 2022 is yet available to her Department, with particular reference to the HP Deprivation Index, to assist in determining resource allocations by her Department to tackle educational disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45052/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

Following the National Census 2022 held on the 3rd April 2022 it is envisaged that an updated HP Deprivation Index will be generated by Pobal and will be available in Q4 of 2023. The updated HP Deprivation Index, when available, can be considered by my Department to inform future resource allocation to tackle educational disadvantage.

My Department provides a wide range of supports to all schools, DEIS and non-DEIS, to support the inclusion of all students and address barriers to students achieving their potential.

In March 2022, I announced the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme. This benefited 361 schools. The programme now includes in the region of 1,200 schools and supports approximately 240,000 students. 1 in 4 students and 30% of schools are now supported in the programme.

This expansion added an additional €32million to my Department’s expenditure on the DEIS programme from 2023, bringing the overall Department of Education allocation for the programme to €180million.

Schools that were identified for inclusion in the programme were those with the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage as identified through the refined DEIS identification model, which is an objective, statistics-based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model was applied fairly and equally to all schools.

The extension of the DEIS programme to new schools in 2022 was just one component of work in my Department’s vision for an inclusive education system which supports all learners to achieve their potential. While the DEIS programme supports those schools with the highest levels of concentrated educational disadvantage, we also recognise that there are students at risk of educational disadvantage in all schools. Since June 2020, and over the past four budgets, my Department has secured funding to provide measures to support children in this regard.

My Department recognises the need to target resources to those schools who need them most, the next phase of work will explore the allocation of resources to all schools to tackle educational disadvantage.

The DEIS Plan is based on the premise that in order to have the maximum possible impact on providing opportunities for students most at risk of educational disadvantage, then extra resources need to be targeted as closely as possible at those students with the greatest level of need. This will involve further development of the existing DEIS programme, to create a more dynamic resource allocation model where levels of resources more accurately follow the levels of need identified by objective data.

To support this work my Department has invited the OECD Strength Through Diversity: Education for Inclusive Societies Project to review the current policy approach for the allocation of resources to support students at risk of educational disadvantage in Ireland, this is currently ongoing and the OECD team estimate that the review will be complete in Q2 of 2024. This review will provide an independent expert opinion on the current resource allocation model for the DEIS programme and, drawing on international examples, inform a policy approach for an equitable distribution of supplementary resources to support students at risk of educational disadvantage attending all schools, both DEIS and non-DEIS.

School Facilities

Questions (16)

Brian Leddin

Question:

16. Deputy Brian Leddin asked the Minister for Education if she will report on the progress of capacity surveys of the school system in relation to installation of solar panels on every school roof here; when she expects to open the application process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45114/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

My Department has a strong record with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both national and international level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design and specification.

My Department’s approach to the decarbonisation of the school sector is predicated on establishing a credible phased pathway to zero emissions, and meeting 2030 public sector targets through an evidence based approach, informed by the Department’s Energy Research Programme which has been in place from 1997 with 54 different research strands.

The Department’s primary goal under the School Building Programme is to build a modern and sustainable school infrastructure that provides a place in a safe and inspiring learning physical environment for all students, now and in the future.

Under Project Ireland 2040, in excess of €5 billion will be invested in school infrastructure during the period 2021 to 2025.

As part of our overall approach to sustainability in the school estate, it is intended that 6 kilowatt solar PV panels will be provided to schools, funded from the Climate Action Fund, which is under the remit of the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications.

This is really positive for our schools and will assist with their energy needs and costs along with supporting the decarbonisation of our school buildings.

In advance of the roll-out of the programme, the Department carried out a capacity survey to ascertain the level of existing solar PV panels installed in schools. This is now complete and has found that approximately 10% of post-primary schools and 5% of primary schools have solar PV panels installed.

My Department has been engaging regularly with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications to prepare for the roll-out of this programme. This has involved engagement around issues such as the scope of the scheme, the detail of what is included in the PV installation package, and compliance with the requirements of the Climate Action Fund.

The scheme will fund 6 kilowatts of roof-mounted solar PV, which equates to approximately 16 solar panels. Connection to the grid will be included, to allow unused solar energy to feed to the grid when schools are closed. This will enable schools to be compensated for renewable exports to the grid.

Monitoring software will also be provided to each school, to allow review and discussion of the energy generated each day for staff and students.

It is intended that the scheme will be implemented using my Department’s geographic information system (GIS) to support efficient rollout. This will provide a user-friendly online mechanism for schools interacting with the Department on this scheme.

This will be the first capital delivery programme of its kind to be implemented using GIS as the interface between schools and the Department. As a result, considerable work has been ongoing in my Department in developing the GIS platform and interface.

It has been agreed in principle between the two Departments that the solar PV programme will be rolled out to schools in phases.

I am pleased to advise that we remain on track to launch the first phase of the scheme this quarter and we expect all schools to have the opportunity to apply on a phased basis between Q4 2023 and the end of 2024. Officials from my Department and the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications are currently working to finalise all details of the scheme.

I look forward to being in a position to make a more detailed announcement in conjunction with Ministers Ryan and Smyth in the coming weeks.

School Admissions

Questions (17)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

17. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she is working to ensure that every child has a school place at primary and second level in Kildare North and throughout the country at large with particular reference to children with special needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45020/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System (or GIS) to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. In addition, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform the Department’s projections of school place requirements.

Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, including North Kildare areas, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity and identifies any requirement for additional provision.

It is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not always be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by factors such as duplication of applications or school of choice - this is, where pupils can't get a place in their preferred school but there are places in other schools in the area.

Through engagement with school authorities and patrons, and having accounted for factors such as duplication of applications, my Department has established that a requirement exists for increased provision at schools in North Kildare.

My officials are leading engagement with the relevant school patrons and authorities to put the necessary solutions in place for the 2024/25 and future school years. This includes the use of existing spare capacity, sanctioning of works to existing accommodation, and the accelerated provision of modular accommodation.

My Department has invested significantly in schools in County Kildare over recent years. Under the National Development Plan, a total of almost €250m has been invested in schools in County Kildare over the last five years. This investment has focused on provision of additional capacity to cater for its increasing population and there are further significant projects in our pipeline including for the North Kildare area.

These projects include recently completed new school buildings in Maynooth and Naas. Additionally, a number of further new school buildings and extensions are at construction or planned, including in Prosperous, Kilcock, Maynooth, Celbridge, Leixlip, Naas and Clane.

With regard to special educational needs provision, 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.

The National Council for Special Education, or NCSE, has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs.

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

These initiatives are bearing fruit with almost 1,300 new special classes sanctioned and seven new special schools established over the last four years.

My Department has also been progressing building projects for a number of special schools in Kildare, which include new school buildings for St Raphaels, Cebridge; St Anne’s Special School, Curragh; and St Marks Special School, Newbridge.

I can also confirm that ten new special classes – five at primary and five at post-primary level – were sanctioned by the NCSE for opening across Kildare in the 2023/24 school year. The Department continues to work with the NCSE in relation to the short-term requirements for special class and special school places and also the more strategic and longer-term requirements.

I can assure the Deputy that the Department will continue to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there is appropriate provision for all students in North Kildare and across the county for the 2024/25 school year and into the future.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (18)

Paul Murphy

Question:

18. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if her Department will provide funding for necessary work on a school (details supplied), including assessing whether a new school building is needed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45018/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received an application, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the school authority in question.

The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation 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.

Under Project Ireland 2040, in excess of €5 billion is being invested in the school sector over the period 2021-2025 which will add capacity and develop school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day. This demonstrates the strong support of Government for investment in education.

The application in question was assessed by my officials and provisional approval was issued to the school authorities for the following accommodation:

• Two classrooms for students with special education needs

• A user assisted toilet

• A front entrance door replacement and a new fire door

• A front entrance lobby and fire escape adjustment

This was accepted by the school authorities.

Other issues have also been raised in relation to the existing school building.

In this regard, my Department has received a number of applications from the school for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme. These are being actively progressed and initial approval has been provided to the school to progress the works in line with Department approval, as appropriate. My Department is aware of the time sensitive nature of the works required and will continue to engage with the school in question to advance any necessary works without delay.

The main focus of my Department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The Department of Education has a strong track record of delivery. During the period 2018 to 2022, nearly 900 school building projects were completed under a variety of delivery mechanisms. Some 300 projects are under construction during 2023, of which 40 are new school buildings at a total State investment of over €1 billion. There are a further 72 projects currently at the tender process including 27 new school buildings.

The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations for future years are clarified.

The Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform will be engaging with Departments on NDP allocations for the period 2026 to 2028 over the coming months, with allocation decisions expected during the first half of 2024.

In the interim, my Department will continue to engage with the authorities of the school in question with respect to its accommodation needs.

School Enrolments

Questions (19)

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Question:

19. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if there are any plans to streamline enrolment nationally (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45062/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, is an important piece of legislation which has introduced a more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 primary and post-primary schools.

The legislation is part of a suite of measures taken to take greater account of the needs of parents and students in the school system. The Act provides for schools to explicitly state in the school's admission policy that it will not discriminate against an applicant for admission on the grounds of disability, special educational needs, sexual orientation, family status, membership of the traveller community, race, civil status, gender or religion while including provision for single sex schools and denominational schools to reflect, in their admission policy, the exemptions applicable to such schools under equality legislation.

All school admissions policies, must be approved by the patron, following consultation with staff and parents of children who are attending the school. The school’s admissions policy is published on the schools website. It is a key requirement of the act that all school admission policies are fair and transparent.

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

The act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves.

I am aware of the Common Application System (CAS) which has worked very effectively in Limerick City, and a similar process has been successfully implemented in Ennis. There are a lot of benefits to this system, particularly in terms of identifying capacity pressures at an early point and avoiding duplication on waiting lists etc.

However, there would be significant challenges in scaling this approach up to operate across the country. Scaling this approach up would require agreement with schools and parents on discrete areas that would be included in a common application system i.e. which areas are prioritised for admittance to specific schools, and it would also require agreement with all these schools that such a system could operate.

Nonetheless, my Department is committed to continuing to work with relevant school patrons and authorities to establish the true extent of school place requirements and any capacity issues. . This close engagement will allow the Department to put any required solutions in place – beyond those which are already in train - to ensure sufficient school places to meet the needs of students in each area. Such solutions may include the use of existing spare capacity, sanctioning of works to existing accommodation, and the accelerated provision of modular accommodation. The Department will review how the workings of the Common Application System in Limerick and Ennis can assist with this work

Where a board of management makes a decision to refuse admission, a parent/guardian can appeal that decision under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998, and an independent appeals committee will be appointed to consider the appeal. It is important to note that if a child has been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, and a parent/guardian wishes to appeal this decision they must firstly make a written request to the school seeking a review of the board of management’s decision.

School Facilities

Questions (20)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

20. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education to outline the position for schools who have lost a portion of their play areas due to extension needs of their growing school. [45094/23]

Written answers

Minister for Education

This Government is intent on working to promote life-long participation in physical activity and sport for all sectors of society. The provision of Physical Education in schools is a key element of this, alongside physical activity in the school setting. Research demonstrates that increased physical activity among children can lead to improved cognitive function, better motor skills and positive habits and attitudes.

My Department has a general policy to conserve the external recreational and sports facilities on school grounds as best as possible. Where this is not achievable to facilitate the location of an extension or modular building, it is the intention these areas are replaced where suitable alternative locations are available on the school site.

My Department provides professional and technical advice to school design teams in order to optimise the placement of school extensions within the footprint of the school grounds to meet both the Department’s technical guidance and conserve the school’s recreational and sports facilities as best as possible. These matters are considered on a case by case basis having a regard to the size of the individual school site, the position of the existing school building and appropriate location of the new school accommodation. The overall approach is to focus on the accommodation requirements for the school and to do so in a manner that minimises the impact on the external facilities at the school.

In the development of project briefs for the delivery of school building projects, my Department provides guidance on how best to cater for any displaced external play space. Typically, the project brief defines the best location for the proposed extension and then if required allows for the relocation of the displaced play area elsewhere on site should it be required. In general, if the site is so restricted that there is no place to relocate the play area, the project brief may also consider exploration of roof top play areas.

Each school site presents its own unique technical challenges and it is expected that school design teams take the following factors into account when developing project designs:

• Scope for a two-storey rather than single storey extension to minimise footprint on the existing school site

• Requirement for existing Ball Court etc. to be relocated elsewhere on site where feasible

• Site topography and gradient

My Department is conscious that a well-designed external environment enhances the educational experience for all pupils. This is reflected in my Department’s Design Guidelines for delivery of school building projects. However, it is important to note that these are guidelines and flexibility is required on how they are implemented at individual project level having regard to the size and constraints of individual school sites.

I want to reassure the Deputy of my commitment to ensuring school building projects are delivered in a manner that conserves external play areas as best as possible.