Written Answers Nos. 378-387
378. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the procedures currently in place or envisaged to combat school bullying in its various forms at primary and second level schools throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53154/23]
View answerUnder the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 all schools are required to have in place a code of behaviour that accords with Developing a Code of Behaviour: Guidelines for Schools as published by the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB), now referred to as the Educational Welfare Service (EWS). Each school is required to have an anti-bullying policy within its overall code of behaviour. The anti-bullying procedures are underpinned by this legal framework and all schools are required to comply with them.
Under the procedures, all school boards of management are required to adopt and implement an anti-bullying policy which fully complies with the requirements of these procedures. A template anti-bullying policy which must be used by all schools for this purpose is included in the procedures.
My Department published Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying in December last year which is dedicated to the prevention and addressing of bullying, cyber bullying, racist bullying, gender identity bullying or sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools.
Cineáltas is centred on a child right’s based approach and provides a collective vision and clear roadmap for how the whole education community and society can work together to prevent and address bullying in our schools.
My Department launched the Implementation Plan for Cineáltas on 10th April 2023, which is available at gov.ie - Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying (www.gov.ie)
The Implementation Plan for Cineáltas commits to implementing each of 61 actions within a five-year period and sets out timeframes and information about how the department is going to implement the actions.
Confirming the importance placed on the Cineáltas Action Plan, an Implementation and Evaluation Group has been established which is chaired by the Secretary General to oversee the Implementation of each of the actions and the publication of annual implementation and evaluation reports, informed by feedback from children and young people, parents, school staff, education partners, key stakeholders and relevant agencies.
One of the key actions of Cineáltas is to review and update the anti-bullying procedures which were last updated in 2013.
Work to update the anti-bullying procedures for schools is well underway with Continuous Professional Development and training being developed for all school staff, Board of Management members and parents
Implementation of a number of actions has already progressed. These include the following:
My Department has recently established a Student Participation Unit, which will promote the participation of children and young people in the development of department policy, building on its existing work in this area
An Expert Group has been established to advise the department on how best the Student Participation Unit can progress its work. Professor Laura Lundy, Professor of Education Law and Children’s Rights at Queen’s University who developed the Lundy Model of children’s participation is chair of this Expert Group
New Junior Cycle SPHE/RSE specification was published in May 2023 and is scheduled to be implemented in post-primary schools in September 2024.
A Post-graduate Programme for SPHE/RSE post-primary teachers in DCU has commenced with the first intake of 34 teachers since Feb 2023. A second intake is planned for January 2024, with up to 70 places on the course.
€5 million is being invested to pilot a programme of counselling supports for primary school students. This will serve to support the very positive work which already takes place in the area of well-being in schools.
Cineáltas builds on the achievements and ambition of the previous Action Plan on Bullying published in 2013, taking into account the work undertaken in recent years to ensure that our schools are safe and happy places for all our children and young people.
379. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she expects to be in a position to address issues of teacher shortages at all primary and or second-levels schools throughout the country, with particular reference to the need for locums; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53155/23]
View answerEnsuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government.
Budget 2024 contains a range of measures that demonstrate my commitment to continued investment in our education system.
A professional masters’ of education incentive scheme will be introduced for newly qualified teachers graduating in 2024. Those newly qualified teachers who graduate with a PME will, subject to some conditions, be eligible for an incentive payment of up to €2,000. This incentive payment will be paid to eligible primary and post-primary teachers in 2025.
Additionally, there will be an expansion in the number of upskilling programmes available. These programmes, which are free to teachers, increase the number of teachers who are qualified to teach in-demand subjects and reduce the level of out-of-field teaching. These new upskilling programmes in Irish, French, politics and society, and computer science will be in addition to existing upskilling programmes in maths, physics and Spanish.
An additional 1,000 posts of responsibility will be provided in the school system for the 2024/25 school year. This is in recognition that school leaders play a key role in improving educational outcomes by creating a positive school climate and environment as well as motivating and empowering educators and learners within their school communities.
These new measures are in addition to a range of targeted measures that I have introduced in recent times, including:
• Ensuring initial teacher education providers created existing flexibilities that enable student teachers to support schools, either while on placement, or in a substitute capacity. In 2023, more than 2,700 student teachers registered with the Teaching Council and provided valuable support to schools as substitute teachers. This number is expected to be exceeded in the current school year.
• Continuing the operation of primary substitute teacher supply panels in 2023/24, with 590 teaching posts allocated to 166 panels covering nearly 2,900 schools. This scheme provides substitute cover for teachers employed in primary schools who are absent on short-term leave.
• Encouraging retired teachers to provide substitute cover. A communications campaign ran in early 2023 resulting in an increase in the number of teaching days provided by retired teachers of 49%, an increase of over 17,000 days between the 2021/22 school year, and the 2022/23 school year.
• Restrictions on job-sharing teachers and those on a career break from working as substitutes have been reduced.
• Post-primary teachers can provide up to 35 additional hours of substitute cover per term in the subject they are qualified to teach.
• At primary level, I approved 610 additional places on initial teacher education programmes for this and the next academic year (2023/24 and 2024/25).
The teacher allocation ratio in primary schools is now at the lowest ever seen at primary level. The average student-per-teacher ratio in primary schools reduced by 10% between 2017 and 2023.
Teaching remains an attractive career choice; CAO first preference choices for post-primary teaching increased this year by 14%, in addition to a 9% increase in 2022. Starting pay for Primary teachers is over €41,000 and for post-primary teachers over €42,000 since October under the extension to Building Momentum. Over 3,700 newly qualified teachers have registered with the Teaching Council in 2023, with over 120,000 now on the Teaching Council register.
The vast majority of sanctioned teacher positions are filled. The rate of resignation and retirement is very low by any standard and is consistent with previous years.
My Department continues to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further, innovative measures to address teacher supply issues.
380. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education if a school place might be found for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53163/23]
View answerI can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for the Department.
As the Deputy may be aware, for school planning purposes, the Department of Education 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. Additionally, 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, the Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity within that particular area and its ability to meet any increased demand. Additional provision is made as necessary, where the existing capacity is insufficient for future needs.
The Department is aware of pressures at post primary level in the Naas School Planning Area. A critical next step is to acquire clarity on the actual number of additional first year places required for 2024 in order for an appropriate solution to be put in place. In that context, schools in a number of areas of enrolment pressure, including Naas, have been requested to share data on applications for admissions. The Department is liaising closely with schools to ensure that this data is provided as soon as possible, and once it is received the actual requirement for places can be established. The Department is already having discussions with the relevant school patrons and authorities regarding potential solutions but the understanding of the actual school place needs will give clarity as to the specific actions that are required.
This close engagement with schools and patrons will also allow the Department to identify particular further capacity requirements for the forthcoming years and put any required solutions in place - beyond those that are already in train - to ensure sufficient school places to meet the needs of students in the area.
In line with the Department's demographic projections of post primary school place requirements there has been a continued growth in enrolments in Naas. 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 Naas.
The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, may be viewed on my Department's website at, www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
I can assure the Deputy that Department officials will continue to actively engage with schools and patrons to ensure that there is appropriate provision for all students in Naas for the 2024/25 school year and into the future. Families can be assured that any necessary solution will be delivered so that all of the children in the Naas School Planning Area will receive a first year place.
381. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education whether substitute teachers filling positions as English language teachers can be paid the substitute’s daily rate; if she will make arrangements in order that these subs can be entered into the online system for payment; and her views on the shortfall of pay to substitutes at a school (details supplied). [53171/23]
View answerOfficials from the Payroll Section of my Department have previously been in contact with the Principal of the school referred to by the Deputy.
Different rates of pay apply depending on the nature of the employment in a school and the Teaching Council status of the person who is undertaking the work in the school.
The teaching positions referred to are full-time teaching positions in the school which are required to be filled by a teacher who is registered with the Teaching Council for the sector they will be employed in. Teachers in these contracts tend to be paid for the full school year i.e. from 1st September to the following 31st August.
A teacher who works in a substitute capacity is a person who replaces a teacher who is absent on leave . Leave absences can include sick leave or attendance at Continuous Professional Development courses. A teacher who works in a substitute capacity is paid a daily rate of pay for the days worked.
The correct payment has issued to the teachers concerned.
382. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education the selection criteria and prioritisation for schools to be included in the first stages of the solar panel scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [53173/23]
View answerI was delighted to announce along with Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, Ossian Smyth, the first phase of the Schools Photovoltaic Programme on 23rd November.
It will allow up to 4,000 schools nationwide to get solar PV panels to reduce their energy bills and their carbon emissions. This ties in with the strong ethos of environmental awareness and climate sustainability among our students and the wonderful work they do in this area, most notably with the Green Flag initiative.
It will provide eligible schools with 6 kWp of roof-mounted solar PV, which equates to approximately 16 solar panels.
The scheme will assist schools in reducing their energy costs and their carbon footprint as part of the response to meeting the 2030 and 2050 Climate Action Plan targets for the schools sector.
The Schools Photovoltaic Programme will be rolled out on a phased basis, commencing with a call for applications to over 1,600 schools from 11 designated areas across the country.
Schools in the following areas are invited to participate in the first phase: Co. Clare, Co. Donegal, Dublin City Council area, Co. Galway, Co. Kerry, Co. Kilkenny, Co. Leitrim, Co. Limerick, Co. Offaly, Co. Waterford and Co. Wicklow
The intention is to include a further eight counties in phase two in Q2 2024 and the remaining eight counties in Q4 2024.
It is intended that all eligible schools across the country, including all schools situated in County Cork, will have the opportunity to apply to the scheme by the end of 2024.
The phasing of the programme will ensure a managed and steady flow of work for solar PV contractors. The data gathered during the first phase will also allow for any improvements in the design of the scheme to be implemented in the second and third phases.
Counties in the first phase were selected to obtain a good geographical spread including a balance of rural, urban, island, Gaeltacht schools in all regions of the country, as well as targeting counties that have not benefitted from other recent Department of Education climate related initiatives.
383. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will clarify her position in respect of short-term lettings of properties (details supplied). [52924/23]
View answerOn 21 December 2022 the proposed Short Term Tourism Letting (STTL) Bill was submitted to the EU Commission pursuant to the Technical Regulations Information System (TRIS) EU Directive 2015/1535 that requires EU Member States to notify the Commission of any draft technical regulations concerning products and information society services before they are adopted in national law. Such a notification triggers a standstill period of 3 months during which the proposed Bill cannot be enacted. On 22 March 2023, the Department received a communication from the EU Commission which extended the standstill period until 22 December 2023.
The EU Commission extended the standstill period as it considers that the STTL Bill concerns a matter covered in part by the Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on data collection and sharing relating to short-term accommodation rental services and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 of 7 November 2022 (EU STR).
As part of the ongoing engagement with the Commission, officials from my Department, the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (DHLGH), and from Fáilte Ireland held a constructive meeting with representatives of the Commission in Brussels on Friday 23 June. This meeting facilitated greater clarification as to the provisions proposed by both the STTL Bill and the EU STR proposal.
On 15 November the European Parliament and Council reached a provisional political agreement on the EU STR proposal. It is understood that the proposal could be endorsed and formally adopted by both institutions by the end of the year or early 2024. There will be further technical meetings concerning the implementation of this new Regulation at which officials from my Department and Fáilte Ireland will continue to participate.
My Department will also engage further with the Commission in relation to the alignment of Ireland’s proposed STTL Bill and the EU STR under development. As part of this engagement, officials from my Department and from Fáilte Ireland are due to meet with the Commission again in Brussels next month.
A positive response from the Commission by the end of the standstill period on 22 December 2023 and the clarity now on the final shape of the EU STR should allow the legislative process to commence early in 2024.
The enactment of the STTL Bill will provide the statutory basis for Fáilte Ireland to establish the STTL register. Once established all properties in the STTL sector will have to be registered with Fáilte Ireland. Upon registration STTL proprietors will be asked to confirm their compliance with statutory obligations, including planning permission requirements.
STTL proprietors will be allowed a period of six months from the launch of the Short Term Tourist Letting Register to check the status of their property and/or apply for change of use planning permission from their Local Authority. Those who avail of the six month clarification period will receive a valid STTL registration number which will allow them to advertise their property from launch of the Register while their planning status is being clarified. The Department of Housing Local Government and Heritage intends to issue updated planning guidelines in respect of STTL properties in due course. I am aware of the importance of STTL properties to rural tourism and I understand these guidelines will reflect this.
384. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to outline the various funding schemes under the aegis of her Department and under Fáilte Ireland that are open for applications at present; the closing dates for any such schemes; the details of any further schemes she plans to open for applications in the next six months [52893/23]
View answerThe details relating to the various funding schemes administered by my Department that are open for applications at present are outlined in the table below. There are currently no new schemes confirmed to open for applications in the next six months.
Regarding bodies and agencies under my Department's remit, these are operational matters for the agencies themselves, including Fáilte Ireland.
|
Funding Scheme |
Overview of Scheme |
Scheme Closing Date |
|
Cultural Capital Scheme |
This overall scheme will provide funding for projects that reduce an arts and culture organisation’s carbon footprint and will include funding for organisational energy audits. It also includes funding towards upgrading of cultural infrastructure including better access. |
This is a rolling scheme with no definite closing date. |
|
Regular Grant Scheme |
Culture Ireland offers support to Irish professional artists, arts organisations and international presenters to present work by Irish artists at significant international venues and festivals through the Regular Grant Scheme. Applications are accepted from the artist/arts organisation or international presenting partner. |
The current deadline for applications is 1st December 2023. The application system is open on a rolling basis and applications can be made at any time to be assessed in the next upcoming grant deadline. All application deadlines for 2024 are published on the Culture Ireland website, www.cultureireland.ie |
|
See Here Scheme |
The See Here scheme is designed to support the inward travel of international promoters and programmers to see work in Ireland with a view to booking the work for their venue or festival. |
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, based on the published criteria for the scheme. |
|
Showcase Scheme |
With regard to showcasing work at key industry arts markets or trade fairs, where Culture Ireland is curating an event, applications are invited as appropriate, and specific to each showcase, and a selection is made taking into account the requirements and context of each event. A call for participation in Culture Ireland showcase at Edinburgh 2024 will be published early next year. |
Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, based on the published criteria for the scheme. |
|
Ireland at Venice |
This scheme is a call for applicants to represent Ireland at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition at Venice, La Biennale di Venezia in 2025. |
17th January 2024. |
|
Scéim na bhFoghlaimeoirí Gaeilge (Irish Learners Scheme) |
This scheme offers a daily subsidy of €12 per day to eligible Gaeltacht families who provide certified accommodation for those who attend one of the c.42 recognised Gaeltacht Irish language colleges.
A once-off start up grant (€6,000 or 80% of overall costs, whichever is greater) is available for new households seeking recognition under the scheme. |
This scheme remains open to new applicants all year. |
|
DEIS Gaeltachta scholarship scheme |
The Department currently funds the DEIS Gaeltachta initiative which is administered on behalf of the Department by the Galway and Roscommon Education Board (GRETB). The scheme currently provides circa. 400 scholarships annually to students of the 235 DEIS post-primary schools across Ireland who wish to attend Gaeltacht Summer colleges. |
The 2024 scheme was launched in November 2023 and will remain open until all scholarships have been allocated. |
|
ÁRAINN Gaeltachta |
The ÁRAINN Gaeltachta initiative provides funding of over €150,000 a year to support up to 30 post-primary students per year who wish spend a full year attending any one of the three post-primary schools on the Aran islands and who reside in a recognised Gaeltacht household for the duration of the school-year on the island. |
There is no restriction in terms of when interested parties may apply. This scheme is closed for the 2023/2024 school year at this point but will be open again for 2024/2025 next year.
Secondary schools administer the ÁRAINN Gaeltachta scheme. Expressions of interest are accepted throughout the year and a waiting list system is implemented should the scheme be filled to capacity. |
|
Erasmus Gaeltachta scheme |
Under this initiative, which commenced in 2019, an annual fund worth €250,000 has been created to give up to 175 third-level students the opportunity to spend a university semester with Gaeltacht families while attending qualified third level course. |
There is no specific closing date. However, the timing of attendance by students is linked to the academic calendar. |
|
Scéimeanna Tacaíochta Gaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht (Caipitil) |
Community based organisations that operate through Irish outside the Gaeltacht may make an application for capital assistance under the Department’s Irish Language Schemes.
Funding can be provided to assist with the costs associated with, for example, building/repairing Irish language centres and the purchase of buildings for use as Irish language centres and/or the purchase of equipment for such centres.
The purpose of the capital assistance that is provided under this fund is the strengthening of Irish as a community and family language in accordance with the objectives of the Gaeltacht Act 2012 and the 20 Year Strategy for Irish 2010-2030. |
This scheme remains open to new applicants all year. |
385. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media if she will resolve the situation where sports clubs have been unable to draw down grant aid under the sports capital and equipment programme resulting in bridging loans being required and contractors going unpaid in some cases; if an explanation will be provided for the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52911/23]
View answerThe Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. Over 13,000 projects have now benefited from sports capital funding since 1998 bringing the total allocations in that time to over €1.15 billion. The Programme for Government commits to continuing the SCEP and to prioritising investment in disadvantaged areas.
I fully recognise the increasing pressures that our sporting organisations are under. Under Budget 2024, this Government has announced an overall budget allocation of €183.3 million for sport. That is an increase of €8 million compared to this year.
Recognition of the increasing pressures sports clubs face was also reflected in the significant additional grants allocated under the last round of the SCEP. Under that round alone, €166.6 million was allocated – the highest level of funding for any single round of the Programme.
With regard to future allocations, the latest round of the SCEP (2023) closed for applications on Friday 8 September. A preliminary examination of the submitted applications demonstrates that the Programme has again generated a large number of applications and it is evident that the total number will exceed the previous record of 3,106 applications submitted under the last (2020) round.
Work is now underway on finalising the "Scoring and Assessment Manual" for the 2023 round and I hope to have this published shortly. Simultaneously, I also plan to publish the full list of all applications received by county including the relevant sport type for each application received. Once these documents are published, the detailed assessment work can commence. In this regard, it is planned to assess the "equipment-only" applications first and announce these grants in the coming months. Work will then commence on assessing the capital applications with the allocations likely to be announced later in 2024.
In relation to the management of existing grants and the processing of payment requests, the Department will continue to facilitate the payments of grant claims up to year-end.
386. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to provide an update on an organisation’s application for a sports capital grant (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52972/23]
View answerThe club referred to by the Deputy was allocated €149,000 towards the construction of a gymnasium under the 2020 SCEP.
I am advised that the club has already drawn down part-payment of the grant. No further payment request has been received. Should a further payment request be submitted before year-end, it will be facilitated if it is in order to do so.
387. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the titles of the White Papers published by her Department from 2008 to date; if she will provide online links to these papers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52989/23]
View answerMy Department in its current configuration was established in September 2020. My Department has not published any White Papers in the period since then.
