Written Answers Nos. 681-693
681. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education the steps that may be forthcoming to alter the process for allocations for the STEM learning grant for schools that was recently allotted, given that almost 2,200 school were unsuccessful; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1881/24]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant scheme was an action in the new STEM Education Implementation Plan published in 2023. The grant was to support schools in carrying out projects to stimulate an increased interest in STEM and included an application process as with other STEM initiatives in the past such as the STEM clusters project.
When the grant scheme was announced the Department indicated that it had funding of €1.5m available. There was a phenomenal demand from schools with around 3,000 applications received. Every application received by the deadline of 5pm on the 30th November was read and processed, leaving 2,727 schools with an ask amounting of over €25m.
Given the very high number of valid applications and the budget available for the scheme, a decision was made by the Department to run a lottery, where a random number generator was used to pick out schools based on their line on the spreadsheet. The application for each school was then assessed on a case by case basis with the applications read again by the evaluation team, to ensure they met the requirements as set out in the grant call. Any school deemed not to have met the requirements was removed. The procedure was then repeated until all the budget available was allocated.
My Department is front loading the grant scheme in 2023/2024 school year and it is hoped that a further round of funding can be run this year. This means that eligible schools that were not successful this time may receive funding in the future.
I am aware of the time and effort that was put in by schools the application process and the frustration felt by the schools however there was limited money available to my Department. The Department will be in contact with schools in relation to any future funding that becomes available.
682. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education if she will rescind the ban on school bus drivers driving school buses when they reach 70 years of age; her views on whether fitness to drive a school bus should be individually assessed for men and women between the age of 70 and 75 years. [1924/24]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
While over 90% of school transport services are contracted locally, Bus Éireann apply stringent assessments of each individual driver on over 7,000 school routes. This includes vetting and background checks.
It is Bus Éireann company policy that normal retirement age for all Bus Éireann staff is currently 66 years. However, Bus Éireann part-time school bus drivers and drivers nominated by private operators who operate service as part of the School Transport Scheme may continue to perform in the role provided they hold the requisite license and satisfy an annual medical examination until they retire at age 70. This policy and criteria is applied to all drivers who provide school transport services on behalf of Bus Éireann equally.
The age limit on school bus drivers was increased to 70 years a number of years ago. While Bus Éireann have informed the Department there is no plan to increase the age limit further at this time, the matter will continue to be kept under review.
683. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 194 of 7 December 2023, when arrears in pay will be made to secretaries who are now retired, given payment has not issued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1929/24]
View answerAs you are aware my Department is providing a payroll service for school secretaries with effect from 1st September 2023. There are now over 2,900 secretaries on payroll.
As part of the implementation of the pay agreement for school secretaries, salary arrears have been calculated for all secretaries eligible for the payment. These arrears payments were received through the payroll on the 23rd November 2023 by the majority of secretaries who are currently on my Department’s payroll system.
Work on the next phase of arrears payments is continuing and involves those secretaries who opted in to the new arrangements but who are not currently on my Department’s payroll because of retirement or resignation etc. prior to 01/09/2023. Each of these secretaries (and the schools in which they were last employed) will be contacted over the next week or so, as information is required on when the secretary ceased employment so that any arrears due can be accurately calculated. It had been hoped that this communication would happen during December, but it was decided to postpone it to the New Year when all schools resumed after the Christmas break.
I wish to assure you that once the required information is received, arrears will be issued shortly thereafter.
As these secretaries are no longer on payroll their arrears will be facilitated by payments that will be made directly to the schools in which they last worked. The schools will then disburse the arrears directly to the secretaries involved.
The arrears due to school secretaries is the difference between the new Grade III salary and the grant funded salary for the 21/22 and 22/23 school years. Calculation of the arrears include pay increases that are in line with those given under Building Momentum and, also, increments payable since September 2021 for the calculated Grade III salary.
684. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education when a new bus route will be approved for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1933/24]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
There has been an overall increase in both applications and tickets issued for the 2023/2024 school year in comparison to the 2022/2023 school year.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has advised that a total of ten applications have been received from families attending the school referred to by the Deputy. However the pupils are not eligible for school transport as they are not attending their nearest school.
In cases where families have applied to attend their nearest school with regard to ethos and language and have been advised by the school authorities that it is full, the Department will consider if the pupil(s) is eligible to the next nearest school.
While the closest school(s) may be full to capacity at present, each family must supply the documents mentioned below, to School Transport Section of my Department.
• an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school, and
• a letter from the school authorities confirming that the school was full at time of enrolment
685. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the details of the expenditure on new school buildings and refurbishment of existing buildings since 27 June 2020, by county, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1949/24]
View answerSince 2020, my Department has invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 690 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects. School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have over 200 modular accommodation projects that are very well advanced for delivery or at construction stage.
This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s very strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities for our school communities.
The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector are as follows:
•demographic change, including keeping pace with delivery of SEN and accommodation for Ukrainian pupils particularly at Post Primary level,
•alignment with housing provision and national planning at school planning area level,
•climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit.
Key priorities for my Department are supporting the operation of the school system and adding necessary capacity to cater for special education needs provision, mainstream demographics and catering for students from Ukraine and other countries under the International Protection system.
The table below shows the total capital expenditure under the School Building Programme for each county since the formation of the Government.
|
County |
Total (in millions) |
|
Carlow |
26.9 |
|
Cavan |
60.2 |
|
Clare |
75.1 |
|
Cork |
500.5 |
|
Donegal |
115.7 |
|
Dublin |
850.2 |
|
Galway |
116.2 |
|
Kerry |
75.9 |
|
Kildare |
227.7 |
|
Kilkenny |
52.8 |
|
Laois |
44.7 |
|
Leitrim |
7.8 |
|
Limerick |
183.3 |
|
Longford |
23.7 |
|
Louth |
67.4 |
|
Mayo |
97.7 |
|
Meath |
232.1 |
|
Monaghan |
47.2 |
|
Offaly |
38.8 |
|
Roscommon |
33.5 |
|
Sligo |
22.7 |
|
Tipperary |
93.4 |
|
Waterford |
92.3 |
|
Westmeath |
57.0 |
|
Wexford |
93.0 |
|
Wicklow |
118.7 |
686. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Mairéad Farrell den Aire Oideachais an gcoinneofar an t-athrú atá déanta ar an méid sraitheanna pictiúr i scrúdú Gaeilge na hArdteistiméireachta 2024 (10 seachas 20) sa chéad Ardteistiméireacht eile in 2025; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [1985/24]
View answerTá na sraitheanna pictiúr mar chomhpháirt den Bhéaltriail Ghaeilge d’iarrthóirí Ardleibhéil agus Gnáthleibhéil, agus 40% de na marcanna iomlána don Ghaeilge san Ardteistiméireacht ag dul don Bhéaltriail.
Mar fhreagra ar cheisteanna a d’ardaigh an CNCM agus COGG faoin sraith pictiúr agus faoi ghnéithe comhrá den Bhéaltriail Ghaeilge, thug Coimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit isteach coigeartuithe ar struchtúr an Bhéaltriail Chomónta do scrúduithe 2020 agus ina dhiaidh sin. Tá sé mar aidhm acu seo deiseanna breise a chruthú don idirghníomhú idir an iarrthóir agus an scrúdaitheoir agus dá réir sin scóip a thabhairt don iarrthóir a inniúlacht a léiriú ach cothromaíocht a choinneáil ag an am céanna idir na codanna éagsúla den bhéaltriail.
Níor tharla na béaltrialacha in 2020 mar thoradh ar an bpaindéim. Ó shin i leith rinneadh coigeartuithe ar shocruithe measúnaithe do na scrúduithe Stáit i bhfianaise thionchar na paindéime ar an teagasc agus ar an bhfoghlaim. Maidir le Gaeilge na hArdteistiméireachta, i measc na gcoigeartuithe seo tá laghdú ar an líon sraitheanna pictiúr nach mór do gach iarrthóir a ullmhú, ó 20 go 10. An 16 Bealtaine, d’fhógair mé go mbeadh na coigeartuithe sin i bhfeidhm arís in 2024.
Rinneadh na hathruithe agus aird chuí tugtha ar phrionsabail an chomhionannais, na cothroime agus an ionracais, maidir le comparáidí scoláire le scoláire, ábhar-le-hábhar, agus bliain le bliain.
Níl cinneadh déanta go fóill maidir le coigeartuithe measúnaithe do 2025. Cuirfear sonraí aon choigeartuithe measúnaithe a d’fhéadfadh a bheith i gceist do scrúduithe 2025 in iúl do na scoileanna a luaithe a bheidh cinneadh déanta, agus iarrfar ar scoileanna a chinntiú go gcuirtear gach scoláire ar an eolas faoi na hathruithe seo.
687. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education to provide a breakdown of all fee-paying schools; the number of registered pupils per school, the fees associated with attending each school, if known; their associated religious denomination/ethos for example, Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, non-denominational and so on; the level of State funding they received in 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1998/24]
View answerPlease find attached requested data, the first tab contains funding data while the second tab includes enrolment data for fee charging schools.
Please note that funding data is provided by calendar year and enrolment data is by academic year with 2022-2023 being the last year we have final data available for.
With regard to the level of fees charged, the Department is aware of fees being charged but not involved in setting them and this fee information is widely available on public websites.
688. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education if there is a proposal to establish a special school in County Monaghan; the current status of any such proposal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2002/24]
View answerEnabling 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.
In 2023, my department spent over €2.6 billion on special education and further progress will be made this year as an additional €113m will be dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs.
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 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 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.
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 engage intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, an analysis of available school accommodation, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
As a result of this forward planning, Minister Foley and l announced the establishment of two special schools for this school year, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools.
Along with the two new special schools, 389 new special classes – 253 at primary and 136 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening this school year.
A further four special schools will be established for the 2024/25 school year. These four schools will be established in Limerick City; Enfield, Co. Meath; Gorey, Co. Wexford; and in the South Kildare area. The schools will be under the patronage of the local Education and Training Boards.
In relation to provision in Monaghan, I want to reassure the Deputy that both my department and the NCSE will continue to monitor and review the need for further new special schools or the expansion of existing special schools in all areas of the country over the coming months and years.
It is particularly important to consider the distances that some of our students are travelling in order to access a special school placement, and this is a key consideration when we decide to establish any new special school or expand provision in an existing special school.
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.
689. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the primary and secondary schools in County Monaghan have special class/es and the number of children facilitated at each; the primary and secondary schools where it is proposed to establish new special classes and the number of children that will be facilitated at each, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2003/24]
View answerEnabling 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.
In 2023, my department spent over €2.6 billion on special education and further progress will be made this year as an additional €113m will be dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs.
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 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 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.
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 engage intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, an analysis of available school accommodation, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
As a result of this forward planning, Minister Foley and l announced the establishment of two special schools for this school year, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools and that a further four special schools for the 2024/25 school year will be established.
Along with the two new special schools, 389 new special classes – 253 at primary and 136 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening this school year.
Of these 3 are in Monaghan, 2 at primary and 1 at post-primary level. This brings to 42 the number of special classes in County Monaghan, 28 at primary level and 14 at post-primary level. The vast majority of these class are autism classes and have a teacher/pupil ratio of 1:6.
The attached document provides a breakdown of primary and post-primary schools with special classes within County Monaghan. Planning for special classes and places in Monaghan and nationwide is currently underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year.
As demand for new special classes at post-primary level is expected to increase significantly over the next few years, due to increasing demographics and increasing prevalence rates, my department and the NCSE have engaged with post-primary stakeholders in relation to the provision of special classes.
My department has communicated to all post-primary schools of the need to begin planning to provide additional special classes. It is envisaged that all post-primary schools will be required to provide special classes over the next 2 to 4 years, with an approximate average of 4 special classes in each school.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE's website at: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list
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.
690. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education if she can address the issues raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2008/24]
View answerThe sraitheanna pictiúr, or picture sequences, are a component of the common Irish Oral test for Higher Level and Ordinary Level candidates, with the Oral test accounting for 40% of the overall marks for Leaving Certificate Irish.
In response to issues highlighted in National Council Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta & Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) research in relation to the conversational elements of the Oral Irish Leaving Certificate examination, the State Examinations Commission introduced adjustments to the structure of the Common Oral examination for the 2020 examinations and thereafter. These aim to create greater opportunity for candidate-examiner interaction and so give the candidate scope to display their competence while keeping a balance between the different parts of the oral exam.
The oral examinations did not take place in 2020 as a result of the pandemic. Since then there have been adjustments to assessment arrangements for the State examinations, in light of the pandemic’s impact on teaching and learning. In regard to Leaving Certificate Irish, these adjustments include a reduction in the number of sraitheanna pictiúr that each candidate must prepare from 20 to 10. On 16 May, I announced that these adjustments would apply again in 2024.
The changes have been made with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, in relation to student-to-student, subject-to-subject, and year-to-year comparisons.
A decision has not yet been made in relation to any assessment adjustments for 2025. The details of any assessment adjustments which may apply to the 2025 examinations will be communicated to schools once a decision is made, and schools will be asked to ensure that all students are made aware of these changes.
691. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education to detail what measures are or will be put in place to provide for secondary school places for schools (details supplied). [2076/24]
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.
My Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in. Prosperous, Clane, Allenwood, Kilmeague, Coill Dubh, Robertstown and Staplestown areas of Kildare.
A critical next step for my Department is to establish 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 Prosperous, Clane, Allenwood, Kilmeague, Coill Dubh, Robertstown and Staplestown areas of Kildare, have been requested to share data on applications for admissions. This data has been received by my officials and is currently being analysed with a view to establishing the actual requirement for places. Preliminary assessments indicate that duplications of applications, and applications from outside the local area, are very much contributing to enrolment pressures in Prosperous_Clane School Planning Area.
My Department is working to clarify the actual requirement for additional school places and to identify particular further capacity requirements for 2024 and forthcoming years. My Department will engage with schools and patrons to 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.
692. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the proposals, if any, there are to award funding to more primary schools under the STEM grant scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2094/24]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) grant scheme was an action in the new STEM Education Implementation Plan published in 2023. The grant was to support schools in carrying out projects to stimulate an increased interest in STEM and included an application process as with other STEM initiatives in the past such as the STEM clusters project.
When the grant scheme was announced the Department indicated that it had funding of €1.5m available. There was a phenomenal demand from schools with around 3,000 applications received. Every application received by the deadline of 5pm on the 30th November was read and processed, leaving 2,727 schools with an ask amounting of over €25m.
Given the very high number of valid applications and the budget available for the scheme, a decision was made by the Department to run a lottery, where a random number generator was used to pick out schools based on their line on the spreadsheet. The application for each school was then assessed on a case by case basis with the applications read again by the evaluation team, to ensure they met the requirements as set out in the grant call. Any school deemed not to have met the requirements was removed. The procedure was then repeated until all the budget available was allocated.
As the initial funding available at the time of call for applications was €1.5m, the Department worked to secure as much additional funding as possible, bringing the total available to €4.7m. Unfortunately, on this occasion, this additional funding fell short of the ask of over €25m. The Department is front loading the grant scheme in 2023/2024 school year and it is hoped that a further round of funding can be run this year. This means that eligible schools that were not successful this time may receive funding in the future.
It should be noted that the Department also supports STEM through teacher professional development and the development of resources, as well as through supporting initiatives such as SciFest, ESB Science Blast, the Discover programme with Science Foundation Ireland and BT Young Scientists.
693. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education the reason an additional specific new-build autism classroom will not be developed at a school (details supplied) for four to five years; the reason her Department will not permit the addition of high standard prefabricated or modular alternatives to allow the school to meet local demand; if she will review this urgent situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2098/24]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers, has been approved a project under my Department’s Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme to provide a 2 classroom SEN base.
The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority and it is their responsibility to appoint a design team and to progress the project.
I can confirm that as part of the school’s permanent accommodation project the school were approved temporary accommodation in February 2022 in the form of a modular unit to facilitate the opening of a special class.
In addition, I can confirm that my Department recently received an application from the school in question to increase their temporary accommodation provision. This application is currently being assessed.
The purpose of the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream, 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. Our focus is on the most critical needs for the next school year.
In the context of making most effective use of our capital allocation, and mindful of climate action goals, we are working to make sure that all school accommodation capacity is being maximised. We are looking at how each individual school’s accommodation can be best utilised and at capacity across schools in each area. The schools application is being considered in this context and a decision will be communicated to the school as soon as possible.
