Written Answers Nos. 271-280
271. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education the reason it has taken more than 22 weeks to approve an application for an incremental increase for an SNA who applied for an increase based on past experience in August 2023 (details supplied); when this person will receive their incremental increase; the reason delays are experienced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3917/24]
View answerThe criteria required to have incremental credit awarded to qualified Special Needs Assistants(SNA) is set out in Circular 0139/2006 and was agreed with the unions representing the Special Needs Assistants, School Management Representatives, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education.
To qualify for an award of incremental credit, an SNA and their prior work experience being claimed must satisfy the eligibility criteria set out in the relevant circular. An award of incremental credit cannot be made where the eligibility criteria is not satisfied.
When an application for incremental credit is received in the Department, it is checked to ensure that it is fully completed. Applications are managed in date received order.
Applications can take up to 20 weeks to be fully processed but most are dealt with well within this timeframe. Factors that impact on this processing time include incomplete application forms and conflicting information on the application form. Please be advised that if an SNA meets the criteria set out in Circulars 0139/2006, incremental credit will be awarded and any monies due paid accordingly. The Department is carrying out a review of the incremental credit application process to identify ways in which the process can be streamlined with a view to reducing processing times.
With regard to the SNA to which you refer, please be advised this application has been received by the Department on the 8th of August 2023 and is currently being processed by the relevant unit of the Department. An outcome letter will issue to this SNA as soon as the unit has completed their assessment of this application.
The application will be given priority processing once requested documentation is received.
272. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education the options available to a person (details supplied) who is unable to secure a school placement in their locality and is unable to obtain a home tutor; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3925/24]
View answerThe 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.
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.
A Section 29 appeal must be made no later than 63 calendar days from the date of the school’s decision to refuse admission.
Full details on the Section 29 appeals process for refused enrolment are available on the Gov.ie website at the links below:
• www.gov.ie/en/publication/8248c-appeals-in-relation-to-refusal-to-admit-a-student-due-to-a-school-being-oversubscribed/.
• www.gov.ie/en/publication/31c4f-appeals-in-relation-to-refusal-to-admit-a-student-for-a-reason-other-than-the-school-being-oversubscribed/.
It is important to note if a student has been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, and a parent/guardian wishes to appeal the decision they must firstly make a written request to the school seeking a review of the board of management’s decision, within 21 calendar days from the date of refusal. If they have been refused admission for a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, they may, but are not required to, request a review by the board of management.
This Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a student, except in circumstances where an appeal under Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 has been allowed and the appeals committee directs that the school admit the child concerned.
The Educational Welfare Services within Túsla Education Support Services (TESS) is the legal body which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school placement for their child.
Contact details for TESS are available at the following link www.tusla.ie/tess/get-in-touch/ or by email at tessinfo@tusla.ie.
The Department published Circulars 0024/2023 and 0031/2023 on gov.ie - Home Tuition (www.gov.ie) detailing the Home Tuition provisions for children without a school place.
If a parent is unsuccessful with a Section 29 appeal they may be able to qualify for home tuition.
The Home Tuition Grant Scheme is available to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school.
Home tuition is provided as an interim measure only for children for whom a placement in a recognised school is not currently available and should not be regarded as an optional alternative to a school placement.
Túsla Education Support Service (TESS) has the responsibility to support a family when applying or home tuition if the child/young person is without a school placement.
Home tutors are engaged by the parents/guardian of the child who is to receive tuition and the tutor has no contractual relationship with the Department of Education.
It is a condition of the scheme that parents/legal guardians recruit a tutor who is qualified in the sector in which tuition is being provided, and is registered with the Teaching Council for the duration of the approved tuition. Where all efforts have failed to secure the services of a teacher qualified to teach in the sector concerned, the Department may consider the engagement of a person who is registered with the Teaching Council and has a primary degree (minimum Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications) in a relevant area, e.g. Psychology.
As set out in Circular 0024/2023*, it is the responsibility of the parent/legal guardian to source a tutor at the earliest possible opportunity to allow for applications for registration/vetting to be made by the tutor to the Teaching Council, if necessary. This Department does not keep lists of tutors available to carry out home tuition, however to help parents source a home tutor for this scheme in their local area, the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) has created a Home Tuition Noticeboard for Parents to help them source a suitable candidates. This noticeboard is available on www.educationposts.ie. It may also be helpful to contact local schools in the first instance, or alternatively, the Department is aware that many parents use education provider websites to advertise for tutors or indeed place advertisements in local newspapers or on shop/community notice boards.
Application forms for the home tuition scheme for students who are temporarily without a school place, are without an offer of a school place and are actively seeking a school placement in a recognised school grant scheme are available from the local Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) or the appointed social worker. Educational Welfare Officers are available to assist parents with the application for home tuition, if needed.
If a parent/guardian is unsuccessful sourcing a tutor for home tuition they should contact Túsla Education Support Service (TESS).
Contact details for the EWO in each region can be obtained from Educational Welfare Service, Child and Family Agency, Floors 2-5, Brunel Building, Heuston South Quarter, Dublin 8, phone 01-7718633 or via their website at www.tusla.ie/get-in-touch/education-and-welfare/#EWO/.
Home schooling is administered by the Alternative Education Assessment and Registration Service (AEARS).
273. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education rt will be provided to pupils (details supplied) in view of the fact that they are entitled to school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3932/24]
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 traveling 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.
The purpose of the Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
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.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis in accordance with the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme and subject to the following conditions:
• an application is made by the deadline date;
• there is an existing service in place;
• there is spare capacity on the service;
• routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis;
The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child’s post primary school education cycle. Where the number of applications for transport on a concessionary basis exceeds the number of seats available, Bus Éireann will determine the allocation of the tickets using an agreed selection process.
Bus Éireann has advised that the family referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for mainstream transport as they are attending their third nearest Post Primary Centre. An application and payment was received on time for these pupils in the 2023/24 school year, however they were unsuccessful in obtaining a concessionary ticket for the 2023/24 school year and the existing service is currently operating to capacity.
274. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the progress made in relation to guidance counsellors for post primary schools in the context of the public consultation on the national policy group on lifelong guidance. [3933/24]
View answerIn 2022, Minister Foley established the National Policy Group for Lifelong Guidance. The National Lifelong Guidance Policy Group comprises senior officials from the Department of Education, Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, Department of Social Protection, Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth and the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment. The Department of Education chairs the group.
The National Policy Group steered the development of a coherent, long-term strategic framework for lifelong guidance addressing the recommendations of the Indecon report, the OECD recommendations on skills and the key messages arising from the National Consultation on Lifelong Guidance. The National Strategic Framework for Lifelong Guidance and accompanying Strategic Action Plan (2024-2030) were published in December 2023.
The vision for lifelong guidance, as presented in the Framework is for Ireland to:
“have a more unified guidance system, which will allow all individuals to have access to high-quality, holistic and appropriate lifelong guidance”.
The Strategic Action Plan contains 35 strategic actions to progress the vision for lifelong guidance. Implementation of these Actions has begun. An advisory group consisting of 12 stakeholder groups (and including several qualified and experienced guidance counsellors) met to discuss an approach to implementing this work. An immediate focus on the 19 short term actions, and on the annual Guidance forum, is underway.
With specific regard to post-primary Guidance, the Strategic Action Plan includes a number of actions pertaining to the post-primary sector both directly and indirectly. Several actions are already underway within my Department. To name one example,
Action 4.3 provides that my Department will ‘Explore mechanisms of increasing guidance counsellor supply through provision of training programmes.’ This action is in an advanced stage of development with a request for tender for two new post-graduate programmes being published in December 2023. In addition, several other actions are already underway to support guidance counsellors with their practice. A series of ‘Guidance Notes’ have been published to strengthen Guidance within the post-primary sector and my Department is actively engaging with Oide to provide resources and a comprehensive programme of CPD for schools. Other actions relating to the strengthening of post-primary Guidance as outlined in the Framework and Action Plan are in the early stages of implementation and are actively being progressed by the Guidance Unit.
275. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education if there are supports available through her Department to assist second-level schools who are not designated in DEIS categories to develop services and facilities to provide hot meals in their schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3938/24]
View answerMy Department has in place detailed design guidelines for primary and post-primary schools. These guidelines, which are available on my Department's web-site, currently provide for a standard range of servery and eating facilities in the design of new post-primary schools.
At post-primary level, a kitchenette is provided off the General Purpose/Dining Area. The kitchenette may be used to prepare light refreshments and should be equipped with a cooker, a water boiler, a fridge, a dishwasher, worktop and a suitable sink.
The School Meals Programme is under the remit of the Department of Social Protection.
276. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education to outline the cost to the State of prefab or modular school buildings over the past five years, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3961/24]
View answerSince 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €3.5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 840 school building projects, and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects.
It is important to have a range of delivery mechanisms for delivering school accommodation to support the current very strong and ambitious roll out of school building projects. This is particular relevant given the overall challenging construction sector market. A number of factors are considered by my Department in determining the most appropriate construction method to meet a school’s accommodation requirements, including the timing and duration of that accommodation need, and other school-specific factors.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department has broadened its delivery streams and is utilising Modern Methods of Construction, including Modular Accommodation, as well as traditional construction delivery methods. Modular accommodation has particular advantages in terms of overall timelines and also climate impact in that they generally use decarbonised heating sources. Where there is a need for accelerated delivery of such accommodation my Department utilises Modern Methods of Construction, including my Department's Modular Accommodation Framework, to meet the accommodation need.
In addition, my Department has put new project manager support in place to assist schools with the delivery of this critical modular accommodation. All of these supports help ensure that the administrative burden for schools on procuring and delivering modular accommodation solutions is significantly eased.
The Modular Accommodation Framework solution:
• has significant benefits in terms of delivery timelines;
• minimises the impact of the project on the operation of the school;
• provides quality and sustainable accommodation that meets building regulation requirements and is Near Zero Energy Building (NZEB) compliant; and
• facilitates climate proofing of the accommodation, given that the modular accommodation has the added benefit of utilising decarbonised heating sources which should also help with the school’s energy profile and costs.
School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion. We also have over 210 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.
Attached is the cost spent on purchased prefab and modular accommodation over the last 5 years in tabular form
|
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
|
Prefab/Modular Spend (€m’s) |
4.6m |
15.7m |
71.6m |
198.5m |
281.9m |
277. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education if an application for registration for the Teaching Council will be considered (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3964/24]
View answerThe Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016. As set out in the Schedule of the Regulations, the Council registers teachers under five routes of registration: Route 1 - Primary, Route 2 - Post-primary, Route 3 - Further Education, Route 4 - Other and Route 5 - Student Teacher. The registration requirements for each route is set out in the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2016.
The Minister has no role in the registration of individual teachers, and the Teaching Council as the statutory body is the point of contact for applicants seeking information as to the status of their registration.
However, the Teaching Council has informed me that the person that the Deputy is referring to in this query has been registered in accordance with their recent application to the Teaching Council.
278. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the grounds there are for the compulsory nature of educational devices in schools; if she is aware of the costs incurred by parents of students for the mandatory devices as well as the mandatory textbooks and other materials; if she will report on the process of contracting suppliers of the educational devices; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3998/24]
View answerDecisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is a matter for the Board of Management of each school in the context of their digital learning planning. Schools are advised to consult with members of the school community including parents when planning for the introduction of digital technologies including devices with cost and other implications been fully considered by the Boards of Managements before a decision is made.
Schools, in conjunction with parents, are responsible for decisions on the use of digital technology, including tablet devices, laptops, and learning platforms, and how best to manage their integration into classroom practice reflective of their own context and requirements.
Oide- Technology in Education (formally the PDST-TIE) offers advice and supports to schools on digital learning. Advice sheets are available on digital technology in education, including on the adoption of laptops and tablets in schools.
I am keenly aware of the challenges faced by educators and parents in relation to costs of digital technology, including tablets, and my Department continues to work to help support schools and families meet these costs. In 2017 a circular letter issued to schools with measures to be adopted to reduce the cost of school uniforms and other costs including such ICT devices. assets.gov.ie/12695/2045e7ccec684f72b55d93930e45372c.pdf.
This circular also instructed schools to consult with parents and their school community on the issue of ensuring costs are reasonable for parents, and how to avoid costs acting as a barrier. This circular specified that wherever possible, generic rather than branded items should be specified (e.g. uniform, clothing, IT tablets, sports equipment etc.).
It is the responsibility of each individual school to select the resources, if any, that it will use to support its implementation of the curriculum. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and my Department do not endorse or recommend particular materials. This includes text books, e-Books etc.
Since June 2020, and over the past three Budgets, I have secured funding to support measures aimed at supporting schools and parents to reduce costs. One of the most important policies in this regard has been the establishment of Ireland’s first national primary school book scheme, which will provide free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks, in primary schools and special schools. More than 558,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, will benefit from this measure.
This free schoolbooks scheme will eliminate the cost to all families for schoolbooks at primary school, including workbooks and copybooks.
In addition, my Department currently provides a book grant of over €10.2 million to all recognised post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books, including, including book rental schemes (which can include ebooks), and all schools are encouraged to operate book rental schemes to help alleviate costs to parents.
The Digital Strategy for Schools 2027, which builds on the progress made under the previous Digital Strategy, will be underpinned by an investment of some €200m included in the National Development Plan 2021-2030 providing continuity of funding following the €210m that issued to schools to support the previous strategy. The first tranche of the successor Digital Strategy ICT grant funding issued to schools in December 2021. This funding issued directly to schools as schools are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements in the most appropriate way. This can include the purchase of ICT devices such as tablets, hybrid devices, or laptops.
In addition, the Department as part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) under Next Generation EU funding facility, issued a once-off grant of €50 million in December 2021 to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme in order to support those learners at risk of educational disadvantage through the digital divide,
This funding issued directly to schools as they were best placed to determine the needs of their own students and have autonomy to do so, within the criteria applying to this funding. This can include establishing schemes to loan devices to students, and this also applies to Digital Strategy Grant funding.
279. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education the reason SNAs with ten years of experience (details supplied) in private pre-schools are unable to apply for incremental credits, particularly when those who have worked in community pre-schools are eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [4050/24]
View answerThe criteria required to have incremental credit awarded to qualified Special Needs Assistants (SNA) is set out in Circular 0139/2006 and was agreed with the unions representing the Special Needs Assistants, School Management Representatives, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education.
Under the terms of Circular 0139/2006, Section 4, paragraph 4.3 (d ) states that “Incremental credit shall not be awarded in respect of work undertaken in the service of a private employer”. As such, prior service in a private employer, such as a private pre-school, is therefore not eligible towards an award of incremental credit.
280. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the number of applications approved by State Examination Commission for access to deferred sittings of the Leaving Certificate examinations in cases in which the students were deemed to have experienced a medical incident or emergency during their original examination paper. [4055/24]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the state examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
