Written Answers Nos. 140-154
140. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education if parents of pupils who had no school bus service from October to February (details supplied) will be eligible for the remote area grant for the period the bus service was suspended; if they will have to make an application for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8503/24]
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.
Bus Éireann has advised that in recent months they issued tickets for school transport on bus services that had been secured for the 2023/24 school year. Unfortunately, a number of difficulties arose in having services in place in some localities with a small number of contracted services.
Bus Éireann continues to work intensively to ensure that transport arrangements are put in place as soon as possible, and every effort is being made to ensure transport can be sourced and put in place as soon as possible.
For families who have been issued with tickets on board one of these services affected, the Department is sanctioning an interim arrangement to assist with the cost of alternative arrangements until your service is in place.
The Exceptional No Service Interim Grant will be made available to families retrospectively. This payment will be paid as an exceptional measure and will be calculated from the date the service ceased up to the date that a service is provided these children. As the payment is based on the number of days a child attends school up until the time the service has commenced, it cannot be paid in advance.
This grant is linked to ticket holders for the number of days that these children attended school from the date the service ceased until the school transport service commenced.
The School Transport section is currently liaising with Bus Éireann to obtain the details of the pupils affected.
A sanction letter will issue to those families in due course.
141. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Education when a planning application for a school (details supplied) will be submitted; the expected timeframe for the project to reach completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8532/24]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers is part of a campus project for two schools in Wexford. The project is devolved for delivery to Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB).
The Design Team for the project are currently progressing through the Stage 1 of the architectural process (preliminary design), and will submit the Stage 1 Report to the Department in due course. Following a review and approval of the stage 1 report, the project will progress to stage 2a (detailed design) and then stage 2b of the architectural design process.
Stage 2b allows for detailed design/planning, obtaining the necessary statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documents. The project will then move onward to Tender and Construction in due course.
While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for the planning application or completion of the project. WWETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.
142. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Education when a planning application for a school (details supplied) will be submitted; the expected timeframe for the project to reach completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8533/24]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers is part of a campus project. The project is devolved for delivery to Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB).
The Design Team for the project are currently progressing through the Stage 1 of the architectural process (preliminary design), and will submit the Stage 1 Report to the Department in due course. Following a review and approval of the stage 1 report, the project will progress to stage 2a (detailed design) and then stage 2b of the architectural design process.
Stage 2b allows for detailed design/planning, obtaining the necessary statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documents. The project will then move onward to Tender and Construction in due course.
While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for the planning application or completion of the project. WWETB will be engaging directly with the school authority to keep it informed of progress.
143. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education if the case of students (details supplied) will be examined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8534/24]
View answerThe Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme is the universal two-year pre-school programme available to all children within the eligible age range. The ECCE programme and policy, including the age rules, are under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The ECCE programme is available to all children who have turned 2 years and 8 months of age before August 31st as long they won’t turn 5 years and 6 months of age on or before June 30th of the programme year.
School starting age is a policy matter under the remit of my Department. Children can be enrolled in primary school from the age of 4 upwards, and must have started their formal education by 6 years of age, as set out in the Education Welfare Act, 2000. The upper age limit for the ECCE programme was recommended to the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) by my Department as it ensures that children transition into primary school with their peers and limits the age range of children beginning primary school. Limiting the diversity in age ranges in primary school is considered to be generally in the best interest of children, in relation to peer interaction in junior infants, as well as other educational considerations.
In order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System 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 my Department's projections of school place requirements.
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 the following factors:
• Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
• School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
• Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils
• External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity and identifies any requirement for additional provision. Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools
• Provision of a new school or schools
The school to which the Deputy refers is located in the Naas School Planning Area. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places. In relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998.
144. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education the steps that can be taken in relation to a child (details supplied) who has been denied a school bus service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8540/24]
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.
The purpose of my 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.
Bus Éireann operates school transport on behalf of the Department of Education and organise the issuing of tickets, routes, pickup and drop off times for children.
The pupil is mainstream eligible to their selected school as this is their closest school at 6.4 km away from the home.
Bus Éireann has advised that due to the child referred to by the Deputy changing address at the end of January 2024, there are now no transport options available to facilitate them on an existing service at times that align with the school opening hours.
Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered the Remote Area Grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements.
Grants are paid at the end of the school year and is based on their attendance for that particular school year.
It is open to the family to directly contact school transport section of my Department to discuss this matter further.
145. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education the progress made on a school extension (details supplied) to the final stages of the tender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8548/24]
View answer147. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the building project for a school (details supplied); the timeframe for when the tender will progress; the timeline for the completion of the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8551/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 147 together.
The large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy, is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 – Tender Action and Award. The project brief includes a new extension and refurbishment of the existing building, to provide accommodation for 1000 pupils with classrooms for children with Special Educational needs.
My Department want to reassure the Deputy and the school community, that the building project remains a priority for progression.
The Tender report is currently under review by my Department officials, the school authority will be updated when this review is complete.
Until the contractor is appointed it is not possible to provide an estimated completion date, however, once the contractor is appointed it is expected that it will take approximately 20 months to complete the project.
146. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education when the new modular building for an autism class will be in place in a school (details supplied); what updates have been provided to the school since the announcement was made four months ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8549/24]
View answerThe Additional School Accommodation scheme project in relation to the school in question is currently under consideration. The assessment process is at the final stage with a decision expected to issue to the school authority in the coming days.
148. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education the euro amounts of net surplus cash derived from school transport by Bus Éireann that the auditors and directors categorised in the accounts as profit in the profit and loss balance sheet and cash flow statement for each of the years 2005 to 2015, in tabular form. [8560/24]
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.
The 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements form the basis of the payment to Bus Éireann for the operation of the School Transport Scheme. In this regard, the Department reimburses Bus Éireann for a range of costs incurred in the operation and administration of the scheme. Re-imbursement to Bus Éireann is on a cost recovery basis.
The Comptroller and Auditor General (C&AG) carried out an examination of the provision of school transport and completed its report in August 2017 – the C&AG Special Report 98. The C&AG report referenced a surplus in the Transport Management Charge element of the costs. This amount was held by way of an uncommitted reserve by Bus Éireann to be used solely for the purposes of the School Transport Scheme. The balance on the uncommitted reserve of €6.7m was repaid fully to the Department in December 2018.
My Department works with Bus Éireann to analyse costs to the scheme on an on-going basis while each year the company produces an audited statement of account. This ensures that the financial information provided by Bus Éireann is in accordance with the relevant summary of accounting arrangements.
Bus Éireann provide the Department with an annual projected cost of school transport services together with a provisional spread of payments. These figures are incorporated into the Department’s annual profile of expenditure and are monitored on a monthly basis both in terms of the Department’s monthly profile of expenditure and Bus Éireann information based on actual costs versus projected costs. Expenditure headings and profiles are discussed at monthly meetings held between the Department and Bus Éireann. Where changes in projected expenditure occur, a new year-end forecast is submitted by Bus Éireann and reflected in a revised spread of payments.
Actual expenditure is finalised in the Bus Éireann annual statement of account which is independently audited by the Bus Éireann auditors in accordance with the 1975 Summary of Accounting Arrangements. Balances, where they occur, are accounted for in the following year’s projected cost.
149. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education if her officials obtained legal assistance from the Office of the Attorney General regarding complaints about information being withheld in answers to parliamentary questions between 2013 and 2015; and the assistance provided in relation to same. [8561/24]
View answerOfficials in my department are not aware of any requests for legal advice to the Attorney General's office regarding complaints about information being withheld in answers to Parliamentary Questions between 2013 and 2015.
150. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the progress to date in securing primary and second level educational school places in Prosperous, County Kildare, for September 2024; the progress to date in proceeding with the replacement of a school (details supplied); the proposals at present; when the new school will be available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8579/24]
View answerMy Department is aware of pressures for school places for the 2024/25 school year in North Kildare School Planning Areas including Prosperous_Clane.
As part of planning for September 2024, data on applications for admission has been received by the department from post-primary schools across these areas of enrolment pressure, and updated data on offers and acceptances continues to be received as admissions processes transact.
The sharing of this data has been very effective in the identification of school place requirements across the areas. In the majority of areas across Kildare, through the work of schools, patrons, management bodies and the Department, there are sufficient school places available to meet the needs of children in the area. The Department is working with schools and patrons to make additional places available in a small number of areas where a need has been identified.
While some applicants may not yet have received an offer of a school place for 2024/25, families can be assured that all children who require a school place will be provided with one. The Department is continuing to work with schools and patrons to ensure that there are sufficient school places available, and to put any required solutions in place.
There will be greater clarity for families over the coming weeks as admissions processes continue to work through and required additional places come on stream.
The 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 in Prosperous_Clane School Planning Area. The project to provide for 1,000 pupils at St. Farnan’s is currently at Stage 2b.
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.
151. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which replacement facilities or a new school (details supplied) is progressing; whether the causes of the delay can be ameliorated in the short term; the extent to which security costs and maintenance in the interim might be a factor in the determination of any outcome; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8580/24]
View answerThe school project to which the Deputy refers is devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) as part of a bundled school building programme. It is currently at Stage 2b of the process, which allows for detailed design/planning, obtaining the necessary statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documents.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that planning has been granted for this project, and the pre-qualification process is currently underway, and once complete and following Departmental approval, the NDFA will continue with the tender process for appointing a contractor.
Any security or maintenance concerns that may arise during the course of this project will be addressed and dealt with as per Department guidelines.
While at this early stage it is not possible to provide a timeline for completion of the project, the NDFA will be engaging directly with the school to keep it informed of progress.
152. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education if provision can be made for a second level place for a student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8589/24]
View answerIn relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an admissions policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. Under the provisions of the Act, school admission policies are 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 school’s website. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area.
I can assure the Deputy that Department officials will continue to actively engage with schools and patrons to ensure that there are sufficient school places available to meet the needs of students in the Maynooth area for the 2024/25 school year and into the future.
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.
All schools must 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. My Department does not seek to intervene in the selection criterion that is applied by schools.
Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal where a board of management, or a person acting on behalf of the board of management (normally the school principal) refuses to admit a student to a school. Where the decision to refuse admission is due to the school being oversubscribed, a review of the decision by the board of management must be sought in the first instance. Following a review it is open to the parent to appeal to the independent appeals committee.
Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) is the agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. TESS can be contacted at 01-7718500 (tessinfo@tusla.ie) for assistance. More information is available on their website on the following link: www.tusla.ie/tess/tess-ews/
153. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which provision and work is in hand to replace a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8590/24]
View answerThe school project to which the Deputy refers is part of shared education campus. It is devolved for delivery to the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) as part of a bundled school building programme. This project is progressing through the various stages in line with necessary governance and compliance. The project is currently at Stage 1 of the architectural design process. The procurement process to appoint the design team is ongoing in accordance with procedures set out in EU public procurement directives. The design team, once appointed, will take the project through the various stages of architectural planning and onwards through the statutory planning requirements and construction. As the project is at an early stage in the delivery process, it is not possible at this time to give a date for its completion. The NDFA have and will continue to engage directly with the school authorities to keep them informed of progress.
154. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she is satisfied that all primary and second level school places required for September 2024 are available throughout County Kildare, including but not limited to Prosperous, Clane, Naas, Maynooth, Leixlip, Celbridge, Kilcock and Straffan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8591/24]
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 North Kildare School Planning Areas of Prosperous_Clane, Naas, Maynooth, Leixlip, Celbridge, Kilcock and Straffan.
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, Naas, Maynooth, Leixlip, Celbridge, Kilcock and Straffan 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 contributing to enrolment pressures in North Kildare School Planning Areas.
The availability of places is a matter for each individual school in the context of their Admissions legislation. Enrolment data for previous schools years is available on the Department website. Provisional enrolment data for the 2023/24 school year is available of the Department's website at www.gov.ie.
Nevertheless, 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.
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 the Prosperous, Clane, Naas, Maynooth, Leixlip, Celbridge, Kilcock and Straffan area 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 North Kildare School Planning Areas will receive a first year place.
