Tuesday, 27 Feb 2024

Written Answers Nos. 203-222

Special Educational Needs

Questions (203)

Verona Murphy

Question:

203. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8802/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

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

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

In 2023, my department spent over €2.6 billion on special education and further progress will be made this year as an additional €113 million 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, two new special schools have been established for this current school year in Cork and Dublin, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools.

In December 2023, I was also very happy to announce with my colleague Minister Foley, the establishment of a further four new special schools for the 2024/25 school year in Meath, Kildare, Limerick and in Gorey, County Wexford. This will bring to 11 the number of new special schools established in recent years.

The special school referred to by the Deputy is to open in the 2024/25 academic year and will operate under the patronage of Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board (WWETB). A dedicated working group, comprising of officials from my department, the WWETB and the NCSE, has been established to support the opening of the new special school in Gorey. The WWETB is currently in the process of recruiting a Principal and Deputy Principal.

It is expected that the initial intake will be 24 students. The admission policy has been published recently and is available at: www.wwetb.ie/schools/gorey-hill-school/  Applications for enrolment will be accepted from 06 February 2024 to 4pm on 28 February 2024. 

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. The local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list

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.

Educational Disadvantage

Questions (204)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

204. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education when a school (details supplied) will receive DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8812/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

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

Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my Department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector.

In March 2022, I announced the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme. This benefited 361 schools. The programme now includes in the region of 1,200 schools and supports approximately 260,000 students. 1 in 4 students and 30% of schools are now supported in the programme.

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

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

The DEIS Identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage and the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school. The DEIS identification model aimed to identify those schools with the highest levels of disadvantage or the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school using the school’s enrolment data and national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index which is publicly available.

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

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

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

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

In addition to this, following the National Census conducted in April 2022, an updated HP Deprivation index has now been generated by Pobal. My Department is engaging with Pobal regarding this development and this, along with other data, will be thoroughly reviewed to inform future resource allocation aimed at tackling educational disadvantage.

Educational Disadvantage

Questions (205)

Carol Nolan

Question:

205. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education the reason a school (details supplied) has not been designated with DEIS status despite the fact that the area of Lumcloon, County Offaly is identified as a disadvantaged area by Pobal; if this will be re-examined by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8826/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

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

Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my Department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector.

In March 2022, I announced the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme. This benefited 361 schools. The programme now includes in the region of 1,200 schools and supports approximately 260,000 students. 1 in 4 students and 30% of schools are now supported in the programme.

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

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

The DEIS Identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage and the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school. The DEIS identification model aimed to identify those schools with the highest levels of disadvantage or the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school using the school’s enrolment data and national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index which is publicly available.

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

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

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

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

In addition to this, following the National Census conducted in April 2022, an updated HP Deprivation index has now been generated by Pobal. My Department is engaging with Pobal regarding this development and this, along with other data, will be thoroughly reviewed to inform future resource allocation aimed at tackling educational disadvantage.

Site Acquisitions

Questions (206)

Niall Collins

Question:

206. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education if she will expedite a matter (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8833/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The property referred to by the Deputy is not in my ownership. In common with other buildings of this type there is a charging lease in place on the property to protect the State's investment in the property.

Where a property has ceased to be used as a school, and a request is received from the property owner to release the State's interest secured under a charging lease, the request is considered by my Department and this would include the specific circumstances pertaining to the individual property.

I can confirm that my Department has received a request from the property owners to release the Department's interest in this property. Officials from my Department are currently processing the request and will be in contact with the property owners in due course.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (207)

Emer Higgins

Question:

207. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education if she will reassess the use of the IQ component criteria when assessing students who apply for assistive technology on the basis that these criteria are outdated and refers to an old circular; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8884/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

The Assistive Technology Scheme is provided by my Department to supplement the overall approach to providing funding to schools for digital technology and equipment to support children for education purposes. Full details of the scheme are contained in the Department’s Circular 0010/2013.

All equipment provided under this scheme supports children with more complex disabilities who require essential specialist equipment in order to access the school curriculum.

It must be clear that the existing I.T. equipment in the school is insufficient to meet the child's needs. Where necessary, schools may also purchase new or additional equipment or software for students from normal school resources or funds.

Assistive technology is a critical enabler for those with special educational needs to gain the maximum benefit from a modern technologically focused education system. Where children with more complex disabilities require essential specialist equipment to access the school curriculum, which they do not already have, or which cannot be provided for them through the schools existing provisions, schools may make an application for such equipment to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) under the terms of this scheme.

In order to qualify for equipment under the Assistive Technology Scheme, a student must have been diagnosed with a physical or communicative disability and must also have a recommendation in a professional assessment that the equipment is essential in order to allow the student to access the curriculum.

The type of equipment provided under the Assistive Technology Scheme is varied, and includes audiological supports for students with hearing impairment, braille equipment for children with visual impairment, and computer equipment with associated modified software for students with physical or severe communicative disabilities.

Communication devices or medical or therapy related devices which are not specific educational interventions or equipment specifically required as essential for school educational access, and which have a general application outside of school, are not provided for under the Assistive Technology scheme, however. Such equipment is normally provided for children with disabilities by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

The Department is currently reviewing the Assistive Technology Scheme to ensure that it is working for these children and that the resources are allocated appropriately and as efficiently as possible. The review in ongoing and is expected to complete later this year.

Grant Payments

Questions (208)

Alan Dillon

Question:

208. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education what grants are available for students attending modern foreign language courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8885/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I can advise the Deputy that Languages Connect, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017 – 2026, aims to increase and diversify the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) is fully funded by the Department and charged with implementing a wide range of actions under Languages Connect.   

PPLI provides free Saturday morning classes in a range of foreign languages to Leaving Certificate students whose school does not have the student numbers to warrant timetabled classes.  The number of students enrolled in these classes in 2023/24 are as follows:

JAPANESE	RUSSIAN	CHINESE	POLISH	PORTUGUESE	LITHUANIAN	ROMANIAN
113	84	101	161	40	27	120

 

PPLI provides funding for a range of initiatives including language summer camps, school exchanges, foreign language library books and language upskilling for teachers. Some funding is also provided to the Latvian community to provide online Latvian classes, and to some schools to provide out-of-curriculum Romanian.

A wide range of other supports are provided to schools to support the teaching and learning of foreign languages and the diversification of foreign languages in school: ppli.ie/

Some of the key achievements to date under Languages Connect include:

-          The introduction of four new curricular languages for Leaving Certificate (Lithuanian, Mandarin Chinese, Portuguese and Polish)

-          The inclusion of foreign languages in the Primary Curriculum Framework.  Work is now underway on the development of the specification for introduction in primary schools from September 2025.

-          The roll out of the Say Yes to Languages sampler module at primary level.  This is an eight week module where primary schools can select the language depending on their demographic and resources.  A grant of up to €1,600 is available for participating schools of which there are circa. 1,200 in 2023/24 (year 3).

-      An annual #ThinkLanguages event for Transition Year students, promoting the benefits of foreign language learning and celebrating the languages and cultural diversity within the school community.  Circa. 15,000 TY students participated in the 2023/24 week long event.

-          An increase in the number of Foreign Language Assistants appointed to post primary schools from 110 in 2016/17 to 181 in 2023/24.  This will increase to 220 under Languages Connect.

-          The establishment of new teacher education and language upskilling programmes including one for Spanish in UCC. 

The Department of Education is committed to delivering leaving certificate examinations in all EU languages in accordance with Article 149 of the Treaty of Nice.  A range of curricular languages are currently available at Leaving Certificate level including: French, German, Spanish, Italian, Russian, Japanese, and since September 2020 - Mandarin Chinese, Lithuanian, Polish and Portuguese in accordance with the Languages Connect strategy.  

Students are also able to take an exam in a non-curricular EU language in accordance with the criteria set out at www.examinations.ie/?l=en&mc=ex&sc=sp. In the 2023 Leaving Certificate Exams, 704 students registered to sit a non-curricular language exam in 15 other non-curricular EU languages.

In recognition of the current situation regarding Ukrainian, students who have moved to Ireland due to the ongoing conflict in their home country, the first cohort of students will be able to sit exams in Ukranian as a non-curricular leaving certificate language subject in June 2025.

Educational Disadvantage

Questions (209, 211)

Alan Dillon

Question:

209. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education how DEIS funding for ETB schools is allocated; the process for school principals to apply; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8886/24]

Alan Dillon

Question:

211. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education how the DEIS funding for ETB schools is allocated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8889/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 209 and 211 together.

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

Supplementing the universal supports available to all schools, the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) Programme is a key policy initiative of my Department to address concentrated educational disadvantage at school level in a targeted and equitable way across the primary and post-primary sector.

In March 2022, I announced the single largest expansion of the DEIS programme. This benefited 361 schools. The programme now includes in the region of 1,200 schools and supports approximately 260,000 students. 1 in 4 students and 30% of schools are now supported in the programme.

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

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

The DEIS Identification process is based on the principle of concentrated disadvantage and the proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school. The DEIS identification model aimed to identify those schools with the highest levels of disadvantage or the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged backgrounds within a school using the school’s enrolment data and national census data as represented by the Pobal HP Deprivation index which is publicly available.

DEIS Grant funding is paid directly to DEIS schools except in the case of ETB schools where the funding is paid to the local ETB for distribution to DEIS schools under its remit. The DEIS grant should be utilised to attain the targets set in the school's three year improvement plan across the DEIS themes. It is a matter for the Board of Management of each school to allocate DEIS grant funding so that it targets those students deemed most in need.

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

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

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

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

In addition to this, following the National Census conducted in April 2022, an updated HP Deprivation index has now been generated by Pobal. My Department is engaging with Pobal regarding this development and this, along with other data, will be thoroughly reviewed to inform future resource allocation aimed at tackling educational disadvantage.

Educational Disadvantage

Questions (210)

Alan Dillon

Question:

210. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education if DEIS funding through ETBs is available for foreign language courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8888/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

Languages Connect, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017 – 2026, aims to increase and diversify the teaching and learning of foreign languages. Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) are fully funded by my Department and charged with implementing a wide range of actions under Languages Connect.   

PPLI provides free Saturday morning classes in a range of foreign languages to Leaving Certificate students whose school does not have the student numbers to warrant timetabled classes. 

PPLI provides funding for a range of initiatives including language summer camps, school exchanges, foreign language library books and language upskilling for teachers.

There is not a designated funding channel within ETB schools specifically earmarked for foreign language instruction.

DEIS is the main policy initiative of my Department to tackle educational disadvantage at school level.

My Department spends over €180m annually in supporting schools in the DEIS programme, of which, over €20m is allocated to schools by way of a DEIS grant. This funding is  paid to the local ETB for distribution to DEIS schools under its remit. The DEIS grant should be utilised to attain the targets set in the school's three year improvement plan across the DEIS themes. It is a matter for the Board of Management of each school to allocate DEIS grant funding so that it targets those students deemed most in need. This may include allocating a proportion of the DEIS grant funding towards the cost of foreign language courses.

Question No. 211 answered with Question No. 209.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (212)

Emer Higgins

Question:

212. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on school building projects (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8893/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The school building project for the first school referred to by the Deputy will deliver a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including four classrooms, for children with special educational needs.

This project is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme and is currently at tender stage.

The Invitation to Tender for the project issued in April 2023, as part of a bundle of projects for 10 schools issued to my Department's Framework of Design and Build Contractors. Given the scale of works involving new purpose-built accommodation for 10 schools, some of which are on campus sites, the tender process involves a very large volume of documentation and drawings and takes approximately 8-12 months. Tender returns have been received and are currently being evaluated.

Given the scale of this investment, this tender evaluation process by the Department's technical staff and project management team takes time to appropriately work through. The Department is very conscious of the importance in getting these projects, including the project for the school referred to by the Deputy, delivered as quickly as possible.

Once a contractor has been appointed, it is anticipated that construction will commence shortly thereafter. My Department will continue to keep the school and its patron body updated as the project progresses.

The large scale capital project for the second 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 1,000 pupils with classrooms for children with special educational needs.

I 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 and 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. Once the contractor is appointed, it is expected that it will take approximately 20 months to complete the project.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (213)

Paul Murphy

Question:

213. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 123 of 13 February 2024, if she is aware that for children with dyslexia, the support provided through mainstream schools, 20 minutes for three times a week, does not compare to what children get in a special school, where they learn reading and writing using the Wilson method, which many mainstream teachers have zero education on how to teach; given this information, why the Department has no plans to open more of these classes; if she has considered that the demand is so high for these special schools because what is being offered through mainstream school is not working; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8913/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

Primary and post-primary schools make provision for pupils’ special educational needs (SEN) through a continuum of interventions ranging from additional support teaching in mainstream schools to placement in a special class, or in some cases, enrolment in a special school.  Schools are provided with the resources, through the special education teacher allocation model, to assist them in meeting the needs of their students, including those with language difficulties.  Schools are required to target their additional resources at those students requiring the greatest level of support.

The Continuum of Support recognises that some pupils may experience difficulty in the acquisition of literacy skills at any stage of their development, and provides a pathway for schools to respond to their needs. It is important to recognise that literacy difficulties exist on a continuum, from mild and/or transient to those which are more severe and persistent. While the majority of pupils should demonstrate progress following targeted literacy intervention, a small percentage may experience difficulties that persist despite evidence-based interventions provided in school.

When allocating resources, schools take into account the learning needs of students as evidenced by performance in schools and by information provided regarding the nature of a condition that a student may have. Specific interventions are therefore tailored by the school to the individual’s needs, rather than being generic to a specific difficulty, disability or condition.

It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of additional teaching resources to best support the needs of identified pupils, in accordance with the Department's guidance. The teaching time afforded to each individual pupil is decided and managed by schools, taking into account each child's individual learning needs.

Psychologists from the Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) work with schools using a problem-solving model to help schools identify need and interventions to support those needs. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist for advice, where necessary.

The Department also provides for special schools and special class placements where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided. 

The Department’s Inspectorate was requested to evaluate provision in special classes for children and young people with a Specific Learning Disability (SLD).  There are thirteen such classes in ten mainstream primary schools located across the country, though mainly in urban settings. 

The purpose of the evaluations was to examine the quality of provision for children and young people with SLD, with particular reference to understanding the placement of children and young people in these classes and to identifying the strengths and areas for improvement in learning and teaching in these classes. This Inspectorate’s report ‘Inspectors Report on Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children and Young People with a Specific Learning Disability - www.google.ie/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=2ahUKEwiElNTY7cGEAxXgWEEAHeJ7ApoQFnoECA4QAw&url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.gov.ie%2F259594%2F0a8c612b-46fd-451f-bdab-462ef86c0dc7.pdf&usg=AOvVaw0JEo1Aurvq40LTkTw38Ly4&opi=89978449

- is recently published and is intended to inform the development of policy in the Department’s Special Education Section in relation to future provision of children with SLD, in the context of emerging international trends for inclusion.

Special Education Section will consider the findings and recommendations of the Inspectorate report and may, in time, request the Inspectorate to review provision for children with SLD in special schools. The Department’s Special Education Section will be engaging with the NCSE in respect of the findings in the Inspectorate report and with a view to progressing the recommendations.

The Department has provided very considerable additional resources to mainstream schools in recent years to assist them in meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs, including those with SLD.  This includes thousands of additional special education teachers (SETs) and special needs assistants (SNAs).  Provision for pupils is governed by The Continuum of Support and a range of guidance documents, resources and training opportunities is available to schools to inform their approaches to meeting the needs of pupils with special educational needs. 

It is important to note that the Department does not promote one particular approach for meeting the needs of children with dyslexia, or other educational needs and advises that children will benefit most where a range of teaching approaches is employed by class teachers.

School Transport

Questions (214)

Kathleen Funchion

Question:

214. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education if children (details supplied) can be accommodated on a school bus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8929/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The 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. 

Under the terms of the School Transport Schemes children are eligible for mainstream transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. 

The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.

Bus Éireann has advised that to date no applications under the Primary and Post Primary School Transport Schemes have been received for this family.  If the family wish to apply for school transport they should contact School Transport Section at [e-mail].

Schools Building Projects

Questions (215)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

215. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education for a review of correspondence (details supplied) and if she will provide an update on this matter. [8934/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

The project to which the Deputy refers, was approved a project under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme to provide a one classroom SEN base and one SET room.

The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery.

My Department has received a Stage 2b (post planning approval) report from the school.  This report is currently under review from both a technical and cost perspective in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code.

My Department will be in contact with the school authority directly, once its review of this report has been completed on the next steps to progress this project.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (216)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

216. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education for an update on a new school project (details supplied); the timeframe for when this project will move to stage 2B; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8937/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

As the Deputy is aware, the school referred to was approved for a project under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme.

The project will provide 8 general classrooms, 4 SET rooms, 1 music room, 1  textiles room, 1 art room, 1  project store, 1  multimedia room, 2  science laboratory /1 preparation area, 1  library, and 1 general purpose/dining room.

The project is devolved for delivery to the school authority. The school has now appointed a design team and submitted the stage 2a report to my Department.

Professional and Technical officials are currently reviewing this report with a view to providing practical advice and guidance to the school authority's design team.

Once the review is completed, this advice will be shared directly with the School Authority.

There is an overall pipeline of some 1300 projects across the school system.  The current status of all projects is listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie. and this is updated on a regular basis to reflect  project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction. 

My Department has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was achieved again in 2023 notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues.

Under Project Ireland 2040, we are investing over €5 billion during the period 2021 to 2025, to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day.

My Department is very appreciative of the strong support provided by Government for our education budget.  As part of the supplementary budget, €405m additional capital funding was provided in 2023. This helped to alleviate capital funding pressures that arose in 2023 which was reflective of the strong delivery by my Department of school building projects – particularly to support mainstream provision accommodating Ukrainian students and special education needs provision.  My Department’s overall capital out-turn for 2023 was €1.264 billion.

We continue to have a strong pipeline of projects for delivery under the school building programme involving circa. 300 projects currently at construction, which include 34 new school buildings.

We also have a large modular accommodation programme delivering urgently needed school places. The Department has always operated a tightly prioritised approach to the school building programme, focused over recent years on the delivery of additional capacity where required, and this will continue to be the case.

School Facilities

Questions (217)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

217. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the assistance her Department is providing in relation to the shrinking of the play area at a school (details supplied) due to extensions and a growing school population in the area; her views on the current situation regarding inadequate parking space at school; her views on the ongoing safety issues presenting due to same and if she will review this case urgently; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8938/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received correspondence from the school in question regarding retrospective funding for the play area at the school. Officials in my Department will consider the correspondence received and will liaise with the school authority directly. 

The issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools on public roads, such as road signage, traffic calming measures etc., is a matter, for the relevant Local Authority. Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools to ensure that measures are in place to protect the safety of local school children

As part of it’s planning for 2024 and beyond, Department officials are working on the arrangements for the next phases of the summer works programme.  It is envisaged at this stage that, a new Multi-Annual Summer Works Scheme (SWS) with a focus on climate action and energy conservation. Schools will be notified of the details of the SWS in due course.

The purpose of the SWS is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The SWS operates on a multi-annual basis and was last opened for applications in 2019.  It will be open to the school in question to apply for funding under the Summer Works Scheme.

I wish to advise the Deputy that since 2020 my Department has invested in the region of €4.3 billion in our schools throughout the country, including the completion of over 750 school building projects with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 34 new school buildings.

School building projects at construction involve an overall State investment of over €1.2 billion.  We also have a large modular accommodation programme delivering urgently needed school places.  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.

Question No. 218 answered with Question No. 197.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (219)

Richard Bruton

Question:

219. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if there are changes being made in how resource teachers are being allocated or deployed, if she is aware of concerns expressed by Down's Syndrome Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9033/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

I want to thank the Deputy for raising this issue and for giving me the opportunity to clarify some of the concerns that have been raised regarding the Special Education Teacher Allocations for mainstream schools which issued on the 6th February.

At the outset, I would like to clarify  complex needs have not been removed – the data which was used since 2017 from the children's disability network team (CDNT) and which is no longer routinely available is being  replaced by high quality, verifiable education data.

To ensure that schools  and pupils are not negatively impacted all existing hours assigned for complex needs are being maintained for each school.

Children with complex needs are supported in the model by now using school-level data from standardised tests in order to reflect relative levels of overall needed.

In the review of the model consideration was given to those students with multiple needs and who may not have undertaken standardised testing and this has been incorporated in the model.

The allocation model for 2024/25 distributes the total available number of SET posts in line with each school’s profile of need. It seeks to distribute teaching resources in the fairest possible manner, taking into account quality, robust evidence in respect of individual schools. This ensures that resources are in the right place at the right time to meet the needs of children in mainstream. 

There will more Special Education Teachers in our schools in September 2024 than ever before – an increase of 1,000 from 2020/21 school year. This is in addition to a significant reduction in class teachers sizes at primary level over three budgets to where our PTR at primary level is now 23:1. This means, more than ever, children with SEN in our mainstream schools are best supported to meet their needs. In addition the model will now be run annually in line with general teacher allocations. This allows schools to better plan their staffing structures and gives them time to arrange clusters in areas where schools share an SET teacher.

There has been a limited change to the method used to allocate SET to mainstream classes. This review involved extensive consultation and visits to schools by the NCSE to look at the strengths and shortcomings of the allocation model. The feedback has been incorporated into the revised model for 2024/25.

The review of the SET model focused on ensuring that we had the best possible data available to inform the distribution of resources to our schools. Our policy relating to supporting all of our children in our schools based on their level of need remains.

The policy that individual schools are required to adhere to is the principle that the allocation is utilised to ensure that those pupils with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support and this remains unchanged.

Therefore the revised profiles are directly correlated to, and focused on, pupils with the greatest level of need in the areas of literacy and numeracy.

The Department acknowledges that every school is different, and that schools can experience unique circumstances that may be difficult to reflect in any standardised method. This is always a challenge when making allocations in respect of 4,000 schools. It is for this reason that the Department, working with the NCSE has streamlined the review process for special education teachers and schools who have any concerns can engage with the NCSE on their allocation. 

Special Educational Needs

Questions (220, 232)

Richard Bruton

Question:

220. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education whether the NCSE has reported on the adequacy of capacity of special schools and special units on the northside of Dublin to meet the needs of pupils presenting for placement this year; if increases in capacity have been identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9034/24]

Richard Bruton

Question:

232. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of a shortage of special school places to serve Dublin's northside; if she has received a report from the NCSE on capacity constraints and how they might be filled; if new places are coming on stream for this coming September or beyond; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9271/24]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 and 232 together.

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

The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.

In 2023, my department spent over €2.6 billion on special education and further progress will be made this year as an additional €113 million 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, two new special schools have been established for this current school year in Cork and Dublin, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools.

In December 2023, I was also very happy to announce with my colleague Minister Foley, the establishment of a further four new special schools for the 2024/25 school year in Enfield, Kildare, Gorey and Limerick. This will bring to 11 the number of new special schools established in recent years.

Along with the two new special schools opening this school year, 390 new special classes – 254 at primary and 136 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE for opening this current school year.

Of these 71 are in Dublin, 48 at primary and 23 at post-primary level. This brings to 534 the number of special classes in County Dublin, 408 at primary level and 126 at post-primary level. 

Planning for special classes and special school places in Co. Dublin 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 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.

Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes is published on the NCSE website and is available at: www.ncse.ie/special-classes.

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.

Teagasc na Gaeilge

Questions (221)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

221. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Oideachais an dtabharfaidh sí sonraí i bhfoirm tábla le haghaidh na n-uaireanta teagaisc Gaeilge in aghaidh na seachtaine a bhí riachtanach i mbunscoileanna de réir bliana ó 1990 go dtí an bhliain seo. [9047/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

Ba mhaith liom a chur in iúl don Teachta Dála gur seo a leanas an méid ama sa tseachtain a thugtar le haghaidh mhúineadh na Gaeilge inár mbunscoileanna;

Bliain	Teanga 1 na Scoile –naíonáin (méid ama sa tseachtain)	Teanga 1 na Scoile – rang a haon go rang a sé (méid ama sa tseachtain)	Teanga 1 na Scoile – rang a haon go rang a dó (méid ama sa tseachtain)	Teanga 1 na Scoile – rang a trí go rang a sé (méid ama sa tseachtain)	Teanga 1 na Scoile – rang a haon go rang a sé (méid ama sa tseachtain)	Teanga 2 na Scoile – rang a haon go rang a sé (méid ama sa tseachtain)
1990	Níor cuireadh aon mholtaí ama ar fáil i gcuraclam 1971. Tugadh méid ama isteach den chéad uair in 1999.
1999	3 uair an chloig	4 uair an chloig	N/A	N/A	2 uair agus 30 nóiméad	3 uair agus 30 nóiméad
2011	De réir na Straitéise Náisiúnta chun an Litearthacht agus an Uimhearthacht a Fheabhsú i measc Leanaí agus Daoine Óga 2011-20, iarradh ar bhunscoileanna níos mó ama a chaitheamh ar litearthacht agus ar uimhearthacht. Ó mhí Eanáir 2012 ar aghaidh, bhí ar scoileanna: níos mó ama a chaitheamh ar litearthacht, go háirithe ar litearthacht i dteanga 1 na scoile, méadú uair an chloig ar an iomlán in aghaidh na seachtaine (i.e. go 6.5 uair an chloig do na naíonáin, agus go 8.5 uair an chloig do rang a haon go rang a sé.)
2023	4 uair an chloig agus 45 nóiméad	3 uair an chloig agus 45 nóiméad	4 uair an chloig agus 45 nóiméad	3 uair an chloig agus 45 nóiméad*	2 uair an chloig agus 30 nóiméad	3 uair an chloig

Cuirfear uair an chloig sa tseachtain ar fáil do rang a trí ar aghaidh le teanga iasachta nua-aimseartha a fhoghlaim – tiocfaidh laghdú 60 nóiméad sa tseachtain ar theagasc theanga 1 na scoile.

Cuirtear leis an méid ama sa tseachtain le haghaidh na Folláine i gCreatchuraclam na Bunscoile agus cuirtear uair an chloig sa tseachtain ar fáil chun teangacha iasachta a thabhairt isteach ó rang a trí ar aghaidh.  D’fhonn na hathruithe sin a dhéanamh, b’éigean am a ghlacadh ó gach réimse eile den churaclam, teangacha san áireamh. I dtaca leis sin, ba chóir an méid seo a leanas a thabhairt faoi deara;

Baintear úsáid as teanga an teagaisc ar fud an churaclaim ar fad, i gcás gach ábhar, ní le linn an cheachta teanga amháin a fhoghlaimítear teanga an teagaisc. 

Breithnítear i laghdú Theanga 1 taithí na scoláirí ar an dá bhliain réamhscoile shaora mar chuid de chlár Chúram agus Oideachas na Luath-Óige (ECCE). Léiríonn na figiúirí is déanaí go mbaineann thart ar 97% de scoláirí leas as an gclár seo agus go mbaineann siad tairbhe as an eispéireas foghlama teanga a fhaigheann siad ó Aistear– Creatchuraclam na Luath-Óige.

I scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge, is i nGaeilge a bhíonn fáil ar an gcuraclam ar fad, seachas curaclam an Bhéarla. D’fhonn tacú le sealbhú na Gaeilge, is féidir moill a chur ar thabhairt isteach fhoghlaim fhoirmiúil an Bhéarla go dtí rang a haon, chun cabhrú le bunús láidir sa teanga a fhorbairt.

Is curaclam comhtháite teanga é Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile (2019), ncca.ie/en/primary/primary-developments/language/the-primary-language-curriculum/, a chabhraíonn le haistriú scileanna ó theanga amháin go teanga eile ag úsáid struchtúr comhroinnte agus cur chuige cabhrach i leith an teagaisc agus na foghlama. 

Níl aon athrú ar an méid ama a mholtar a chaitheamh ar an nGaeilge i scoileanna Béarla i gcomparáid le curaclam 1999 le haghaidh na naíonán agus tá laghdú 30 nóiméad ar an méid ama le haghaidh rang a haon go rang a sé.

Is moltaí iad na huaireanta a luaitear laistigh de Chreatchuraclam na Bunscoile agus dearadh é le húsáid go solúbtha i scoileanna mar a rinneadh le curaclam 1999.

Tugann Am Solúbtha deis do scoileanna an t-am sin a úsáid le haghaidh tréimhsí fada grinnfhoghlama i gceann amháin nó níos mó de na cúig réimse curaclaim, lena n-áirítear i réimse na dteangacha.  Athraíonn an méid ama sholúbtha atá ar fáil ag gach céim:

5 uair an chloig sa mhí sna Naíonáin Shóisearacha agus Shinsearacha (Céim 1)

6 uair an chloig sa mhí i rang 1 agus 2 (céim 2)

7 n-uair an chloig sa mhí i rang 3-6 (céimeanna 3 agus 4).

Le linn bliana, d'fhéadfadh scoil cinneadh a dhéanamh Fleisc-am a úsáid le haghaidh ceann amháin, cúpla ceann nó iad seo ar fad thíos chun freagairt do riachtanais/dúshláin maidir le teagasc agus foghlaim na Gaeilge:

tuilleadh ama sa tseachtain ag leibhéal na scoile don Ghaeilge ar feadh téarma/scoilbhliana de réir mar a ullmhaíonn múinteoirí eispéiris foghlama chuí shaibhre atá ag freagairt do riachtanais foghlama na scoláirí

tréimhsí fada grinnfhoghlama i ngnéithe d’fhoghlaim na Gaeilge (Seachtain na Gaeilge, teanga ó bhéal, filíocht, scéalta, logainmneacha)

gníomhaíochtaí scoile uile nó rannpháirtíocht i dtionscnaimh agus imeachtaí áitiúla, réigiúnacha agus náisiúnta a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge (drámaí, scéalaíocht, comórtais, nasc le scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge, cuairteanna ó chainteoirí Gaeilge, ceol agus amhráin na hÉireann, Cúla 4, Foghlaim TG4)

cuir chuige oideolaíocha ar leith a úsáid a bhaineann tairbhe as tréimhsí fada ama (Foghlaim Chomhtháite Ábhar agus Teangacha - múineann múinteoirí réimse curaclaim eile i nGaeilge le linn tréimhse ama).

Léiríonn Íos-Am Curaclaim an méid is lú ama sa tseachtain a mholtar le haghaidh Teanga, Matamaitice agus Folláine agus an tÍos-Am míosúil le haghaidh Oideachas Eolaíochta, Teicneolaíochta agus Innealtóireachta; Oideachas Sóisialta agus Comhshaoil; agus Oideachas Ealaíon.

Gníomhartha chun cabhrú le teagasc agus foghlaim na Gaeilge

Tá réimse leathan gníomhartha á ndéanamh ag an Roinn chun cabhrú le teagasc agus foghlaim na Gaeilge, lena n-áirítear:

Polasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta agus polasaí nua don oideachas lán-Ghaeilge lasmuigh den Ghaeltacht a fhorbairt.

Tacaíochtaí teagaisc agus foghlama a chuireann COGG ar fáil

Athchóiriú curaclaim ag gach leibhéal

Clár nua Oideachais Tosaigh Múinteoirí i nGaeilge ina bhfuil 30 áit bhreise ar fáil le haghaidh 2023-24.

Oideachas agus oiliúint múinteoirí

Maoiniú a chur ar fáil d'Fhoras na Gaeilge chun roinnt tionscnamh a chur chun cinn

Obair leanúnach ar an tionscadal maidir le Foghlaim Chomhtháite Ábhar agus Teangacha (FCÁT).

Léiríonn na tionscnaimh agus na gníomhartha a leag mé amach thuas tiomantas na Roinne agus mo thiomantas féin i leith na Gaeilge agus i leith dhul chun cinn na ngníomhartha a bhaineann leis an oideachas teanga i Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010-2030.

Teagasc na Gaeilge

Questions (222)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

222. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Oideachais an bhfuil painéal ar leith ann do mhúinteoirí agus do mhúinteoirí ionaid san earnáil lán-Ghaeilge, agus an ndéanfaidh sí cur síos ar an gcreatlach earcaíochta do scoileanna lán-Ghaeilge. [9049/24]

Written answers

Minister for Education

Is meicníocht iad na socruithe ath-imlonnaithe a úsáidtear chun poist mhúinteoireachta a líonadh. Tá painéal ath-imlonnaithe dá chuid féin ag gach pátrún scoile, An Foras Pátrúnachta san áireamh.

Cruthaítear Príomhphainéil Ath-imlonnaithe do mhúinteoirí buan/múinteoirí CTÉ barrachais lena chinntiú go ndéantar folúntais a thairiscint do na múinteoirí seo ar an gcéad dul síos.

A luaithe a ath-imlonnaítear gach múinteoir buan/múinteoir CTÉ barrachais, ní mór do scoileanna folúntais bhuana a líonadh ó Phainéil Ath-imlonnaithe Fhorlíontacha atá comhdhéanta de mhúinteoirí cáilithe téarma seasta (sealadach/ionadach) agus páirtaimseartha. Ag an bpointe sin, féadfar folúntais ar théarma seasta a fhógairt trí chomórtas oscailte.

Nuair a bheidh painéal ath-imlonnaithe ídithe i limistéar, féadfaidh scoileanna a bhfuil folúntais bhuana acu sa limistéar sin dul ar aghaidh chuig comórtas oscailte chun na folúntais sin a líonadh. Féadfaidh aon mhúinteoir cur isteach ar na folúntais sin de réir mar a eascraíonn siad.

The redeployment arrangements are the mechanism used to fill teaching posts. Each school patron has its own redeployment panel, including An Foras Pátrunachta.

Main Redeployment Panels are created for surplus permanent/CID holding teachers in order to ensure that vacancies are offered in the first instance to these teachers. 

Once all surplus permanent/CID holding teachers are redeployed, schools are required to fill permanent vacancies from Supplementary Redeployment Panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers.  At that point, fixed-term vacancies may be advertised through open competition.

Once a redeployment panel has been exhausted in an area, schools with permanent vacancies in that area may proceed to open competition to fill these vacancies. It is open to any teacher to apply for these vacancies as they arise.