Wednesday, 20 Mar 2024

Special Educational Needs

Questions (443)

Niamh Smyth

Question:

443. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education for an update on a school appeal (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12207/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

I want to thank the Deputy for raising this issue.The Special Education teaching 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 Pupil to Teacher Ratio 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.In relation to the specific school mentioned in your question, I would like to advise that the reduction of SET hours relates to a change in the school's profile particularly due to an overall reduction in enrolments since last the profile update.Ukrainian and International Protection students are supported through a separate allocation process and I would like to confirm that the school has also been allocated 7.5 additional temporary special education teacher hours under this scheme and an additional half an SNA post.

Education Policy

Questions (444)

Claire Kerrane

Question:

444. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on a proposal (details supplied); if he will consider funding this and rolling it out State-wide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12220/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

The area of wellbeing and the promotion of positive mental health is a priority for the Department of Education. This includes promoting emotional wellbeing and resilience and positive coping skills, which support children and young people to manage the complexities of modern life.

The Department of Education’s approach to supporting wellbeing and mental health is set out in its Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice. A dedicated wellbeing portal has also been developed bringing together all the wellbeing supports and resources that have been developed by the Department and the Department’s support services. The approach proposed is a whole school and preventative approach, which has multiple components that provide children and young people with opportunities to:

• Build core social and emotional skills and competencies through the use of evidence-informed practice.

• Experience supportive relationships within the school setting.

• Be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe in which they feel a sense of belonging and connectedness, that their voice is heard, and they feel supported.

Schools are encouraged to use a reflective, school self-evaluation approach to identify and prioritise the needs of its own school community in relation to the promotion of wellbeing and mental health, and to respond to meeting those needs. To support schools in this work Oide is currently providing training to schools to ensure that the promotion of wellbeing will be at the core of the ethos of every school and support schools in implementing the Wellbeing Framework.

In the post-primary setting, the Student Support Team (SST) is the overarching structure through which schools identify and provide for the welfare and wellbeing of all students. A Student Support Team acts as a school hub, bringing coherence to the support system by coordinating the valuable work of departments, teams and/or groups such as the Junior Cycle Wellbeing Curricular Planning team, the Special Education Needs (SEN) department, the Critical Incident Management Team (CIMT) along with guidance and pastoral staff. School Leadership also has a significant role guiding and supporting the school’s Student Support Team. Focussing on the provision of a whole school approach Student Support Teams promote the wellbeing of the whole school community. Embedded in the whole school approach, and in line with the Department’s Continuum of Support, is a recognition that children and young people can have different needs at different times. Those with greater need may require more specific and targeted support in addition to the support provided for all young people at the universal level.

The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has developed training for school staff on the promotion of wellbeing and resilience in schools, which includes upskilling school staff on the use and implementation of therapeutically-informed and evidence-based approaches in schools. These include trauma-informed approaches, approaches based on the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy, and attachment-aware approaches. The approaches outlined in the training are based on research findings, on the experience of experts in their fields and on the experience of practicing psychologists working in schools. The training builds on the capability of school staff in both primary and post-primary settings, including school leaders, teachers and SNAs. NEPS also provides training for school staff on the FRIENDS social, emotional and resilience building programmes to help reduce anxiety and support emotional wellbeing and resilience in children and young people.

The Department of Education works closely with the Department of Health, who have compiled a suite of resources, support agencies, self-help information and apps to support positive mental health in adults and young people. This is available at hse.ie/mental-health.

It is currently a matter for the management of each school to decide on the appropriateness of seeking external facilitators in promoting wellbeing. Schools have the autonomy to decide programmes and initiatives and we advise post-primary schools to refer to Circular 0043/2018 if considering collaboration with external agencies.

School Admissions

Questions (445)

Denise Mitchell

Question:

445. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that a student (details supplied) will have a school place for the academic year beginning September 2024. [12226/24]

View answer

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, Wexford 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.

In relation to the student referred to by the Deputy, the NCSE has advised my department that the NCSE regional team continues to work closely with the family regarding special education placements options.

Parents may contact special educational needs officers and team managers directly using the contact details available on the NCSE's website at: www.ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.

My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.

Residential Institutions

Questions (446)

Catherine Connolly

Question:

446. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education her plans to extend the package of supports for survivors of abuse in industrial schools, reformatories and related institutions to include a pension in recognition of the unpaid labour many did while in institutions or boarded out as children, access to the Health Amendment Act (HAA) medical card and housing supports as requested by an organisation (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12241/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

As the Deputy will be aware, on 27 June 2023 Government approved proposals for the provision of a package of ongoing supports to survivors, which is comprised of a number of elements, including health, education, and advocacy supports. While I would acknowledge that this might not fully meet the expectations of some survivors, I believe that it is a balanced and proportionate package of supports which will address many of the key concerns identified during the consultation process with survivors.

The delivery of both the health and education supports will require the passage of the legislation, the General Scheme of which was published and referred to the relevant Committee for Pre-Legislative Scrutiny (PLS) in September 2023. The Committee’s PLS Report was received by my Department in December 2023.

My Department is working closely with the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel on finalising the Bill and it is intended to progress the preparation of the legislation as quickly as possible to enable its passage in the first half of 2024.

With regard to advocacy supports, my Department has engaged Sage Advocacy, an independent advocacy organisation with a strong track record in providing advocacy supports to vulnerable adults, older people and healthcare patients, to develop information, support and advocacy services for survivors to assist them in engaging with and accessing relevant services and supports. Sage Advocacy has already begun to roll out this service and will be engaging with relevant groups and organisations to promote awareness of its availability.

Departmental Funding

Questions (447)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

447. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the amount allocated for service provisions in St. Christophers, Longford, per heading for 2023, 2022, and 2021, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12242/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education

Vocational Training Centres (VTCs) are centres for adults with disabilities and are generally operated by service providers from the voluntary sector. The bulk of their funding comes from the Department of Health and Children through the HSE. VTC Services form part of the network of services for adults with disabilities/Special Educational Needs in most areas. In some instances, these are delivered on the same campus or in the same building.

The Department of Education allocates funding for tuition hours in VTCs for delivery of tuition in literacy and numeracy, usually in the context of the development of life and communication skills. The VTCs cater for school leavers who have moderate General Learning Disability and young people who have Mild General Learning Disability for which open training centres do not suit their needs. St. Christophers in Longford is one such VTC.

There are 15 VTCs nationwide accommodating approximately 300 adults who are within the mild and moderate range of general learning disability.

Participants must be under 25 years and can attend for a maximum of three years. The emphasis in the centres is on training of a vocational nature.

Following receipt and examination of applications from each VTC participating in the scheme, the Special Education Section sanctions the grant to be paid to each centre.

Depending on the number of applications received each year from a given VTC and which meet the qualifying criteria, the number of participants and the cost of operating the scheme varies each year. A breakdown per academic year is as follows:

Academic year	No. of qualifying participants	No. of tuition hours per week granted	Value of grant sanctioned
2020/2021	4	17 hours per week for 46 weeks	€27,400
2021/2022	3	13 hours per week for 46 weeks	€21,100
2022/2023	3	13 hours per week for 46 weeks	€21,500
2023/2024	2	8 hours per week for 46 weeks	€14,000

In 2021, St. Christophers received payment of €26,917.24 for tuition hours.

In January 2022, St. Christophers received payment of €6,031.61 for tuition hours.

No claim for payment of tuition hours has been received from St. Christophers since January 2022.

School Staff

Questions (448)

Sorca Clarke

Question:

448. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the current vacancies per role for St. Christophers in Longford, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12247/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

Ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government.

While schools in certain locations are experiencing challenges in both recruiting teachers and obtaining substitute teachers, the vast majority of sanctioned teacher positions are filled. The rate of resignation and retirement is very low by any standard and is consistent with previous years.

To help support special schools with teacher supply issues in this school year my department has provided guidance and recommendations to special schools through the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE) to include - the flexible deployment of staffing resources, the employment of Route 3 registered teachers on fixed-term contracts and clarification around substitute teachers.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for individual school authorities, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). In that regard, there are more than 3,700 individual employers (boards of management of primary schools and post-primary schools, as well as ETBs).

While my Department does not collect data on the recruitment by individual employers, an analysis of the Department’s payroll systems (Teacher Payroll Unit and ETB Payroll Shared Services) as well as other relevant information systems is being undertaken to generate statistics on the teacher workforce across the country. This work began recently, is ongoing, and the relevant teacher data is expected to be available in the near future.

Budget 2024 contained a range of measures that demonstrate my commitment to continued investment in our education system.

• A professional masters’ of education incentive scheme will be introduced for newly qualified teachers graduating in 2024. Those newly qualified teachers who graduate with a PME will, subject to some conditions, be eligible for an incentive payment of up to €2,000 in 2025.

• An additional 1,000 posts of responsibility will be provided in the school system for the 2024/25 school year. This is in recognition that school leaders play a key role in improving educational outcomes by creating a positive school climate and environment as well as motivating and empowering educators and learners within their school communities.

These new measures are in addition to a range of targeted measures that I have introduced in recent times, including:

• At primary level, I approved 610 additional places on initial teacher education programmes for this and the next academic year (2023/24 and 2024/25).

• Ensuring initial teacher education providers created existing flexibilities that enable student teachers to support schools, either while on placement, or in a substitute capacity. In 2022/23, more than 2,700 3rd and 4th-year undergraduate student teachers registered with the Teaching Council and provided valuable support to schools as substitute teachers. In February this year there were over 3,500 registered under Route 5 on the Teaching Council register.

• Continuing the operation of primary substitute teacher supply panels in 2023/24, with 590 teaching posts allocated to 166 panels covering nearly 2,900 schools. This scheme provides substitute cover for teachers employed in primary schools who are absent on short-term leave.

• Newly qualified teachers (NQTs) employed in primary schools from 14 November 2023 may apply to the Teaching Council to complete the Droichead process while employed on a Supply Panel or Principal Release Time Post. The measure has been extended to the end of the 2024/2025 school year. This measure increases the attractiveness of these posts to NQTs, and supports primary schools to provide substitute cover.

• Encouraging retired teachers to provide substitute cover. A communications campaign ran in early 2023 resulting in an increase in the number of teaching days provided by retired teachers of 49%, an increase of over 17,000 days between the 2021/22 school year, and the 2022/23 school year. A new communications campaign has begun recently to encourage retired teachers to return to teaching.

• The 50 day pension abatement waiver, for retirees returning to work, has been extended for a further two years to the end of 2025.

• Restrictions on job-sharing teachers and those on a career break from working as substitutes have been reduced.

• The Teaching Transforms campaign continues to promote the teaching profession and encourage students to follow a career in teaching. The campaign uses digital, radio and video media, and is supported by a dedicated webpage, www.gov.ie/teachingtransforms.

The teacher allocation ratio in primary schools is now at the lowest ever seen at primary level. The average student-per-teacher ratio in primary schools reduced by 10% between 2017 and 2023.

Teaching remains an attractive career choice;

• Starting pay for Primary teachers is over €41,000 and for post-primary teachers over €42,000 since October under the extension to Building Momentum. Further increases will arise under the new public sector pay agreement once it is ratified by union members.

• Over 3,700 newly qualified teachers have registered with the Teaching Council in 2023, with over 122,000 now on the Teaching Council register.

My Department continues to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further, innovative measures to address teacher supply issues.

In relation to Special Needs Assistants (SNAs), who also play a key role in supporting the care needs of children with special educational needs, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and my Department is not aware of significant challenges being faced by schools in filling any vacant SNA posts.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (449, 450)

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

449. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education the reason for the delay to the start date of construction for a school (details supplied) from December 2024 to September 2025; when that decision was taken; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12250/24]

View answer

Jennifer Whitmore

Question:

450. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education the supports in place to help accommodate the growing school community (details supplied), in light of the delayed construction start date for the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12251/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 449 and 450 together.

The project to which the Deputy refers, is devolved for delivery to Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB).My Department approved a submission from the school authority to increase the original brief in the context of a significant increase in projected new enrolments in the area. This allowed for a project to cater for a 1,000 pupil school plus 6 special education needs classes. This welcomed change to the project brief meant that additional time was required to amend the detailed drawings before the planning submission.Currently, the project is currently at stage 2b of the architectural planning process which allows for detailed design/planning, obtaining the necessary statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documents.A planning application was submitted to Wicklow County Council in Q4 2023. The County Council have requested further information, which the Design Team are currently in the process of collating and procuring the additional surveys requested. Subject to any further issues arising during the planning process and as soon the once the necessary statutory planning permissions have been obtained, KWETB will finalise and submit the stage 2b report to my Department for review.Following a review and approval of this report, the project will proceed to tender and construction in due course. It is not possible to provide an accurate timeline for the project at this stage.In order to address increasing enrolments, the Department has provided significant modular accommodation for the school - most recently for the 2023/2024 academic year. Any future applications from the school for further interim accommodation will be reviewed and assessed by the Department.

Question No. 450 answered with Question No. 449.

School Curriculum

Questions (451)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

451. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if existing primary teachers will be required to teach modern foreign languages as part of the new primary language curriculum. [12253/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

The existing Primary School Curriculum was introduced in 1999. However, over the past 25 years, developments in education nationally and internationally, as well as changes in our society have created the need for review and redevelopment of our Primary Curriculum. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) have been engaging in this work in recent years.

As a result, and after extensive consultation, the New Primary Curriculum Framework, published in March 2023, sets out the direction of a redeveloped primary curriculum. The inclusion of modern foreign languages (MFL) at stages 3 and 4 (3rd to 6th class), which was strongly supported in the consultation process, forms part of this redeveloped primary curriculum. The NCCA opened a public consultation on all the new specifications on the 6th March 2024 and the process will run until June 2024. Access to this is available through the NCCA website.

It is intended that MFLs will build on children’s existing knowledge and awareness of language, from the Primary Language Curriculum (2019), and that they will progress from a language awareness model in stage 3 (3rd and 4th class) to a competency model in stage 4 (5th and 6th class). At Stage 4, children will begin to learn to communicate in the MFL at a very basic level.

MFLs are currently a feature of the curriculum at primary school level in many European countries. Many of our own Irish primary schools have participated in the Say Yes to Languages sampler module (with up to 15 foreign languages being taught) over the last three years. Some 1,200 schools are participating in the 2023/24 year with approximately 230 registered teachers in 160 primary schools delivering the module and a range of other personnel delivering it in other schools. Training and resources for the sampler modules have been provided by Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI) on behalf of the Department. Further detail on Say Yes to Languages is available here: www.languagesconnect.ie/primary/.

Work is ongoing in preparation for the introduction of MFL at primary level. A comprehensive professional development programme will be provided on all the subject specifications within the new primary curriculum, including modern foreign languages, through the Department’s support service Oide in the case of primary schools and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in the case of special schools, with PPLI providing additional support. This will include a range of face-to-face and online supports to assist school leaders and teachers as they work through the introduction, implementation and embedding of the new curriculum within our classrooms. Oide will provide teacher professional learning in curriculum competence as well as pluricultural and plurilingual competence, commencing in the 2025/26 school year and PPLI will support development of language competency.

It is only at stage 4 that a foreign language competency to teach will be required. An audit of the schools participating in the Say Yes to Languages modules indicates that a vast majority (95%) of primary teachers studied a foreign language as part of their Leaving Certificate programme. Many of these (50+%) completed their Leaving Certificate more than 20 years ago however, so will require language upskilling to ensure confidence and competence. PPLI is already funding a range of initiatives to support language upskilling for teachers. Teachers will already have language awareness competency from implementing the Primary Language Curriculum though further upskilling will also be required to include pluricultural and plurilingual competence.

It is expected that MFL at primary level will be introduced from 3rd class upwards on a phased basis through upskilling existing teachers and over time all teachers entering the system will have MFL competency.

School Staff

Questions (452)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

452. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the way in which the selection process for these teachers will work; the professional development they will receive; the allowances they will receive, given the extra workload (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12254/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

I wish to advise the Deputy that the existing Primary School Curriculum was introduced in 1999. However, over the past 25 years, developments in education nationally and internationally, as well as changes in our society have created the need for review and redevelopment of our Primary Curriculum. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) have been engaging in this work in recent years.

As a result, and after extensive consultation to include school leaders and teachers, the New Primary Curriculum Framework, published in March 2023, sets out the direction of a redeveloped primary curriculum. The framework provides the blueprint for guiding the enhancement of primary and special education for the coming years. The new Primary Mathematics Curriculum was published in September 2023.

As part of the redevelopment of the Primary School Curriculum, the NCCA is consulting on the Draft Primary Curriculum Specifications in the following areas:

• Arts Education

• Modern Foreign Languages (MFL) in the Primary Language Curriculum

• Social and Environmental Education (SEE)

• Science, Technology and Engineering (STE)

• Wellbeing.

The NCCA opened a public consultation on all the new specifications on the 6th March 2024 and the process will run until 7th June 2024. Access to this is available through the NCCA website.

All teachers teach the curriculum in our primary and special schools. It is recognised that the development of the Primary Curriculum will require support for teachers and school leaders. A comprehensive professional development programme will be provided on all the subject specifications within the new primary curriculum, through the Department’s support service Oide in the case of primary schools and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in the case of special schools.

Support for the Primary Mathematics Curriculum includes a range of face-to-face and online supports to assist school leaders and teachers as they work through the introduction, implementation and embedding of the new curriculum within our classrooms. The support to be provided for the other curriculum areas is under review by the Department and its support services prior to the introduction of the specifications in the 2025/26 school year.

School Facilities

Questions (453)

Steven Matthews

Question:

453. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the position regarding a new sports hall for a school (details supplied); if she is concerned about the impact of having no indoor sports facilities is having on students in this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12296/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question currently has a project at stage 4 under my Department's Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) scheme.

This project will provide the school with three new science laboratories, two prep areas and a new design and communications (DCG) room as well as two mainstream classrooms by way of refurbishment of existing accommodation.

The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other schools in the area. A request for a PE Hall does not come within the remit of the ASA scheme.

Investment and expenditure on PE Halls is an element of the overall School Building Programme. The provision of GP rooms and PE Halls, at primary and post primary level respectively, and outdoor hard play areas, form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings. This is also the case where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school.

Almost 95% of the post primary schools that made 2020 Annual Schools Returns have indicated to the Department that they either have a PE Hall, access to a nearby PE Hall, or a project in train that will deliver a new PE Hall. Practically all schools have outdoor play areas and many schools use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.

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.A future strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands and will include a PE build and modernisation programme which will enable students in post-primary schools to have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision, particularly also in the context of the roll-out of PE as a leaving-certificate subject. Enhanced and modernised PE facilities will also provide important amenities for local communities.

However, the main focus of the Department’s capital funding over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics and children with special education needs.

The Department is required to manage the overall school building programme so that we target and prioritise areas that are under greatest pressure for additional school places. This reflects the Department’s fundamental objective of ensuring the availability of a school place for every child.

The overall position with regard to potential modernisation and replacement of existing school infrastructure will be kept under review as capital funding allocations for future years are clarified.

I can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question are aware of my Department's current position on their request for funding for a sports hall. Their request will be considered when funding for this type of school accommodation is available.

School Transport

Questions (454, 455)

Sean Fleming

Question:

454. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education if she will address a matter in relation to school transport (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12303/24]

View answer

Sean Fleming

Question:

455. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education if a reply will issue to matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12309/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

I propose to take Questions Nos. 454 and 455 together.

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.

There has been an overall increase in both applications and tickets issued for the 2023/2024 school year in comparison to the 2022/2023 school year.

Children are eligible for school transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.

Families who wish to avail of school transport and have their eligibility status assessed should apply on-line in a timely manner to Bus Éireann on Bus Éireann’s website at www.buseireann.ie.

In order to be assessed for school transport, families should apply and pay on time by the deadline dates for application and payment/input medical card details. These dates are usually announced on buseireann.ie/schooltransport, gov.ie/schooltransport and various other platforms.

Bus Éireann confirmed that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible to the school they are attending and were issued a ticket in July 2023 for the 2023/24 school year.

Bus Éireann advise that this pupil resides 900metres from the pick up point of their current school transport service. This is deemed to be a reasonable level of service under the terms of the scheme. Bus Éireann further advise that the pick-up point referred to by the Deputy is considered to be as safe as other pick-up points being used by children travelling under the School Transport Scheme throughout the country. Parents or guardians are expected to make suitable arrangements to bring their children to and from the school bus, taking whatever safety precautions they may deem necessary to do so.

Bus Éireann confirmed that the service referred to caters for 2 schools within the post primary centre referred and the 10 minute wait in the evenings is due to traffic between school pick ups.

Question No. 455 answered with Question No. 454.

School Funding

Questions (456)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

456. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she can urgently reconsider a decision not to grant emergency works approval to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12318/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

The Emergency Works Scheme, EWS, team has since been in further contact with the school to which the Deputy refers and this application has since been reviewed and approved.

School Funding

Questions (457)

Cathal Crowe

Question:

457. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education when the application period for the summer works scheme 2024 will open. [12319/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

As the Deputy may be aware, the purpose of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is to enable individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works on a devolved basis and, 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 for categories of works such as roof works, window replacement, mechanical and electrical works, external works etc. and was last opened for applications in 2019.

The Department is leading an ambitious sustainability agenda and has progressed a wide array of measures to improve the overall sustainability of our school buildings. It is a priority for Government to deliver on Ireland’s ambitious climate agenda and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes targets around the decarbonisation of Ireland’s public buildings.

As part of it’s planning for 2024 and beyond, Department officials are considering and planning for the next phases of the summer works programme and the opportunities this may create to support the sustainability agenda. In this regard, it is envisaged at this stage that, a Multi-Annual SWS with a focus on climate action and energy conservation will be the focus for the next summer works scheme to be opened for applications. The arrangements and timing of that SWS is still under consideration and schools will be updated in due course.

It should also be noted that the Energy in Education website portal and advice programme (Joint programme between SEAI and Dept. of Education) also provides schools with information on how to improve energy use practices and to reduce school operating costs while helping to protect the environment for future generations. The website can be accessed at the following link. www.energyineducation.ie.

School Accommodation

Questions (458)

Marian Harkin

Question:

458. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education for an update and timeline for a decision on an application for additional accommodation for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12332/24]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Education

I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question received approval from my Department to amalgamate with effect from the 1st of September 2023.

My Department is currently in receipt of an application, under the Additional School Accommodation scheme, from the school in question. The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or by other schools in the area.

The Department engages 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

The main focus of my Department’s resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of critical additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics.

The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding.

The provision of required school places, including for children with special educational needs, is a priority for my Department. My officials are working to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet the school place needs in the school in question and the wider area for 2024/25 and future years.

In the context of making the most effective use of our capital allocation, and mindful of climate action goals, we are working to make sure that all school accommodation capacity is being maximised. We are looking at how each individual school's accommodation can be best utilised and at capacity across schools in each school planning area.

This application is currently under consideration. When a final decision has been reached it will be communicated by my Department to the school authorities.

Special Educational Needs

Questions (459)

Matt Carthy

Question:

459. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the current locations of special schools and the number of students at each centre; the locations in which new special schools are due to open in 2024, 2025; and the locations in which it is further planned to establish a special school, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [12340/24]