Written Answers Nos. 494-513
494. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education to provide guidance for the parents of a child living in an area (details supplied), in relation to applications for enrolment to primary schools where their property does not fall into any school catchment area for enrolment purposes, and as a result, their child does not place high enough in the categories to receive a place offer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46434/24]
View answerMy department’s main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available for the relevant year, the student should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some student not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
In accordance with the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, schools are required to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. It is an important feature of the act that schools can only make a decision on an application for admission that is based on the school’s admission policy.
Under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, the parent of the student, or in the case of a student who has reached the age of 18 years, the student, may appeal a decision of this school to refuse admission. An appeal may be made under Section 29 (1)(c)(i) of the Education Act 1998 where the refusal to admit was due to the school being oversubscribed. An appeal may be made under Section 29 (1)(c)(ii) of the Education Act 1998 where the refusal to admit was due a reason other than the school being oversubscribed.
TUSLA’s Education Support Service (TESS) which is the statutory agency that can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. TESS can be contacted at 01-7718500. For ease of reference, I have provided you with a link to the relevant phone numbers for the Education Welfare Officers who are part of TESS assigned to various areas around the country. www.tusla.ie/get-in-touch/local-area-offices.
495. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the shortage of space at a school (details supplied) in County Meath; her plans to address this; the timelines for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46439/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school in question.
The purpose of the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) 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 at other schools in the area.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €5 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 950 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 350 other projects, which includes 37 new school buildings. These 350 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.5bn.
Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in this latest phase, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 550,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate. This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.
- I am pleased to confirm that officials in my Department have corresponded with the school authority regarding their application and a brief for additional accommodation was agreed with the school in December 2024. The project was subsequently handed over to the department's delivery team who will liaise with the school authority in relation to the project being devolved to the school for delivery.
496. Deputy George Lawlor asked the Minister for Education the number of vacancies for SENOs in the Wexford area; and when these posts will be filled, in tabular form. [46444/24]
View answerFollowing the allocation of an additional €13 million for the expansion of services within the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), the NCSE examined the various roles and responsibilities within the organisation. This culminated in a workforce & organisational plan underpinning the recruitment of extra staff and guiding the transformational change in the NCSE structure, to provide more direct and responsive focus within communities.
At local level, the NCSE has doubled the number of support teams available to parents and schools, throughout the country, from a 10 team structure to a 20 team structure. All special educational needs organisers (SENO) grades are now assigned on a county basis and undertake caseloads associated with that county only, on a reduced caseload basis. In County Wexford, there are four SENOs assigned to the county, all four appointments are filled.
To support these staff, additional administrative staff have also been allocated this allows SENOs to concentrate on working directly with schools and families. This will allow for an integrated community-based service which is conducive to the development of key relationships between NCSE staff, parents, and schools in the provision of services to students with special educational needs.
The additional administrative support and revised caseload allocations in addition to the SENOs will provide comprehensive cover. Contact details for all SENOs, including the details of specific areas in Wexford they cover, are available on the NCSE website.
497. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education if she will consider centralising applications for first-year places in an area (details supplied) given the high number of students placed on waiting lists for the next school year, in order for schools to manage demand and avoid issues with duplicate applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46445/24]
View answer498. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education if she will consider centralising applications for first-year places in an area (details supplied) given the high number of students placed on waiting lists for the next school year, in order for schools to manage demand and avoid issues with duplicate applications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46446/24]
View answerThe provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs, is an absolute priority for the Department of Education.
Under the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
The Act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves.
The Department has put in place a number of measures to support post-primary schools, including in the Clondalkin and Lucan areas of Dublin West, in managing and effectively coordinating their admissions processes. These include:
• The Department has improved the central Post-Primary On-line Database IT system that schools use to register student enrolments. This is an important improvement and is available to assist schools to manage the enrolment process and provide real-time notification to schools where a new student has accepted a school place in more than one school. This will help identify duplicate enrolments at a very early stage.
• The Department has written to all parents and guardians of children in sixth class with advice and guidance regarding the admissions process for post-primary for the 2025/26 school year. This letter advised parents to apply to multiple schools in areas where there is high demand and requested parents to take steps to avoid holding multiple places.
• The successful data-sharing arrangements that were implemented for the 2024/25 admissions process in areas of enrolment pressure will be put in place again for the 2025/26 process, including for areas in Dublin. It is expected that, as in previous years, the data sharing will provide confidence that there is sufficient school place availability in the majority of areas. However, if a shortfall of places is identified in an area, the Department will work with schools to put the necessary solutions in place.
The Department is liaising closely with schools to ensure that this data is provided as soon as possible, and once it is received the actual requirement for places can be established. My Department is working to get greater clarity in this respect and will continue to liaise with school authorities and patrons.
We are fortunate in Ireland to have some of the best schools in the world, supported by excellent staff and voluntary boards of management. These schools provide a rich, nurturing and supportive environment in which students can learn and grow. We want to support this work by ensuring that schools are adequately funded and supported to achieve their ambitions.
As part of this process the Department is currently examining the roll out of a nationwide common application systems in order to reduce stress on parents and students during application periods.
499. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education what actions have been taken and are intended to be taken to increase the number of first-year school places in an area (details supplied) in order to meet demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46447/24]
View answer500. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education what actions have been taken and are intended to be taken to increase the number of first-year school places in an area (details supplied) in order to meet demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46448/24]
View answerThe provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs, is an absolute priority for the Department of Education.
Under the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
The Act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves.
The Department has put in place a number of measures to support post-primary schools, including in the Clondalkin and Lucan areas of Dublin West, in managing and effectively coordinating their admissions processes. These include:
• The Department has improved the central Post-Primary On-line Database IT system that schools use to register student enrolments. This is an important improvement and is available to assist schools to manage the enrolment process and provide real-time notification to schools where a new student has accepted a school place in more than one school. This will help identify duplicate enrolments at a very early stage.
• The Department has written to all parents and guardians of children in sixth class with advice and guidance regarding the admissions process for post-primary for the 2025/26 school year. This letter advised parents to apply to multiple schools in areas where there is high demand and requested parents to take steps to avoid holding multiple places.
• The successful data-sharing arrangements that were implemented for the 2024/25 admissions process in areas of enrolment pressure will be put in place again for the 2025/26 process, including for areas in Dublin. It is expected that, as in previous years, the data sharing will provide confidence that there is sufficient school place availability in the majority of areas. However, if a shortfall of places is identified in an area, the Department will work with schools to put the necessary solutions in place. The Department is liaising closely with schools to ensure that this data is provided as soon as possible, and once it is received the actual requirement for places can be established. My Department is working to get greater clarity in this respect and will continue to liaise with school authorities and patrons.
We are fortunate in Ireland to have some of the best schools in the world, supported by excellent staff and voluntary boards of management. These schools provide a rich, nurturing and supportive environment in which students can learn and grow. We want to support this work by ensuring that schools are adequately funded and supported to achieve their ambitions. As part of this process the Department is currently examining the roll out of a nationwide common application systems in order to reduce stress on parents and students during application periods.
501. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the ASD unit at a school (details supplied); and to outline the next steps. [46449/24]
View answerAs you are aware enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for government. Thanks to considerable investment in special education in recent years 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.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs.
In relation to the school referred to by the Deputy, my department’s Planning & Building Unit (PBU) has received an application for funding from the school to facilitate the establishment of a special class. My Department have been in communication with both the NCSE and the school in relation to the application.
A total of 120 SENOs now operate nationwide, six of these are operating solely in County Limerick. SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas and are currently visiting schools nationwide to conduct planning meetings. These visits are key in terms of forward planning for the 2025/26 school year. The NCSE continue to assess what additional provision is required in local areas and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision. They will advise on the location of new special classes for the 2025/26 school year in the coming months.
Almost 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in the last 5 years, 11 new special schools have been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,336.
146 of these classes are in County Limerick, 18 are new for the 2024/25 school year, 16 at primary level and 2 at post-primary level. Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local SENOs are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.
502. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of barriers created by the Teaching Council’s registration process (details supplied); if she will instruct the Teaching Council to provide back pay and recognition for the years of teaching experience; and if she will instruct the Teaching Council regarding the need for an appeals process for incremental credit recognition. [46452/24]
View answerThe Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016. As set out in the Schedule of the Regulations, the Council registers teachers under five routes of registration: Route 1 - Primary, Route 2 - Post-primary, Route 3 - Further Education, Route 4 - Other and Route 5 - Student Teacher. The registration requirements for each route are set out in the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2016.
The Teaching Council have confirmed that an application for registration under Route 2 (Post -primary) was received from the person that the Deputy is referring to in this query on 31 May 2023. The application could not progress at that time, due to documentation outstanding. This was in relation to module descriptions for the Bachelor of Arts (Honours) in Physical Education (Secondary) completed at De Montfort University. Following consultation with Council staff with regards to progressing this application, on the 29 September 2023 the applicant was advised that if they could obtain an email from the University confirming that relevant documentation is limited due to the length of time which had passed since they completed their qualification, that this would be sufficient to progress the application.
This email was received from De Montfort University on 2 October 2023 and as all documentation had then been received in relation to the application, it was then referred for assessment to the external advisor.
In line with standard processes and procedures the completed assessment report was then referred to the Qualifications Panel to be ratified at their meeting on 21 November 2023. There was an item pertaining to the applicants vetting application outstanding before their registration could be finalised. This outstanding vetting documentation was received, and registration was finalised on the 1 December 2023.
Applicants are advised in all communications that applications can take up to 12 weeks to process from the date that the Council receives all required documentation. I note that in this instance the application was completed, and registration was finalised in 8.5 weeks from receipt of all required documentation.
The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department of Education’s Circulars 10/2001 for primary teachers, and 29/2007 and 29/2010 for post-primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).
The two applications submitted by this teacher for an incremental credit award were for previous teaching service in primary schools in the United Kingdom. For award of incremental credit for previous teaching service, a teacher must be qualified in the appropriate sector as determined by the Teaching Council of Ireland. As both applications were for previous teaching service in primary schools in the UK and this teacher is registered with the Teaching Council as Route 2 – Post-primary sector, the applications were refused.
Where an application for teaching service is refused, there is no provision to appeal that decision under Circular 29/2007.
503. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education for an update on an appeal for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46473/24]
View answerMy 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.
Following the largest ever expansion of the DEIS programme in 2022, benefitting 361 schools, the programme now includes in the region of 1,200 schools and supports approximately 260,000 students. This expansion added an additional €32 million to my department’s annual expenditure on the DEIS from 2023, bringing the overall annual allocation for the DEIS programme to over €180 million.
The previous government invited the OECD Strength Through Diversity: Education for Inclusive Societies project to review Ireland’s current policy approach for the allocation of resources to support students at risk of educational disadvantage. Last July my department welcomed the publication by the OECD Education for Inclusive Societies project of the ‘Review of Resourcing Schools to Address Educational Disadvantage in Ireland'.
The review finds that Ireland has an education system that consistently outperforms many other OECD countries but also exhibits relative socioeconomic fairness, making it one of the stronger performers globally. It also recognises the positive impact of resources provided universally to all schools, as well as the additional resources provided to schools in the DEIS programme, in addressing educational disadvantage.
The OECD review sets a number of recommendations for future policy, to bridge those gaps, improve equity and ensure every child and young person at risk of educational disadvantage is supported to achieve their potential in education. Over the coming months my department will work with other government departments and agencies, the education partners, and stakeholders across the education sector to develop tangible actions informed by the recommendations set out. These actions will aim to build on the success of the DEIS programme through the development of a dynamic resource allocation model that can respond to changing levels of need and ensure that all children and young people in both DEIS and non-DEIS schools are supported to achieve in education.
Recognising the need to target resources to those schools who need them most, a phase of work is currently underway to explore the allocation of resources, including the HSCL coordinator support, to schools to tackle educational disadvantage. Part of this programme of work will involve consultation with all relevant stakeholders. It is not envisaged that the current HSCL coordinator allocation to schools will be altered in advance of the completion of that review.
In regard to the appeal lodged by the school in question, and in accordance with Circular 0019/22 gov.ie - Extension of DEIS to further schools, schools that were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data were provided with the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed. The DEIS appeals process was applied fairly across all appellants, the window for appeals has now closed and the results are final.
504. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the steps her Department is taking to address gender-based violence and harassment in educational institutions such as schools. [46494/24]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for your correspondence in relation to steps my Department is taking to address gender-based violence and harassment in higher educational institutions.
The Government takes a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, as is set out in the Third National Strategy on Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence, 2022-2026. This is an ambitious five-year programme of reform to achieve a society which does not accept sexual violence, nor the attitudes which underpin it, and my Department is actively engaged in driving towards the realisation of the Strategy's objectives.
Higher education institutions have a duty of care to ensure that staff and students have a safe environment to study and work, and that is free from bullying, harassment or other forms of unwanted behaviour. The Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Higher Education Institutions Implementation Plan, 2022 – 2025, focuses specifically on the higher education system and seeks to advance the wide range of initiatives currently in place to support a zero tolerance approach to issues of sexual violence and harassment in our HEIs.
The HEA Centre for Excellence in Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is responsible for monitoring progress towards delivery of the actions contained in the Implementation Plan, and works closely with the Advisory Group on Ending Sexual Violence and Harassment in Irish Higher Education Institutions on driving progress on the Plan’s objectives. In terms of progress, it is important to highlight the 16 Sexual Violence and Harassment Prevention and Response Manager posts which have been established and recruited into higher education institutions.
Additionally, progressive, evidence-based training on consent, such as the Active Consent programme based out of the University of Galway and now run nationally, and the Bystander initiative in UCC which seeks to educate and empower students to stand up against unacceptable behaviour and abuse, are landmark programmes continuing to drive positive change across campuses.
Further, following a pilot in recent years, it is anticipated that a National Speak Out Office will be established later this year, to be hosted in Trinity College, Dublin. This will manage and coordinate the Speak Out initiative, an anonymous online tool for reporting harassment, bullying or other experiences in the higher education sector.
The Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science works closely with the Higher Education Authority Centre of Excellence on Equality, Diversity and Inclusion on this critical area of work, and with stakeholders across the sector, and across Government and society, to support culture change and the driving of best practice behaviours with regard to tackling sexual violence, harassment and bullying.
505. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will publish sTen outcomes for deaf and hard of hearing students. [46507/24]
View answerThe Department does not gather literacy or numeracy data relating to specific groups of children or young people. Schools provide information to the Department on outcomes in standardised literacy and numeracy tests. However, this data is provided in aggregated form only.
The Department of Education has established a working group comprising NCSE, NEPS, Inspectorate, Central Policy Unit and the Special Education Unit of the Department. This group is considering the topic of educational outcomes across a range of areas including student engagement, attainment, attendance, happiness, independence and progress.
The intended outputs of the group include the development of a framework for schools that will enable them to monitor and record outcomes in these areas.
Recognising the critical importance of evidence informed policy making, it is also intended that the framework will be sufficiently flexible such that school level information and data will be available to the Department as a means of informing policy for students with special or additional needs.
In tandem with this, the NCSE Research and Evaluation team together with Visiting Teachers of children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing (DHH) students or Blind/Vision Impaired (BVI) have commenced a study of outcomes for students who have availed of the service.
The NCSE’s Research and Evaluation team intends reporting on school leavers who are DHH or BVI who have left school in 22/23 or 23/24, to establish their post-school pathway.
The NCSE’s Sensory Inclusion Team and Research and Evaluation team have now gathered information from school leavers and are analysing data collected. It is anticipated that initial findings from this analysis will be made available to the Department before the year end, with a view to publishing the study of outcomes in Quarter 1, 2025.
506. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will allow deaf students to undertake the Leaving Certificate examination in Irish Sign Language. [46508/24]
View answerI understand that the Deputy's question relates to the Reasonable Accommodations at Certified Examinations Scheme, known as the RACE Scheme. The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has responsibility for operational matters relating to the state examinations, including RACE, and in view of this I have forwarded the question to the SEC for direct reply to the Deputy.
507. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the cost of transporting pupils with special needs to schools in taxis in Longford in 2023 and 2024. [46509/24]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 172,500 children, are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes over 143,800 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 21,700 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The scheme is made up of three separate schemes, the school transport scheme for primary, post primary and for children with special educational needs. Transport is also provided for children who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine and those residing in IPAS/EROC centres.
The total expenditure on the scheme in 2024 was €512m.
The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and private contractor owned vehicles. In addition, a number of vehicle types are used, comprising of buses (large, medium and mini) and taxis. As part of the operation of the scheme, Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract management arrangements to include services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme.
The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. However, officials from the School Transport Section of my Department will forward the information directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
508. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the cost of transporting pupils with special needs to schools in taxis in Westmeath in 2023 and 2024. [46510/24]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 172,500 children, are transported daily in approximately 7,900 vehicles across 10,300 routes to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. These daily trips cover over 100 million kilometres. This figure includes over 143,800 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 21,700 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The scheme is made up of three separate schemes, the school transport scheme for primary, post primary and for children with special educational needs. Transport is also provided for children who have arrived in Ireland from Ukraine and those residing in IPAS/EROC centres.
The total expenditure on the scheme in 2024 was €512m.
The scheme is operated using a mix of Bus Éireann owned vehicles and private contractor owned vehicles. In addition, a number of vehicle types are used, comprising of buses (large, medium and mini) and taxis. As part of the operation of the scheme, Bus Éireann manages the procurement tender process and contract management arrangements to include services provided by contractors under the School Transport Scheme.
The information requested by the Deputy is not readily available. However, officials from the School Transport Section of my Department will forward the information directly to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
509. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education to provide a list of schools in Longford and Westmeath that are on the waiting list for an ASD unit; and the length of these waiting lists. [46511/24]
View answerAs you are aware enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for government. Thanks to considerable investment in special education in recent years 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.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs. Almost 1,700 classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE in the last 5 years, 11 new special schools have been established and many more expanded. For this school year alone over 400 new special classes have been sanctioned bringing the total number of special classes nationwide to 3,336.
10 of these new special classes opened in County Westmeath and 6 in County Longford. This brings to 69 the total number of special classes in Westmeath and 47 the total number of special classes in Longford for the 2024/25 school year. Budget 2025 provides funding for another 400 special classes and 300 special school places nationwide.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally for planning purposes. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise parents and can provide details on schools with available special educational places. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE website.
The NCSE have recently recruited additional SENOs, advisors and team managers. 120 SENOs now operate nationwide, two of these are operating solely in County Westmeath and 1 in Longford.
SENOs play an important role in ensuring there is adequate special educational provision within local areas and are currently visiting schools nationwide to conduct planning meetings. Over 1,000 school planning visits have occurred in recent months. These planning visits have been key to the NCSE in determining what new provision can be provided and it is expected that the NCSE will sanction a number of new special classes in the coming weeks.
The NCSE continue to assess what additional provision is required in local areas and what schools have capacity to accommodate required provision. The NCSE will progress the sanctioning of new special classes over the coming weeks and will advise parents in turn on the location of new special classes for the 2025/26 school year.
510. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the steps her Department is taking to accelerate the planning process for school buildings and ensure high-quality facilities for all children and young people. [46512/24]
View answer511. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education her views on the pace of school building work; if it is sufficient to keep up with demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46513/24]
View answern order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. The Department uses a Geographic Information System (GIS), which facilitates the analysis of data from a range of sources, including CSO Census data, Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. As part of the demographic demand analysis, the Department also factors in planning and construction activity in the residential sector gathered from a wide range of sources. The information is used to inform the roll out of both new school buildings and extensions to existing schools as required.
The Department’s school building programme is delivered through a range of procurement strategies which are tailored to the scale and complexity of projects and programmes ranging from large scale new and existing school projects to schemes and grants to upgrade and maintain existing buildings. This strategic procurement approach also allows the Department and individual school authorities flexibility to access a diversity of contractors and consultants and the approach has allowed the department to maintain its strong and consistent delivery. The Department is constantly renewing, updating and broadening the range of procurement frameworks to support the delivery of the school building programme.
Large scale projects are delivered through procurement routes such as Design and Build, ADAPT, and traditional employer led design including major devolved projects with our education partners. The Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme is focused on delivering additional capacity on existing school sites. Traditional ASA projects are devolved to schools for delivery. The Department also uses modern methods of construction as appropriate including Modular accommodation in order to expedite delivery. My department has also secured exemptions under the planning regulations in certain contexts to facilitate faster delivery of accommodation to meet near-term requirements. Exemptions relate to smaller projects on existing school sites and certain temporary accommodation on school sites for which planning permission has been obtained for the permanent school.
The Department has integrated delivery teams which include both professional and technical, and administrative/project management staff. These teams support and oversee the delivery of projects based on compliance with departmental technical guidance documents from project brief stage through the various stages of architectural design and planning and ultimately to tender, construction and completion.
Project timeframes vary considerably due to the many variables which impact on a project from inception and through these five stages of architectural design and construction. For example, acquiring a suitable site for delivery of a school can take some time, as can the process to acquire the necessary statutory approvals.
In line with the Government’s Infrastructure Guidelines, projects are subject to relevant due diligence by my department at each stage in the process, within the context of overall programme and budgetary parameters. Each project approval represents approval to proceed to the next stage, and not approval for the overall project. It is also important to note that all individual projects form part of a larger programme. The Department must manage the wider programme within the context of available resources, including funding parameters, and this can impact on individual project timeframes.
Since 2020, my department has invested over €5.7 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 1,150 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes new school buildings some of which are being delivered in phases. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.3bn.
The department announced in 2024 that close to 90 projects, including 28 new school buildings, would be authorised to proceed from tender stage to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025. In total, around €800 million will be invested in these projects under the department’s Large Scale Capital Programme and Additional Accommodation Scheme for essential classroom accommodation.
Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in this latest phase, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 550,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.
This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.
512. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a date for the establishment of the Citizens' Assembly on the Future of Education and its terms of reference. [46514/24]
View answerThe 2020 Programme for Government committed to establishing four citizens' assemblies on the topics of biodiversity loss, the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin, matters relating to drugs use and the future of education. Three of these Citizens’ Assemblies were held during the term of the last government.
At this point in time, Government formation talks are still underway. It will be a matter for the incoming government to decide whether a Citizen's Assembly on the future of Education forms part of its Programme for Government.
513. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education if she has considered investing in a comprehensive schools reconfiguration programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46515/24]
View answerFor historical reasons, most primary schools are State-aided parish schools, with the local Bishop as patron. It is recognised, including by the Catholic patrons, that more diverse provision is required to cater for our changing society.
The Department of Education’s ‘Schools Recon?guration for diversity process’ supports the transfer of schools from denominational patrons to multi-denominational (non-religious) patrons (where children learn about all faith and belief systems during the school day) in response to the wishes of local school communities. This is an ongoing process and it has been developed to accelerate the delivery of multi-denominational schools.
