Vol. 969 No. 4
41. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills when an amendment to the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 will be introduced to seek the removal of the baptism barrier; the way in which he plans to increase diversity of schooling here in view of the fact that the Catholic Church has handed over control of just 11 schools to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22438/18]
I welcome the Government's proposed amendment to remove the baptism barrier in schools. I understand that Report Stage of the Bill is due to be taken in the House next week. It is shocking that a derogation in our equality legislation has allowed discrimination against children in Ireland by means of schools' admissions policies. In my view, education is a fundamental right and I have long advocated on this in the context of social, economic and cultural rights. Ireland is unique in that the Catholic ethos dominates, with more than 90% of our State schools run by Catholic entities. It is also unique after the children's rights referendum and marriage equality referendum, and even with the current referendum on the eighth amendment. Not as much has changed regarding religion and access to schools.
I thank the Deputy for acknowledging the Report Stage amendment that will be debated in the House next week. I am of the view that it constitutes a fair and balanced response. I share the view of a lot of Members that it is not fair that in publicly-funded schools, 95% of which are denominational, if a child does not subscribe to that religion then another child from a long distance away can get priority or people may be forced to baptise their children simply to get access to schools. I do not think this is fair to parents. I hope the amendment we have worked on and brought forward will gain support in the House.
The Deputy's question raises other issues. For example, how can we extend diversity? We had a discussion earlier on new schools and 61 new schools have been opened since 2011. The vast majority of these have gone to non-denominational patrons. In the case of primary schools, all of them have gone to such patrons.
That reflects parental preferences. I do not know if the Deputy was here earlier but we went through how those are developed.
Separately, under a former Minister, Ruairí Quinn, there was an effort to have a patronage divestment model. That led to ten schools being established with multidenominational patrons. The scheme probably did not work as well as the former Minister had hoped and we are now introducing a new "reconfiguration" process, as it is being described, that would seek to have the transfer of patronage while schools are still running rather than after amalgamation and closure. I will rely on education and training boards, ETBs, to undertake surveys to establish where there is a demand and work with the existing patron to promote alternatives. There are a number of elements in how we are promoting diversity and seeking to get a better environment for children in our schools.
I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Michael Barron and Mr. Anthony Muldoon as I know they have worked closely with the Department on the process. Will the Minister speak a little more about the education and training boards? I assume he is referring to second level schools. How is it envisaged that the process will work? In how many schools will that happen in the coming years? It is important that the process is successful and a way is found to make it work. Recent figures indicate that 20% of the parent-age population identify as non-religious, so there is a demand for non-religious schools. This is not an attack on Catholics as such either but most of these are Catholic schools. We need to find a way for schools to divest. The work is done for people and they do not have to think about it, which is a real problem in terms of taking on ownership and responsibility for schools. That needs to be managed so perhaps the Minister could speak a little more about the process.
The process will start and initially we will run it in a number of areas. Based on any success we may move to another number of areas. It will become a rolling programme and it will be based on surveys of preschool preferences. It will involve working with patrons. We are in the good position that the leadership of Catholic schools recognise that they need to support diversification and the transfer of patronage. As the Deputy has said himself, finding a way to make this happen is the challenge. We are hoping that by working at a local level with education and training boards, which have local representatives and have the confidence of local community groups, they will assist in the delivery of such changes. We hope to start that process soon. If it becomes a more successful model, and I hope it will because it does not involve closure, transfer and all the property elements that have been very difficult in the past, it will offer a new pathway to more diversity.
Will it be rolled out in rural areas as well, as that would be important? I am thinking in particular of areas where there could be a number of schools in a single parish. It would be quite possible for one of those schools to be divested and continue. There would be a choice within that parish. It is as vital for rural areas as it is for urban areas.
The first example of a community national school that has developed is in a rural area in Kerry. There is a model and there have been successful transfers from the bishop to a new patron under the ETB. It is the first, I hope, of a number that we will see going that route. It will offer a new road to diverse patronage.
42. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the forthcoming plans to sell three Dublin Institute of Technology, DIT, sites (details supplied) to finance the ongoing development of the new DIT campus in Grangegorman; if his Department has consulted with other educational providers or stakeholders regarding the purchase of the three premises concerned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22307/18]
Is the Minister aware of the report in the media last week of one of the three DIT-owned colleges being put up for sale as a result of the development of the Grangegorman campus? Originally, it was offered for sale at €15 million a year and a half ago. The offer price has now apparently been reduced to €12 million at a time when property values are going through the roof. I simply cannot understand this. Why was there such a significant fall from an estimated value of €15 million for the property on Cathal Brugha Street? People may know it is behind the Gresham Hotel, which recently sold to an overseas property group for over €92 million. This very large and attractive property directly behind the Gresham is now apparently being put on the market at a lower price. The Minister has indicated that the Department of Education and Skills is in need of money and trying to save money. This seems extraordinary so I ask the Minister for an explanation.
The sale of the properties referred to by the Deputy is a key element of the funding strategy for the consolidation of DIT on the Grangegorman campus. The recent signing of a public private partnership contract to construct and operate two major new academic buildings on the Grangegorman site means there is now a clear timeline for vacating several existing DIT buildings around Dublin city. The disposal process is being undertaken directly by DIT and the Grangegorman Development Agency, GDA, and the proceeds realised from the sales will assist in funding further stages of the Grangegorman development. Professional property advice is informing decisions.
DIT and Grangegorman Development Agency are fully cognisant of the need to comply with all necessary departmental circulars and protocols relating to the disposal of State assets, including signalling via the State property register that properties are available for disposal. This approach gives State parties an opportunity to express interest in the purchase of these properties. In addition, the disposal of the DIT properties will require approval by the Minister for Education and Skills. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with property sales, I am not in a position to comment on any engagement between DIT, the Grangegorman Development Agency and potential buyers. Now that construction has begun, there will be a progression of the sale of the property at Cathal Brugha Street; it is the first step in this respect. It is important to note that this is just a revisiting of the proposed sale of the same property that was due to take place last year but which did not proceed. As I stated, the process is commercially sensitive but DIT and Grangegorman Development Agency are undertaking this directly.
I thank the Minister of State for her reply. It is extraordinary that The Irish Times carried a very large report indicating a price drop for a DIT-owned college off O'Connell Street. It is the newspaper of record and it stated that DIT dropped the asking price to €12 million for a high-profile college adjoining the Gresham Hotel, and it will be offered for sale in two lots. It was originally put on the market in March 2016 asking for offers in excess of €15 million. The Minister, Deputy Bruton, is always very concerned about value for money and saving money and we are in a rising market, with property prices going through the roof. It appears as if the State is knocking millions of euro off the prices of realisable properties. All around Ireland we have schools that need building, rebuilding and reconstruction, and the Minister of State is basically saying she is doing a giveaway.
At the end of the day, she has a responsibility to communicate with both DIT and the Grangegorman Development Agency. Has she been in touch with them? Have her officials brought to her attention the startling news about the price of the property on O'Connell Street dropping by such a large amount?
Yes, my officials have informed me of that. As the Deputy will appreciate, given the commercial sensitivities involved, I am not in a position to comment on price details. However, I can confirm that DIT is acting on professional property advice.
Could the Minister of State perhaps deal with people in the property market who are aware of the enormous surge in the prices of practically everything from garden sheds to fine properties? This is an historic property on Cathal Brugha Street and the Minister of State is hiding behind this cloak of anonymity in the context of commercial sensitivity. However, she Minister is accountable to the Dáil. She is absolutely accountable to the Dáil if her departmental officials and DIT have mysteriously decided to reduce the price of a major public building behind a building in respect of which a very large sale price has just been secured. The Minister of State is refusing to be accountable to the Dáil as to how this catastrophic fall in the offer price - money that will ultimately go into the public coffers and help education in this country - came about. How is it that she and the Minister, who is so careful with the euros and cents, are standing over this and citing commercial sensitivity as the reason they will not be accountable to the Dáil?
Again, there are commercial sensitivities involved. This is being dealt with by DIT, which is acting on professional property advice. However, I repeat that, in addition to the disposal of any DIT properties, this will require the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills.
43. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Education and Skills the schools that will be participating in the new speech and language therapy programme; the number of speech and language therapists under the new programme; the way in which the programme will support children to fulfil their potential; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22391/18]
I welcome the new speech and therapy pilot programme for schools and preschools. Will the Minister for Education and Skills tell me the schools that will participate in the new programme? Will he also tell me the number of speech and language therapists under the new programme and the way in which the programme will support children to fulfil their potential? Not a day goes by in my constituency office without parents coming in looking for help for their children, for speech and language and occupational therapies, etc. I welcome this new pilot scheme.
I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick for his support for the scheme. The scheme was recently announced as a demonstration project. It is to run in the next school year, 2018-2019. It involves 75 primary, post-primary and special schools and 75 preschools, making a total of 150 settings. They will all be in community healthcare organisation region 7 of the HSE, that is, south-west Dublin, Kildare and west Wicklow. The schools selected will be from that region, which, I understand, was selected because it contains a mix of urban and rural schools, disadvantaged and advantaged schools, special education schools and so on. It was also important that the pilot be carried out in an integrated area in order that it could be supervised and overseen effectively by the HSE, my Department and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
The numbers involved are 19 speech and language therapists and 12 occupational therapists, who will be recruited by the HSE to work with the schools and preschools. The National Council for Special Education, NCSE, will recruit two national co-ordinators to manage the project, which will bring together therapists and education professionals, who, as the Deputy rightly says, have often operated separately until now. The programme will support earlier intervention in the case of speech and language and occupational therapy and within educational settings. The pilot will ensure that the work of teachers, special needs assistants and, indeed, parents, will be integrated with that of therapists for maximum benefit. Obviously, we must assess whether the pilot works. I think many of those who are expert in the field believe this will be a win-win in terms of both delivery of the speech and language and occupational therapy and the educational setting. However, the programme will be closely monitored. If it is successful, we will obviously look at extending it further.
The Minister has previously indicated that this pilot will be evaluated in order to inform the potential future roll-out of a national programme. Will he comment on the potential timescale of a further roll-out of the programme, both in my county, Louth, and throughout the rest of the country? As I said earlier, it is very hard for many families to get speech and language and occupational therapy for their children. This is one of the best ideas I have come across in a long time. I am also delighted that the Minister's Department and the Departments of Children and Youth Affairs and Health are all working so closely together to help these children get early intervention.
We will set up a group to assess the programme over the course of its first year of operation. This will give us an early indication of its success. Regarding the other aspect, that is, the roll-out of the programme, the investment involved is €2.25 million, mainly from my Department but also from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. We will have the Educational Research Centre working with us to undertake the research and ensure that the gains are being achieved. We believe the programme will achieve more in terms of early intervention, and the gaps that often occur between children seeing speech and language therapists will not be fallow gaps until the next appointment but can be used by the speech and language therapist working with the teacher and the special needs assistants. The programme will involve training for those staff to ensure we get better continuity. I am very confident, therefore, that it will be successful and that we will see it extended. However, I cannot extend it until that work is done and, obviously, a budgetary dimension will have to be planned in the longer term if we are to extend it nationwide. Nonetheless, this year we were able to get money for a pilot and I am very pleased about that.
One thing we definitely cannot do is put a monetary value on education or health. As the Minister said earlier, the most important thing is early intervention. I think every mother and father would appreciate that, and any help they can get, especially help in the school setting, would be fantastic. I do not think many people do but I definitely welcome the 800 extra SNAs that the Minister announced last week, which is an increase of 7%. Parents really appreciate that. It is so important, as I said earlier, that we catch children at an early stage. A great number of kids come into my constituency office looking for help. The first thing those children should get when they go to school is access to SNAs. I am delighted to see an extra 800 SNAs are to be appointed. I do not think my friend over there, Deputy Thomas Byrne, ever mentioned the extra 800 SNAs. Sometimes a clap on the back to a Minister for doing a good job does no harm.
Through the Chair.
It has been a disaster in recent years, so, yes, we are relieved that it is not a disaster this year.
Deputy Fitzpatrick should not invite interruption.
The Leas-Cheann Comhairle is aware of the relationship between Meath and Louth.
The Deputy knows he should address the Minister. The Minister is well able to protect himself.
When there is something nice to be said, it should be said. As I said, parents are coming to me looking for help for their children, and an extra 800 SNAs being announced is fantastic.
The Minister to respond.
Well done.
May I ask a supplementary question?
I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick. To be fair to Deputy Thomas Byrne-----
Sorry. I call Deputy Thomas Byrne. Perhaps the Minister wants a compliment.
I have said what I will say about that. He always wants a compliment. Will the Minister confirm that children in the HSE area who are in need of speech and language and occupational therapy will now come off the HSE waiting list and get that therapy in the school? Is that what the Minister has in mind?
I thank Deputy Fitzpatrick for his support for both this initiative and the SNA provision. They are very worthwhile provisions and, to be fair to all parties in the House, it has been a feature in recent years that there has been very strong support across the Oireachtas for investment in special needs. The proof of the pudding is in the eating. The Oireachtas has voted an increase of 43% in the budget for special needs at a time when there were very little resources to increase in many areas. There is no intention of taking people off the list; this is entirely additional to the provisions already being made.
We believe this will allow schools to be better at identifying needs early, in improving the sort of programmes they have themselves, to emphasise communication and language and to integrate into their way of teaching, to ensure that between sessions with the therapists, the schools are doing things that sustain the progress which occurs in the therapy. I was very encouraged to see there is very strong support within the therapist profession for this model. They think it will extend their work. I hope it will prove that there is more additionality in the impact that this has.
The Taoiseach said something different earlier so I am glad that the Minister has clarified that.
44. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the school building programme is adequate over the next three years to meet the accommodation requirements at primary and second level in view of the need to bring classes sizes into line with best practice and ensure the availability of adequate mainstream special needs places in sufficient numbers to meet the demand and avoid delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22415/18]
How satisfied is the Minister about the adequacy of the mainstream school places, both primary and second level, and the special needs places, in keeping with best practice and in keeping with the requirements as set out by the various school authorities?
The mid-term capital review made provision for increased investment in my Department’s school capital programme.
That programme has been delivering an average of 18,000 places per year in major projects and close to 8,000 per year in smaller scale additional accommodation. This building programme has allowed us meet the needs for extra places for an exceptional period of pupil growth, with close to an additional 100,000 pupils since 2011 at both primary and secondary levels. It has also allowed us to expand provision of special education units in mainstream schools from 548 to 1,304.
We have a very strong pipeline, with projects at various stages of development. This will include 85 major projects under construction or progressing to commence construction in 2018. I have also announced plans to establish 42 new schools over the longer period from 2019 to 2022.
As for its adequacy to meet growing needs, this programme has facilitated the employment of more than 6,000 extra teachers and 3,000 special needs assistants, SNAs, in a three-year period that has also seen two reductions in the primary pupil-teacher ratio.
My Department is satisfied that the €8.4 billion capital investment in the national development plan 2018 to 2027 is sufficient to deliver the necessary school infrastructure. This is a 70% increase on the €4.9 billion provided over the previous ten years.
This represents an opportunity over the next decade to make a very significant investment in our education infrastructure at primary, secondary and third level and further education. I am satisfied that the plans being set out will make a very significant mark and that education will be a key element in both social and economic progress in coming years.
I acknowledge and compliment the Minister on the headlines and the objectives he has set out. Does he remain satisfied in respect of any unforeseen strain which might come on the system in its delivery, given the expansion that is taking place in some parts of the country in particular? Is he satisfied that he has sufficient resources available to meet any emergencies? To what extent does he expect the pupil-teacher ratio or class sizes or both to improve in the course of the next four to five years?
There is no doubt that meeting this level of population expansion has put a strain on other work. The Deputy knows that areas such as PE halls have not been possible in recent years. Other things that one would like to do that have had to take second place to ensuring that we have places for every student who needs them. We certainly meet emergency requirements within our budgets. Looking to the future, the plan that has been set out has very significant ambitions to upgrade PE facilities, science laboratories and digital equipment in the long term, as well as a deep refurbishment and refit of all schools over ten years of age. The ten-year capital plan looks at how we will upgrade the facilities to meet 21st century needs, whereas up to this we have been running hard just to make sure that we meet population demands.
To what extent will there be an overhaul of prefab structures that remain in some areas of the country, some which have long outlived their normal life span? Does the Minister foresee a situation where it might be more economical to provide permanent buildings rather than replace defunct and undesirable prefabricated structures?
We will start a systematic prefab replacement programme next year, in 2019. There has been a steady reduction over the longer period on the reliance on prefabs. However, at times, in order to meet the population pressures, we have had to resort to prefabs and there has been some increase in their use in recent years. From next year, the programme will allow the facility to replace them. We have built 200 new schools in recent years, which illustrates the scale. The quality of what we are putting in now is of a very high standard. We are managing the resource we get effectively in this area.
45. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the need for a new secondary school in south County Kildare will be kept under review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22456/18]
I have raised the need for additional provision of second level in south Kildare in the House several times. The Minister will be familiar with my having raised this point with him. People in south Kildare were very disappointed that we did not secure a new school in the last announcement. Notwithstanding the proposed extensions, we still believe the significant demographic pressures we face in the county, as well as the future projections of population growth in the county, mean we will need a new secondary school. Will the Minister reassure me that the Department continues to keep this under review?
I assure the Deputy that we will keep it under review. The process has been conducted in a fair and objective way across the country. It has taken a four-year horizon in terms of projected needs based on demography, local authority plans and so on.
Extra school places often are delivered by extending existing schools. It is not always the case that an area's needs must be met by establishing new schools. While the announcement did not include a new post-primary school in the case of south Kildare, there is additional capacity as approximately 1,700 school places will be provided when projects at the following four schools in this area are completed, namely, St. Conleth's Community College, Newbridge; Athy Community College, Athy; Cross and Passion Secondary School, Kilcullen; and St Paul's Secondary School, Monasterevin. A building project for the Patrician College, Newbridge is also included in my Department's six year construction programme.
However, in line with the ongoing review of school planning areas generally, I can confirm that my Department is currently reviewing provision at post-primary level across the school planning areas in the south Kildare area and it is envisaged that work in this regard will be completed in the coming weeks.
The new school committed to in respect of St. Paul's, Monasterevin, has seen plenty of delays in the past, not all of which were the Department's fault. We are united in getting that school delivered as quickly as possible. It is badly needed. Currently, pupils are travelling from Monasterevin to different towns because there is not enough capacity in St. Paul's and the conditions that everyone there must deal with are inadequate. The extensions to which the Minister referred are wholly necessary and those in Athy Community College, Cross and Passion Secondary School, Kilcullen and St Conleth's, Newbridge should be online in the autumn. Patrician College badly needs its extension. All these extensions need to be completed quickly and I ask that consideration be given to including extensions at the start of their planning process in the rapid build scheme. When this additional capacity is delivered, there still will be pressure on spaces in schools. There are significant plans for growth in south Kildare in Project Ireland 2040.
The Department must accept that there will be ongoing pressure for spaces into the future, even with the promised extensions.
Deputy Heydon and others have made the point about the pressure in areas like south Kildare to me previously. All decisions must be kept under close review because the population pressures and plans are changing quite rapidly. We recognise that and an undertaking has been given that south Kildare in particular will be examined because the pressures there are very significant and we have the data to prove it. Obviously that work has to be done before we can draw any conclusions.
There is an Educate Together campaign in south Kildare with which the Minister is familiar. A petition was signed by more than 2,500 people who want more educational choice at second level in south Kildare. I know that decisions on patronage are made after decisions on capacity in the context of new schools but we have challenges in how education is delivered at second level in south Kildare. Even after all of the promised extensions are built there will be schools like the Curragh post-primary where conditions are Dickensian. That school is not fit for purpose. Discussion on a new school building could centre on a new building for the Curragh post-primary school as opposed to a brand new, stand alone building. The Department of Defence, which is a co-patron for two primary schools on the Curragh camp, is open to considering other site options. We could be looking at a shared partnership model between Educate Together and the education and training board in a brand new Curragh post-primary school. No one in the Department of Education and Skills can argue that the current conditions for pupils at Curragh post-primary school are good enough. That option could be a solution to the overall demographic pressure. I ask that the Department continues to bear all of this in mind and to keep a very close eye on south Kildare. I will continue to raise this matter in the House because a new school is needed in south Kildare.
I will ask the Department to look at those elements in particular. Clearly there would be merit in accommodating a number of improvements in one project. As I said to Deputy Durkan earlier, in the more medium term we have set aside a substantial sum for the deep refurbishment and retrofitting of our older schools because we recognise that this is a challenge that we must meet over the next decade.
46. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills his priorities for budget 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22308/18]
I ask the Minister to set out his budgetary priorities for budget 2019. I am sure that much of the Department's preparatory work for the next budget is underway, if not completed at this stage. In particular, will the Minister be providing for an increase in capitation grants to primary and secondary schools given that the cost of running and maintaining schools has risen dramatically in recent years? School boards, particularly in schools where parents are less well off, are finding it extremely difficult to fund schools in the absence of significant increases in the capitation grant. I would also like to ask the Minister if he has been able to advance the proposals, with the apparent agreement of the Government, for pay restoration and pay equality, particularly for younger members of teaching staff.
The aim for budget 2019, as it has been in previous years, is to deliver progressively on the commitments set out in the action plan for education, the programme for Government and the confidence and supply agreement. I have set out four key areas where I am seeking to make improvements so that Ireland becomes a leader in Europe. The first is to improve the quality of the learning experience. The second is to increase our capacity to meet the needs of those at a disadvantage or with special needs so that they can meet their potential. The third area of focus is the environment for schools to be innovative and continuously improve their capacity to serve their pupils' needs. The final area is the building of bridges between education and training institutions and the wider community, including enterprise, culture and public services, to meet the changing needs of our country. I will be seeking to address these four areas as we prepare the budget.
I will be building on the significant investment we have made over the past two budgets, where an additional €1 billion was provided in 2017 and 2018, bringing our investment in education to €10 billion. That has delivered thousands of additional teachers and special needs assistants, a re-investment in higher education, the expansion of apprenticeships and traineeships and a range of new policy initiatives to enhance innovation and improve education and training outcomes for our learners. It has enabled us to implement the public service pay deal in the education and training sector and to bring down class sizes at primary level.
In looking at the competing demands for the next budget, I must have regard to the resources available to Government in the context of the need to meet our fiscal commitments and for the prudent management of the economy. That will be set out by the Minister for Finance in his summer economic statement. It will be against that background that I formulate specific budgetary priorities.
The Deputy will know that I have made provision this year for elements of pay restoration for newly qualified teachers, with a payment made from 1 January. The Minister for Finance has recently initiated a wider talks process on new entrant pay across the whole public service. I recognise that capitation is an area of pressure and will be looking at it in the context of the forthcoming budget. An increase in capitation is included in the programme for Government and I will be assessing that option. As in other years, there will be a lot of competing demands but I will endeavour to be as fair as possible.
In the context of competing demands, an educated and skilled population, as much as low corporation tax, will be a key selling point for Ireland in attracting international investment. Education is the powerhouse that will enable us to continue to attract local and international investment and create well-paid jobs in the economy. The Minister's approach is disappointing, quite frankly because it is all about penny pinching. In the context of the huge amount that was achieved by the Minister's predecessors in the Department of Education and Skills during the last Government, his reply is anaemic, to say the least.
The Minister must be aware, having held office for a considerable period, that the lack of capitation funding at primary and secondary level is crippling schools and parents. At the same time, the Minister is suggesting that voluntary contributions should be made a thing of the past.
Thank you Deputy. There are two more questioners.
The Minister is giving no hope to-----
The Deputy will have another opportunity. There are other Members waiting.
-----new teaching recruits that they will be brought into line with existing staff who are paid much more than them.
I agree with the Deputy that skills will be a key magnet and in that context, it is significant that this year we saw Irish ten year olds become the best at both reading and mathematics in Europe. We also have the highest rates of progression to third level and the best levels of skill availability across the EU. We are making very significant progress but I agree with the Deputy that we need to invest more. The decision in the national development plan, NDP, to devote €12 billion to education, the highest of any Department, shows the level of commitment by the Government to the education sector. Our aim is to become a leader and to make talent the key hallmark of Ireland as we move forward. Investment in education is the best insulation against the reversals that might come to a small, open trading economy like ours.
In terms of pay restoration, the Deputy will be aware that discussions chaired by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform have just opened on new entrant pay, an issue that affects not just teachers but new entrants right across the public service. Those discussions are ongoing.
Has the Minister had an opportunity to visit schools which are struggling through lack of funding? A number of ongoing changes within schools are causing particular difficulties.
In the case of DEIS schools, SENO resources have been reduced, much to the surprise and bafflement of the schools.
Second, the position on education and skills, which I raised with the Minister on a number of occasions, is that notwithstanding the huge building boom the progress made on further education and training opportunities, including apprenticeships, is very modest. As I am sure the Minister would be the first to acknowledge, much of the progress he referred to was as a result of the activity of the previous Government. I just do not get from the Minister a sense of ambition and vision regarding how we can improve conditions for the students and staff in the education system.
I have set out what I believe is a significant ambition, namely to have the best education and training services by 2026. We are making steady progress towards that. The 6,000 additional teachers have allowed important priorities to be met. The restoration of guidance, on which Deputy Thomas Byrne is very keen, has been achieved, in addition to the implementation of junior cycle reform, which the Labour Party was very keen to seen delivered. Also to be considered are the reduction of the pupil-teacher ratio, the introduction of 3,000 special needs assistants and the revision of the way in which special needs teaching resources are allocated to make the system both better and fairer. We have 51 new apprenticeships being developed. For the first time ever, we have seen a move away from the 27 traditional ones. We have seen the commencement of reinvestment at third level. Therefore, there is a sense of ambition and progress within the education system. I am determined to support that. There will always be priorities. The Deputy will be familiar with the fact that choices always have to be made, but the choices being made, which are discussed here in the House, are the right ones. We must do better in the years ahead, however.
48. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to fast-track the introduction of more classes and places for children with special needs in north County Dublin, particularly in the Skerries area, in which the provision at a facility (details supplied) is inadequate to deal with the emerging needs of the local community. [22397/18]
The purpose of this question is twofold. First, there is an overall shortage of spaces for special needs education, particularly spaces for autistic children in the Skerries area in north Dublin. Second, residents are particularly keen to know where the new premises for St. Michael's House will be. This has been long promised but has been kicked to touch between the council and the Department. It is just not good enough.
I thank Deputy Daly. She has a question tabled on St. Michael's House special school in Skerries. There is a project to deliver a new building at St. Michael's House. It will provide a new 14-classroom school, expandable to 16 classrooms, which will potentially increase its capacity from 30 students to 96. A potential site has now been identified after initial efforts were unsuccessful. A site acquisition process is now under way.
We intend to establish this coming September 17 new special classes in County Dublin. I do not have the details on where they will be but I understand some will be in the area the Deputy is concerned about. The NCSE is working with communities on expansion.
To give the Deputy a measure of the progress, there were 66 special classes in 2011 and there are now 178. We are adding another 17 to that. We are making very significant progress on expanding provision in this area. A meeting with parents was organised to discuss the needs and to make sure our plans take those needs into account.
The Minister's colleague Senator James Reilly has raised this issue in the Seanad. I will not repeat the points made on the overall shortage of places. Residents in the area in question, who have organised into a group, as the Minister correctly stated, have identified at least 12 children from Skerries alone in need of places at national school level. Only six may have places, with September almost on the horizon. It is a particular concern.
My main concern today, however, is that the report the Minister has given me on St. Michael's House has been given on numerous occasions previously. I am not blaming the Minister for that but the reality is that the site acquisition process has long been completed in the sense that Fingal County Council has said it proceeded as far as it can go. It has the site, it has completed all the negotiations and it states this issue is blocked — it is blocked — at the level of the technical assessors in the Department. We have been getting this report for over a year. The children in question are in school in an old farmhouse. They have been in it for over 15 years. The farmhouse would not even pass modern health and safety standards. Those concerned really need to know what is causing problems for the technical assessors and when the assessment is likely to be concluded. The council tells us this is the only thing standing in the way of the school finally being delivered.
I will have to get back to the Deputy with details. It states in my documentation that the Department is committed to providing a permanent accommodation solution for the school and that a project to deliver the new school on a greenfield site has been included in the six-year programme. It is stated a site acquisition process is currently under way. This sounds like there are no technical problems with the site. A potential permanent site option has been identified as being progressed. It does not sound like there are technical flaws. There may be commercial issues to be worked out in the acquisition process but it does not sound like there are problems with the site. I will, however, revert to the Deputy in case this information is not accurate.
The technical issues were highlighted in a response from the Department to me and other Deputies from the area previously. Subsequently, I got back on to Fingal County Council and believed the blame was at its door. I was led to believe the technical problems with acquisition were mainly associated with the council but I received a communication from it yesterday to assure me it has taken this process as far as it can go. It has done everything. The council states the acquisition of the site and dealings with the landowner have been completed and that the matter is with the technical assessors in the Minister's Department. I would be really grateful if he could come back to me on this. Some of his party colleagues, and probably all the Deputies in the area, have been in touch on this. Collectively, we really want this project delivered as soon as possible. The site has been pinpointed for a very long time. It is shameful if the project is being kicked between the council and the Department and getting nowhere. We would be very grateful if the Minister could revert to us as soon as possible.
My response states negotiations with the relevant landowner are currently at an advanced stage. With regard to timing, it is stated that, assuming agreement on terms is reached, issues may arise at conveyancing stage and that these will have to be addressed satisfactorily. That is the normal protection included. It is stated there are some clarifications required on technical issues associated with the development of the site, and the assessment process is nearing completion. It does not sound like it is holding up the negotiation or the reaching of terms. There is obviously clarification required. I will revert to the Deputy on this. It is anticipated that the conveyancing process can be advanced by respective solicitors. There seems to be considerable optimism.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
49. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Catherine Connolly den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cé mhéad scoil, naisiúnta agus meánscoil, atá sa Ghaeltacht uile agus cé mhéad iarratas atá curtha isteach ag na scoileanna seo ag iarraidh aitheantas mar scoil Ghaeltachta; cé mhéad scoil a dhiúltaigh iarratas a chur isteach faoin bpróiseas; cad é stádas an phróisis seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [20133/18]
Tá mé ag iarraidh soiléiriú a fháil maidir leis an bpróiseas atá i gceist le haghaidh aitheantais mar scoil Ghaeltachta a bhaint amach. Go háirithe, cé mhéad iarratas atá curtha isteach agus cé mhéad scoil a dhiúltaigh ar chur isteach ar an bpróiseas seo?
Níl an Ghaeilge go líofa agam. I will have to freagair as Béarla. There are 133 primary schools and 28 post-primary schools located in Gaeltacht language-planning areas. One hundred and six applications have been submitted from primary schools and 27 applications from post-primary schools seeking recognition as Gaeltacht schools.
Twenty-seven primary schools and one post-primary school in the Gaeltacht have not yet applied to the Department to participate in the Gaeltacht school recognition scheme. In two circulars, an opportunity has been provided to the schools that have not yet expressed an interest in the scheme to submit an expression of interest form to the Gaeltacht education unit in the Department before 1 June 2018, which is fast approaching.
I thank the Minister for the clarification. Twenty-seven schools have not yet applied. Have any schools refused to apply under this process?
As the Minister can appreciate, this was announced as the biggest, most important policy document by the Government. I fully agree with that but it is utterly dependent on the schools coming forward and seeking recognition. Twenty-seven schools have not come forward. Have any refused to participate? What are the time limits for the process to get this recognition mar scoil Ghaeltachta?
I do not know that any had outright refused but obviously some have yet to apply. I do not want to say whether that means they are not considering applying. I hope they are. To be fair, they have to commit. It is not a case of sending in the application. It is a commitment to a process that represents an immersion approach and my Department will be demanding that those who do participate step up to the standard expected, but there are good incentives available. There is a cash grant, additional hours and continuing professional development, CPD. They are looking at the post-primary level. There is an elearning hub model. This is a significant investment by my Department to try to achieve much higher standards in Gaeltacht areas because there was a genuine concern that language standards were slipping. We believe this model is the right track but it is open to schools to decide they do not want to participate.
An bhfuil ceist ghairid ag an Teachta?
Maidir leis an scála ama, will the Minister clarify the time limits for this recognition process?
The time limit I have for the expression of interest form is before 1 June. Thereafter, there is a process where the school has to be approved by the Department, in that its approach and planning is satisfactory. That triggers the additional supports. I do not see a particular time limit-----
B'fhéidir go dtiocfaidh an tAire ar ais chugam.
Schools in Gaeltacht language planning areas will receive further opportunities to express an interest in the Gaeltacht school recognition scheme in spring 2019 for the school year 2019-20. This, along with any additional supports, will be communicated. Even if the 1 June deadline is missed, it is a matter for the school board of management to consult with the school community in advance of making the decision to participate in the scheme in order to strengthen Irish-medium education provision. The schools still have the right not to participate if they so choose.
