Written Answers Nos. 122-126
122. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will implement the recommendation of the Gaeltacht placement working group; if she will address the issue of huge costs of approximately €2,000 for placement for four weeks as well as additional costs for transport, spending money loss of earnings at home and the cessation of part time jobs and so on; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39488/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Teaching Council Act, 2001, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory regulatory authority to review and accredit initial teacher education programmes. As such it is the Council, not the Minister, that sets out the programme criteria. Changes to the structure and content of the Gaeltacht Placement arose from the Teaching Council's new accreditation criteria, published in June 2011 (Initial Teacher Education: Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers) which provide, inter alia, for "an extended and reconceptualised Gaeltacht residency which will now form part of the overall programme and be under the direct jurisdiction of the teacher education providers."
The Teaching Council established a Gaeltacht Placement Working Group and published a report in May 2012 which, among other things, provides for the placement duration to be extended to take place in two blocks of two weeks and a common course content across all initial teacher education providers. Initial teacher education providers have responsibility for quality assuring the content, teaching and assessment of the Gaeltacht element of initial teacher education programmes. Any concerns in this regard should be taken up directly with the provider in the first instance and/or the Council. My Department supports the changes as contributing to overall quality improvement in initial teacher education.
The decision to abolish the Gaeltacht Placement grants, from September 2012 was not taken lightly, and has to be viewed in the context of the prevailing requirement to reduce costs and achieve efficiencies where possible. Priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible in the coming years, which is especially challenging with rising numbers of school-going children.
To assist with the costs of the Gaeltacht placement, students who are in receipt of a student grant which includes a 100% fee grant, or who would have qualified for a full fee grant but for the Free Fees Schemes, can apply for funding towards travel and accommodation costs under the field trip element of a fee grant, subject to the normal terms and conditions of the scheme. Apart from the student grant system, in circumstances of particular need students may apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. Information in relation to this fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended.
For the reasons outlined, I am not in a position to reinstate funding to this area.
123. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that progression from Gaelscoil to Gaelcholáiste is close to 100% where commute distance is not a significant factor and falls markedly with a slight increase in distance to travel each day; if this is taken into account when determining new Gaelcholáistí; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39492/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra124. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the broader Gaelscoil-Gaelcholáiste strategy of her Department over the next five years with regard to responding to a growing demand; if a refocusing of resources is required to accommodate the growing trend toward Irish-only instruction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39500/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 123 and 124 together.
The Department's capital budget is focused on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place.
The establishment of any new school is, therefore, considered in the context of the overall need for additional school places to meet future demographic demands. Where new schools are needed these are advanced in line with an objective process and criteria for determining patronage and language medium of instruction.
As part of the arrangements for establishing new post-primary schools, an initial decision is made by my Department on whether the schools will operate through the medium of Irish or English. In addition, prospective patrons must agree to establish an Aonad within an English-medium school subject to parental demand.
It is not possible to meet all parental demands in a particular school feeder area nor is it possible to match post-primary schools with every type of primary school in an area. It is not unusual for post-primary pupils to travel to their post-primary provider regardless of the medium of instruction.
125. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that, in the north east Kildare area, in September 2015 there will be over seven full classes of pupils attending Gaelscoileanna who cannot be accommodated at a Gaelcholáiste as is the clear wish of parents and students; the measures she proposes to address before numbers grow even further; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39501/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraA new post-primary school opened this September in north east Kildare. This school includes an Aonad to add to all-Irish post-primary provision in the area. My Department has confirmed, that if sufficient demand for education through the medium of Irish in the Aonad is demonstrated over a four-year cycle, consideration will be given to the establishment of an independent Gaelchóláiste.
126. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine an issue of 35 pupils in a classroom (details supplied) in County Kerry; if she will address the issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39503/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30th September. At primary level the staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. The primary staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools.
The national average class size at primary level is 24.8 pupils. However, with over 21,100 classes in over 3,100 primary schools throughout the country there will always be variations in class sizes at individual school level. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.
The school referred to by the Deputy has 4 classroom teachers this school year based on an enrolment of 102 pupils on 30th September 2013. This facilitates an average class size of 25 pupils per class.
Schools with significantly increasing enrolments are catered for within the staffing arrangements by being allocated teachers on the basis of their current pupil numbers rather than on a previous year basis which is the case for the majority of schools. The staffing appeals process has been extended to include a new criterion which helps those schools that make a significant contribution to the provision of school places, which assists the response to demographic growth within their area, and as a result are under significant pressure on their class sizes at infants level.
The school referred to has not applied for additional teaching staff under either of these measures.
