Written Answers Nos. 185 - 192
185. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she remains satisfied that the skills requirements of the workplace continue to be met by education; her further proposals in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45727/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has a number of strategies and initiatives in place to ensure that further education and training meets the skills requirements of the workplace. SOLAS with the assistance of relevant experts such as the ESRI, employers and local and national organisations have published a five year strategy for the further education and training sector which provides us with a strategic roadmap for this crucial element of the education and training system. The strategy includes a vision of a flexible, quality-driven, labour market-relevant, integrated and responsive sector that supports learner progression, transitions into employment and personal development.
In addition to the 5 year Strategy, SOLAS has published a first ever integrated Further Education and Training Services Plan for 2014 and it provides information on the range of further education and training funded by the Irish Government and it sets out in detail how the State's investment in 2014 will be used by SOLAS and the Education and Training Boards to meet the skills needs of learners and employers.
186. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the most commonly raised issues affecting education in the classroom as set out in submissions from the various school authorities such as over-crowding, special needs requirements, pupil-teacher ratios, class size and lack of adequate accommodation and teaching staff; the degree to which she will address any such issues in the future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45728/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government has sought, against the continuing challenging economic backdrop, to protect education spending and maintain frontline education services as far as possible, including targeting support at schools in those areas with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. We have a growing population of young people in this country and despite the difficult financial circumstances we face as a country, we prioritised education so that the number of teachers we have in the system has also grown in order to protect existing pupil teacher ratios. There were a thousand more teachers employed in schools around the country in the last school year, than there was the year before. There will be a further increase of circa 1,300 teachers in the current school year. This is a very significant investment at a time of scarce resources.
It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth that will enable us to move to a point in future budgets where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about an improvement in PTR, class size and support for classroom teachers.
In relation to school accommodation my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing numbers. In that regard, the highest priority has been assigned to school building projects serving rapidly developing areas where there is no existing school or where existing provision is unable to meet the demand for additional places.
The 5 year School Construction Plan announced in March 2012, provides for a €2 billion school capital investment programme to 2016 and lists the individual new school building projects, as well as major extensions that are planned to proceed to construction over the duration of the Plan.
The Deputy will also be aware that under my Department's Prefab Replacement Initiatives announced in 2012 and 2013, approval was given to 217 schools to replace 614 prefab units with permanent accommodation. In excess of €56m has been allocated to these initiatives.
My Department allocated more than €70 million on the 2014 Summer Works Scheme which will enable over 770 schools undertake various improvement work. This week, I announced the allocation of more than €28 million to primary schools under the Minor Works Grant Scheme. This will allow schools to carry out improvement works to the school buildings and grounds.
The policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs should be included in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational need require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available.
All State-funded primary and post primary schools have been allocated additional resources to provide for children with special educational needs enrolled in school. For children for whom mainstream provision is not appropriate, placement may be made in one of the 125 special schools which have approximately 1,000 teachers and approximately 860 special classes and units located around the country, 96 of which are early intervention classes for young children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.
Primary and Post Primary schools have a permanent allocation of additional teaching supports to provide for children whose educational psychological assessment places them in the high incidence, or less complex, disability category.
Separately, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) for children with additional care needs, as outlined in Circular 00030/2014 and additional resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department.
I recently announced, as part of Budget 2015, that an additional 365 Special Needs Assistant posts would be provided in 2015, as well as an additional 480 Resource Teachers, to take into account increased demand and demographic growth and to ensure that children can continue to have access to additional supports in school. In addition, over 130 new Special Classes have been sanctioned for the 2014/15 school year.
This is the highest number of Special Classes and the highest level of Resource Teaching and SNA support that we have ever had. These increases, building on increases which have already been provided in recent years, will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs.
Other supports include enhanced levels of school capitation payable to special schools and special classes, Special School Transport arrangements, the National Educational Psychological Service, an extended school year for pupils who have either a severe/profound general learning disability or who have autism and the provision for Assistive Technology/specialised equipment support for pupils with Special Educational Needs.
188. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which a support grant or other assistance may be available in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45743/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn order to be considered for a grant, a student must be pursuing an approved course in an approved institution. An approved course is defined in Section 8 of the Student Support Act 2011 and in Regulation 4 of the Student Support Regulations 2014.
In Part B, Schedule 2 of the Student Support Regulations 2014, the Professional Practice Course (PPC) Part I and II is the only course prescribed in The Law Society of Ireland as an approved course for the purposes of the student grant scheme.
The course referred to by the Deputy is not an approved course and, therefore, assistance is not available under the grant scheme.
189. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the school building programme throughout the country remains in line with requirements and expectations; the extent to which this applies to County Kildare which is affected by ongoing increases in population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45744/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. To ensure that this is achieved, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally, will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The 5 Year Construction Plan that was announced in March 2012 is focused on meeting this demand.
In this regard, County Kildare has been identified as an area of significant demographic growth and the Five Year Construction Plan includes major projects for Kildare. My Department will also consider applications from individual schools for devolved funding to meet an immediate accommodation requirement because of increased enrolments or where an additional teacher has been appointed.
My Department will continue to analyse demographic trends and to monitor enrolments in all areas, to determine the level of additional school provision which may be required into the future and to ensure that this is provided in a timely manner.
The current status of all projects on the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie and this is updated regularly throughout the year.
190. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she expects to respond to the well-presented application for Gaelcholáiste in north Kildare in view of the extent to which Coláiste Cois Life continues to be fully utilised and the need arising from the large number of Gaelscoileanna in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45745/14]
Amharc ar fhreagra191. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she has examined the case for a Gaelcholáiste as submitted by the Leixlip support group; if she accepts the need for the coláiste in view of the strong support in the area and the need generated by the numerous Gaelscoileanna; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45746/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 190 and 191 together.
My Department is currently examining the extent and location of additional post-primary places that will be needed on a nationwide basis from 2017 onwards. This will include an examination of the north Kildare area. A submission recently received from An Foras Patrúnachta in relation to all-Irish provision in north Kildare will be taken into consideration as part of this examination.
In the meantime, my Department has clearly indicated that it is open to the idea of the establishment of an independent Gaelcholáiste for the north Kildare area. My Department has already committed to consider this if sufficient and viable demand for education through the medium of Irish is demonstrated over a four-year cycle in the Aonad in Maynooth Community College.
192. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken or the steps she proposes to take to assist applicants for higher education courses who are being refused higher education funding or a back to education allowance on the grounds that they have previously studied or completed a course at a similar level on the NFQ despite the fact that their existing qualification is deemed to be insufficient to meet the requirements of the workplace; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45747/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince 2011 my Department has introduced a number of targeted initiatives aimed at addressing the skills needs of employers and supporting jobseekers into employment. At higher education level Springboard and the ICT skills conversion programme provide opportunities for unemployed people and job seekers to upskill or reskill in areas of identified skills needs. The courses, which are at level 6 (higher certificate) to level 9 (masters degree) on the National Framework of Qualifications, are being delivered in public and private higher education providers around the country.
There is no requirement on participants to be progressing to a further level on the NFQ.
Full details on Springboard and the ICT skills conversion programme, together with the eligibility criteria, are available on www.springboardcourses.ie
