Written Answers Nos. 178-185
178. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the commitment, at official level, to retain and enhance the provision of the high standard of third level input to the education of apprentices, at phases 4 and 6, at Dundalk Institute of Technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7465/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs SOLAS have statutory responsibility for the operation of the Apprenticeship Programme I have asked them to contact the Deputy directly in relation to the question he has raised.
179. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount that has been lost to schools, through cuts in the capitation grant; if she will provide an annual breakdown, since the start of these cuts, and a size-category breakdown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7482/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe last Budget included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60m during 2015. That increase has provided funding for 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs to be recruited for our schools, as well as funding important reforms. However, it was not possible to secure the funding which would be required to also increase the rates of capitation paid to our schools.
The school funding measures introduced in Budget 2011 provided for a 5% reduction in funding for capitation and related grants to primary and second level schools. This was applied to schools by a 5% reduction across the range of per capita grants.
The multi annual school funding measures introduced in Budget 2012, provided for a 6% overall reduction in the funding for capitation and related grants to primary and second level schools. The reduction was introduced on a phased basis and applied by a 2% reduction in 2012 and 2013 and a further reduction of 1% in 2014 and 2015.
In total these measures have resulted in primary school per capita funding being reduced by €38 per pupil since 2011 and post primary per capita funding being reduced by €66 per pupil since 2011.
I am determined that education will be prioritised for further investment in future years, and I believe that increasing the staffing and funding of our schools should be priorities for such investment.
The following table contains a breakdown of the annual per capita grants rates as requested by the Deputy.
|
- |
Voluntary Post Primary |
Primary |
||||||
|
- |
Capitation |
SSSF |
SSSF Secretary |
SSSF Caretaker |
Secretary |
Caretaker |
Capitation |
Ancillary |
|
2010 |
€ 345.00 |
€ 212.00 |
€ 25.39 |
€ 19.05 |
€ 38.10 |
€ 31.75 |
€ 200.00 |
€ 155.00 |
|
2011 |
€ 328.00 |
€ 201.00 |
€ 24.00 |
€ 18.00 |
€ 36.00 |
€ 30.00 |
€ 190.00 |
€ 147.00 |
|
2012 |
€ 317.00 |
€ 201.00 |
€ 24.00 |
€ 18.00 |
€ 36.00 |
€ 30.00 |
€ 178.00 |
€ 147.00 |
|
2013 |
€ 306.00 |
€ 201.00 |
€ 24.00 |
€ 18.00 |
€ 36.00 |
€ 30.00 |
€ 176.00 |
€ 147.00 |
|
2014 |
€ 301.00 |
€ 201.00 |
€ 24.00 |
€ 18.00 |
€ 36.00 |
€ 30.00 |
€ 173.00 |
€ 147.00 |
|
2015 |
€ 296.00 |
€ 201.00 |
€ 24.00 |
€ 18.00 |
€ 36.00 |
€ 30.00 |
€ 170.00 |
€ 147.00 |
180. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school leavers in 2014 with an intellectual disability (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7505/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that, while there is not presently a distinct disability category of Asperger's Syndrome for resource allocation purposes, such children are generally supported through the resourcing mechanisms which are in place for supporting children with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
As such, the specific information requested by the Deputy is not available. However, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has advised that the number of post primary students categorised as ASD accessing resource teaching hours and identified as leavers at end of the 2013/14 school year was 375 students.
It is important to note that this does not include pupils with Asperger's Syndrome who attend Special Schools, or pupils attending mainstream school who have not been allocated Resource Teaching support by the NCSE, or who are supported by a school's allocation of additional teaching resources for pupils with high incidence special educational needs.
181. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children with special needs who are being brought to and from school by bus, in situations where a place is not provided for, or available, in their local school; the cost of providing such transport in 2014; the number of children involved in 2014; if an evaluation was done to predict special education needs, in order to provide, as locally as possible, a school space, and reduce long commutes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7512/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's policies focus on ensuring that all children can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.
A range of placement options for children with special educational needs is provided, in order to ensure that all children can receive a school placement. Many children with special educational needs will be able to attend a local mainstream school, whereas for children who have needs which require more specialist interventions, special class and special school placements are provided for.
As such, a child may have access to a number of different placement options in a locality. However, the enrolment of a child to a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), engage with schools annually in order to plan for specialist provision, and to open new special classes each year in various geographical areas, as required, in order to ensure there are sufficient special class placements available at primary and post primary school level to meet demand in a given area.
The NCSE will continue to plan and coordinate the provision of education and support services to ensure that the educational requirements of children with special needs can be met in all areas.
In general, under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs children are eligible for school transport where they are attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.
The level of detailed information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, I can confirm that there are currently almost 10,000 children availing of school transport services under the terms of the above scheme at an annual cost of some €50m.
182. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding for additional accommodation will be provided to a school, further to a recent sanction of accommodation (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7519/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for major capital funding that includes for the upgrading of existing classrooms and ancillary accommodation.
As the Deputy will appreciate, due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the funding available for the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not possible to provide an indicative timeframe for the progression of a major project for the school in question at this time.
However to meet the school's immediate needs, my Department recently approved devolved funding to this school for the provision of a resource room.
183. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a student (details supplied) in County Kildare will be assisted in accessing specialised education to assist with their needs, as the student is currently attending mainstream playschool, with the support of a teaching assistant, and would benefit from a more specialised environment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7548/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, in order to ensure that as many children as possible can be educated with their peers within their own community.
My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools which have enrolled pupils with special educational needs in order to ensure that, wherever a child is enrolled, they will have access to an appropriate education.
Children with special educational needs may be enrolled in a mainstream school and attend all mainstream classes and receive additional teaching support through the learning support and/or resource teacher. If they have assessed care needs they may be supported by a special needs assistant.
In respect of children who cannot be accommodated in mainstream education, they may be enrolled in special classes or special schools where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided.
As such, a pupil may have access to a number of different placement options in a locality. However, the enrolment of a child to a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) can assist parents to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs.
Parents may contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs and to seek assistance in identifying placement options, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie. The SENO can also advise parents in relation to supports which may be available to support children with special educational needs, including special transport arrangements which may be made available.
The NCSE has published a Guide for Parents and Guardians of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs on Choosing a School. This guide is also available at www.ncse.ie
184. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will locate the funds to re-open a special needs playschool (details supplied) in County Kildare that was closed down in June 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7549/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have made enquiries about the special needs playschool referred to by the Deputy and I understand that it was wholly funded by the HSE. My Department had no role in the funding of or closure of the playschool and I suggest that the Deputy contacts the Department of Health concerning this closure.
185. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a teaching transfer in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7595/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. The redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers is key to the Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers.The redeployment arrangements are published annually in the staffing circular which is placed on the Department website.
The redeployment arrangements for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Circular 0005/2015 which is available on the website. Redeployment panels are drawn up on a diocesan basis for Catholic panels, diocesan/united diocesan basis for Church of Ireland panels and on a national basis for other patron bodies. The detail relating to numbers on individual redeployment panels is placed on the Department website when the panels are published each year. My Department updates the progress of the panels on the website on a regular basis.
The teacher referred to by the Deputy is a permanent teacher who is currently not surplus to the school in which she is employed. She does not therefore come within the redeployment arrangements for the 2015/16 school year.
