Robert Troy
Ceist:473. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her Department's policy for schools where a child attending the school has a severe peanut allergy (details supplied). [10136/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchools Administration
Ceisteanna (473)
Freagraí scríofa
Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. It is important that the school management authority requests parents to ensure that the school is made aware of any medical condition suffered by any pupil attending. Where the school is aware of potential difficulties that may arise as a consequence of a medical condition suffered by one or more pupils, it may be possible for the management authorities, working in conjunction with parents, teachers and children to put preventative measures in place to lessen the possibility of any difficulties arising or to ensure that, if a pupil suffers from an illness requiring medication, that appropriate treatment is available. The administration of medicines in primary schools is the subject of an agreement between the Irish National Teachers Organisation and the organisation representing school management at primary level. While this agreement specifies that no teacher can be required to administer medicine or drugs to pupils, it also sets out procedures that must be followed where a teacher or teachers agree to do so. The position is that either the parents of the child should make themselves available to administer medication as required or where they wish the staff in the school to administer it they should indemnify the school. The Department cannot direct any member of the Board of Management or the teaching staff of the school to administer medical treatment to pupils, action and procedures which are normally carried out by medical professionals such as doctors and nurses.
School Accommodation Provision
Ceisteanna (474)
Michelle Mulherin
Ceist:474. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the examination by the school capital appraisal section of an application in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10155/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to confirm for the Deputy that the school to which she refers submitted a proposal to my Department relating to its existing accommodation. I understand that my Department has written to the school's Patron on two occasions seeking further information and that a response is awaited. The proposal can be considered further following receipt of the Patron's response.
Schools Designation
Ceisteanna (475)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:475. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on changing the status of a secondary school (details supplied) in Dublin 8 from an all-girls school to a co-educational school. [10158/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that the decision making authority for a change of status belongs to the Patron of a school, and this is subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills. Any such proposal must first involve consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders. Following the consultation process, a decision taken at local level will follow. In that regard, any proposed changes must be well planned and managed in a manner that accommodates the interests of students, parents, teachers, local communities and contributes to an inclusive education system.All agreed proposals must be submitted to my Department for approval. Proposals that may have major capital implications can only be considered within the context of my Department's capital budget and the challenges facing my Department in meeting national demographic demands. My Department has no record of receiving an application for a change of status for the school to which the Deputy refers.
School Accommodation Provision
Ceisteanna (476)
Derek Nolan
Ceist:476. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a school (details supplied) in County Galway will take part in the prefabricated buildings replacement scheme; if such works will take place at the same time as works on an approved special education teacher support room; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10258/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has received an application from the school to which he refers for a permanent mainstream classroom. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been completed. I also wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has already approved a resource room for the school and that no funding has been drawn down by the school to date.
State Examinations
Ceisteanna (477, 478)
Anthony Lawlor
Ceist:477. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to the new junior cycle student award, the way she will address concerns expressed by teachers of English that they have received incomplete and inadequate continuing professional development training and support material; that there are practical issues still to be addressed regarding the introduction of the oral component of the course; that there is no forum for feedback from teachers to improve the course, where necessary; in view of these concerns and issues which need to be addressed, if she will delay the implementation of the English specifications for the 2014-2015 class, similar to the recommendation in the Travers report, to delay the science specifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10305/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Ceist:478. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address concerns (details supplied) raised in correspondence regarding the new junior cycle English course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10313/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 477 and 478 together. I intend to proceed with the implementation of the Junior Cycle reform including the implementation of the new specification for English which commenced last September. The implementation will now be based on the Travers proposal which I agreed to late last month. All teachers of English who registered with the Junior Cycle for Teachers CPD received day 1 of the core 4.5 days of CPD available to them in early 2014. Over 90% of English teachers attended this day of CPD last year. The programme included:
- Providing an overview of the Framework for Junior Cycle
- Exploring the Specification for English
- Illustrating ways of working with learning outcomes and aligning them with assessment
- Looking at formative assessment in the English classroom
- Suggesting ways of planning using learning outcomes I recently launched a new Junior Cycle for Teachers website (www.jct.ie). Under the English section of this website, there is supporting material to assist teachers to implement the Specification for English. All the resources from JCTs first CPD workshop, delivered during 2013/2014, are available at www.jct.ie. There are 3.5 days of CPD still planned for English teachers. Teachers will soon receive their invitation to day 2 of their CPD which will be provided in local education centres. The content of this Day 2 CPD is currently also being uploaded onto www.jct.ie. This second day will concentrate on:
- Revisiting the Specification for English
- Planning for effective teaching, learning and assessment of oral communication and writing
- Exploring the oral communication task, collection of student texts and final assessmentDay 3, to be rolled out in 2015/2016, will focus on:
- Effective teaching, learning and assessment
- Designing valid and reliable assessment tasks
- Looking at the subject learning and assessment review meeting After day three, JCT will provide school visits and will continue to provide programmes of elective CPD. They will facilitate in-school teacher-led CPD and the JCT team will continue to provide online support.
The NCCA is currently putting together updated 'Guidelines for Practical Arrangements for the school based components of assessment' in light of the Travers document - A Way Forward. Last year the JCT team of English advisors relayed any teacher's concerns and suggestions to the relevant parties; this system of reporting back teachers' opinions will continue and it influences programme provision.
JCT will soon be inviting teachers to participate in online CPD sessions where teachers will have an opportunity to ask questions and air their views on the Specification.
School Staff
Ceisteanna (479)
Michael Colreavy
Ceist:479. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm that a school (details supplied) in County Cavan will be permitted to retain two teachers. [10319/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie.
The circular sets out the improvements to the staffing schedule for the 2015/16 school year for small schools. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for isolated one-teacher schools. An appeals process is also available to small schools. Details of the appeals criteria are set out in the published staffing arrangements. The first meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board will be held later this month. Schools which have submitted an appeal will be informed of the decision of the Board by the end of March, 2015. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The final number of schools to benefit from these improvements to the staffing schedule will be known in the Autumn after the teacher allocation process has fully transacted.
Student Universal Support Ireland Administration
Ceisteanna (480)
Brendan Griffin
Ceist:480. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a further review of the performance of Student Universal Support Ireland will be carried out for the 2014-15 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10337/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The performance of SUSI is assessed on an ongoing basis in accordance with the terms of the Management Framework Agreement concluded between the Department and the CDETB in respect of SUSI a unit of CDETB.
The Department under the agreed governance arrangement monitor the ongoing performance of SUSI throughout the academic year and a full report of the performance metrics for 2014/15 academic year will be furnished to the Department at the end of the academic year.
Student Grant Scheme Eligibility
Ceisteanna (481)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:481. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Student Universal Support Ireland classes an applicant's parents as the applicant's legal guardians for assessing eligibility for grants and so on until the applicant is 21 years of age, regardless of whether the applicant is living at home or living independently when, on the other hand, the State recognises someone as an adult at 18 years of age. [10362/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Different State support schemes have different objectives. The Department's statutory based student grant scheme has its own particular objectives which is to provide additional assistance where parental income is below a certain threshold or, in the case of independent mature students, where the level of income of the student and his or her spouse warrants additional assistance by way of a grant. For student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students.A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he or she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous October. Otherwise he or she would continue to be assessed on the basis of parental income. Only in exceptional cases, where compelling evidence of estrangement from parents/guardians is provided, can candidates who are under 23 be assessed without reference to their parents/guardians income or address, Article 21(3) (b) of the Scheme refers.
School Staff Appeals Mechanism
Ceisteanna (482)
Charlie McConalogue
Ceist:482. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 475 of 3 March 2015, if there is an appeal process which the person may take on exceptional grounds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10366/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As referenced in Parliamentary Question No. 475 of 3 March, 2015 the provisions of the Job Sharing Scheme for Special Needs Assistants in Recognised Primary and Post-Primary Schools are outlined in my Department's Circular Letter 41/2014. There is no provision for an appeal process and in accordance with the Circular, Special Needs Assistants may only apply to share a wholetime post on a 50:50 basis. The terms of the scheme were agreed with the School Management Bodies and the relevant Trade Unions and have general application to all Special Needs Assistants.
Institutes of Technology
Ceisteanna (483, 484)
Richard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:483. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has identified any educational merits to the proposed merger between Cork Institute of Technology and the Institute of Technology Tralee, County Kerry; the purpose of the prerequisite for institutes to merge prior to being considered for technological university status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10369/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraRichard Boyd Barrett
Ceist:484. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the fact that students currently attending institutes of technology will receive a higher level of education if the institutes have their status changed to that of technological universities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10370/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 484 and 483 together. The original vision for the technological sector and for its contribution to the economic, social and cultural life of regions remains valid today but even more is expected of the sector now – more in terms of flexibility, more in terms of responsiveness to regional and local communities, more in terms of responsiveness to the needs of a rapidly changing enterprise sector, and an increasingly diverse workforce. Some institutes of technology have set out to challenge themselves to enhance their performance across the board and embarked upon a developmental path towards becoming Technological Universities and will have to reach a high performance bar to achieve this. A status change will not be possible without merged institutes reaching this bar. The proposed mergers will create institutions of greater scale and strength and will bring significant benefits to their region.
Schools Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (485)
Alan Farrell
Ceist:485. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the procurement of a site for a new school (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10372/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The site acquisition for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently ongoing. Due to commercial sensitivities attaching to site acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to provide further details at this time.
Special Educational Needs Service Provision
Ceisteanna (486)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:486. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Dublin does not have an approved special class in order that it could receive enhanced capitation rates, despite having significant numbers of pupils with special needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10402/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that my 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 pupils with special educational needs is provided, in order to ensure that all pupils can receive a school placement. Many pupils with special educational needs will be able to attend a local mainstream school, whereas for pupils who have needs which require more specialist interventions, special class and special school placements are provided for. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. Details of the number of special classes available in each county are noted on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie. The NCSE is also currently considering applications by schools to establish new special classes for the coming 2015/16 school year. As this question refers to the establishment of a special class at a particular school, I will arrange for the matter raised by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
School Staff Appeals Mechanism
Ceisteanna (487)
Brendan Griffin
Ceist:487. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a staffing appeal for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry will be upheld; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10415/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools are published annually on the Department's website. The staffing arrangements, including the staffing appeal process, for the coming school year 2015/16 are set out in Circular 0005/2015 which is available on the website. The staffing appeal process at primary level includes the provision whereby schools with a high concentration of pupils requiring English as an additional language (EAL) can apply for further additional temporary language support posts. The first meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board will be held later this month. Schools which have submitted an appeal will be informed of the decision of the Board by the end of March, 2015. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
Legislative Measures
Ceisteanna (488)
Regina Doherty
Ceist:488. Deputy Regina Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the costs associated with enacting in full the Education For Persons With Special Educational Needs Act 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10420/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has published a Plan for the Implementation of the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act.
This report, which was published in 2006, made recommendations which suggested that additional investment over a period of years of up to €235m per annum, across the education and health sectors, would be required to fully implement the EPSEN Act.
My Department's opinion is that the level of investment required could be greater than that envisaged in the NCSE report. However, a total estimate of this amount has not been quantified. Further consideration of this issue would also have to take account of pricing adjustments in the period since the publication of the NCSE report.
A number of sections of the EPSEN Act have been commenced, including those establishing the National Council for Special Education and those promoting an inclusive approach to education of children.
It is intended to bring into effect many of the good ideas contained in the EPSEN Act, on a non-statutory basis initially, through policy developments across a range of areas, in conjunction with NCSE policy advice.