Written Answers Nos. 850-861
850. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position in relation to a school (details supplied) in County Mayo, for which an application for major capital works has not progressed since 2010; if she will provide a commitment to progress the application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20133/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question has submitted an application under my Department's the Major Capital works scheme for a new school building.
As the Deputy may be 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 numbers. In that regard, due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, it has not been possible to progress concurrently all school projects, including the school in question, within the school building programme.
However, I wish to advise the Deputy that where an immediate enrolment need in an area has been identified e.g. the appointment of an additional teacher and where a school's existing accommodation cannot provide for this growth, my Department will be prepared to consider applications by schools for capital funding for additional classrooms mainly on a devolved basis.
851. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown of the number of primary school pupils who avail of the school transport scheme; and the cost of providing this scheme to primary school children. [20145/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra852. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown of the number of secondary school pupils who avail of the school transport scheme; and the cost of providing this scheme to secondary school children. [20146/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 851 and 852 together.
Bus Éireann has advised that in the current school year some 49,700 primary children and almost 63,900 post primary children are being transported under the terms of the school transport scheme, including almost 9,800 children with special educational needs. These figures include children who are eligible for school transport and those who are not eligible for school transport but are availing of transport on a concessionary basis.
The Bus Éireann School Transport Scheme Statement of Account for 2014 shows that the cost of transport for primary children under the School Transport Scheme in 2014 was over €91.727 million, which includes the cost transporting children with special educational needs while the cost of transport for post primary children in 2014 was some €71.796 million.
In addition, some 1,750 families of primary children, including families with children with special educational needs. received almost €2.6 million in grant payments in 2014 while during the same period 400 families of post primary children received over €600,000 in grant payments. Furthermore, the cost of providing escorts to accompany children with special educational needs amounted to some €18.6 million in 2014.
853. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the case of persons (details supplied) in County Limerick; if she will make contact and assist the family in having their child return to school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20171/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (EWS) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. I understand from my officials that the EWS have been in communication with this family.
Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year.
Application forms for taking a section 29 appeal are available on my Departments website at the following link: http://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/Appeal-against-Permanent-Exclusion-Suspension-or-Refusal-to-Enrol/Section-29-Appeals-Application-Form.doc, or by contacting Section 29 Administration Unit, Friars Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, phone 0761 108588.
My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld.
854. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Pearse Doherty den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna ar cuireadh an easpa acmhainní cuí múinteoireachta atá ar fáil ag scoil áirithe i gContae Dhún na nGall (sonraí curtha ar fáil) in iúl di; an gcuirfidh sí maoiniú breise ar fáil ionas go bhféadfaidh an scoil an cúntóir teanga reatha atá acu a fhostú ar bhonn lánaimseartha; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [20175/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraLe leasuithe a tugadh isteach sa scoilbhliain 2012-13, cruthaíodh aon phróiseas simplithe leithdháilte amháin don tacaíocht foghlama agus don tacaíocht teanga araon. Ag an mbunleibhéal, leithdháiltear uaire tacaíochta foghlama nó teanga ar bhonn na bpost príomhshrutha múinteoireachta ranga sa scoil. Tá neamhspleáchas ag na scoileanna chun an acmhainn seo a imlonnú idir tacaíocht foghlama agus tacaíocht teanga ag brath ar riachtanais shainiúla na scoile. Rinneadh foráil freisin leis na socruithe nua do phoist bhuana bhreise mhúinteoireachta a thabhairt do scoileanna a bhfuil comhchruinniú mór daltaí iontu a bhfuil tacaíocht teanga ag teastáil uathu. Soláthraítear tacaíocht bhreise shealadach freisin, de réir mar is gá, do scoileanna a bhfuil comhchruinnithe móra daltaí (20% den rollachán iomlán ar a laghad) iontu a bhfuil tacaíocht teanga ag teastáil uathu. Déantar na leithdháiltí seo ar bhonn achomhairc ag scoil ar bith de na scoileanna seo chuig Bord na nAchomharc um Fhoirniú. Tá na critéir achomhairc leagtha amach sna socruithe foilsithe foirnithe.
Tá na socruithe foirnithe do bhunscoileanna don scoilbhliain 2015/16, na socruithe a bhaineann le tacaíocht foghlama nó teanga ina measc, leagtha amach i gCiorclán mo Roinne 0005/2015 atá le fáil ar shuíomh idirlín mo Roinne.
855. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policy of her Department with regard to the early education of children on the autism spectrum disorder; the options that are open to parents of children in the environs of Cork city with a child on the spectrum who is preschool age; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20196/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism, should be included where possible and appropriate 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.
Home tuition is provided to children with autism aged between 2½ and 3 years of age as they cannot enrol in a school until they reach the age of three. Parents can choose to enrol children with autism in an early intervention class from the age of three and where such a placement is not available home tuition is approved. Children with autism over the age of four may also be eligible for home tuition if a school placement is not available for them.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications for primary and post-primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents are encouraged to liaise with the local SENO to discuss placement options for their child.
The Deputy may also be aware that the National Council Special Education (NCSE) is currently at an advanced stage in the preparation of policy advice on the education of children with autism which includes a review of early intervention provision. I expect that the NCSE final report, which is to be delivered shortly, will reflect the broadest possible range of views, both National and International and will provide recommendations which will assist the development of policy for future years.
856. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of research conducted by a person (details supplied) that details the negative impact felt by students in schools where they do not have access to guidance counselling hours; and her plans to address this matter. [20240/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the research referred to by the Deputy.The research is based on a survey of guidance counsellors and one to one telephone interviews with a small number of them. While the research is useful it is important to note that the survey did not include a school management perspective or encompass the role of other teachers in schools given that guidance provision is a whole school activity.
Since September 2012 at post primary level guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the staffing schedule allocation. Guidance is a whole school activity and schools have autonomy on how best to prioritise their available resources to meet the requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to students. This operates at local school level. The Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations.
Guidance counsellors have two distinct functions. The first is general career guidance and guidance on the educational opportunities a child or young person might pursue, while the second involves support for students' well-being. The principal and leadership of a school have the best knowledge and experience to determine how exactly guidance resources and teaching resources should be allocated.
I have no plans to return to a situation where there would be a separate allocation for guidance in schools. If economic recovery continues I hope the Government will be in a position to improve the standard staffing allocation to schools. However, I believe that it is desirable to give schools discretion on how to use those increased resources.
The representative organisations for School Principals and school management developed a framework that assists schools on how best to manage the provision of guidance from within their staffing allocation. This approach puts a greater emphasis on group-work and class-based activity at senior cycle and maximises the amount of time available for those pupils that need one to one support.
There are also a range of other supports available to promote and support the wellbeing of students. NEPS psychologists are available to offer their advice and support to schools in establishing and developing School Support Teams. The extension of the NEPS service to all mainstream schools since September 2013 also puts it in a good position to provide advice to the Teams in regard to students with particular difficulties and on onward referral or liaison with other community based services that also have a role in providing service to schools. Student Support Teams in Post-Primary Schools (DES 2014) is a NEPS booklet to promote the well-being of pupils in post-primary schools.
Well-being Guidelines for Post-Primary and more recently for Primary Schools have been produced by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. The guidelines are informed by consultation with key Education and Health partners and by the findings of current research. They provide practical guidance to schools on how they can promote mental health and well-being in an integrated school-wide way and they also provide evidence-based advice on how to support young people who may be at risk of suicidal behaviour.
The Guidelines build on the significant work already taking place in schools, including through the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum, the whole-school guidance plan, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) continuum of support model and the HSE, Health Promoting Schools Process. Information is also provided on how to access support from the SPHE Support Service and other external agencies and support services. It should also be noted that the proposals on the reform of the junior cycle envisage a new subject on "wellbeing" being studied by all pupils.
857. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of re-instating the previous policy on allocation of guidance counsellors to schools on a basis of one per 500 students; the cost of introducing this policy for non fee-paying schools only; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20241/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince September 2012 guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the standard staffing schedule allocation. In this way principals have discretion to balance guidance needs with the pressures to provide subject choice. The representative organisations for School Principals and school management developed a framework that assists schools on how best to manage the provision of guidance from within their staffing allocation. This approach puts a greater emphasis on group-work and class-based activity at senior cycle and maximises the amount of time available for those pupils that need one to one support.
The budget measure that required schools to manage the provision of guidance from within their standard staffing allocation was introduced as an alternative to an adjustment to the standard staffing schedule. Such an adjustment would be the equivalent of an 0.6 change in the staffing schedule. My Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations so that it is based on a ratio of 18.25:1 compared to the standard 19:1 – an improvement of 0.75 on the standard staffing schedule for these schools.
The net reduction in guidance provision as a consequence of this budget measure was of the order of 500 posts. The annual budget saving from this measure is over €30 million. This gives an indication of the cost involved if this budget measure was not in place. Confining such a budget measure to fee-charging schools would not significantly change this estimated cost.
I have no plans to return to a situation where there would be a separate allocation for guidance in schools. If economic recovery continues I hope the Government will be in a position to improve the standard staffing allocation to schools. However, I believe that it is desirable to give schools discretion on how to use those increased resources.
858. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the Teaching Council proposal to introduce continuing professional development credits as a condition of registration for teachers. [20242/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra859. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which the draft framework for teachers' learning will be published. [20243/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 858 and 859 together.
Under the Teaching Council Act the Teaching Council is the regulator and standards body for the teaching profession. Section 39 of the Act, which has not yet been commenced, provides for the Council to review and accredit programmes of continuing professional development for teachers.
I intend that section 39 will be commenced as soon as practicable following amendment of the Teaching Council Act in the Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill 2015 which is currently progressing through the House.
In preparation for commencement of its role in relation to review and accreditation of continuing professional development, the Teaching Council has begun a consultation process on a framework for continuing professional learning. Following consultation with stakeholders the Council intends to publish a draft framework later this year.
860. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to include Mandarin Chinese as a leaving certificate subject; the reason this has not already happened; if discussions within her Department to do so have taken place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20244/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no plans currently to incorporate Chinese as a subject into the Leaving Certificate curriculum. As part of junior cycle reform, schools are be able to include a short course in Chinese language and culture, prepared by the NCCA, in their junior cycle programme, if they so wish. There is also currently a Transition Year module on Chinese, which was taken by 4,820 students in 2014.
The Department is currently considering the findings obtained following a consultation process based on a policy document on Languages in Education published last year. A forum on the findings was held in February last. Amongst the topics being considered in this context is the possibility of offering additional languages for the Leaving Certificate. It is expected that a languages strategy will be finalized in the second half of this year.
861. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the details of unsanctioned top-up payments to staff of University College Cork; the rate of unsanctioned payment per person during each of the past ten years, set out in tabular form; the date on which her Department became aware of this practice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20245/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe President of UCC wrote to my Department on the 31st March 2015 referring to additional payments made to staff in 2014. The President has since confirmed that the additional payments have ceased. The University has been requested to provide further information to allow my Department establish all of the facts relating to the additional payments.
