Written Answers Nos. 956 - 974
956. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills the savings accrued annually from the changes made to the pupil-teacher ratio of fee-paying schools; the number of staff positions annually that have been lost; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21623/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of budget measures introduced since 2012 the pupil teacher ratio applicable to fee-charging schools was increased from 19.1 to 23.1. At present, the State pays the salaries of one teacher for every 23 pupils in these schools compared with one teacher for every 19 pupils in schools in the free education scheme. A ratio of 18.25 pupils to one teacher, applies in DEIS schools.
There are currently 52 fee charging schools. Fee-charging schools can, through fees charged, employ teachers privately, an option which is not available to schools in the free education scheme. The application of the 23.1 ratio for fee-paying schools has resulted in circa 220 less teaching posts in that sector with an estimated annual saving of circa €14m.
957. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of the tendering process for the new building approved in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Galway; when it is likely a contractor will be appointed to this project; the expected date for the commencement of the building; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21624/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that new school project to which he refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b - Detailed Design. The pre-qualification of suitable contractors is now complete and the revised Stage 2b cost plan is currently being examined by my Department.
It is anticipated that the Design Team will shortly be in a position to issue tender documents to the selected contractors and subject to no issues arising construction of the new school should commence before the end of 2015.
958. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will expedite the appointment of a special needs assistant in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21628/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.
The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.
In considering applications for SNA supports for individual pupils, the SENOs take account of the pupils' needs and consider the resources available to the school to identify whether additionality is needed or whether the school might reasonably be expected to meet the needs of the pupils from its current level of resources.
Once allocated, the deployment of SNAs within schools is then a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
All schools have been asked to apply to the NCSE for SNA support for the 2015/16 school year by 18th March, 2015.
The NCSE will consider all applications for SNA support which have been made by schools and all schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, will be advised of their revised SNA allocations for the 2015/16 school year, prior to the end of the current school year.
All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
959. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the draft technological universities Bill 2014 in view of the fact that if implemented as currently drafted it will lead to a dramatic reduction in the regional provision of programmes and corresponding inequity in access to higher education and allow the Higher Education Authority and the new technological universities the right to introduce new student fees, thus further increasing inequity in the educational sector; if she agrees that ministerial intervention is urgently required now, as the heads of Bill, in their current draft, are totally unacceptable to the 180 academic and research staff in the institute of Tralee, County Kerry, and likewise to staff in other institutions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21647/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Technological Universities Bill, which is currently being drafted by the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel on the basis of the General Scheme agreed by Government in 2014, will provide that applications for Technological University status can only be made by institutes formed through the merger of two or more institutes of technology.
While merging institutes will be required to establish unified governance and management structures, they will be multi-campus entities which will continue to provide a broad range of programmes of education and training in each of their campuses. Indeed, by creating institutions of greater scale and strength, high quality multi-campus technological universities will be able to bring greater social and economic benefits to their respective regions.
The Technological University Bill, when published, will reflect technological universities' multi-campus nature and their regional focus.
As the Deputy notes, Head 69 of the General Scheme provides technological universities with the power to determine and charge fees. However, this is exactly the same power which is provided to universities under the Universities Act 1997 and the wording of Head 69 is based on the wording of the relevant provisions of that Act.
It should be noted that, while Universities have the authority under legislation to set their own fees, the Department of Education and Skills can only provide grant in lieu of tuition fee funding based on fee level increases agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and this would, therefore, also be the case for technological universities. No increases in fee levels have been approved in recent years.
With regard to the concerns of the staff of IT Tralee, good communication between the leadership of any institute of technology entering into a merger and the staff and students of that higher education institution is extremely important so that a shared vision and understanding of the new institution can be developed. That message has been conveyed by the HEA and by my Department from the outset.
960. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and her Department told the 2007 European Commission investigation into competition in the school transport scheme that the scheme was operated under contract with Bus Éireann, if she can reveal the reason her Department gave to the European Commission for the decision not to place the contract for public tender under the European Union directives on procurement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21701/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I clarified in my reply on 5th November 2014, the usage of words such as "contract" in various contexts was considered in the High Court proceedings seeking an order setting aside the arrangements between my Department and Bus Éireann for the provision of national school transport services.
Given that a Court of Appeal appeal is still pending it would be inappropriate for me to comment selectively on this aspect outside the appropriate legal forum.
961. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that a long-running school transport scheme on a County Mayo island (details supplied) is supported into the future; her views that the unique position of the islands should be acknowledged in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21705/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
Bus Éireann has advised that, to date, the number of applicants for school transport for the 2015/16 school year has fallen below the minimum number required to retain the existing service.
Families of eligible children, for whom there is no school transport service available, are eligible for the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements.
The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
962. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to lower the enrolment threshold for an administrative principal in Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools 2 in urban areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21706/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe criteria for the appointment of an administrative principal to a school, which are enrolment related, are set out in Appendix B of Circular, 0005/2015 Staffing Arrangements in Primary Schools for the 2015/16 school year and is available on the Department website. Circular 25/02 which is available on the Department website outlines the number of days that teaching principals may take as release time in a school year in order to assist them fulfilling their principal duties. Under these arrangements my Department pays for a substitute teacher to be employed by a school to facilitate administrative functions to be undertaken by the teaching principal.
I am aware of the workload issue and the pressures on Principals teachers. My Department has done work at helping to ease the administrative burden on school principals. The development and introduction of the primary online database is a significant step forward in this regard. A further step forward was the recent publication of Department Circular 0033/2015 which updates and simplifies the manner in which primary schools can maintain pupil enrolment and attendance records following the introduction of the primary online database.
Economic constraints and the moratorium on recruitment albeit alleviated to some extent for schools, have presented challenges within the education sector. They also provide an opportunity to review the role of the principal so that our principals are leaders of learning, and to reconfigure the middle management structure to support principals in their role, ensuring ownership of responsibility rather than tasks, thereby building expertise and supporting a career path within the profession.
The Department, in consultation with the representative management bodies has commenced an exploration of the opportunities to support and thereby advance our understanding of the needs of school leaders and how they might be addressed.
963. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider the allocation of an additional alleviation post in respect of a primary school (details supplied) in County Galway in view of the increase in enrolment at the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21707/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe principle of inclusion is at the core of the Report and Recommendations for a Traveller Education Strategy published in 2006 and, accordingly, the focus of both current and future provision is on the development of a more inclusive school environment. In keeping with this principle, additional resources provided in the education system are allocated on the basis of identified individual educational need rather than that of ethnic or cultural background.
Since the 2012/13 school year, all Traveller pupils who had previously been supported by Resource Teacher for Traveller (RTT) posts are now included in the enrolments which are counted for GAM allocation purposes. This is in keeping with the policy of inclusion and the 2006 report.
Limited alleviation measures were put in place to assist schools who had high concentrations of Traveller pupils, in the context of limited resources available.
The General Allocation Model (GAM), which provides additional resource teaching, learning support, and English Additional Language support for all primary schools, is now updated annually based on the number of mainstream teaching posts in each school and in order to take account of updated enrolments.
Details of the GAM allocation process, and of GAM allocations for each school for the coming 2015/16 school year, are set out in DES Circular 05/2015, which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) also allocates 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.
The NCSE has published details of the resource teaching allocations which will be made to each individual school for 2015/16 school year, on the NCSE website ncse.ie.
However, the NCSE will also have a second round allocation process to respond to late enrolments, or from diagnosed disabilities emerging after the closing date for the first allocation round, to the start of the new school year.
Schools who wish to make applications to the NCSE under the second round allocation process for additional resources to cater for children who have been assessed as having low incidence special educational needs, should submit such applications to the NCSE.
964. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for readers that were received by the National Educational Psychological Services, on the grounds of a specific learning difficulty, for the leaving certificate; the number approved and the number refused, for each of the past three years; the information submitted to the State Examinations Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21708/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS) does not receive applications under the RACE process – the SEC is responsible for the scheme and, where necessary, submits individual application files to NEPS for review and recommendation. Furthermore NEPS does not retain detailed data on the nature and outcome of the process for applications in each of their offices, save for the purposes of confirming receipt of individual files, their processing and return to the SEC. The SEC maintains a database of all RACE applications and is the only source that can provide comprehensive answer to the origins, nature and results thereof.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
965. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position and status of an application for funding in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21720/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has made contact with the school in question in relation to its accommodation needs.
The school has been advised to submit the relevant application detailing their accommodation needs. Once the application has been received, the matter can be considered further.
966. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school building project (details supplied) in County Kildare; if this will be included in the next five year plan-capital building programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21757/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the building project to host the proposed amalgamation of the schools to which he refers is at an early stage of the architectural planning process. The Pre Stage 1 meeting was held last November and the Department requested that the school address a number of points as part of the Stage 1 report. The Stage 1 report was recently received in the Department and is currently under review. Upon satisfactory completion of the Stage 1 review and subject to no further issues arising, the project will then be authorised to progress to Stage 2(a), which is the developed sketch design stage.
It is intended that school building projects in architectural planning, including this project, will be progressed to final planning stages so that they will be well placed for consideration in the context of future construction programmes.
967. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school building project (details supplied) in County Kildare; if this will be included in the next five year plan-capital building programme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21758/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school building project referred to by the Deputy is on the current 5 year construction programme announced in 2012. It is listed on the programme to proceed to tender and construction in 2015/16.
The project is at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The Pre Stage 1 meeting, was held in February 2015, and the Design Team and school authority were authorised to progress to Stage 2A, which is the developed sketch design stage. Upon successful completion of stage 2A and subject to no issues arising, this project will then be authorised to proceed to Stage 2B - Detailed Design Stage, which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and the preparation of tender documents.
968. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, figures on the number of primary and post-primary schools that have been established since 2000, including their denominational status; and the number of applications for the establishment of denominational schools that have been received by her Department in the same time period. [21774/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy in regard to the denomination of new schools established since 2000 is set out in tabular format.
The process for the award of patronage of new schools was revised in 2011. Since then, the Department identifies the requirement for a new school to meet a demographic need and conducts a patron selection process. All applicant patron bodies are invited to apply for the patronage of a proposed new school. The process has run on a number of occasions and details are published on my Department's website.
Denominational ethos of mainstream primary schools newly established for the years 2000 to 2015
|
Patron body |
Ethos |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
Cross total |
|
Educate Together Ltd |
Multi-denominational |
1 |
2 |
7 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
12 |
2 |
3 |
7 |
2 |
1 |
54 |
||
|
Multi-denominational |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
|||||||||||
|
Catholic |
1 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
11 |
||||||||||
|
An Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna Lán Ghaeilge Teo |
Inter-denominational |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
9 |
|||||||||||
|
Catholic Bishop |
Catholic |
1 |
3 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
24 |
||||||||
|
Church of Ireland Bishop |
Church of Ireland |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Joint patronage of a COI and Catholic Bishop |
Inter-denominational |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Patron of Newtown post-primary school |
Quaker |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Islamic Foundation of Ireland |
Muslim |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Lifeways Ireland Ltd |
Steiner philosophy |
2 |
1 |
3 |
||||||||||||||
|
Co Cork VEC (now Cork ETB) |
Multi-denominational |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Co. Dublin VEC ( now Dublin & Dun Laoghaire ETB) |
Multi-denominational |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
6 |
||||||||||||
|
Co Kildare VEC (now Kildare Wicklow ETB) |
Multi-denominational |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Meath VEC (now Louth Meath ETB) |
Multi-denominational |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Total |
4 |
8 |
10 |
7 |
6 |
13 |
9 |
15 |
21 |
0 |
7 |
5 |
14 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
123 |
Notes:
In 2008, a moratorium was announced on the establishment of new primary schools, with the exception of new schools required in rapidly developing areas. This was to allow time to review the process for establishing primary schools.
In 2009, no new mainstream schools were established.
In 2011, new procedures were adopted for the recognition and establishment of new primary and post-primary schools.
Denominational ethos of new mainstream post-primary schools established for the years 2000 to 2014
|
School Type |
Ethos |
2000 |
2001 |
2002 |
2003 |
2004 |
2005 |
2006 |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
Cross total |
|
Voluntary Secondary |
Inter-denominational |
1 |
1 |
||||||||||||||
|
Catholic |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
|||||||||||||
|
Church of Ireland |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Multi-denominational |
3 |
3 |
|||||||||||||||
|
ETB School |
Inter-denominational |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
14 |
||||||
|
Multi-denominational |
1 |
2 |
4 |
5 |
12 |
||||||||||||
|
Community School |
Inter-denominational |
1 |
1 |
||||||||||||||
|
Multi-denominational |
1 |
1 |
|||||||||||||||
|
Total |
5 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
4 |
11 |
36 |
Notes:
This table outlines details of the denominational ethos of post-primary schools which were established afresh (not from amalgamation in the period 2000 to 2014.
In 2011, new procedures were adopted for the recognition and establishment of new primary and post-primary schools.
969. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated with a temporary English language teacher as an additional language teacher; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21835/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 appeal criteria are set out in Circular 0005/2015. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal under the EAL criterion to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The appeal was refused on the basis that the grounds of the appeal did not warrant the allocation of an EAL post under Circular 0005/2015.
The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
970. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on correspondence regarding a non-denominational school in the Dublin Bay North area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21853/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, in February of this year, I announced that 7 new primary schools will be opening in 2015 and 2016 to meet demographic demands. This announcement included a new school for the Drumcondra Marino area, which is within the Dublin Bay North area, although not specifically the area referred to by the Deputy. A patronage determination process is expected to take place before the end of this year to establish who will be awarded patronage of this school, and any applicant patron must show evidence of parental demand from within the area for the school type they propose. It will be open to all patrons to apply to run this school, including patrons proposing a non-denominational ethos.
My Department currently has no plans to open an additional primary school in the postcode area referred to by the Deputy as there is no current demographic requirement. It should be noted that my Department continues to review demographic data on an ongoing basis to determine where new primary schools will be needed from 2016 onwards. All areas, including the area referred to by the Deputy, are included in this review. Increase in the birth rate since the early 2000s has caused a population boom and this is putting major pressure on school accommodation. For this reason the Department's capital budget for building new schools has to prioritise meeting demographic need in order to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place.
971. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether it is unjust that victims of institutional abuse, who had previously been eligible for services under the Education Finance Board, are now excluded from Caranua solely because they were not aware they were eligible to apply to the Residential Institutions Redress Board; that her Department has arbitrarily redefined the meaning of the term "survivor of abuse" as a person who obtained compensation under a relevant scheme; and her plans to end this injustice and ensure equality of treatment for all survivors of abuse in industrial institutions. [21883/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 provides that those former residents who received awards from the Residential Institutions Redress Board or equivalent Court awards or settlements are eligible to apply to Caranua. This approach was taken having regard to the maximum funds available of €110 million and a potential pool of some 15,000 applicants.
As the Deputy will be aware, a commitment was given during the passage of the 2012 Act to review the operation of the Fund two years after its establishment in the event of applications not resulting in a significant expenditure of the Fund. Following its establishment in March 2013, Caranua began to accept applications in January 2014. Accordingly it would be my intention to consider the question of a review of the operation of the Fund later this year by which time a clearer picture should have emerged regarding the uptake of the funding available.
972. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to review the current eligible services which survivors of institutional abuse may currently apply for through Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, such as funeral and burial services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21905/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 8 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act, 2012 sets out the classes of services from which approved services can be determined by Caranua. In accordance with section 8(3), I can prescribe additional classes of service following a recommendation of the Board of Caranua or following consultation with it. Any such regulations require a positive motion of both Houses of the Oireachtas.
Caranua raised the issue of expanding the classes of approved service to include additional services, such as funerals, with me last year. In accordance with the Act, when making such recommendations, Caranua shall have regard to the likely effect of the provision of the service on the health and general well-being; the personal and social development; the educational development or the living conditions of former residents as well as the need for minimum standards to be met by approved service providers.
I have requested Caranua to set out the case for the proposed expansion of approved service classes in accordance with the Act and I will consider the matter further on receipt of its response.
973. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No.159 of 28 May 2015, the criteria that were used for the application of derogations with regard to professional development services for teachers' secondees; if she will provide details of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21906/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is Department policy to apply alleviations to meet the business needs of each of the support services, for example, to provide for continuity in management, planning and leadership and retention of expertise.
The nature of the CPD provision and the phase of delivery in respect of each individual support service have been taken into account.
This policy has been applied to PDST and while circumstances will vary across services, my Department's overall priority is to ensure continuity of professional development support for teachers and schools within the available resources.
974. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of students receiving maintenance grants under the third level student grant scheme at each individual adjacent and non-adjacent rate, for example, the number of students in receipt of a special rate, full maintenance, part maintenance, 75%, and so on, for each of the years from 2012 to 2014, inclusive. [21909/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. The information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is collated.
