Written Answers Nos. 512-535
512. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has considered evidence from the Institute of Guidance Counsellors, the Economic and Social Research Institute, the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, the Teachers Union of Ireland and the joint managerial body on the impact of the cutbacks in guidance counselling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25891/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra513. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the percentage reduction in times for one-to-one counselling; the number of non-guidance staff who are carrying out guidance counselling functions in schools in counties Louth and Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25892/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra514. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether one-to-one time allocation in guidance counselling is fundamental in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25893/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra515. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on making it mandatory that career guidance counsellors form part of staffing for post-primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25894/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra516. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether her Department is meeting its obligation under the Education Act 1998 with regard to guidance counsellor provision; if additional resources will be allocated in the upcoming budget for guidance counselling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25895/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra517. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has examined in detail the role played by guidance teachers and counsellors who are employed in schools to provide assistance for pupils regarding their personal health and mental health issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25896/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra518. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures that will be taken to reverse the deterioration of guidance counselling services in schools; if her Department has engaged with service providers who have noted the negative impact it has had; her plans to address this issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25897/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra519. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools of which she is aware in counties Louth and Meath that are unable to provide sufficient guidance counselling services from within their current teaching allocations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25898/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra520. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of career guidance teachers in counties Louth and Meath working in each of the secondary schools and post-leaving certificate colleges; the number of students in each college; the number five years ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25899/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra521. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of career guidance teachers working in each of the secondary schools and post-leaving certificate colleges; the number of students in each college; the number five years ago; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25900/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra522. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reinstating the previous policy on the allocation of guidance counsellors to schools, on a basis of one per 500 students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25901/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 512 to 522, inclusive, together.
Up until September 2012, an ex-quota allocation was provided for guidance in addition to the standard teacher allocation to post primary schools. This resource was allocated in accordance with pupil enrolment. 42% of second-level schools at the time were allocated at least 22 hours per week in respect of guidance (22 hours being the equivalent of one teaching post) while the remainder of the schools were allocated between 8 and 17 hours of guidance per week. 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 and therefore the information requested by the Deputy on the current position is not available centrally within my Department. The Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations. I am aware of the surveys and research referred to by the Deputy. In any survey or research it is important that it also reflects a school management perspective or encompass the role of other teachers in schools given that guidance provision is a whole school activity.
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. 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. Wellbeing 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. I would also like to point out that I have repeatedly argued that improvements to the staffing and funding of our schools must be a priority as the economic recovery takes hold. The last Budget included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60m during 2015.
I am determined that education should be prioritised for investment as our economy recovers and I will be seeking to agree a set of priorities for such increased investment into the future.
523. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 746 of 16 June 2015, if a full explanation will be provided as to the reason there has been a reduction of special needs assistant hours in respect of the child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25911/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that 11,330 whole time equivalent Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts have been made available to the NCSE to allocate to schools to end of the current school year. This is the highest number of SNAs that we have ever had and it has ensured that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs. This year, the NCSE requested all schools to submit applications for SNA support by mid March 2015. Following this deadline each application had to be assessed by the NCSE before they were in a position to advise the Minister on the quantum of SNAs that would need to be allocated to schools for the coming school year. The final advice on this was received last week, and the Minister will be seeking to confirm allocations to schools over the next ten days. The criteria whereby SNA allocations are made to schools by the NCSE is set out in my Departments Circular 30/2014. This Circular makes clear that it is important that children with special educational needs are given an opportunity to develop independent living skills, and accordingly, as the care needs that children may have decline as they mature, SNA allocations may also reduce. It should also be noted that SNA allocations are not made to individual children, but are made to schools to support the care needs of children with assessed special educational needs. 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. As this question relates to an allocation for an individual child, I will arrange to have the matter referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
524. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine the case of a child (details supplied) in Dublin 3 who has been on a school waiting list since birth, who is living in the school catchment area, who has an older sibling in the school and who apparently meets all the usual criteria for admission to a primary school but whose parents are now told there is no place for the child this year as the school is over-booked; if her Department controls or has an input into these admission policies and the operation of same; if the school has advised of its over-booking this year; if this has been a feature for a number of years; if so, the action that has been taken to resolve the issue; the average age of children starting school currently; the number of children aged four years and seven months certified by health nurses and Montessori teachers as being ready for school who were refused admission this year or other years; her Department’s involvement in the operation of policies and selection of children; if there is any oversight of policies by her Department, as some parents express doubts as to whether policies are being fairly administered; the action that will be taken to have this child admitted to the school of the parents' choice, given that the child's name has been on the list since birth and all the normal criteria have been met; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25937/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. This Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. 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. The 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. The EWS can be contacted at 01-8738700. I published the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill in early April. The Bill is on the Government's legislative programme for enactment in this session. The Bill provides an over-arching framework to ensure that how schools decide on who is enrolled and who is refused a place in schools is more structured, fair and transparent.
525. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding trades; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25944/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority, has statutory responsibility for the Apprenticeship system in Ireland. The Apprenticeship system is employer led and the number of craft apprentices registered with SOLAS is determined by individual employers recruiting potential apprentices within a broad range of occupational sectors. At the end of 2014, apprentice registrations to the existing 27 trades were up 40% on the same point in 2013. The trend is continuing this year and the most recent apprenticeship forecasts anticipate that these growth trends will continue generally until 2018. Education and Training Board Training Advisers visit schools and attend career fairs to promote this avenue of learning to students. On a regular basis they visit schools and talk with young people on what is involved and the benefits of becoming a qualified craftsperson and they are also are available to meet with Career Guidance Counsellors. It should also be noted that as part of the Government's Action Plan for Jobs initiative in 2013, an independent group was established to carry out a review of the Irish Apprenticeship system to determine whether the current model should be retained, adapted or replaced. The subsequent report of the Review Group made a wide number of recommendations regarding the reform of existing apprenticeships and the extension of the apprenticeship model into new enterprise areas. An Apprenticeship Implementation Plan was published in June 2014 in that regard. A new industry-led Apprenticeship Council was appointed in November 2014 and is made up of a wide variety of stakeholders. In January 2015, the Apprenticeship Council formally invited proposals for new apprenticeship programmes from consortia of enterprise, professional bodies and education and training providers.
Over 80 separate proposals were received by the deadline. The proposals have been assessed by the Apprenticeship Council against a range of sustainability and deliverability criteria and recommendations are being submitted to me this week. It is expected that this process will result in a number of new apprenticeships becoming available, which will further enhance the opportunities available in this important area of work based learning.
526. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department will advertise the vacancies created by retirements in the visiting teacher service for deaf, blind and visually impaired children; the reason for the delay in advertising these posts given that the positions have been vacant for over a month; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25951/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 10th February 2015, the establishment of a new Inclusion Support Service within the National Council for Special Education was announced to assist schools in supporting children with special education needs. The service will include the Special Education Support Service (SESS), the National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) and the Visiting Teacher Service for children who are deaf/hard of hearing and for children who are blind/visually impaired (VTHVI service). This change will mean that schools will receive a better and more integrated service from this new Inclusion Support Service. It is intended that the Inclusion Support Service will be operational from the beginning of the coming school year. It is also intended, however, that the existing services will continue as normal as the new arrangements are put in place, with as little disruption as possible to service users, as progress is made to transfer these services to the NCSE. Considerations with regard to the full staffing implications which may arise from the amalgamation of these bodies and the incorporation of the new Inclusion Support Service within the existing NCSE operational structures, are ongoing, and will be established during the course of the integration of the services. Consideration regarding new recruitments, and the filling of any vacancies will form part of this process. It is intended to ensure, however, that a fully comprehensive service will continue to be in place from the coming September, and for the new school year.
527. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form for the 2015-16 school year, the allocation of mainstream classroom teachers, special needs assistants, any other teaching staff resources and the teacher-pupil ratio for each class in third, fourth, fifth and sixth class for every senior school in Dublin 22. [25954/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to schools. The most recent published information relates to the 2013/2014 school year. Data in relation to the 2014/15 school year will be published later this week. The staffing and redeployment process for the 2015/16 school year is underway in my Department. The final staffing position for all schools will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and appeals to the remaining meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board will have been considered.
528. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to deal with class teaching resources for schools where the class pupil numbers range from 30 to 34 and 35 to 39; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25957/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The primary staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes. The Staffing Schedule includes the provision where schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. This process includes a provision in which schools that are not gaining an additional teaching post under the developing schools criterion can submit an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. This appeal criterion is targeted at those schools that make a significant contribution to the provision of school places and so assist the response to demographic growth within their area and, as a result, are under significant pressure on their class sizes at infants level. My focus in Budget 2015 was on obtaining the additional funding that was necessary to provide for demographic growth. The last Budget included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60m during 2015. This funding will be used to provide 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs for our schools, as well as to fund prioritised reforms, such as implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy, reform of junior cycle, and the introduction of education focused pre-school inspections. The Government's approach to restoring the economy has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth over a sustained period that will enable us to move to a point where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about further improvement in PTR, class size and support for classroom teachers. The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.
529. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 736 of 16 June 2015, the reason the general allocation model and English as an additional language arrangements for the 2015-16 school year are not based on a school's mainstream classroom posts for the 2015-16 year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25961/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince September 2012 the combined resources available for learning support (General Allocation Model at Primary) and language support have been merged into a single simplified allocation process. In order to manage the arrangements at national level and to do so in a manner that fits with the redeployment arrangements it is necessary for the GAM/EAL allocation to each primary school to be based on a school's mainstream classroom posts for the 2014/15 school year. This new system is more up to date than the original GAM model which was not updated to reflect changes in enrolments for most schools in nearly a decade.
Circular 0005/2015 lists the GAM/EAL allocation for all schools. Where schools do not have sufficient GAM/EAL hours to create a full-time post, a process is in place for such schools to enter into cluster arrangements with neighbouring schools. Schools have autonomy on how to deploy the resource between language support and learning support depending on their specific needs.
530. Deputy Eamon Gilmore asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of development works at a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26014/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school in question is included, along with five others, in the Schools PPP Bundle 5 programme which is currently at tender stage. Planning permission has been sought from Wicklow County Council for the development of the site in question. Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has refused planning permission for an access road into the site. However, my Department is considering its options with a view to resolving the issues raised by this refusal. It has engaged with the key stakeholders in this respect and has also lodged an appeal of the decision to An Bord Pleanala.
531. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in determining an application for additional funding to link the new extension to the existing school building in the case of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare, with particular reference to the ongoing health and safety concerns in this instance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26043/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that additional funding has been approved for the school in question and the school authority has been informed.
532. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for a new school (details supplied) in County Mayo; when she expects the project to be funded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26049/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project referred to by the Deputy is currently at the Design Team appointment Stage. Upon completion of the appointment of the Design Team, my Department Officials will be in direct contact with the Board of Management to commence Stage 1 of Architectural Planning, which is the initial sketch design stage. It is not possible to progress all projects within the Department's building programme to construction concurrently due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget. However, School building projects, including the project for this school, which have been initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to my Department in the future.
533. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will re-examine the current criteria, as outlined under her Department's primary school transport scheme with regard to rural areas, in particular the parameters which state that there must be a minimum number of ten eligible children residing in a distinct locality and the definition of a distinct locality, which is described as a cluster of eligible children, both of which indicate accommodation of urban communities as opposed to rural; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26062/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraChanges to school transport services were announced in the 2011 Budget and derived from recommendations made in the Value for Money Review of the scheme. These changes included the requirement that a minimum of 10 eligible children, residing in a distinct locality, would be required to retain or establish a school transport service from the commencement of the 2011/12 school year.
For school bus operating purposes a "distinct locality" is a cluster of eligible children who reside in the same general area, in the same general direction from the school attended, as determined by Bus Éireann taking cognisance of the local road network. I am satisfied that this definition is commonly understood and is implemented in a fair and transparent manner; any consideration to reduce the minimum number criterion of ten eligible children would impact on operating costs. A child who is eligible for school transport but for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within prescribed time limits, receives a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements.
534. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will justify the fact that school secretaries in secondary schools are not employed directly by her Department but are paid for from capitation grants and therefore are not paid during summer holidays; and her plans to change this situation. [26063/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra535. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will justify the reason some school secretaries are employed and paid for by her Department, receive sick leave benefits, incremental salary and a pension, while others are employed from an ancillary grant, meaning that they do not have the same job security, are paid lower rates and receive no pension, sick pay or public service status; and her plans to rectify this. [26064/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 534 and 535 together. Schemes were initiated in 1978 and 1979 for the employment of Clerical Officers and Caretakers in primary and secondary schools. While a small number of these staff remain in schools, the schemes are being phased out and have been superseded by a more extensive grant scheme. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme now receive capitation grant assistance to provide for secretarial (and/or caretaking) services. Within the capitation grant schemes, it is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs and the Department does not stipulate how secretarial services are to be obtained. Where a school uses the grant funding to employ a secretary, such staff are employees of individual schools. My Department therefore does not have any role in determining the pay and conditions under which they are engaged. These are matters to be agreed between the staff concerned and the school authorities. Notwithstanding the above, a forum was established under the Towards 2016 Agreement involving my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, IMPACT and SIPTU to examine the factual position in schools regarding the terms and conditions of employment of secretaries (and caretakers) employed using grant funding. However, it was not possible to progress the forum's agenda beyond the initial fact finding survey, due to the State's budgetary and financial position. The forum's recent priority has been to consider appropriate measures in relation to the rates of pay of school secretaries and caretakers in the event that a review of the Public Service Agreements recommended changes to the benefit of those public servants earning €35,000 or less per annum. It was recently agreed that my Department would engage with the union side in relation to issues around school secretaries (and caretakers). If agreement cannot be reached, the parties have agreed to enter an arbitration process on their pay, to be conducted by the Labour Relations Commission.
