Written Answers Nos. 557-578
557. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills the communication she has had with an association (details supplied) in County Limerick regarding the installation of covert closed-circuit television cameras within a school; her views on whether this conduct is acceptable; the actions she proposes to take; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26277/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am aware of the matter referred to by the Deputy. It is not the policy of my Department to comment on individual cases. The general position is that the Board of Management is responsible for the management of the school. Any queries or complaints in relation to how individual issues are being managed by a school should therefore be addressed to the Board of Management. In relation to the use of CCTV/surveillance cameras, all schools are subject to the Data Protection Acts and must ensure that any use of such equipment is carried out in compliance with these Acts.
Concerns in relation to whether an organisation including a school, is meeting its data protection obligations can also be raised with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner.
558. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24; when she expects the board of management to be established; if a start date for building works has been established; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26278/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraPatronage of the new school, to which the Deputy refers, was granted to the Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board. The intended date for the school's first intake of pupils is the commencement of the school year 2016/17. The ETB, as Patron, will put the necessary management structures in place commensurate with this date. The Design Team on the Major Building Project has recently completed Stage 2a and has been authorised to progress to Stage 2b, which includes the application for planning permission and other statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. Following the completion of Stage 2b the project will then be authorised to proceed to tender and construction stages.
The project is included in my Department's five year building programme to proceed to Tender and Construction in 2015/16.
559. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the development of a proposed new school building (details supplied) in Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26279/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the letter of acceptance appointing the building contractor issued on 17 June 2015 which commenced the school building contract. The Contractor is expected to start on site in the coming days and the new school building is expected to be completed and ready for occupation before the start of the school year 2016/17.
560. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the employment of special needs assistants and timing of the school term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26287/15]
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.
561. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 557 of 23 June 2015, requesting information on the number of teachers in the primary school sector teaching in multigrade settings with classes containing three, four, five or more grades, the reason this information is not available; the information held by her Department on the number of multigrade classes; the reason this information is not collated centrally for educational planning purposes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26288/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not have the information in the format requested by the Deputy in PQ 24961 of 23 June 2015. However my Department does have the following information. Data on the number of classes that have 3, 4 or 5 or more grades and associated number of pupils are given in table A. Data on the number of schools classified by teacher size are given in table B. The data show that in the 2014/2015 academic year there were 39,448 pupils in 2,012 classes with 3 or more grades. The data also show that there were 26 one teacher-schools in 2014/2015. This refers to total teacher size of the school.
Table A: Number of National School Classes that are Multigrade Classes containing 3 or more Grades
Refers to Mainstream Classes Only 2014/2015
|
No of Pupils |
No of Classes |
|
|
Classes with 3 grades |
23,559 |
1,095 |
|
Classes with 4 grades |
15,316 |
876 |
|
Classes with 5 or more grades |
573 |
41 |
|
Total |
39,448 |
2,012 |
TABLE B— Number of pupils, schools and teachers by Total Teacher-Size of school (mainstream classes only), 2014/2015
|
- |
- |
- |
Full time Equivalent |
- |
- |
Other Part-time |
- |
|
- |
- |
- |
Teaching Teachers |
- |
- |
Teachers |
- |
|
Total Teacher Size of School |
Schools |
Pupils |
Non-Teaching Principals |
Other Full-time Teachers |
(full-time equivalent) |
Total Teachers |
|
|
1 |
26 |
245 |
26 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
26.0 |
|
1.5 |
3 |
29 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
1.5 |
4.5 |
|
2 |
378 |
11,658 |
749 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
756.0 |
|
2.5 |
36 |
1,203 |
72 |
0 |
0 |
18.0 |
90.0 |
|
3 |
178 |
7,830 |
410 |
1 |
117 |
6.0 |
534.0 |
|
3.5 |
35 |
1,994 |
93 |
0 |
11 |
18.5 |
122.5 |
|
4 |
219 |
14,303 |
645 |
2 |
220 |
9.0 |
876.0 |
|
4.5 |
60 |
4,171 |
188 |
0 |
49 |
33.0 |
270.0 |
|
5 |
259 |
21,744 |
926 |
1 |
359 |
9.0 |
1,295.0 |
|
5.5 |
65 |
6,301 |
254 |
2 |
65 |
36.5 |
357.5 |
|
6 |
230 |
23,748 |
972 |
5 |
397 |
6.0 |
1,380.0 |
|
6.5 |
45 |
5,440 |
214 |
1 |
54 |
23.5 |
292.5 |
|
7 |
155 |
19,554 |
778 |
6 |
296 |
5.0 |
1,085.0 |
|
7.5 |
22 |
3,031 |
120 |
0 |
34 |
11.0 |
165.0 |
|
8 |
111 |
15,783 |
623 |
14 |
248 |
3.0 |
888.0 |
|
8.5 |
12 |
1,829 |
73 |
2 |
21 |
6.0 |
102.0 |
|
9 |
57 |
8,913 |
354 |
23 |
129 |
7.0 |
513.0 |
|
9.5 |
8 |
1,208 |
50 |
4 |
18 |
4.0 |
76.0 |
|
10 |
87 |
15,239 |
593 |
77 |
194 |
6.0 |
870.0 |
|
10.5 |
17 |
3,138 |
122 |
16 |
32 |
8.5 |
178.5 |
|
11 |
90 |
17,424 |
675 |
89 |
215 |
11.0 |
990.0 |
|
11.5 |
23 |
4,570 |
178 |
23 |
49 |
14.5 |
264.5 |
|
12 |
95 |
19,773 |
748 |
96 |
287 |
9.0 |
1,140.0 |
|
12.5 |
23 |
4,960 |
191 |
22 |
63 |
11.5 |
287.5 |
|
13 |
88 |
19,010 |
740 |
88 |
312 |
4.0 |
1,144.0 |
|
13.5 |
16 |
3,435 |
135 |
16 |
56 |
9.0 |
216.0 |
|
14 |
74 |
17,678 |
675 |
74 |
286 |
1.0 |
1,036.0 |
|
14.5 |
28 |
7,061 |
262 |
28 |
102 |
14.0 |
406.0 |
|
15 |
51 |
13,078 |
508 |
51 |
204 |
2.0 |
765.0 |
|
15.5 |
20 |
5,246 |
205 |
20 |
74 |
11.0 |
310.0 |
|
16 |
57 |
15,384 |
607 |
58 |
245 |
2.0 |
912.0 |
|
16.5 |
8 |
2,069 |
83 |
8 |
35 |
6.0 |
132.0 |
|
17 |
51 |
14,155 |
565 |
52 |
249 |
1.0 |
867.0 |
|
17.5 |
9 |
2,604 |
105 |
9 |
39 |
4.5 |
157.5 |
|
18 |
44 |
13,616 |
548 |
44 |
198 |
2.0 |
792.0 |
|
18.5 |
6 |
1,936 |
75 |
6 |
27 |
3.0 |
111.0 |
|
19 |
34 |
10,890 |
427 |
34 |
184 |
1.0 |
646.0 |
|
19.5 |
7 |
2,570 |
101 |
7 |
25 |
3.5 |
136.5 |
|
20 and over |
410 |
190,111 |
7,326 |
466 |
2,970 |
78.5 |
10,840.5 |
|
TOTAL |
3,137 |
532,931 |
21,419 |
1,345 |
7,871 |
400 |
31,035 |
Non-teaching Principals are defined as Principals who are not classroom teachers but who may teach for a limited period each week.
Source: National School Annual Census
562. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 519 of 23 June 2015 requesting information on the number of schools currently without guidance provision, her views on whether it is considered best practice under the current delivering equality of opportunity in schools policy to allow schools to provide no guidance counselling hours for their students; the current guidelines operating under this policy; and if she will direct her Department to collate this information centrally. [26289/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra563. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of guidance counsellors employed within the secondary school system. [26290/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 562 and 563 together.
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.
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.
564. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of English teachers employed within the secondary school system. [26291/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Teaching Council is the regulator and standards body for the teaching profession. One of the primary functions of the Council is to maintain the register of teachers for the State. The number of teachers of English registered under Regulation 4 (Post primary) of the Teaching Council Registration Regulations is 10,042. The Deputy should note that these teachers may be employed as teachers of subjects other than English or may indeed not be employed as teachers at the current time.
565. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to introduce a cardiopulmonary resuscitation, CPR, and defibrillator training module to the transition year module; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26293/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Social Personal and Health Education curriculum, which is currently mandatory for junior cycle students, is focused on promoting the health and well-being of our young people, helping them to create and maintain supportive relationships and to become active responsible citizens in society. The curriculum deals with issues such as making decisions, developing self confidence, growing and changing and personal safety. For those schools that provide the Transition Year programme, they continue and expand on their students education, including providing greater awareness of their wellbeing and of how to assist themselves and their peers. Schools are encouraged to engage actively with community groups and a wide range of stakeholders to provide for extra curricular learning opportunities. Many schools invite organisations such as the Red Cross or the Order of Malta to provide some first aid training, or to give talks to students.
Within Transition Year, which is taken by 50% of students, a flexible menu of learning modules can be provided by schools within the context of a framework for the programme set out by the Department of Education and Skills. As part of this, it is open to schools to provide first aid training if they wish to do so. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment has also developed a template descriptor for Transition Units which can be used by organisations and agencies developing inputs for the programme.
566. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application made by a school (details supplied) in County Waterford for funding for upgrading its school buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26314/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy recently applied to my Department for capital funding for additional and improved accommodation. The application will be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority subsequently.
567. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a final response will issue to correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26318/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA response has been issued to the Deputy.
568. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department will issue a decision on an application for additional accommodation at a primary school (details supplied) in west Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26335/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department recently approved a grant for conversion works to the school concerned to create additional classroom accommodation. The school has been advised accordingly.
569. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a child (details supplied) in County Dublin who is severely visually impaired and registered blind is being refused entitlement to a full-time special needs assistant for the school day, as guaranteed in section 11 of Circular 0030/2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26352/15]
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 Department's 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.
570. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the oversight arrangements in place in her Department relative to the funds being administered by Caranua; if her Department insists on a monthly report on the operations of the organisation; the number employed by Caranua; the cost of administration of Caranua for each year since its establishment; the level of financial assistance granted in each year since its establishment; the number of cases funded; the number of cases refused; the number of appeals lodged; the outcome of same; and if she is satisfied with the performance of Caranua. [26361/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCaranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. To date a total of €81.77 million, including €80.388m in contributions and €1.382m in associated interest has been lodged to the special Investment Account managed by the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA) for the Fund in accordance with section 29 of the Residential Institution Statutory Act, 2012. Responsibility for the management and investment of the funds available to Caranua rests with the NTMA in accordance with the 2012 Act.
My Department has a Performance Delivery Agreement (PDA) with Caranua, which was updated in April 2015. Caranua has undertaken to provide my Department with agreed monthly statistical information, quarterly financial information and quarterly reports on its achievement of its performance targets. In relation to the monthly statistical reports, Caranua is currently reviewing its reporting systems and is expected to finalise the format of its monthly reports shortly.
Caranua provides updates on its website (www.caranua.ie) in regard to the number of applications received and related matters. The most recent update shows that by end April 2015, Caranua had made payments of €19.5m to 1,783 applicants. Decisions made by Caranua can be appealed to the independent Appeals Officer appointed under section 21 of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act, 2012. I understand that to date a total of 74 appeals have been received by the Appeals Officer.
The authorised staffing complement for Caranua is 10 posts, 7 of which posts are currently filled. In addition, Caranua is utilising the services of an employment agency to provide 14 temporary staff to assist in processing the backlog of applications. Caranua's 2013 Financial Statements covering the period 25th March to 31st December have recently been laid before each House of the Oireachtas. These show administration expenses for the period of €0.388m. I understand also that the provisional unaudited administrative costs associated with the running of Caranua in 2014 amounted to some €1.2m. Finally, I would mention that Caranua has commissioned an external consultancy firm to review its structures, processes and systems. I expect to receive a copy of this report and Caranua's views thereon in the near future.
571. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide clear guidelines for grant authorities dealing with higher education grants, which would permit an applicant for a grant adding evidence of estrangement or independence to benefit from a local community officer or social welfare officer making declarations for the purpose of the Student Universal Support Ireland process, which could satisfy the criteria of independence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26364/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor 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.
When considering whether a student meets the conditions to be assessed independently of his or her parents, grant awarding authorities are obliged to satisfy themselves beyond doubt that an acceptable degree of proof of independent living in the relevant period has been submitted by the grant applicant. 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. The assessment of a case of estrangement is carefully considered to ensure there is sufficient evidence to demonstrate that the exceptional circumstances pertaining in such cases genuinely exists. The type of evidence required is dependent on the applicant's individual circumstances.
It is difficult to legislate for all possible scenarios that can lead to genuine estrangement cases. Setting out guidelines as to how students can demonstrate estrangement will by their very nature, restrict the assessment of estrangement cases to those that fall within these guidelines. Such restrictions may not be in the best interest of students genuinely in this situation.
I have no plans to change the current arrangements.
572. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills in the context of adjacency rate measurements for the purpose of Higher Education Grants, if she will change the 45 kilometre requirement to travel distance rather than the geographical distance, as the crow flies, which does not work in rural Ireland; if she will consider a rural exemption from the 45 kilometre rule or a reversion to the old rate of 24 kilometres for rural colleges with no proven or little transport links; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26365/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current qualifying distance of 45km for the higher non-adjacent rate of student grant, takes into account a reasonable radius within which students may commute on a daily basis. The measurement of the distances relating to the award of adjacent or non-adjacent rates of student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority. The distance measurement for student grant rates is governed by Article 27(3)(a) and (b) of the Student Grant Scheme 2015. This provides that the relevant distance will be measured in line with agreed guidelines.
The guidelines require that the shortest most direct route between the applicant's normal residence and the institution being attended should apply. In determining the shortest most direct route, the relevant awarding authority shall establish:
- the method for measuring a route;
- the factors to be taken into account in establishing and measuring a route.
The awarding authority's criteria for measuring a route must be accessible, particularly to the applicant, the appeals officer and the Student Grants Appeals Board. I have no plans to change the current arrangements.
573. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills when notifications in respect of the allocation of special needs assistants will issue for the 2015-16 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26376/15]
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.
574. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which education continues to meet the educational and training requirements of the workplace; the extent to which discussion is ongoing to provide for this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26397/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has a number of strategies and initiatives in place to ensure that education and training meets the skills requirements of the workplace. SOLAS, with the assistance of relevant experts such as the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), employers and local and national organisations, have published a five year strategy for the further education and training sector which provides us with a strategic roadmap for this crucial element of the education and training system. The strategy includes a vision of a flexible, quality-driven, labour market-relevant, integrated and responsive sector that supports learner progression, transitions into employment and personal development. The Higher Education system is equally being transformed through structural change arising from the Higher Education strategy.
The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), which is funded by my Department, advises the Government on current and future skills needs of the economy. It has a central role in ensuring that labour market needs for skilled workers are anticipated and met. The expert group's membership is broad and specifically includes representation from enterprise. Its research provides an input to the development of course curricula and informs the selection of new targeted programmes designed to tackle the skills shortages in particular elements of the economy, such as Momentum, Springboard and the ICT skills conversion programme.
As part of the Action Plan for Jobs 2015, my Department has committed to review the National Skills Strategy. The review will provide an opportunity to determine the volume, type and mix of skills required to meet the Government's goal of full employment by 2018 and the challenges to be addressed to achieve this.
Direct engagement between employers and education and training providers is also critical to ensuring that programmes are aligned to changing skills needs. As well as the actions that are being implemented across the education and training system as part of the Further Education and Training and Higher Education reform programmes to enhance links with enterprise and prepare learners for the different roles they will have over their working lives work is also underway in the context of the Skills Strategy review to develop the regional and national infrastructure for engagement between education providers, employers and other enterprise stakeholders, in communicating and addressing skills needs.
575. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which provision is ongoing to reduce class sizes and to improve pupil-teacher ratios in 2016; if specific targets are being set; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26398/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra581. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which provision is ongoing to reduce class sizes and to improve pupil-teacher ratios in 2016, with particular reference to County Kildare; if specific targets are being set in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26404/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 575 and 581 together.
Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. At primary level, it currently operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools.
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 focussed pre-school inspections. The improvements in the Primary Staffing Schedule for small schools which I announced in February last are the only changes that I will be making to the staffing arrangements for schools for the 2015/16 school year.
The staffing process for the 2016/17 school year at individual school level will be initiated early in 2016. It is not possible at this stage to advise on the staffing arrangements for the 2016/17 school year.
576. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of special needs teachers currently available at primary and secondary level; the extent to which this may be augmented on foot of already documented requirements, as set out by the various school authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26399/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra577. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of special needs assistants currently available at primary and secondary level; the extent to which it is expected to augment these numbers in line with submitted requests from school authorities in the course of the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26400/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 576 and 577 together.
There are now more additional special needs teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) supporting children with special educational needs in our schools than at any time previously. The NCSE allocated 6,454 resource teacher posts to schools for September 2015, which is an increase of 554 posts - or 9.4% - since September 2014.
An additional 149 special classes will open in September which brings to over 1,000, the number of special classes in mainstream schools and represents a 17% increase over the 2014/15 number of special classes. In addition, 11,330 SNA posts, an increase of 365 posts, or over 3%, are available to the NCSE to allocate to the end of the current school year. This is the highest level of special needs teachers and SNA support that we have ever had, and will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs.
My Department is currently considering SNA requirements for the coming school year and expects to be in a position to authorise the NCSE to announce the allocations in the near future.
578. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of deficient or prefabricated school buildings replaced by her Department for primary and secondary schools in the past five years; the degree to which she expects to continue this programme in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26401/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra584. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of deficient or prefabricated school buildings replaced by her Department for primary and second level schools in the past five years throughout County Kildare; the degree to which she expects to continue this programme in 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26407/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 578 and 584 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is not available in the format requested however, a total of 93 new primary schools and 36 new post-primary schools were completed over the five year period 2010 to 2014. Of these, 8 primary schools and 1 post primary school were in County Kildare. For the immediate future the Deputy will be aware from the school building programme announcement last December, that there is a total of 196 large scale projects either at construction or with approval to advance to construction. These large scale projects include 91 new primary and 29 new post primary schools.
Under my Department's Prefab Replacement Initiatives 2012 and 2013 approval was given to 217 schools (209 primary and 8 post-primary) to replace 614 prefab units with permanent accommodation. In excess of €57m has been allocated to these initiatives. 7 primary schools in Co. Kildare were allocated funding to replace 28 prefab classrooms with permanent buildings.
