Written Answers No. 228-239
228. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for an extension for a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if the project will be expedited as the school caters for 74 children with a range of special needs and autism. [33791/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy recently made an application to my Department for capital funding for the provision of additional accommodation. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.
229. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the process in place for considering applications from teachers who wish to transfer within the Vocational Education Committee sector from county to county; her views on whether the process is fair and efficient; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33799/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has no direct involvement in the deployment of teachers within individual Education and Training Boards (ETBs). Teacher allocations to all ETBs are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment and, in accordance with these rules, each ETB is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation.
Each ETB operates its own internal redeployment system annually in accordance with the need of the schools within the ETB. The deployment of teaching staff, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are a matter for the individual ETBs.
The current redeployment arrangements at post-primary level apply to schools and ETBs that have a surplus of permanent and/or CID holding teachers.
In addition as part of the 2015 post primary redeployment process, all permanent teachers in the Munster region were given an opportunity to volunteer for a transfer to other areas if such a transfer would free up a vacancy that would facilitate the redeployment of a surplus permanent teacher in that area.
This arrangement operated on a pilot basis for 2015. My Department has no plans to introduce a separate voluntary redeployment scheme.
230. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the provision of an extension to Lucan Community College in County Dublin; when this project will advance to planning stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33815/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe building project referred to by the Deputy is included in the Five Year Construction Programme to proceed to Tender and Construction.
The original design team appointed to the project had reached completion of Stage 1 of Architectural Planning. As part of that work and following an assessment of the current accommodation, it was agreed by the Department that extensive additional refurbishment works to the existing school will also be required.
The Department approved a significant increase in the scope of works for the project to incorporate those refurbishment works. Arising from this expansion in the scope of works it was necessary to commence a tender exercise for the appointment of a new design team to take the project forward from this point. This process, which was conducted by the ETB, was completed and the new Design Team have been authorised to proceed to Stage 2(a) of Architectural Planning, which is the developed Design Stage.
Earlier this year, the Department met with officials from the ETB regarding progression of the project. Following this meeting, further information was requested from the ETB and its Design Team, which is currently under review by my Department. Upon successful completion of Stage 2(a) the project will progress to complete Stage 2(b), Detailed Design, which includes the application for Statutory approvals and the preparation of Tender Documents for Contractors. Following completion of stage 2(b) the project will then be progressed to tender and construction.
231. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of providing a free laptop computer to every child in the State over five years of age, as recently suggested by the Minister for Finance; if such a proposal has been considered by her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33856/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have not considered any proposal for the provision of a free laptop to every child over five years of age in the State.
The Digital Strategy for Schools will be published shortly and sets out an ambitious five year plan to further embed ICT in teaching, learning and assessment. Under this Strategy my Department will identify a set of funding priorities annually over the lifetime of the Digital Strategy and the provision of IT equipment to schools will be considered in this context.
232. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reducing the pupil-teacher ratio at primary level from 28:1 to 27:1; and to 26:1, with effect from 2016; and from 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33904/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTeacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The staffing schedule at primary level operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools.
Each one point adjustment to the current 28:1 schedule at primary level is estimated to cost of the order of 250 posts (€15m).
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.
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. In the last Budget, I was able to secure the first increase in education spending in recent years. I am determined to continue pressing the case for increased investment in education in the forthcoming budget.
The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.
233. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reversing the cuts to the school staffing ratio in smaller schools which was introduced in Budget 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33905/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the Budget 2012 decisions, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools was gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. An appeals process was made available to schools that are affected by this measure.
The cumulative savings achieved to date from the 2012 small schools budget measure are of the order of €23m. This gives an indication of the overall costs involved in relation to restoring teacher numbers in small schools.
The Deputy will be aware that I announced some improvements in the staffing schedule for small primary schools in February 2015. These changes were introduced to better support the sustainability of small schools and particularly those in isolated areas and were the only changes that I made to the staffing arrangements for schools for the 2015/16 school year.
These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for isolated one-teacher schools.
These improvements particularly recognise the challenges faced by very small schools that are more than 8 km from the next nearest school of the same type.
This package of measures will provide rural communities with security about the future of their small schools, recognising the essential social function which small schools can play, especially in isolated communities.
236. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of a 50% reversal and a full reversal in the cut to resource teaching hours introduced in budget 2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33908/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that on 21st May, 2015, I announced that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) will increase its allocation of Resource Teacher Posts to schools by over 9% for the start of the 2015/16 school year.
The NCSE has allocated 6,454 resource teacher posts to schools for September 2015, an increase of 554 posts - or 9.4% - since September 2014.
Even in the constrained economic circumstances we have faced in recent years, we have been able to continue to meet the needs of children with special educational needs attending our schools.
This year we have again increased the number of Resource Teachers which will be allocated to schools, keeping pace with both demographic growth and increased demand.
The NCSE has now published details of the allocations which will be made to each individual school on the NCSE website ncse.ie.
The NCSE is also currently concluding the 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.
On publishing details of the allocations for September 2015, the NCSE noted that the number of resource teaching posts which are being allocated to schools has increased by 22% since September 2013, from 5285 posts at that point to 6,454 posts for September 2015.
It is therefore clear that not only has there not been a reduction in the overall number of resource teaching posts and hours being allocated to schools, but that there has been a very significant increase in the overall allocation to schools in recent years.
The cost of adding an additional 15% to the existing allocation, which in itself represents an increase of 22% in the allocation recent years, would be approximately an additional €71m per year.
The cost of adding an additional 7.5% to the existing allocation would be an additional €35.5m per year, approximately.
237. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of providing one administration day per week for teaching principals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33909/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraCircular 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. Under the current arrangements the number of days that principal teachers may take as release time in each school year ranges between 14 and 22 days depending on the size of the school.
Improving these arrangements so as to enable teaching principals to have one release day per week would cost of the order of €10 million per annum.
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 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.
238. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of restoring the ex-quota guidance counselling to all schools in 2016; the cost of a 50% restoration; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33910/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraSince September 2012 at post primary level guidance provision is 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.
The budget measure that required schools to manage the provision of guidance from within their standard staffing allocation was introduced as an alternative to an adjustment to the standard staffing schedule. Such an adjustment would be the equivalent of an 0.6 change in the staffing schedule. My Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations so that it is based on a ratio of 18.25:1 compared to the standard 19:1 – an improvement of 0.75 on the standard staffing schedule for these schools.
The net reduction in guidance provision as a consequence of this budget measure was of the order of 500 posts. The annual budget saving from this measure is over €30 million. This gives an indication of the cost involved if this budget measure was not in place. The Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations.
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.
I have no plans to return to a situation where there would be a separate allocation for guidance in schools. If economic recovery continues I hope the Government will be in a position to improve the standard staffing allocation to schools. However, I believe that it is desirable to give schools discretion on how to use those increased resources.
239. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding provided to the student assistance fund for students attending third level who are experiencing hardship; to students with a disability who require additional resources to fully participate in university or college, in each year from 2010 to 2015; the number of students who benefitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33911/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe objective of the Student Assistance Fund is to assist students in a sensitive and compassionate manner who might otherwise, because of financial reasons, suffer severe hardship or be unable to continue their third-level studies.
The Fund for Students with Disabilities provides grants towards the provision of services, purchase of equipment and provision of academic supports for students with disabilities attending full time courses in Third Level Institutions and Post Leaving Certificate centres.
Both funds form part of the Third Level Access Fund which is managed by the National Access Office in the HEA.
Details of the funding provided and the beneficiaries from 2009/10 to 2015/16 are attached for the Deputy's convenience.
Student Assistance Fund
|
Year |
Number of Beneficiaries |
Total Funding Allocated |
|
2015/16 |
Not yet available |
€6.34m |
|
2014/15 |
Not yet available |
€6.6m |
|
2013/14 |
15,166 |
€8.35m |
|
2012/13 |
16,721 |
€11m |
|
2011/12 |
13,347 |
€9m |
|
2010/11 |
8,301 |
€5.012m |
|
2009/10 |
7,681 |
€5m |
Fund for Students with Disabilities
|
Year |
Number of Beneficiaries |
Total Funding Allocated |
|
2015/16 |
Not yet available |
€10.3m |
|
2014/15 |
10,011 |
€10.3m |
|
2013/14 |
8,809 |
€10.2m |
|
2012/13 |
7,897 |
€10.3m |
|
2011/12 |
6,849 |
€10.8m |
|
2010/11 |
6,097 |
€13.7m |
|
2009/10 |
4,964 |
€12.1m |
