Written Answers Nos. 261-277
261. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Cork will receive an educational psychological assessment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26815/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides an educational psychological service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are in the NEPS section of my Department's website. Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
In common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution focused consultative approach to maximise positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.
This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.
I have made enquiries in relation to the child, the subject of the Deputy’s question, and find that the matter of the appropriateness of an assessment is currently being discussed between the NEPS Cork office and the school in question. I would advise therefore that the parents of the child concerned maintain contact with the Principal of that school in relation to the product of these discussions.
262. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the body responsible for reviewing autism spectrum disorder, ASD, preschool children for future placement prior to leaving an ASD pre-school class (details supplied). [26816/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraEarly intervention classes are intended to provide early support for children with ASD before they start school. Following early intervention children will attend a mainstream class unless there is professional guidance that they require a special class.
The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parent of the child and the Board of Management of a school. However, many parents may need advice or assistance to support the transitioning of their child to primary school. Parents may consult with teachers, HSE professionals, school principals and special Needs Organisers (SENOs). All schools have the contact details of their local SENO. Contact details are also available on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.
The NCSE website also contains a range of Information Booklets available for parents of children with special educational needs, which are written for parents to answer key questions they may have about the special educational needs of their child. These include guidelines on Starting School for Parents/Guardians of Children with Special Educational Needs.
A Collaborative Working framework has been developed by the Education and Health Working Group of the Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People programme. The framework includes guidelines for the child’s pathway through key stages of transition in education which can be used by local teams to develop their joint working around transitions.
These guidelines are set out in flow-chart format and indicate necessary actions from the relevant professionals in health and education required to ensure adequate planning and coordination of the transition processes.
Health and education professionals and parents should analyse the events and actions with a view to identifying exactly who should be involved at each stage and with whom they should be working in partnership.
The guidelines are available at http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/list/4/disability/progressingservices/reportsguidancedocs/collaborativeworkingeducationhealthprof.pdf.
There are approximately 14,000 students with ASD in the school system, with 63% are educated in mainstream classes, 23% educated in special classes in mainstream primary and post-primary schools; and 14% educated in special schools.
The Deputy will be aware that the NCSE, through its network of local SENOs, is responsible 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. Where children have significant care needs whereby they may need additional support to be able to attend school, the NCSE may make an allocation of SNA support to the school to assist that child.
While consideration of professional reports is an integral part of determining the extent of supports to be provided for pupils with special educational needs, responsibility for deciding on the quantum of educational supports and resources to be allocated to schools to support individual pupils, rests with the NCSE.
The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support, set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014 which outlines the primary care needs which would be considered significant – and which might require SNA support. Approximately 69% of all students with ASD have access to SNA support.
263. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the stage 2b drawings for a school (details supplied) will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26823/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra264. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if work has recommenced on the stage 2b drawings for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26824/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 263 and 264 together.
The major building project which the Deputy refers to is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b). All Statutory approvals have been secured and the Design Team are completing the preparation of Tender Documents.
The Design Team has informed my Department that the Stage 2B drawings are well advanced and completion of these drawings is envisaged for Quarter 1 2017.
265. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the policy of cancelling summer works application for schools where an emergency works application was granted for a totally different project was introduced; the number of schools which have been affected by this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26846/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraBoth the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) and the Emergency Work Scheme (EWS) were introduced by my Department in 2004.
Since the introduction of the SWS, it has always been the policy of my Department and a condition of the Scheme that schools must apply for the most urgently needed works. If a school does not apply for its most urgently needed works and subsequently applies for these works under the EWS is not possible to provide funding under both schemes as the EWS is not meant to supplement the SWS or vice versa.
In the interest of spreading finite funding to as many schools as possible and where the situation in question arises only one application will be considered except where a real emergency situation arises which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action and that the school authority was not aware of when submitting its SWS application.
Under the current SWS, 25 schools have had their applications substituted by EWS applications as these schools did not apply for their most urgently needed works.
266. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total travel expenses and reimbursement costs incurred by his Department per annum from 2011 to 2016, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26858/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe travel and subsistence allocation supports the delivery of key functions within my Department. Travel and subsistence payments made to Department staff are subject to regular internal and external review and audit.
The following table sets out the total costs in respect of domestic and foreign travel and subsistence payments made to Department staff for the period January 2011 – September 2016 as requested by the Deputy.
|
Year |
Domestic travel and subsistence costs |
Foreign travel and subsistence costs |
Total Travel and Subsistence costs |
|
2011 |
1,281,002.59 |
137,383.64 |
1,418,386.23 |
|
2012 |
1,311,433.12 |
179,416.90 |
1,490,850.02 |
|
2013 |
1,320,655.67 |
185,107.98 |
1,505,763.65 |
|
2014 |
1,334,270.81 |
128,839.87 |
1,463,110.68 |
|
2015 |
1,326,593.63 |
142,927.96 |
1,469,521.59 |
|
2016 |
1,260,660.13 |
69,545.45 |
1,330,205.58 |
Expenditure figures shown above are in respect of all staff in the Department of Education and Skills, including Ministerial posts and field officers in the Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychologist Service (NEPS) paid from my Department’s administrative budget. These expenditure figures are in respect of payments made within each year as shown, which may also include payments relating to a previous year.
267. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has a specific data protection officer in place; if that position is exclusive or if the position holder has other duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26875/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has a designated FOI/Records Management/Data Protection Officer who is responsible for ensuring organisational compliance with Freedom of Information, National Archives and Data Protection Acts.
The data protection role includes the annual registration of my Department with the Office of Data Protection Commissioner, assigning data protection requests received to the relevant divisions and acting as a liaison between the Department and the Office of Data Protection Commissioner as and when required.
268. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost to the State of abolishing the student contribution charge for third level education. [26904/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraBased on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2014/15 (and were therefore liable to pay the Student Contribution), and taking into account overall expected increases in student numbers, it is estimated that the net cost to my Department of abolishing the Student Contribution for the 2017/18 academic year would be €206.56 million.
The above figures take into account the resulting reduction to my Department's Student Grant Scheme budget.
269. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost to the State of abolishing fees for postgraduate courses. [26905/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe cost to the State associated with the abolition of postgraduate fees is dependent on varying factors associated with type study i.e. full-time or part-time, varying fees associated with different course types and higher fees for international students.
However, based on the fact that in the academic year 2015/16, there were 11,975 EU students registered on postgraduate courses, and using the average cost of an EU postgraduate course, the estimated cost to the State of abolishing fees for EU postgraduate students would be €82.6 million.
It should also be noted that under my Department's Student Grant Scheme, funding of €12.2 million was provided for postgraduate tuition fees in 2015/16; taking this into account, the net additional cost to my Department would therefore be in the region of €70.4 million.
270. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of reversing all the cuts to school capitation grants since 2008. [26906/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the period 2011 to 2015 the capitation and related grants for primary and post primary schools were reduced by just over 11% in aggregate.
The estimated cost of reversing all the cuts to capitation and related Grants since 2008 to primary and post primary schools levels would be circa €40 million.
271. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost to the State of reversing all cuts to student grants over the past eight years. [26907/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is not possible to definitively calculate the cost of the various adjustments that have been made to the student support system since 2008, particularly in light of the demographic changes that have taken place.
To put it in context, in 2008/09 there were 57,261 students who benefitted from grant support at a cost of €264 million, whereas in 2015/16 there were 80,622 students in receipt of grant support at a cost of €388 million.
It is estimated, however, that it would cost in excess of €100 million to reverse all of the adjustments that have been made to the student grant scheme since 2008.
Any proposals to enhance the existing level of student supports would have to be considered in the context of competing financial demands and limited public resources.
272. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding school class sizes and funding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26966/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Programme for Government has a commitment to reduce class sizes at primary level and to commencing a review of teacher appointment thresholds in small schools with four teachers or less.
The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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.
Budget 2012 increased the appointment and retention ratios for small schools (i.e., schools with up to four classroom teachers). Improvements to the staffing of these schools were announced for the 2015/16 school year. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the second, third and fourth classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for one-teacher schools situated 8 km or more from the nearest school of the same type of patronage and/or language of instruction.
In addition, Budget 2016 announced a one-point improvement to the primary staffing schedule which has been implemented for the current school year.
The forthcoming budget will provide an opportunity to consider the best approach to further meeting commitments in the Programme for Government.
273. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding school class sizes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26967/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that Budget 2016 made provision for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools in the current school year. These posts have provided for an improvement in the staffing schedules at primary and post primary levels, enhanced the leadership and management roles of deputy principals at post-primary level by reducing their teaching time, made improvements to the scheme of release time for principal teachers at primary level and included additional resource posts to meet special education needs.
Circular 12/2016, which is available on my Department's 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 15 and 25 days depending on the size of the school. This is an increase on the previous school year whereby the number of release days ranged from 14 to 22 days depending on the size of the school.
The commitments in the Programme for Government, including measures to assist teaching principals, will be considered in the context of the budgetary process.
274. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding funding for schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26968/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is difficult to make precise comparisons between the levels of grants paid and the actual costs of running schools at primary and post primary levels. However it is self-evident that the maintenance and running costs for second level schools are much greater on a unit cost basis than those in primary schools.
In general, second level schools are larger than primary schools and have a lower pupil teacher ratio resulting in more classrooms and specialist rooms such as laboratories, workshops and kitchens. This leads to higher unit costs in second level schools for heat, light, power, maintenance and cleaning.
The standard rate of capitation grant is paid to all primary schools except Gaelscoileanna located outside of Gaeltacht areas which receive an additional €23 per pupil over and above the standard rate grant.
The Government has just launched the first Action Plan for Education aimed at making the Irish education and training service the best in Europe by 2026. This plan, which incorporates my Department's Strategy Statement as well as the Action Plan of Education outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented across 2016-2019. One of the actions as part of the plan is to strengthen the focus on reducing school costs for parents by restoring capitation funding over a three-year period as resources permit. This may also provide opportunities for addressing any equalisation issues in relation to capitation funding.
275. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided for persons (details supplied). [26977/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraBus Éireann have advised that as part of their ongoing monitoring of school transport services they will examine the service in question.
276. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which Irish Sign Language tutors and teachers are currently accredited; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27077/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIrish Sign Language has formal recognition in the Education Act, 1998. Under the Act, it is a function of the Minister for Education and Skills to ensure, subject to the provisions of the Act, that there is made available to each person resident in the State, including a person with a disability or who has other special educational needs, support services and a level and quality of education appropriate to meeting the needs and abilities of that person. This includes provision for students learning through Irish Sign Language.
A number of initiatives which seek to promote, develop and implement Irish Sign Language in order that it will achieve greater recognition and use in the education system are currently in place. These include the special schools for the deaf in Cabra, Dublin have been encouraged in relation to the use of sign language in class; funding is available for training of teachers in Irish Sign Language; Irish Sign Language weekly home tuition service whereby deaf tutors visit the homes of deaf pre-school children and deaf school-going pupils to provide training in Irish Sign Language for the deaf children and pupils, their siblings and parents.
My Department, through the Higher Education Authority, has established and fully funds a Centre for Deaf Studies in Trinity College, Dublin which provides diploma courses for Irish Sign Language English interpreters, deaf tutors and in deaf studies. The course modules include issues such as sign linguistics, bi-lingualism and socio-linguistics of sign language. The course is delivered in seminar sessions, group work and the award of the diploma is based on continued assessment, a project and course design.
My Department is aware that a number of children are currently receiving ISL tuition from tutors who are highly proficient in ISL by virtue of the fact that they have come from ISL families or communities and have used this language all of their lives, but who do not hold formal qualifications in ISL.
While Irish Sign Language Tutors are not currently accredited, since the commencement of Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act, they are included as a specialised post in the Education Sector, as set out in Section 2 of Circular 0052/2013 – Procedures on Commencement of Section 30 in Recognised Schools, which recognises that a primary degree or equivalent qualification recognised by the Teaching Council in the subject area in question may not be available, giving rise to concerns about the ongoing supply of qualified staff. There are, therefore, posts, including ISL Tutor posts that can be filled by people with appropriate qualifications or experience without an approved teaching qualification. These posts have been reclassified as tutor posts and the holders of these posts are not subject to the requirements of Section 30.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published its Policy Advice on the Education of Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children in Ireland, which makes a number of recommendations for the improvement of educational provision for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Children, including recommendations relating to ISL provision and setting a minimum level of qualification for ISL tutors should be set by my Department. Signature, the awarding body for ISL qualifications recommend that an ISL tutor should have, at minimum, a level of ISL that is one grade higher than that of their student. This policy advice is available on the NCSE's website www.ncse.ie. My Department will continue to implement the recommendations in conjunction with other Departments and agencies where necessary, subject to the availability of resources.
277. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the new course in Irish Sign Language prepared by the post-primary languages initiative; the number of schools that have placed this course on their curriculum; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27078/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new short course in Irish Sign Language (ISL) was developed by the Post-Primary Languages Initiative in the context of the new Framework for Junior Cycle. The course is currently being piloted in the Mid-West School for the Hearing Impaired in Limerick. Following this, the course will be ready to be implemented by schools opting to introduce ISL.
Short courses were introduced into the Junior Cycle curriculum as options for schools to develop and implement, according to the context of the individual school and the needs and interests of their students. The courses provide schools with greater flexibility in the delivery of their junior cycle programmes.
