Written Answers Nos. 133-142
133. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details in relation to a proposed DEIS review scheme; the way in which schools can apply to review; when is the closing date for applying to the review; when the review will be complete; if a school (details supplied) will be considered in this review process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14311/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraDEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage. The DEIS Plan for 2017 sets out our vision for future intervention in the critical area of social inclusion in education policy.
In its initial application, the new identification model has identified that there are schools in disadvantaged areas, not previously included in DEIS, whose level of disadvantage is significantly higher than many schools already in the programme. Accordingly, we are moving as a first step to include these schools in the DEIS School Support Programme.
Schools included in the list published by my Department on 13th February are those whose level of concentrated disadvantage has been identified as being at the same level as the current DEIS category for schools serving the highest concentrations of disadvantage. This includes 15 new Urban Band 1 schools, 30 Urban Band 2 schools raised to Urban Band 1 status, 51 new Rural DEIS schools and 13 new Post Primary DEIS schools.
Schools which have not been included or upgraded at this stage, including the school referred to by the Deputy, are those which have not been identified as having the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage amongst their pupil cohort, under the new identification process, which is fair and objective.
The DEIS Plan provides for a verification process and any school wishing to seek verification of the information used to assess the level of disadvantage of its pupil cohort may submit an application for same to social inclusion@education.gov.ie.
It is important to note that the school details published on 13th February represent a first step in the application of the assessment process to support pupils in schools with the highest concentrations of disadvantage. I am fully aware that there are further schools whose concentrated level of disadvantage may not be at the highest level, but may nevertheless be at a level which warrants additional supports for pupils under DEIS.
However, as noted in the DEIS Plan, the implementation of a new objective central data-based model of identifying levels of disadvantage within school populations will be followed by a further programme of work to create a more dynamic model where levels of resource more accurately follow the levels of need identified by that model.
Once this work has been completed, consideration will be given to extending DEIS supports to a further group of schools as resources permit.
In delivering on the DEIS Plan 2017 we must be conscious that there are ongoing changes in demographics which may be more marked in some areas than others. Populations in some areas have changed considerably since schools were originally evaluated for inclusion in DEIS in 2006. The new model may reveal that some schools currently included in DEIS have a level of disadvantage within their school population much lower than that in some schools not included within DEIS. If this turns out to be the case, then we must consider whether it is fair that those schools continue receiving these additional resources, using resources that may be more fairly allocated to the schools with greater levels of disadvantage.
It is important to note that the fact that a school has not been included in the DEIS programme on this occasion does not preclude its inclusion at a later date, should its level of disadvantage warrant the allocation of additional resources.
134. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of funding for a new school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14316/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department met with the school referred to in the context of an application received for a replacement school. The school was advised that, due to the need to prioritise available funding towards the provision of essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic demand, it would not be possible to progress a major project for the school at this time.
The school was also advised that my Department would work with the school, as far as practicable and subject to the availability of funding, to further improve the school's facilities. In that regard, should enrolment numbers justify the appointment of an additional mainstream teacher, and if it was not possible to accommodate such a teacher within the school, the school could submit an application to my Department for an additional classroom at that point.
135. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the extension and refurbishment project for a school (details supplied); the reason the initial target date of September 2018 for the completion of the works and opening of the extension will not be met; when the project approval will pass to stage 2B; when a planning application will be submitted if it has not already been submitted; if he will ensure that consideration of the stage 2A addendum will be expedited as a matter of urgency and that approval to proceed to stage 2B be granted; and if he will ensure that this project will be complete and the new extension will be open for September 2019. [14319/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school authority (Dublin & Dún Laoghaire Educational Training Board) was advised by my Department last week, following a review of the Stage 2A (Developed Design Stage) submission, that it may now proceed to Stage 2B (Detail Design Stage) which includes the seeking of all statutory approvals including Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certificate and the Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of tender documents.
The timeframe for the further progression of the project through the tender and construction stages will necessarily be dependent on the timeframe for the school authority and its design team successfully completing stage 2B.
Until such time as planning permission has been secured and the project has progressed to and completed tender stage and the appointment of a building contractor, it will not be possible to provide an indicative timeframe for the completion of the construction stage of this project.
136. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the summer works scheme 2017 applications will be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14320/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the Summer Works 2016-17 Scheme (SWS) which reflects a very high demand. Details of successful school applicants in respect of Categories 1 and 2 under the SWS 2016-17 were announced in April last and are published on my Department’s website www.education.ie.
Assessment of valid projects in further categories is now being undertaken by my Department, subject to the overall availability of funding, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the scheme as outlined in Circular Letter (0055/2015), which may be accessed on my Department's website. It is my intention to publish a list of successful applicants in due course.
137. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to an application by a school (details supplied) in Cork city for phase 2 of a building project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14324/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that funding was approved in February last by my Department for the provision of a two classroom ASD Unit at the school referred to by the Deputy.
The school authority has since contacted my Department seeking further funding to significantly revise the scope of the building project approved. My Department will be in contact with the school authority concerned in the matter shortly.
138. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills the detail of the school transport rate payable to a provider, per kilometre, per child; and the way this compares with the grant payable to parents to transport their children the same distance to school. [14330/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently over 115,000 children, including almost 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
It is a matter for Bus Éireann to procure contractors to provide services for school transport purposes. Bus Éireann is obliged to tender all works, goods and services in line with the European Directives on public procurement, which includes school transport services performed by contractors under the School Transport Scheme.
It is a matter for each tenderer to decide what price they wish to quote for the work concerned taking into consideration their operating costs over the course of the contract period. There is no set hourly or mileage rate.
Research carried out in the context of the Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme showed that the annual unit cost per pupil for the provision of school transport was some €1,000 and €950 for primary and post-primary children respectively.
The unit cost per pupil referred to represents the average unit costs and was calculated by reference to total expenditure on the relevant element of the Scheme and the number of children travelling.
An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant (RAG) towards the cost of private transport arrangements.
The rate of grant is calculated by reference to the distance from and attendance level at the school; the maximum grant payable amounts to €933.30 per school year.
139. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to restore the cutbacks to posts of responsibility in primary and second level education. [14364/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is widely accepted that the quality of school leadership is a key determinant of school effectiveness and the achievement of good learning outcomes. Indeed international research indicates that school leadership is second only to classroom teaching as an influence on pupil learning.
Budget 2016 provided 250 posts to second level schools to enable Deputy Principals to be more fully available to assist the school principal with the leadership of the school. At primary level Budget 2016 provided for additional release days for teaching principals to range between 15 and 25 days depending on the size of the school.
Budget 2017 has provided for the equivalent of 170 additional posts to second level schools to employ an additional Deputy Principal to assist the school principal with the leadership of the school. With effect from September 2017, schools with pupil enrolment in excess of 700 will be allocated additional Deputy Principal posts.
Budget 2017 also provides for the commencement of the restoration of middle management posts in both the primary and post-primary sector.
The recently established Centre for School Leadership (CSL) is a collaboration between my Department and the representative professional bodies for school principals. It has been created to offer professional and practical support to schools leaders. This support structure for leadership teams in schools will attempt to ensure that school leaders have opportunities to access, share and create knowledge and experience within their leadership roles. The work of the Centre draws on best international practice and research in the professional development of school leaders. Priorities for the Centre include a new postgraduate qualification for aspiring school leaders, a mentoring programme for newly appointed school principals, coaching support for serving principals, a review and alignment of leadership programmes with Department standards.
Last year my Department published “Looking at Our School 2016", a quality framework for primary and post-primary schools which is designed to support the efforts of teachers and school leaders, as well as the school system more generally, to strive for excellence in our schools.
The current review of the post of responsibility structure in schools will, in the context of restoration of posts, address the further development of a distributed leadership model.
140. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of schools that are included in the six-year construction programme 2016 to 2021 in the Dublin Bay north area, in tabular form; and the status of each school stage in the programme. [14371/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not hold information on the basis of the geographic area that he has outlined.
As the Deputy is aware, my Department has approved new 16-classroom school buildings for two existing primary schools serving the Belmayne area, St. Francis of Assisi National School and Belmayne Educate Together National School, which will shortly be progressed to tender.
For the Deputy's convenience, I have outlined a list of schools in the Donaghmede and Clontarf areas that are included on the 6 Year Construction Programme 2016-2021, including details of the current status of each project.
|
County |
Roll Number |
School Name & Address |
School Type |
Status Notes |
|
Dublin 13 |
76085N |
Gaelcholáiste Reachrainn, Donaghmede |
Post Primary |
Stage 2a Developed Design Stage |
|
Dublin 3 |
81002K |
Mount Temple Comprehensive School, Malahide Road |
Post Primary |
Stage 2a Developed Design Stage |
|
Dublin 13 |
70020B |
Grange Community College, Donaghmede |
Post Primary |
Site assessment stage |
|
Dublin 3 |
13815T |
Howth Road mixed National School |
Primary |
Stage 4 On site |
141. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of PhD clinical psychology places available annually in universities for each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14375/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no set number of places on these courses and it is a matter for individual institutions, taking a range of relevant factors into account, including demand from students.
142. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) has secured recognition from his Department; the location of the school; and the proposed enrolment levels and the relationship with a college (details supplied). [14401/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently seven post-primary schools serving the Lucan school planning area.
Demographic data for this area and the surrounding school planning areas overall, indicates that demand for post-primary pupil places over the last number of years has increased and is projected to grow considerably over the next number of years to peak in 2025. This indicates that the level of pupil intake at post-primary level in Lucan is likely to continue at or close to the current level and therefore it was deemed prudent by my Department to plan additional provision in the Lucan school planning area on this basis.
As a result of the patronage assessment process for the nine new post-primary schools due to open in September 2017 and September 2018, Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB), with Scoil Sinead Ltd as Trustee Partner, was appointed as patron of the new 1,000 pupil non-designated Community College to serve the Lucan school planning area.
As part of this process, the parental demand submitted in support of each patron’s application was assessed and in this regard I am satisfied that the level of parental demand for a post-primary school for the Lucan area supports a viable school which will not displace pupils from existing schools.
It is intended that the permanent site for the school will be located in the Clonburris Strategic Development Zone area. Officials in my Department are currently engaging with officials in South Dublin County Council in this regard. The school will open in suitable interim accommodation in September 2017 as scheduled pending completion of construction of its permanent building.
The 1,000 pupil post-primary school, Kishoge Community College, opened in 2014 to cater for the increase in demand for post-primary provision in the Lucan area identified by my Department. This school is currently in its third year of operation and the establishment of the new Community College this September is intended to enhance provision at post-primary level within the Lucan area. It is my Departments view that the establishment of the new school will not impact on the future development of Kishoge Community College.
