Written Answers Nos. 38-57
38. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the modern languages strategy; and his further views on whether the reform of the teaching of modern languages is not being given enough priority in education policy and that his Department has no strategy for improving language skills, particularly at primary level. [24664/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe publication of an ambitious ten-year Foreign Language Strategy is a key commitment in my Department's Action Plan for Education and is a priority issue for me. The Strategy will include the following goals:
- Introduction of Mandarin Chinese as a Leaving Certificate curricular subject. Together with other measures, this will mean that all of our main target languages in our export strategies will now be provided as curricular Leaving Certificate subjects
- Double the number of schools offering more than two foreign languages as part of Transition Year programmes
- Measures to develop and build on the heritage language skills of immigrant communities: these include curricular specifications at Leaving Certificate, starting with Polish, Lithuanian and Portuguese, as heritage languages, with accompanying Leaving Certificate examinations. These specifications would replace the existing Leaving Certificate non-curricular examinations in these languages.
- Consideration of the development of additional Junior Cycle Short Courses for heritage languages, mindful of the fact that a short course in Polish already exists.
- The Department will work with embassies of relevant countries in delivering on these commitments.
- Exploring the possibilities of using CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) techniques by teaching aspects of the primary curriculum through Irish and foreign languages which will equip learners with transferrable language skills.
I am committed to developing a benchmark standard against which our performance in languages at all levels can be measured. This will enable us to benchmark our linguistic competence against ourselves and in comparison with other countries. This will also facilitate objective target-setting for performance in languages. To this end, we will mainstream use of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
39. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on ending the different pay rates for teachers; if he will report on discussions with the teachers' unions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24653/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I have used this to negotiate substantial improvements in pay for new teachers. The agreement reached with TUI and INTO will see pay rises of between 15-22% (between €4600 and €6700) for new entrant teachers. The agreements also provide for earlier permanency for younger teachers, new promotion opportunities and new flexibilities in working hours.
The agreements have restored an estimated 75% of the difference in pay for more recently recruited teachers and deliver full equality at later points in the scale. This is substantial progress and strikes an equitable balance with other claims for funding on my Department, particularly needs such as enhanced service for children with special educational needs, for disadvantaged schools, for growing schools, for Higher Education and for apprenticeships.
In education, there is a well-established increment system. Teachers are not paid equally. For example, the pay scale for teachers appointed prior to 2011 ranges from €32,009 to €60,155 depending on the date that the individual began teaching. Part of the negotiation to date has secured a convergence of the scales of recruits at different periods.
Any further negotiation on new entrant pay cannot focus on just one sector. A broader assessment of pay and new entrant pay will be informed by the recently published analysis of the Public Service Pay Commission. The Government established the Commission to examine pay levels across the public service, including entry levels of pay. The Government also supports the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants.
I accept that the teacher unions have outstanding pay demands and that the new entrant deal does not travel the full distance that they set out to achieve. However, it does represent significant progress, and the door is not closed to the trade union movement seeking to advance the issue further in the context of public service pay talks. My colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, invited the Public Services Committee of ICTU to discussions on public service pay and a continued approach to the unwinding of the FEMPI legislation and these discussions are now underway.
40. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the selection of candidates for superintending State exams; and his views on whether an opportunity is being missed to employ more unemployed, part-time or temporary teachers in these roles. [24657/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. They have provided me with the following information.
Examination superintendents are appointed annually by the SEC. Appointment in one year does not necessarily guarantee appointment in any subsequent year. The positions are advertised:
- in the national newspapers;
- by issuing the previous year’s superintendents with an application form;
- by supplying application forms to all post-primary schools.
To be eligible for appointment, applicants must satisfy all of the terms and conditions for appointment set out by the SEC. Since 2013, this includes a requirement to be registered on the Register of Teachers maintained by the Teaching Council of Ireland, a change that was linked to requirements under the National Vetting Bureau (Children and Vulnerable Persons) Act 2012.
The SEC has a long-standing policy of prioritising applications from non-permanent teachers in the appointment of superintendents. Retired teachers may also apply and be appointed in accordance with the terms of the Employment Equality Act, 1998, which prohibits discrimination in employment on a number of grounds, including age. The SEC emphasises its policy of prioritising applications from substitute or unemployed teachers in the recruitment section on its website and in recruitment information sent to schools for distribution to teachers. To give effect to this policy the SEC appoints all unemployed and substitute teachers, who apply for the role of Superintendent, before any other appointments are made to this role provided they are otherwise eligible.
41. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondments which have exceeded five years in the period July 2009 to October 2014, inclusive; the length of time for which five years was exceeded; the number of secondments refused or terminated in this same period on the grounds that the secondment exceeded five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24457/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe teacher secondment scheme is designed to facilitate the temporary assignment of a teacher to a vacant position in a host organisation, where the work to be carried out by the seconded teacher is of clear benefit to the education system.
A secondment must be based on mutual agreement between the teacher, the school authority and the host organisation and is subject to approval by my Department. When considering secondment applications schools are requested to consider national/ education objectives and policies and to facilitate, where possible, the release of teachers to national programmes for the benefit of the wider school community.
Information abstracted from a manual database indicates that seventy three primary teachers were on secondments in excess of five years in the period 2009 to 2014. The numbers in Voluntary secondary and community/ comprehensive schools on secondments in excess of five years in the same period was one hundred and eighty five. Information on secondments in E.T.Bs is not available in my Department. The other information requested involves the examination of the hundreds of personal records and it has not been possible to dedicate the time required to undertake this task to date.
In 2010 a new limit on secondment numbers for teacher CPD support services and for positions in management and other bodies or working on programmes run by the Department was introduced. It is a condition of the revised arrangements that the maximum length of time that any teacher may be on secondment is set at 5 years, following which they may return to their schools.
The rationale for the revised policy on secondments is the need to ensure that only persons with recent knowledge and experience of teaching and learning and curriculum are involved in the design and delivery of professional development programmes for teachers.
While some difficulty was experienced implementing the new requirements particularly in relation to those who were on secondment prior to the new requirements being introduced in 2010, the 5 year limit has been implemented with some strictly limited alleviation agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the Education Centres and support services to facilitate succession planning at local and national levels.
Draft proposals to amend the length of secondment arrangements to Department approved programmes are currently being considered under the auspices of the Teacher Conciliation Council.
The Teacher Conciliation Council is part of the scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for Teachers and was set up to deal with claims and proposals relating to the Terms and Conditions of employment of teachers. The Council is composed of representatives of teachers, school management, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.
Once finalised it is planned to publish the new revised secondment scheme.
42. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the legislative proposals his Department has to establish a learner protection fund for students of English language schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24660/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI published the General Scheme of a Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Amendment) Bill on 15th May 2017, following approval by Government.
The General Scheme provides for the protection of enrolled learners through the establishment of a Learner Protection Fund.
This Learner Protection Fund will provide the type of learner protection that was initially envisaged in 2012, when the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act was enacted.
The objective is to prioritise ‘academic bonding’ which will enable students to complete their programme of study in the event that their provider ceases to deliver the programme, rather than ‘financial bonding’.
Financial bonding provides for the refund of fees to students in the event of a programme ceasing to be delivered. While the recovery of fees is beneficial to students, the more important priority is to support learners to complete their academic programme.
It is the intention that all providers of education and training engaging with the National Framework of Qualifications, with the exception of public bodies, will pay an annual charge to the Learner Protection Fund. The Fund will be managed by Quality and Qualifications Ireland and will be used to support students to complete their studies in the event of a programme being terminated by a provider before completion.
The proposal to introduce the Learner Protection Fund has been generally welcomed by education and training providers.
The General Scheme of the Bill will now be submitted to the relevant Oireachtas Committee for pre-legislative scrutiny.
43. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria for qualifying for the pilot grant scheme for asylum seekers to attend university introduced by the Government in 2015; the status of its implementation; the number of applicants and the number of successful applicants according to place of residence in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24385/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pilot Support Scheme was introduced by my Department in 2015 for students who are in the Protection System or at the Leave to Remain (but not deportation order) stage. This was one of the recommendations contained in the report by the Working Group on the Protection Process which was chaired by former High Court judge Dr Bryan McMahon.
The scheme provides supports to qualifying students which are similar to those available in the statutory based Student Grant Scheme.
Following a review of the Pilot Support Scheme 2015, I announced my decision to continue the scheme for the 2016/17 academic year and to undertake a further review in 2017. I expect the current review to be completed in the coming weeks before making an announcement on its future.
To qualify for the pilot scheme, prospective students have to meet a number of criteria, including a requirement to:
- Meet the definition of a protection applicant or a person at leave to remain stage (other than those at the deportation order stage);
- Obtained their Leaving Certificate;
- Have been accepted on an approved Post Leaving Certificate course or an approved undergraduate course;
- Have attended a minimum of five academic years in the Irish school system and have been part of an application for protection or leave to remain for a combined period of 5 years prior to the 31 August of the first year of their course.
44. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that persons starting second level school are not deprived of a school transport service which is and was available to older siblings in circumstances in which a new method of calculating the distance from school has been introduced and is causing difficulties in many rural parts. [24674/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently almost 116,000 children, including some 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.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of this Scheme in general children are eligible for transport where they meet the requisite distance and are attending their nearest school / education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Changes to the eligibility criteria for my Department's School Transport Scheme were announced in December 2010 by the then Government as part of measures contained in Budget 2011 and derived from recommendations contained in the Value for Money review of the scheme.
The school transport approach complements the overall Department policy which is to ensure that specific school accommodation needs for defined geographical areas are addressed in an orderly fashion.
Children who had an eligibility for school transport prior to the introduction of these changes retain this eligibility for the duration of their post primary school education provided there is no change in their circumstances though siblings applying for transport from 2012 onwards are subject to the revised eligibility criteria.
The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
45. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will implement measures to alleviate the difficulties that arose for many persons prior to the commencement of the 2016/2017 school year, with particular reference to the availability of concessionary tickets on school transport services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24673/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently almost 116,000 children, including some 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.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of this Scheme in general children are eligible for transport where they meet the requisite distance and are attending their nearest school / education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
The school transport approach complements the overall Department policy which is to ensure that specific school accommodation needs for defined geographical areas are addressed in an orderly fashion.
The Programme for Government committed to a review of the concessionary charges and rules element of the School Transport Scheme. This review which was published in December 2016 made recommendations on both the charges and the rules element of concessionary school transport.
The report recommended that the number of concessionary places should be reduced in line with the rules introduced in 2012 on a phased basis. Previous plans to advance this option were put on hold, pending the completion of the review.
However upon consideration of the review and discussions at the Cross Party Working Group I decided that there should be no planned programme of downsizing in the coming years except in line with normal operational decisions within the current scheme.
46. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding commitments his Department has made to implement pillar 1 of Creative Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24464/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra'Creative Ireland' is the Government’s legacy programme following on from the successful 'Ireland 2016' initiative. It is a five-year programme, from 2017 to 2022, which places creativity at the centre of public policy. Devising an integrated implementation plan for Arts-in-Education is a priority under Pillar 1 of the programme, whose aim is to enable the creative potential of every child to be realised. This includes the objective that by 2022 every child in Ireland will have access to tuition and participation in art, music, drama and coding. The plan – ‘Creative Children’ – is to be launched in September 2017.
Work on the ‘Creative Children’ plan is currently being progressed by my Department in close collaboration with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Arts Council. It is envisaged that the Creative Children plan will comprise three key strands. These connected strands will have overlapping concepts and themes. and it will be important to ensure there is co-operation and synergy across activities. This will ensure that the overarching goal of Pillar 1 can be achieved, providing successful experiences relating to arts, creativity and innovation, for our children and young people, and for our society as a whole.
It is proposed that these 3 strands will be:
1. Creative Schools / Scoileanna Ildánacha - which will see special teams of teachers and artists working together in schools to help make the arts a key part of school life.
2. Professional Development Strategies, for teachers and artists.
3. Further Arts Education Initiatives - under a plan that will encourage, highlight and recognise the non-formal and non-mainstream initiatives in arts education and creativity.
My Department is working closely with the Department of Arts, Heritage, Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs and the Arts Council in developing the plan for Pillar 1 of the programme. The overall Creative Ireland programme will shortly be considered by Government, following which the issue of programme funding will be progressed through the estimates and budgetary process.
47. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for religious education in the community national schools in view of the reports that 11 out of 13 of them are opting out of the Goodness Me, Goodness You programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24775/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCommunity National Schools are multi-denominational schools which provide for belief nurturing during the school day. There are eleven such schools in existence at present. They aim to accommodate parents who wish to have their children learn about different faiths and beliefs while at the same time nurturing children in their own beliefs.
‘Goodness Me, Goodness You’ (GMGY) is the patron’s programme that underpins the characteristic spirit of CNS schools. GMGY is a common programme suitable for pupils of all faiths and beliefs and none.
In Junior Infants to 2nd Class, the children follow the GMGY programme together for the majority of the school year, exploring common themes. There is a belief-specific aspect of the programme. In the junior classes only, children have been grouped for a four week period during GMGY time according to their faith or belief tradition, in line with the wishes of their parents. Lesson content was designed specifically for each grouping. In 3rd to 6th class, children remain in their class groups throughout the year and learn about different faiths and religions together. Belief-specific teaching is integrated into GMGY for these classes.
The manner in which schools deliver belief-specific teaching in Junior Infants to 2nd class has evolved. The majority of CNS schools no longer group children according to their beliefs for the four week period. Instead, these schools have integrated belief-specific teaching so that all children learn about different religions and beliefs together and all class groups remain together throughout. However, they continue to follow the GMGY programme. I have previously indicated that I see merit in this approach.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is to commence a review of the GMGY programme for Junior Infants to 2nd class, starting in September 2017. As part of that review, the belief-specific teaching aspect of the programme will be examined. The Education and Training Boards, as patrons, are also looking at how GMGY can be delivered on the ground in the most inclusive fashion possible. I look forward to seeing the outcomes of these processes.
48. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding securing a site for the three school campus in Buncrana, County Donegal; when a site is expected to be purchased; and the timeframe for works to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24466/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware the project in respect of the education campus in Buncrana was announced as part of the Six Year Capital Programme.
A preferred site option was identified and officials from Donegal County Council, on behalf of my Department, have engaged with the landowner in question with a view to its acquisition. These negotiations have not yielded a positive result to date but are currently ongoing.
At the request of my Department, Council officials have also engaged with the relevant landowners in respect of a second suitable site which may provide an alternative option, if agreement can be reached on a purchase price. These negotiations are also ongoing.
Officials from my Department have arranged to meet with officials from the relevant local authority to discuss the matter, with a view to determining the best means to expedite the site acquisition.
Due to the commercial sensitivities attaching to site acquisitions generally, it is not possible to provide any further information at this time regarding the negotiation process or the site options. Once a suitable site has been acquired my Department will be in a position to progress the project concerned into the architectural planning process.
49. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the financing of new school building at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24774/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not have any record of receiving an application for capital funding from the school to which he refers.
It is open to the school authority to submit an application to my Department and an application form may be accessed on my Department's website www.education.gov.ie. Any application received will be considered in the context of the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic need and to accommodate additional teacher appointments.
50. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the oversight his Department currently has in place regarding the operations of Caranua in the absence of a sitting board which has not been in place since March 2017. [24469/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe term of office of the outgoing members of the Board of Caranua expired on 24 March last. A process to appoint members to the Board, which was managed on my behalf by the Public Appointments Service (PAS), is now nearing a conclusion and I will be making the necessary appointments in the coming days. The outgoing Chairperson, Mr David O’Callaghan has been reappointed as a member of the Board and as Chairperson thus providing a degree of continuity and oversight. The functions assigned to me as Minister for Education and Skills under the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 in relation to Caranua continue to be performed notwithstanding the fact that there are vacancies on the Board.
51. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the school building programme is adequate over the next three years to meet the accommodation requirements at primary and second level in view of the need to bring classes sizes into line with best practice and ensure the availability of adequate mainstream special needs places in sufficient numbers to meet the demand and avoid delays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24655/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and my Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post-primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed.
In addition, my Department is included among the prescribed bodies to whom local authorities are statutorily obliged to send draft development and local area plans or proposed variations to development plans for comment and observations. This enables local authorities to reserve future school sites in areas designated for proposed housing development.
My Department's 6 Year Capital Programme prioritises building projects for areas where significant additional school places are required. The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed.
Budget 2017 sets out the teaching resources available for schools for the 2017/18 school year. This budget represents the start of a major reinvestment in education and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade. The budget provides for over 2,400 additional teaching posts for our primary and post-primary schools next year. This includes additional teaching posts to meet demographic need, curriculum reform, additional guidance posts, additional resource teaching posts, addition teaching support for DEIS schools and the strengthening of school leadership.
My Department's policy is that children with special educational needs should be included in mainstream placements with additional supports provided, unless such a placement would not be in their best interests or in the interests of the children with whom they are to be educated. Some children may be supported in a special class attached to a mainstream school. Other children may have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school. My Department, therefore, provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, which have enrolled pupils with special educational needs, in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, (s)he will have access to an appropriate education. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.
There are currently 1,152 special classes nationally, which is an increase of over 100% on the number available in 2011. Of these, 126 are ASD early intervention classes, 526 are primary ASD classes and 236 are post-primary ASD classes. The remainder are non-ASD special classes. The NCSE has informed my Department that it intends to establish an additional 181 Special Classes for the 2017/18 school year which will bring the total number of Special Classes available across the country to 1334.
52. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the consultations regarding reform of school admissions. [24652/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy is referring to the consultation process that I have undertaken on the role of denominational religion in the school admission process and possible approaches for making changes.
I have stated that I believe that it is unfair that preference is given by publicly-funded religious schools to children of their own religion who might live some distance away, ahead of children of a different religion or of no religion who live close to the school.
I also believe that it is unfair that parents, who might otherwise not do so, feel pressure to baptise their children in order to gain admission to the local school and I intend to reform the school admissions system in relation to the role that religion can play in that process.
I am mindful of the need to avoid possible pitfalls and unintended consequences, including possible impacts on minority religions and on the wishes of Protestant, Jewish, Islamic and other communities to be able to run schools in accordance with their ethos and admit children from their communities to attend those schools.
The public consultation process accepted written submissions from 24th January to 20th March 2017.
The written consultation process attracted almost 1,000 responses from a combination of individuals, schools and stakeholder organisations.
I previously advised that following the receipt and analysis of written submissions, consideration would be given as to whether any additional steps are needed as part of the consultation process. Accordingly, I recently announced that I will hold a Forum on the role of Religion in Primary School Admissions in the coming days.
My aim is to find a solution which addresses the issues in this area, while respecting the strongly-held and legitimate desire of minority religious groups to run schools which are genuinely of their own ethos.
53. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to develop a new national school to cater for the educational needs of the growing population of River Valley, Rathingle and Boroimhe, west Swords, County Dublin. [24470/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, the Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and my Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post-primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed.
My Department is aware that there have been some enrolment issues in the Swords school planning area for September 2017. In that context my Department is in ongoing direct contact with primary schools in the area in respect of their junior infant capacity.
While I understand that the enrolment situation may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice, my Department’s main responsibility is to ensure that the existing schools in the area can, between them, cater for the demand for Junior Infant places in September 2017.
My Department is also currently reviewing the demographic data for this area with regard to future needs. This review takes account of updated data from CSO, enrolment and child benefit data and also the impact of existing and planned capacity increases to schools in these areas.
54. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on recent discussions with a project (details supplied) with regard to its new classrooms; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24730/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe meeting to which the Deputy refers took place on the 18th of May last. It was a constructive meeting with the school undertaking to provide additional information for consideration by my Department. My Department will engage further with the school when this information has been received.
55. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the progress made on the development of a technical university for the south-east region since the TUSE project was initiated in 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24671/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Technological University for the South-East (TUSE) project was initiated in 2011 and consists of a consortium of two Institutes of Technology; Institute of Technology Carlow (ITC) and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT).
The TUSE consortium made good progress initially and submitted a Stage 1 expression of interest in 2012. However, following this initial promising start, the consortium encountered a series of challenges and difficulties and did not succeed in finalising a Stage 2 Plan prior to the decision by WIT to suspend all merger activities in October 2014.
Following the publication of the Kelly report, a preliminary facilitation process which was recommended in the Report has been completed. There was strong engagement in the process by both parties and this facilitation process has been an important building block in terms of building trust between the parties and in developing a strong working relationship between the Presidents and Chairs of both institutions. As part of this, the Presidents of the two institutions, have jointly developed an initial work-plan to support the development of a joint TU proposal.
In addition to this both Institutions made a joint presentation and submission to the Higher Education Authority (HEA), seeking funding to underpin the next phase of engagement. This was part of the latest call issued by the HEA regarding the restructuring of the higher education landscape. The call sought submissions for funding support in respect of the costs arising from mergers as part of the implementation of the National Strategy for Higher Education.
Arising from the submissions received and subsequent detailed presentations made to the HEA, the TUSE project were allocated a ring-fenced sum of €1.445 Million in 2016 to support the further development of the project (€400,000 of this was provided to the consortium in November 2016 for 2017 work on the project).
The key merger objectives to be funded are:-
- A re-engagement plan, agreed by both Institutes.
- The publication of an agreed vision and values for a TUSE.
- Fostering a high level of staff and stakeholder engagement to help design the future TU.
- Developing a Regional Stakeholder Forum to underpin the potential of this new Institution to exert a transformational impact on the region by interacting very closely with stakeholders throughout its formative stages;
- External support to facilitate and support change management.
The Technological Universities Bill, which was published in December 2015, is to give effect to the recommendations set out in the National Strategy for Higher Education with regard to the IOT sector, including the development of a new technological university model. In addition, the Bill provides for a number of important reforms to the governance and operation of the existing institutes of technology.
In relation to the legislation, the third Government Legislative Programme of this Partnership Government was published on 17 January 2017, and the Technological Universities Bill is listed on the Dáil Order Paper and is awaiting Committee Stage.
When I became Minister for Education and Skills, I recognised that there were a significant number of matters raised previously in respect of the Bill at both Committee and Report Stage. A process of consultation has been underway with all of the relevant stakeholders in relation to both the matters raised during the legislative process and the commitments contained in the Programme for Government.
Following the finalisation of this consultation process I intend to advance the legislation having determined a position in relation to any matters raised as part of this consultation process.
56. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for a new forum on religious education in schools in view of 11 previous forums dealing with this general issue and two public consultations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24773/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe current consultation process is specifically in relation to the role of denominational religion in the school admission process. I am the first Minister for Education to state that the system as it currently exists is unfair and the current consultation forum is the first consultation forum on this issue.
I believe that it is unfair that preference is given by publicly-funded religious schools to children of their own religion who might live some distance away, ahead of children of a different religion or of no religion who live close to the school.
I also believe that it is unfair that parents, who might otherwise not do so, feel pressure to baptise their children in order to gain admission to the local school and I intend to reform the school admissions system in relation to the role that religion can play in that process.
This is a highly complex and difficult issue. There are no easy solutions to this problem, with difficulties in areas including constitutional law, administration of the schools system and protection of minority religious groups.
However, doing nothing is not an option. While only 4% of our primary schools are under non-religious patronage, 10% of the population in the recent census stated that they are non-religious, with this figure even higher for those among usual parenting ages. One third of all marriages now take place outside of any religion.
The first step in this consultation process invited written submissions from the public, schools and interest groups between 24th January and 20th March 2017. The written consultation process attracted almost 1,000 responses from a combination of individuals, schools and stakeholder organisations.
I advised that following the receipt and analysis of written submissions, consideration would be given as to whether any additional steps are needed as part of the consultation process. Accordingly, I recently announced that I will hold a Forum on the role of Religion in Primary School Admissions in the coming days.
My aim is to find a solution which addresses this problem, while respecting the very strongly-held and legitimate desire of minority religious groups to run schools which are genuinely of their own ethos.
If the Deputy is criticising the decision to consult with people who stand to be affected by any changes in this area, I strongly disagree with him. As mentioned this is the first such consultation, this is a highly complex and difficult issue and it is only right that we should consult in detail with the people who stand to be affected by change, prior to making decisions.
57. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to tackle the chronic shortage of post-primary autism spectrum disorder, ASD, special classes nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24672/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThis Government is committed to ensuring that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.
Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
This policy has been informed by published research, including the Report of the Task Force on Autism (2001), the Evaluation of Educational Provision for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) (2006) and the NCSE’s policy advice on Supporting Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder (2016).
Almost 18,000 students in schools have been diagnosed with autism. The Department of Education and Skills invests over €300m annually in providing additional resources specifically to support students with autism in schools enabling:
- 63% of students to attend mainstream schools
- 26% to attend special classes in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, and
- 11% to attend special schools.
My Department considers it essential that in assessing the need for special class placements the individual needs of children should be properly assessed to determine the appropriateness of special class provision for them.
Some students, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there. This can be due to significant difficulties in areas such as behaviour or sensory needs which have not been ameliorated, even with appropriate intervention, in mainstream.
Enrolment in an ASD special class should only be considered where it has been demonstrated that a student requires the support of a special class because he/she is unable to learn effectively in a mainstream class for most or all of the school day even with appropriate supports.
Students enrolling in ASD Special Classes must have a report from a relevant professional or team of professionals (for example, psychologist, speech and language therapist, psychiatrist) stating that:
- S/he has ASD
- S/he has significant learning needs that require the support of a special class setting and the reasons why this is the case.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.
Since 2011 the NCSE has increased the number of such classes by over 100% from 548 in 2011 to 1153 at present. The NCSE has informed my Department that it intends to establish an additional 181 Special Classes for the 2017/18 school year which will bring the total number of Special Classes available across the country to 1334.
This will include 143 ASD early intervention classes, 626 primary ASD classes and 281 post-primary ASD classes.
The number of Post Primary ASD special classes available for the 2017/18 school year will be more than double that available in 2013/14, increasing from 124 in 2013/14 to 281 in 2017/18. This is a natural consequence of the earlier growth in primary ASD special class numbers.
However, it should not be assumed that the same levels of growth in post primary class numbers should apply. This is because, for children with Autism, transferring from a special class in a primary school to a special class in a post primary school may not always be the optimal choice. Many children can progress to mainstream post primary with support of SNA and Resource Teaching hours, while more may transfer from primary to a special school depending on their presentation and needs.
It should also be noted that there is a proportionally larger enrolment at Primary level due to the higher number of standard years.
The NCSE continues to establish additional special classes to support children with Special Educational Needs including Autism as required.
Parents/guardians who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.
Where there is no educational placement available, my Department will consider applications under the Home Tuition Grant Scheme, where a student can receive 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until a placement becomes available.
