Written Answers Nos 550-569
550. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of section 29 appeals that were made against secondary schools in County Kildare to secure places for students that had been denied; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28007/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe position is my Department does not hold statistics for individual counties for section 29 appeals, this protects the privacy of individuals taking appeals on behalf of their children.
551. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28008/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCaranua is an independent statutory body established under the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. The legislation provides that supports may be available in the areas of health and personal social services, mental health services, education and housing.
Where an applicant is not satisfied with how Caranua has dealt with his/her application, the legislation provides for an independent appeals mechanism. I am aware that there is a backlog of appeals in the system and I have recently appointed two appeals officers to try and deal with that backlog.
I have also asked Caranua to reply directly to the Deputy on this individual's case.
552. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school teachers availing of the career break scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28010/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the 2016/17 school year there are one thousand five hundred and seventy teachers in primary schools availing of the career break scheme.
553. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason SUSI is allowed a specific write-off pertaining to overpayments made to certain students (details supplied). [28029/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSUSI operates a comprehensive set of processes and controls to manage the assessment process and to minimise the risk of incorrectly awarding grants. However, the nature of the assessment process undertaken by SUSI means that there is a risk that some students may be awarded maintenance grants and/or fee grants for which they are not eligible.
Where overpayments do occur, SUSI treats the overpayment as a debt to the exchequer and seeks to ensure that all such payments are recovered from the student. This approach is consistent with the general policy and principle regarding the recovery of debt, as set out in the Student Support Act 2011.
When an overpayment is identified, SUSI will write to the student to inform him/her of the decision to vary the grant amount and to advise that recovery (repayment) of the overpayment will be necessary. A further letter will then issue to formally advise of the overpayment amount and to request repayment. This letter includes a Grant Repayment Option Form which requests details of the preferred repayment option.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Applicants may also appeal against decisions made by SUSI in relation to overpayments.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by an appeals officer in SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe. Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie.
Some difficulties were encountered by SUSI in its first year of operations when processes and procedures were being rolled out for the first time. In light of the circumstances in which these overpayments occurred, the approval of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform was obtained for write-off of these specific overpayments as an exceptional measure in March 2016.
Since 2013, SUSI has made significant improvements to its internal control systems and procedures to enhance control and reduce the potential of future overpayments occurring. These include comprehensive training for new staff as well as updates for existing staff on new scheme rules, and improved quality control procedures including random sample checking of ongoing grant applications by SUSI’s Quality Assurance Team. SUSI has also strengthened data sharing processes with other relevant agencies such as the Department of Social Protection (DSP) and the Revenue Commissioners, as a means of ensuring significantly improved accuracy when assessing grant eligibility.
554. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is State regulation as to the way in which panels for the employment of teachers in particular church dioceses operate in respect of schools under Catholic patronage. [28039/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe core function of the redeployment arrangements at Primary level is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus full-time permanent/CID holding teachers to schools that have vacancies. The redeployment of all surplus permanent/CID holding teachers is key to the Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers.
Thereafter, vacancies are filled from the Supplementary panel which is created for eligible primary teachers in fixed-term/temporary positions (this includes substitute positions) and in part-time positions who meet the relevant eligibility criteria.
The redeployment arrangements are published on my Department's website and operate in the same way for all Patron bodies.
555. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that in future all decisions are made in a timely manner in order that new appointments can be made prior to the summer holiday break regarding the new model for the allocation of teaching hours for special education needs to post primary schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28049/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017.
These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools.
The revised allocation model replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning support and high incidence special educational needs, and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocation process which provided additional resource teaching supports to schools, to support pupils assessed as having Low Incidence disabilities.
The new model provides one single allocation to schools based on the profile. Schools will be frontloaded with resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils who need such support.
The NCSE notified all schools of their special education teaching allocations for September 2017 on 7th March 2017.
The NCSE also published details of the appeals process on the NCSE website: www.ncse.ie.
Schools who wished to submit an appeal were asked to do so by March 31st 2017.
Schools could appeal whether the data used to calculate their school profile was correct and complete and whether it was correctly applied in the calculation of their 2017/18 allocation.
DES Circulars 0013/2017 and 0014/2017 outline the basis on which the Education Research Centre determined the allocations for all schools.
In advance of any submission of an appeal, schools were asked to read carefully the DES Circulars and in particular the relevant sections, which relate to the breakdown of the allocation, which may be under consideration for appeal.
It is regretted that the consideration of the appeals could not be concluded in advance of 31st May this year, however, the NCSE has now confirmed that this process will be concluded as soon as possible.
I can also confirm that in future years, when an appeal process is being put in place, that the NCSE will endeavour to conclude the appeal process before the end of the school year.
The model will also allow for some additional provision for exceptional circumstances or where a school’s enrolment levels increase very substantially prior to the next review of the model. The National Council for Special Education will support schools in managing their special education teaching allocations in the first instance. Only in very exceptional circumstances, where it can be demonstrated that the school's profile has changed very significantly since the allocation was made to the school, may an additional allocation of hours be made to the school.
Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers to address the need of pupils with special educational needs have also now been published and are available on my Department's website.
The Guidelines will support schools to reflect on how they can review and manage their timetabling practices to ensure the timetable is sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all pupils in their school who have special needs. The Guidelines encourage schools to ensure they deploy their resources appropriately to meet the needs of all of the children in their school who require additional teaching support, including pupils with emerging needs, or new entrants.
556. Deputy Catherine Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 30 May 2017, the estimated timeframe for the process for the school building; and when he expects that teaching will begin on this site. [28060/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhere a requirement for additional schools has been identified, details including proposed timelines related to the opening of the schools, are made known by a Ministerial announcement following which a patronage assessment process is carried out to determine who will operate such schools.
As the Deputy may be aware, the Irish Greyhound Board has accepted an offer of €23m made by my Department for the acquisition of the Harold's Cross Greyhound Stadium property. The acquisition is subject to contract and a change in the zoning for the property in order to facilitate school development.
The offer to acquire this site was made in the context of the future need for school places in the area which will exceed current supply. Suitable potential school sites in the area are limited, and this site is ideally located given its relatively central location.
My Department's professional and technical staff have conducted a feasibility study of the Harold’s Cross site and this technical assessment concluded that the property is suitable for the provision of a significant level of school accommodation.
Officials from my Department have engaged in preliminary discussions with officials in Dublin City Council with respect to the potential development of the property. The development of school infrastructure on the site is contingent upon a change to the current zoning. Subject to the required change to zoning, my Department will work closely with the Council officials to meet planning requirements.
As the Deputy will appreciate, timeframes for the process for a school building, which include planning and zoning considerations, vary considerably and it is not possible at this point to provide a timeframe for teaching to begin on the site due to a number of factors some of which are outside the control of my Department.
557. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to fund speech and language classes in primary schools with a high concentration of need for speech and language therapies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28107/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpeech and Language Therapy Services are under the remit of my colleague, the Minister for Health and the service is provided by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The Programme for a Partnership Government includes a commitment to introduce a new in-school Speech and Language Therapy service, creating stronger linkages between parents, teachers and Speech and Language Therapists. The programme also commits to bring the number of Speech and Language Therapists up to 1,102 (a 25% increase).
The Programme for a Partnership Government also contains a commitment to examine the adequacy of present policies and provision, and their scope for improvement, particularly in relation to speech and language difficulties and early intervention.
Officials at my Department are currently engaging with colleagues in the Department of Health and the HSE to develop a plan for the implementation of this commitment. The implementation plan will identify the actions to be taken and the specific timeframe for the delivery of this commitment.
In the interim, my Department continues to provide an extensive range of supports for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD). This includes provision for the establishment of special classes for pupils with SSLD in primary schools. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including applications to establish special classes for SSLD. Applications meeting the criteria for establishment are approved by the NCSE.
The NCSE continues to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in particular areas and has capacity to establish such new special classes where necessary, subject to the willingness of schools to open classes. The NCSE welcomes expressions of interest from schools in opening special classes to meet the demand for special class provision. In deciding on the location of a special class SENOs take into account both the present and the future potential need for special class provision, and they must also be satisfied that the special class is sustainable and appropriately located. SENOs liaise with relevant professionals in their area to arrive at an informed decision.
The opening of a Speech and Language class is, however, contingent on the HSE being in a position to provide Speech and Language therapy to the students in the class. The criteria for enrolment in a special class for pupils with SSLD is set out in my Department's Circular 0038/2007. It should be noted, however, that pupils who are not enrolled in a special class for SSLD and who meet the criteria for Specific Speech and Language Disorder, as outlined in my Department's Circular, may qualify for additional teaching support where he/she is enrolled in mainstream school.
At present, pupils with mild speech and language difficulties may qualify for supplementary teaching support from within the school's general allocation of learning support/teaching support. It is a matter for individual schools to use their professional judgement to identify pupils who will receive this support and to use the resources available to the school to intervene at the appropriate level with such pupils.
A new model for allocating Teaching Resources to schools to support students with Special Educational Needs, as recommended by the NCSE, will be implemented with effect from September 2017. The revised allocation model replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning support and high incidence special educational needs, and the NCSE allocation process which provided additional resource teaching supports to schools, to support pupils assessed as having Low Incidence disabilities. Allocations of special education teaching resources were issued for all schools in March 2017. My Department’s Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools, which were published on 7th March 2017, set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools. Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers have also been published.
The new model will provide a greater level of autonomy for schools in how to manage and deploy additional teaching support within their school, based on the individual learning needs of pupils, as opposed to being based primarily on a diagnosis of disability.
As such, pupils with Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD) may attend a local school with additional teaching supports with speech & language therapy provided through the HSE primary care service, or attend a special class for pupils with SSLD, with speech and language therapy services provided in class by the HSE.
558. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the Buncrana three school campus project (details supplied); if he will report on a recent meeting between his department and Donegal county council to discuss site acquisition; if he will meet with a delegation to discuss the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28108/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware the project in respect of the education campus in Buncrana is included on my Department's capital programme.
At the recent meeting with the Council the preferred site option was confirmed and the next steps to progress an acquisition were identified and initiated. In that context, officials from the Council, on behalf of my Department, have engaged further with the landowner in question.
I have received a request to meet with representatives of the school authorities and a reply will issue to the school authorities in respect of this request. I can assure the Deputy that all parties are working to bring this acquisition process to a completion as early as possible.
559. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding to each ETB or VEC in each of the years from 2009 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form. [28115/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 1 July 2013 the 33 Vocational Education Committees (VECs) were dissolved and replaced with 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs). My Department is responsible for the disbursement of pay and non-pay grants to each of the 16 ETBs in respect of a range of school and non-school based services.
Details of funding provided by my Department to the ETB Sector for the period 2009 to 2017 are outlined in the following tables.
The figures provided include funding for pay to ETB staff (including teachers), funding for the day-to-day running of schools, specific grants (e.g. book grant, transition year programme), targeted expenditure (e.g. DEIS funding), funding for student grants, funding for capital projects (which can vary from year to year depending on number of projects) and also ETB head office running costs.
The enrolments in each ETB are a main driver of funding levels. Each ETB has a high level of autonomy in the management and appropriation of this funding and may distribute its allocation in line with its priorities and perceptions of need.
From 2014 onwards, funding in respect of Further & Adult Education that was previously channelled to the ETB sector directly by my Department is now channelled indirectly via SOLAS and has therefore been omitted from the list from 2014.
The initial allocations for 2017 in respect of Department of Education and Skills funding were issued to ETBs on the 15th February 2017 and may be subject to change as the year evolves.
It should be noted that ETBs also receive funding from sources other than my Department, for example through self-financing programmes or from other Departments and agencies.
The annual accounts for the former VECs (and now for each ETB) provide detailed information on funding from all sources and how it was used. These accounts, when finalised and audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General, are published on the Oireachtas website.
PQ Ref: 28115/17 - DES Funding to VECs for the Period 2009 to June 2013
|
VEC |
2009* |
2010* |
2011* |
2012* |
Jan to June 2013* |
|
City of Cork |
€47,266,557.27 |
€46,612,531.48 |
€43,874,290.51 |
€40,838,675.31 |
€19,138,953.60 |
|
City of Dublin |
€145,457,126.68 |
€145,063,049.68 |
€133,540,495.52 |
€200,038,144.06 |
€139,366,772.08 |
|
City of Limerick |
€25,485,245.47 |
€25,634,639.81 |
€25,434,263.13 |
€23,949,343.88 |
€12,392,971.61 |
|
City of Waterford |
€17,959,599.78 |
€18,094,658.72 |
€17,762,156.93 |
€15,889,487.50 |
€7,634,692.09 |
|
Dun Laoghaire |
€19,334,276.60 |
€20,144,464.84 |
€18,768,629.67 |
€18,141,383.33 |
€11,237,976.74 |
|
City of Galway |
€26,895,103.92 |
€22,596,607.52 |
€21,839,116.98 |
€20,001,848.40 |
€8,858,419.17 |
|
Co. Carlow |
€20,729,284.17 |
€20,463,620.62 |
€19,782,320.79 |
€17,699,511.94 |
€8,193,003.46 |
|
Co. Cavan |
€26,076,727.94 |
€27,233,310.79 |
€25,941,252.35 |
€25,061,728.11 |
€10,860,790.82 |
|
Co. Clare |
€29,900,462.06 |
€28,913,790.50 |
€29,989,394.19 |
€25,360,721.01 |
€12,109,919.41 |
|
Co. Cork |
€88,087,502.31 |
€88,075,452.39 |
€87,171,283.90 |
€82,012,895.14 |
€40,779,044.99 |
|
Co. Donegal |
€51,822,967.82 |
€55,400,641.90 |
€52,275,803.01 |
€46,098,955.73 |
€22,584,141.76 |
|
Co. Dublin |
€130,402,015.10 |
€132,550,716.27 |
€116,531,125.22 |
€114,361,997.94 |
€56,200,984.48 |
|
Co. Galway |
€32,859,680.06 |
€34,430,424.73 |
€33,541,483.66 |
€30,654,575.66 |
€15,390,745.70 |
|
Co. Kerry |
€37,437,797.68 |
€39,608,016.62 |
€35,210,075.80 |
€31,830,634.65 |
€15,189,155.65 |
|
Co. Kildare |
€50,617,161.23 |
€44,132,751.27 |
€61,729,127.25 |
€38,923,833.53 |
€19,064,789.24 |
|
Co. Kilkenny |
€26,038,660.59 |
€26,297,926.64 |
€24,532,102.20 |
€23,526,494.39 |
€10,982,866.22 |
|
Co. Laois |
€18,605,626.41 |
€16,725,876.00 |
€17,678,159.92 |
€15,403,796.36 |
€7,330,008.27 |
|
Co. Leitrim |
€13,501,207.88 |
€12,023,780.94 |
€10,941,993.58 |
€10,035,971.98 |
€4,865,995.64 |
|
Co. Limerick |
€37,465,205.68 |
€37,650,900.18 |
€37,723,997.92 |
€37,224,714.91 |
€17,958,927.31 |
|
Co. Longford |
€15,141,524.75 |
€14,587,481.46 |
€12,608,444.82 |
€11,897,532.41 |
€5,490,548.44 |
|
Co. Louth |
€32,256,613.65 |
€33,668,156.42 |
€31,681,941.61 |
€28,349,394.98 |
€13,468,951.29 |
|
Co. Mayo |
€31,263,199.60 |
€30,582,350.88 |
€28,566,665.17 |
€25,370,645.09 |
€12,053,717.21 |
|
Co. Meath |
€47,359,940.91 |
€40,262,607.38 |
€45,090,528.54 |
€48,909,633.57 |
€23,769,558.57 |
|
Co. Monaghan |
€26,354,330.78 |
€27,158,173.10 |
€24,120,962.01 |
€53,517,737.96 |
€10,148,988.25 |
|
Co. Offaly |
€19,941,766.87 |
€19,796,079.96 |
€19,577,338.27 |
€18,193,818.91 |
€8,804,818.92 |
|
Co. Roscommon |
€12,712,639.35 |
€12,575,399.87 |
€12,871,209.33 |
€11,442,371.61 |
€5,803,609.33 |
|
Co. Sligo |
€17,096,125.74 |
€17,304,103.58 |
€15,463,107.40 |
€15,154,059.64 |
€7,102,643.54 |
|
Co. Tipperary NR |
€25,506,523.62 |
€24,627,065.89 |
€24,769,334.49 |
€28,871,365.23 |
€12,189,423.66 |
|
Co. Tipperary SR |
€23,602,778.41 |
€23,489,246.14 |
€21,762,259.86 |
€21,125,419.29 |
€9,703,106.97 |
|
Co. Waterford |
€13,889,027.21 |
€13,073,058.62 |
€14,231,374.92 |
€12,446,994.29 |
€6,317,727.06 |
|
Co. Westmeath |
€21,088,901.24 |
€19,219,646.59 |
€19,306,834.83 |
€17,407,260.17 |
€8,336,010.03 |
|
Co. Wexford |
€35,553,540.95 |
€40,646,691.13 |
€40,165,851.16 |
€32,135,597.26 |
€16,820,377.86 |
|
Co. Wicklow |
€46,557,714.03 |
€46,884,046.63 |
€45,149,888.21 |
€45,024,897.67 |
€23,180,594.77 |
|
Total |
€1,214,266,835.76 |
€1,205,527,268.55 |
€1,169,632,813.15 |
€1,186,901,441.91 |
€603,330,234.14 |
*payments made in respect of Standard Expenditure (Net Pay & Net Non-Pay), Associated & Targeted Expenditure (grants), Programme Expenditure (Further & Adult Education, Student Support Services, Self-financing Projects, Capital).
Table continuing
PQRef: 28115/17 - DES Funding to ETBs for the Period July 2013 to 2016 including Allocation for 2017*
|
ETB |
July to Dec 2013* |
2014** |
2015** |
2016** |
2017 Allocation** |
|
Cavan Monaghan |
€20,986,163.04 |
€36,160,624.56 |
€39,236,417.57 |
€44,727,648.28 |
€40,248,155.18 |
|
City of Dublin |
€201,551,291.72 |
€371,272,272.48 |
€455,087,673.33 |
€463,806,045.90 |
€473,093,776.92 |
|
Cork |
€55,885,372.52 |
€100,184,515.97 |
€112,312,667.35 |
€112,213,942.90 |
€122,503,044.49 |
|
Donegal |
€21,082,406.49 |
€35,596,219.17 |
€38,879,939.42 |
€38,017,698.60 |
€40,870,275.93 |
|
Dublin Dunlaoghaire |
€60,078,320.68 |
€108,301,010.80 |
€113,163,645.92 |
€107,226,873.97 |
€115,246,188.33 |
|
Galway Roscommon |
€30,315,161.90 |
€46,226,541.39 |
€52,452,640.63 |
€44,321,705.66 |
€53,128,734.27 |
|
Kerry |
€14,956,110.05 |
€22,075,106.09 |
€21,662,185.74 |
€21,985,906.61 |
€24,477,272.46 |
|
Kildare Wicklow |
€40,667,615.00 |
€71,127,064.21 |
€77,200,516.10 |
€75,127,133.75 |
€74,257,253.09 |
|
Kilkenny Carlow |
€18,138,537.54 |
€29,447,019.30 |
€34,222,752.89 |
€32,789,076.64 |
€35,558,353.06 |
|
Laois Offaly |
€15,335,324.74 |
€24,762,018.46 |
€27,564,343.25 |
€30,695,817.83 |
€28,322,933.82 |
|
Limerick Clare |
€39,909,338.41 |
€62,434,608.20 |
€61,080,042.99 |
€65,296,656.68 |
€68,804,732.31 |
|
Longford Westmeath |
€13,476,849.43 |
€19,647,044.86 |
€21,594,706.94 |
€23,401,322.36 |
€24,922,245.82 |
|
Louth Meath |
€35,750,455.73 |
€56,468,720.25 |
€64,740,802.61 |
€72,952,757.17 |
€92,722,392.46 |
|
Mayo Sligo Leitrim |
€23,330,095.36 |
€35,418,550.25 |
€37,665,452.82 |
€36,490,503.43 |
€39,921,274.17 |
|
Tipperary |
€19,384,992.52 |
€30,615,349.11 |
€29,185,112.49 |
€31,940,219.76 |
€34,661,645.35 |
|
Waterford Wexford |
€27,574,371.58 |
€39,371,861.87 |
€40,848,030.37 |
€42,402,414.52 |
€42,610,042.39 |
|
Total |
€638,422,406.71 |
€1,089,108,526.97 |
€1,226,896,930.42 |
€1,243,395,724.07 |
€1,311,348,320.05 |
*payments made in respect of Standard Expenditure (Net Pay & Net Non-Pay), Associated & Targeted Expenditure (grants), Programme Expenditure (Further & Adult Education, Student Support Services, Self-financing Projects, Capital).
**payments made in respect of Standard Expenditure (Net Pay & Net Non-Pay), Associated & Targeted Expenditure (grants), Programme Expenditure ( Student Support Services, Self-financing Projects, Capital) - Funding in respect of Further & Adult Education not included as this funding is administered through SOLAS with effect from 2014.
560. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the original cost of the building of the new centre in Belfield; the amount that has been spent by his Department to date in 2017; the cost of the project to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28120/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn 2013, when the project was originally approved, the estimated cost of the construction of the Confucius Institute building in Belfield was in the region of €7 million. However, UCD has advised that costs have increased over the period since then.
In 2014, the Department of Education and Skills confirmed an allocation of €3 million for the construction of the Confucius Institute. Approximately €995,000 of this has been provided to UCD to date (€195,000 in 2015 and €800,000 in 2016) following verification by the Higher Education Authority of costs incurred. No claim has been received to date in 2017, although it is anticipated that further funding will be provided in 2017/18 up to the maximum of the €3 million commitment.
It should be noted that UCD is responsible for delivery of the project. The Exchequer contribution is fixed at €3 million and any additional costs arising from the project are a matter for UCD.
561. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an assessment has been done on the teaching quality of a centre (details supplied) in comparison with similar centres; if so, the results of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28121/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraHigher education institutions have primary responsibility for the quality of their provision and its assurance. UCD have established their own quality assurance procedures, having had regard to QQI Guidelines. In addition to encompassing regular periodic reviews of study programmes, UCD is also encouraged to undertake quality reviews of academic, administrative and service departments and, depending on structure, unit-based reviews of schools, faculties and colleges. Institutions may also undertake thematic reviews of institution-wide issues. UCD is required to publish details of its quality assurance procedures and the internal reviews that it carries out. It would be an issue for UCD in the first instance to determine the need for an internal review that encompasses the centre referred to by the Deputy.
UCD provides QQI with an Annual Institutional Quality Assurance Report (AIQR). The AIQR provides QQI inter alia with a listing of the UCD cycle of internal reviews along with links to published review reports. The 2015/16 UCD AIQR will be published shortly by QQI.
QQI has established a Policy for the Cyclical Review of Higher Education Institutions. Cyclical Review takes place on a periodic scheduled basis.
562. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the engagement he has undertaken with English language teachers in relation to plans to replace former regulatory systems for English language teaching schools; if he has received a request to engage with a group (details supplied) on this matter; his plans to carry out consultation on the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28122/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs outlined in Ireland's International Education Strategy Government policy for the international education sector is the International Education Mark (IEM). The IEM will be managed by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), the national agency with responsibility for external quality assurance and qualifications across the further and higher education sectors. The development of the IEM and related Code of Practice for the provision of programmes of education and training to international learners was subject to extensive consultation involving all relevant stakeholders in 2013 and 2014 as part of QQI’s comprehensive policy development programme.
Legislative amendments are necessary to facilitate the introduction of the IEM. These amendments are contained in the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Amendment) Bill. The General Scheme of the Bill was approved by Government at the Cabinet meeting on 9th May 2017 and has now been referred to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Skills for pre-legislative scrutiny.
My Department has responded to previous correspondence received from the group referred to by the Deputy.
563. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the terms upon which his Department has agreed to the purchase and development of the Harold's Cross greyhound stadium; if the site has been deemed suitable for the construction of a school; his views on whether planning permission will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28123/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, the Irish Greyhound Board has accepted an offer of €23m made by my Department for the acquisition of the Harold's Cross Greyhound Stadium property. The acquisition is subject to contract and a change in the zoning for the property in order to facilitate school development.
The offer to acquire the site was made in the context of the future need for school places in the area which will exceed current supply. Suitable potential school sites in the area are limited, and this site is ideally located given its relatively central location.
My Department's professional and technical staff have conducted a feasibility study of the Harold’s Cross site and this technical assessment concluded that the property is suitable for the provision of a significant level of school accommodation.
Officials from my Department have engaged in preliminary discussions with officials in Dublin City Council with respect to the potential development of the property. The development of school infrastructure on the site is contingent upon a change to the current zoning. Subject to the required change to zoning, my Department will work closely with the Council officials to meet planning requirements.
564. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in the construction of a permanent building for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, in view of the fact that the school was promised a new building within three years in 2008; the timeframe for the completion of the new building; the status of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28124/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provided a purpose built 12 classroom building for the school in question in 2008. The expected life span of this school building is in excess of 25 to 30 years. I also wish to clarify for the Deputy that my Department has not given a commitment to provide a replacement school building. I met with representatives of the school earlier this year and following that meeting my Department has assessed the case being made by the school for a major expansion of the school. Unfortunately, due to the availability of unused school places in adjoining schools, my Department is not in a position to approve the proposal at this time.
565. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have been successful in their appeal under the new special needs resource allocation model; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28125/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017.
These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools.
The revised allocation model replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning support and high incidence special educational needs, and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocation process which provided additional resource teaching supports to schools, to support pupils assessed as having Low Incidence disabilities.
The new model provides one single allocation to schools based on the profile. Schools will be frontloaded with resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils who need such support.
The NCSE notified all schools of their special education teaching allocations for September 2017 on 7th March 2017.
The NCSE also published details of the appeals process on the NCSE website: www.ncse.ie.
Schools who wished to submit an appeal were asked to do so by March 31st 2017.
The total number of appeals which have been received by the NCSE is 558.
Schools could appeal whether the data used to calculate their school profile was correct and complete and whether it was correctly applied in the calculation of their 2017/18 allocation.
DES Circulars 0013/2017 and 0014/2017 outline the basis on which the Education Research Centre determined the allocations for all schools.
In advance of any submission of an appeal, schools were asked to read carefully the DES Circulars and in particular the relevant sections, which relate to the breakdown of the allocation, which may be under consideration for appeal.
The appeals are currently being processed by the NCSE and it is intended that schools will be notified of the outcome of the appeals by the end of June. At this point it is therefore not possible to advise how many schools have been successful in their appeal.
The model will also allow for some additional provision for exceptional circumstances or where a school’s enrolment levels increase very substantially prior to the next review of the model. The National Council for Special Education will support schools in managing their special education teaching allocations in the first instance. Only in very exceptional circumstances, where it can be demonstrated that the school's profile has changed very significantly since the allocation was made to the school, may an additional allocation of hours be made to the school.
Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers to address the need of pupils with special educational needs have also now been published and are available on my Department's website.
The Guidelines will support schools to reflect on how they can review and manage their timetabling practices to ensure the timetable is sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all pupils in their school who have special needs. The Guidelines encourage schools to ensure they deploy their resources appropriately to meet the needs of all of the children in their school who require additional teaching support, including pupils with emerging needs, or new entrants.
566. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional supports will be provided to a school (details supplied) in order to address the needs of new enrolments with special needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28126/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017.
These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools.
The revised allocation process replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning support and high incidence special educational needs, and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocation process which provided additional resource teaching supports to schools, to support pupils assessed as having Low Incidence disabilities.
The new Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
Allocations based on the school profiles were issued to all schools on 7th March.
The aim of this new model is to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Substantial research, analysis, consultation with service users and stakeholders, and piloting have gone in to the development of this model and all of the evidence points to the fact that this new system will deliver better outcomes for children.
No school will lose supports as a result of the implementation of the new model. In addition, no school will receive an allocation, for the support of pupils with complex needs, less than the allocation they received to support such pupils during the 2016/17 school year. No allocation made for such pupils by the NCSE will be removed from schools as long as that pupil remains in the school.
An additional 900 teaching posts have been provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model. The provision of an additional 900 teaching posts is a very significant investment in the provision of additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs in our schools. This is additional to an increase of 41% in the number of resource teachers allocated to schools annually by the NCSE since 2011.
The additional funding will provide additional supports to over 1200 schools who are identified as needing additional supports as a result of the new model. Supports for children with special educational needs is a key priority for this Government. The new funding will ensure that all schools receive a sufficient allocation of special education needs resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils, including pupils who have yet to enrol in their school, who require such support.
Under the new allocation model, schools will be provided with a total allocation which includes a baseline allocation for the school and an allocation based on the school’s profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation will give a fairer allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the actual level of need in each school.
Schools will be frontloaded with resources, based on each school’s profile, to provide supports immediately to those pupils who need it without delay. This will reduce the administrative burden on schools as schools will no longer have to complete an application process annually and apply for newly enrolled pupils who require resource hours. Children who need support can have that support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis.
Schools will therefore no longer have to make applications, for newly enrolled pupils for whom resource teaching hours may have been provided under the old model, or for pupils who have received a new diagnosis, as schools will now receive a single allocation for all of their special education teaching needs, based on their school size and profile.
The new allocations to schools will include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.
All allocations to schools include a supplementary provision, which has been referred to as the ‘baseline allocation’ which is allocated over and above the profiled allocation.
For students who start school from September 2017, with a specific diagnosis, either in junior infants or transferring from another school, the resources they need will already be in the school under the new model.
It should be noted that this is a brand new model of allocation and is not comparable to the existing model. By using a broad range of attainment and socio-economic criteria, it is expected that generally, a school’s profile will remain relatively constant from year to year. Each year, some students with additional teaching needs will leave and others will enrol, broadly balancing the school profile. Resources allocated under this model will not normally be adjusted between allocations.
DES Circulars 0013/2017 and 0014/2017 outline the basis on which the Education Research Centre determined the allocations for all schools.
The model will allow for some additional provision for exceptional circumstances or where a school’s enrolment levels increase very substantially prior to the next review of the model. The National Council for Special Education will support schools in managing their special education teaching allocations in the first instance. Only in very exceptional circumstances, where it can be demonstrated that the school's profile has changed very significantly since the allocation was made to the school, may an additional allocation of hours be made to the school.
Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers to address the need of pupils with special educational needs are now published and available on the Department's website.
The Guidelines will support schools to reflect on how they can review and manage their timetabling practices to ensure the timetable is sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all pupils in their school who have special needs. The Guidelines encourage schools to ensure they deploy their resources appropriately to meet the needs of all of the children in their school who require additional teaching support, including pupils with emerging needs, or new entrants.
In relation to the matter raised by the school with regards to an application for an additional mainstream teacher, Circular 17/2017 (Primary School Staffing Schedule) provides details of how a school may apply for an additional mainstream staffing post on the basis that they are a developing school, or have projected increased enrolments, and the criteria for qualification under this process.
567. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional support will be provided to a school (details supplied) in order to facilitate the enrolment of a person (details supplied). [28127/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools were published on 7th March 2017.
These Circulars set out the details of the new model for allocating special education teachers to schools.
The revised allocation process replaces the generalised allocation process at primary and post primary school level for learning support and high incidence special educational needs, and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocation process which provided additional resource teaching supports to schools, to support pupils assessed as having Low Incidence disabilities.
The new Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
Allocations based on the school profiles were issued to all schools on 7th March.
In relation to the school referred to by the Deputy, this school received a special education teaching allocation for September 2017 of 215 hours.
This school's allocation for the 2016/17 school year was 159.80 hours, therefore the school is receiving an increased allocation of 55.20 hours, which equates to over two additional full time Special Education Teaching posts and over 8.5 special education teachers in total in the school.
This is a very significant allocation and will ensure that the school can provide additional teaching support for all pupils who need such support in the school.
It is also a feature of the new allocation model that schools are not required to submit new applications for each pupil who has been assessed as having a particular condition, as schools have been resourced to support all pupils, whether they have been assessed as having a particular condition or not.
It is therefore not the case that no assistance can be offered to this pupil in the absence of a formal assessment.
Schools are asked to allocate additional teaching support to all pupils who need such support in schools taking account of their individual learning needs.
The aim of this new model is to deliver better outcomes for children with special educational needs. Substantial research, analysis, consultation with service users and stakeholders, and piloting have gone in to the development of this model and all of the evidence points to the fact that this new system will deliver better outcomes for children.
No school will lose supports as a result of the implementation of the new model. In addition, no school will receive an allocation, for the support of pupils with complex needs, less than the allocation they received to support such pupils during the 2016/17 school year. No allocation made for such pupils by the NCSE will be removed from schools as long as that pupil remains in the school.
An additional 900 teaching posts have been provided to support the introduction of this new allocation model. The provision of an additional 900 teaching posts is a very significant investment in the provision of additional teaching support for pupils with special educational needs in our schools. This is additional to an increase of 41% in the number of resource teachers allocated to schools annually by the NCSE since 2011.
The additional funding will provide additional supports to over 1200 schools who are identified as needing additional supports as a result of the new model. Supports for children with special educational needs is a key priority for this Government. The new funding will ensure that all schools receive a sufficient allocation of special education needs resources to provide additional teaching support to all pupils, including pupils who have yet to enrol in their school, who require such support.
Under the new allocation model, schools will be provided with a total allocation which includes a baseline allocation for the school and an allocation based on the school’s profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation will give a fairer allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the actual level of need in each school.
Schools will be frontloaded with resources, based on each school’s profile, to provide supports immediately to those pupils who need it without delay. This will reduce the administrative burden on schools as schools will no longer have to complete an application process annually and apply for newly enrolled pupils who require resource hours. Children who need support can have that support provided immediately rather than having to wait for a diagnosis.
Schools will therefore no longer have to make applications for newly enrolled pupils for whom resource teaching hours may have been provided under the old model, or for pupils who have received a new diagnosis, as schools will now receive a single allocation for all of their special education teaching needs, based on their school size and profile.
The new allocations to schools will include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.
All allocations to schools include a supplementary provision, which has been referred to as the ‘baseline allocation’ which is allocated over and above the profiled allocation.
For students who start school from September 2017, with a specific diagnosis, either in junior infants or transferring from another school, the resources they need will already be in the school under the new model.
It should be noted that this is a brand new model of allocation and is not comparable to the existing model. By using a broad range of attainment and socio-economic criteria, it is expected that generally, a school’s profile will remain relatively constant from year to year. Each year, some students with additional teaching needs will leave and others will enrol, broadly balancing the school profile. Resources allocated under this model will not normally be adjusted between allocations.
DES Circulars 0013/2017 and 0014/2017 outline the basis on which the Education Research Centre determined the allocations for all schools.
The model will allow for some additional provision for exceptional circumstances or where a school’s enrolment levels increase very substantially prior to the next review of the model. The National Council for Special Education will support schools in managing their special education teaching allocations in the first instance. Only in very exceptional circumstances, where it can be demonstrated that the school's profile has changed very significantly since the allocation was made to the school, may an additional allocation of hours be made to the school.
Guidelines for schools on the organisation, deployment and use of their special education teachers to address the need of pupils with special educational needs are now published and available on the Department's website.
The Guidelines will support schools to reflect on how they can review and manage their timetabling practices to ensure the timetable is sufficiently flexible to meet the needs of all pupils in their school who have special needs. The Guidelines encourage schools to ensure they deploy their resources appropriately to meet the needs of all of the children in their school who require additional teaching support, including pupils with emerging needs, or new entrants.
568. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent of training provided to special educational needs organisers in relation to the new resource allocation model; the number of special educational needs organisers that have undergone formal training on the new model; the dates of the training; the duration of the training; the cost of the training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28128/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that in order to provide information and training in relation to the New Model for allocating Special Education Teachers to schools, all schools and some of the support agencies involved, were invited to attend one of nine Regional Information and Training days which were held at various locations around the Country between March and May of this year. These meetings provided information and training in relation to the new allocation model.
As part of this process, all Special Education Needs Officers (SENOs) were invited to attend one of these meetings. 64 Special Education Needs Officers and 10 Senior Special Education Needs Officers attended one of the nationwide events. As the events were designed to provide for the information and training needs of schools and support agencies, as well as Special Education Needs Officers, it is not possible to separate the cost of providing training specifically to the SENOs who attended these events, from the overall cost of the events.
From 20th March 2017, the National Behavioural Support Service, the Special Education Support Service and the Visiting Teacher Service for Children with Visual or Hearing Impairment transferred to the NCSE as part of the process involved in supporting the introduction of the new model of allocation of teaching supports to schools. Together with SENOs, staff in these services will now work in one unified support service for schools comprising over 200 staff.
These staff will continue to build professional capacity in schools and to provide the supports in relation to the allocation of SNA support, school transport, training and upskilling, assistance with behavioural issues, and support in relation to students with a visual or hearing impairment.
Further training for all NCSE staff involved in supporting schools under the new model will be provided, as appropriate, through the 2017/18 school year.
In this context, staff training will be held on 11 and 12 September for all NCSE staff and the main training component will relate to the manner in which the unified support service, including SENOs will provide support to schools. Further training will be provided through the school year in line with the delivery of the NCSE plans to provide support to schools.
569. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rate of payment for examination assessors; the basis on which payment is determined, for example, the hourly rate or per script; the number of assessors for the 2017 examinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28129/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
