Written Answers Nos. 38-59
53. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to introduce a similar programme at primary school level to improve the spoken Irish language (details supplied) further to the launch of the new junior cycle specifications for Irish, modern foreign languages and visual art on 4 September 2017. [44816/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA primary language curriculum for Junior Infants to Second Class has been developed. Implementation commenced on a phased basis in 2016, starting with the oral strand. This was prioritised to allow teachers to emphasise the importance of speaking Irish as a living language.
There two curricula: one for Irish-medium schools, where Irish is the language of instruction. The other is for English-medium schools where Irish is the second language. Proficiency levels attained in Irish will, in reality, be different depending on the language of instruction used.
All primary teachers are currently in receipt of CPD for the Primary Language Curriculum. CPD concentrated on the oral language strand in 2016/17. In 2017/18, CPD is focused on the reading and writing strands. Teachers will be able to teach all 3 strands from September 2018.
Improving the standard and supports for teachers of Irish is an important priority.
All Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes for primary level have been reconfigured and lengthened. The content and duration of Gaeltacht placements has been increased from one three-week period to two separate periods of two weeks.
My Department funds An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) to develop textbooks and other resource materials for both English-medium and Irish-medium schools.
My Department also funds Foras na Gaeilge to provide interactive teaching and learning resources under their Seideán Sí initiative.
Work is currently underway in developing the Primary Language Curriculum for third to sixth class.
All the above efforts are being made to enable teachers to enhance the quality of the learning experience and the proficiency levels gained by our primary pupils in Irish whether they attend an Irish-medium school or an English-medium school setting.
54. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to allow greater access for those in direct provision to access higher and further education. [44945/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPersons in the protection process currently have access to a range of higher education provision under the arrangements for non-EU/EEA nationals (i.e. payment of full economic fee). In the further education and training sector, persons in the protection process can access adult literacy and English language provision free of charge.
A pilot student support scheme is currently in operation by my Department, to support students in the protection process who meet certain eligibility criteria. These include:
- 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, as at 31 August 2017; and
- Have been part of an application for protection or leave to remain for a combined period of 5 years as at 31 August 2017.
Persons in the protection process may also access English language classes up to level 4 on the National Qualifications Framework. This provision is offered free of charge.
Access to higher and further education training courses that have an employment, vocational or workplace training component is currently not available to persons in the protection process.
As the Deputy may be aware, the question of access to the labour market by persons in the protection process is currently a matter before the courts; the response to which on behalf of the State, is being led by my colleague the Minister for Justice and Equality. My Department will respond to the outcomes of these proceedings in terms of education provision, in due course.
55. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps his Department has taken to date and will take to address the lack of space at a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; if his Department has examined the possibility of adapting a site in County Wexford to cater for the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45029/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the school in question has submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for additional school accommodation. My Department has discussed the matter with the school and I understand that the school has indicated that the school site is constrained in terms of additional accommodation.
My Department will continue to liaise with the school authorities regarding the options available, including the other site referred to, in assisting the school to meet both its immediate and long term accommodation needs.
56. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the introduction by Caranua of new guidelines pertaining to obtaining support for funeral expenses, in particular, the requirement that service users divulge their personal circumstances to prospective funeral directors and in order to avail of support for funeral services the service users sign up to the new €15,000 limit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44999/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCaranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. Section 8 of that Act provides that the Board of Caranua may determine whether a particular service is an approved service while section 9 provides that Caranua may determine the criteria by reference to which it may make decisions in respect of applications to it. I have no role in either of those processes.
I understand that in 2016, and arising from feedback from former residents, Caranua decided to include the provision of a contribution towards funeral costs as an approved service. Since then Caranua has been working to put in place an appropriate scheme that will enable this important service to be provided. I understand that the scheme will provide a contribution towards the pre-payment of funeral costs.
I am advised that in order to ensure the effective management of the scheme, Caranua is putting in place formal funding agreements with those former residents who wish to avail of this new support. This requires those applicants to agree to the terms and conditions of the agreement. I am further advised that there has been a significant level of interest shown by former residents in the new scheme.
I welcome this important initiative which will address a need that has been identified by former residents.
57. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to locate a second level school in the general Duleek and east County Meath area. [44943/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The System 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. It is anticipated that decisions based on the latest demographic exercises will be announced later in 2017.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools
- Provision of a new school or schools.
Duleek is located in the Drogheda school planning area, in which there are 7 post-primary schools, including a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school, Ballymakenny College, established in 2014. Two new post-primary schools also opened in County Meath since 2013, Colaiste na Mí, Navan and De Lacy College, Ashbourne, which will provide 2,000 school places between them once completed.
My Department is keeping the school planning areas in County Meath under ongoing review to take account of updated child benefit data and updated enrolment data and also the impact of capacity increases in the school planning areas.
58. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made on and timeline for the implementation of junior certificate reforms. [45031/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe new Framework for Junior Cycle gives students the opportunity to develop a wider range of knowledge and skills to equip them for further learning, for work, for responsible and active citizenship and for healthy living. It gives students better learning opportunities and recognises non-academic achievement. Implementation of the new Framework for Junior Cycle is now fully proceeding and a number of new subject specifications – English, Science and Business Studies - have already been introduced in previous school years. From September 2017, new specifications for Irish/Gaeilge, Modern Foreign Languages and Visual Art (formerly known as Art, Craft and Design) have now also been introduced under phase 3 of the Framework, together with the new area of learning entitled Wellbeing. Phase 4 sees the introduction of Mathematics, Home Economics, History, Music and Geography from September 2018. Phase 5 will see the introduction in September 2019 of the technology subjects, Religious Education, Jewish Studies and Classics.
Provisional examination results for Junior Certificate/Cycle 2017 were issued by the State Examinations Commission on 13 September. Towards the end of this year students will receive the first Junior Cycle Profiles of Achievement from their schools.
From September 2017, in all subject areas, full-time teachers involved in the delivery of Junior Cycle are entitled to an annual allocation of 22 hours of professional time within timetable, with a pro-rata entitlement for part-time teachers, as a professional support to them in their work in junior cycle.
The Junior Cycle for Teachers Service (JCT) is providing a dedicated continuing professional development support service to all teachers and schools. It is providing high quality CPD for school leaders and teachers, and effective teaching and learning resources, to support the ongoing roll-out of the new Junior Cycle Framework.
59. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the current system for assessing student grant requests in place by SUSI; if his attention has been drawn to the number of overpayments which have been made by SUSI since its inception; the impact the overpayments may have on student welfare; if his Department has engaged with SUSI with regard to overpayments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45038/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe establishment of SUSI, within City of Dublin ETB (CDETB) as a single national awarding authority for student grants, represented a very significant positive development in the transformation of government service delivery in relation to supporting students in further and higher education.
Although there were operational challenges arising from this change that impacted on students in its first year of operation, which have been widely acknowledged, SUSI has continued to make year on year improvements and innovations in its service to students and is now a high-functioning organisation as evidenced by its performance in meeting service targets set for it by my Department annually.
SUSI processes over 100,000 applications a year with circa 80,000 students subsequently qualifying for grant support. Last year the Department of Education and Skills, through SUSI, provided over €380 million in grants to students.
To ensure that we have a level of assurance and appropriate governance structures required for an operation of this size and complexity, my Department has put in place a detailed Management Framework Agreement (MFA) with CDETB. This MFA includes, metrics to measure the performance of SUSI in terms of the system availability, the application process, customer service and overpayments.
SUSI 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.
