Written Answers Nos. 183-198
183. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the calculation method used for determining the auxiliary service grant payable to schools takes into account factors which may result in individual schools incurring additional costs and overheads such as those associated with the presence of special classrooms and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8217/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides funding to all recognised schools by way of per capita grants.
The two main grants for primary are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the Ancillary Services grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff.
Enhanced rates of the Capitation grant are paid in respect of pupils with special educational needs who attend special schools or special classes attached to mainstream schools. The Ancillary Services grant payment is based on pupil enrolments in mainstream schools. However, payments to Special Schools are based on the number of authorised fulltime teaching staff approved by the Department so as to compensate for lower enrolment numbers.
At second-level, a Special Class Grant of €191 per pupil is paid in respect of pupils who have been psychologically assessed as having a mild or moderate general learning disability and participating in NCSE approved special classes.
The following links are the most recent circulars published on my Department's website in relation to capitation related grants.
www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0078_2017.pdf.
www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0028_2016.pdf.
www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0029_2016.pdf.
184. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the acquisition of a site and provision of a new school (details supplied) in County Wexford; when he expects the project to proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8240/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, the project to which he refers was announced as part of my Department's Six Year Capital Programme in 2015.
Officials in my Department are working closely with officials from the relevant local authority under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable permanent location for the school to which the Deputy refers.
A number of potential site options have been identified and these are currently under consideration, in consultation with the local authority. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time.
185. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills whether the eligibility of a person (details supplied) will be examined regarding the spouses and children's pension scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8296/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra186. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills whether a person's service (details supplied) will count toward pension entitlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8297/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 185 and 186 together.
The person referred to by the Deputy is a former employee of Kildare and Wicklow Education & Training Board(KWETB). Relevant employees of the ETB are members of the Education and Training Board Teachers Superannuation Scheme, or the Education Sector Superannuation Scheme, both of which are statutory pension schemes administered by each ETB on behalf of its members. Queries regarding employee pension benefits for these members are dealt with by the relevant ETB which in this case is KWETB.
Officials in my Department contacted KWETB regarding the person concerned and I understand work is underway to address the queries raised, and they will respond directly to the person concerned.
187. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills whether a place for a person (details supplied) in the special care unit of a school in September 2018 will be assured. [8321/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy of my Department is to ensure that all children with special educational needs can be provided with an education appropriate to their needs.
My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, including special schools, which have enrolled students with special educational needs, in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education.
The enrolment of a child in a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools.
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a matter for the schools themselves. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to publish its enrolment policy.
Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, provides parents with an appeal process where a board of management of a school or a person acting on behalf of the Board refuses enrolment to a student. Where a school refuses to enrol a pupil, the school is obliged to inform parents of their right under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 to appeal that decision to either the relevant Educational Training Board or to the Secretary General of this Department.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is a separate independent statutory body whose functions include planning and co-ordinating the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs in conjunction with schools and the Health Service Executive (HSE). The NCSE, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports as required. The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year and where special provision is required it is planned and established to meet that need.
The NCSE’s SENO responsibility includes planning and co-ordinating the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs, including supporting children and parents in identifying school placement options and resource needs. Each SENO works in an assigned local area with parents, schools, teachers, psychologists, health professionals and other staff who are involved in the provision of services in that area for children with special educational needs.
In dealing with parents of children with special educational needs, SENOs support children and their parents in identifying school placement options and resource needs; keeping parents informed of what resourcing decisions are being made on their child’s behalf. The SENO will also discuss any concerns that parents have about the present or future educational needs of their child. Contact details for SENOs is available at http://ncse.ie/seno-contact-list.
The NCSE has advised that the local SENO is working with the school, HSE representatives and the parent to secure a school placement for the child referred to by the Deputy.
188. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale behind the decision to place a restriction on five schools (details supplied) for enrolments for junior infant classes to up to half a stream for 2018-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8327/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra190. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale for the reported restriction and limit of the number of children permitted to be enrolled in Educate Together national schools; the locations in which this restriction is in place; the reason the restriction was introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8381/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra201. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he has instructed his Department officials to advise some Educate Together schools to reduce intake to half a stream in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8599/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 188, 190 and 201 together.
As the Deputies may be aware, the 2012 Report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector recommended that demand for patronage diversity should be met in areas of stable population by divesting patronage of existing schools where there is evidence of parental demand for change.
In this context, in 2012/13, my Department undertook surveys of parental preferences in 43 areas of stable population to establish the level of demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools. These areas were all stable in terms of population growth, so no new school places were required. However sufficient demand for more choice emerged in 28 areas, including in Tramore, New Ross, Trim, Tuam and Castlebar.
In the majority of the 28 areas surveyed where sufficient demand emerged, the level of parental demand for a wider choice indicated a size of a four classroom school being required to accommodate such a level of demand.
Under the patronage divesting process, a school could be opened where a school building became, or was due to become available as a result of an amalgamation/closure of an existing school. In some areas, in responding to demand for diversity where existing patrons were unable make school properties available, the Department also included an examination of properties held in public ownership.
In order to facilitate the opening of these schools, their initial establishment, as with most new schools, has been in temporary start-up accommodation, pending a permanent school building being made available. All schools, irrespective of their location, have to operate within their available accommodation and manage annual pupil intake accordingly.
The initial establishment of these schools as four-classroom schools and the need to be cognisant of managing the available accommodation has been reflected in my Department’s engagement with the patron body of the schools, Educate Together. Indeed, a case has been submitted by Educate Together to my Department to further expand Tramore ETNS, New Ross ETNS, Trim ETNS, Tuam ETNS and Castlebar ETNS and this is currently under consideration.
My Department is currently carrying out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post-primary level to identify areas of demographic growth and determine where additional school accommodation is needed in order to plan for school provision nationwide and this work is almost complete. In this context, the outcome of the nationwide demographic exercises will input into consideration of the case submitted by Educate Together.
I have announced a new Patronage Reconfiguration process, which will accelerate the delivery of multi-denominational and non-denominational schools, to reach 400 live schools by 2030. Unlike the previous process, this plan will focus on live transfers, so that a school which transfers under this process would not be reliant on temporary accommodation.
189. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to meet formally with his UK counterpart in the context of the impact of Brexit on education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8351/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraConsultation has been fundamental to my Department’s preparations for Brexit. I have attached particular importance to engagement at political and institutional level on our Brexit agenda. Last year I met my former UK counterpart, Justine Greening MP and I look forward to an occasion in the near future to meet her successor, the recently appointed Secretary of State for Education, Damian Hinds MP to continue our bilateral engagement on issues of common concern, including Brexit.
I have also had meetings with the former Minister of State for Exiting the EU, David Jones MP, the UK’s Opposition Spokesperson on Brexit, Keir Starmer MP, as well as members of the All Party Parliamentary Group on the Irish in Britain.
I attended the Education Council in Brussels last week and participated in policy debates, one of which will address the European Council conclusion from December on the proposed European Education Area. At this event I met with the head of the UK government delegation Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for School Standards, and took the opportunity to raise Brexit issues with him and to contribute positively to the debate on how Europe can remain at the forefront of excellence in education and research.
Officials in my Department continue to work closely with their counterparts in the Department for Education, London on a range of issues including establishing a shared understanding between Ireland and the United Kingdom of the rights to access education in each other’s jurisdictions which are facilitated and supported by the Common Travel Area (CTA) and associated rights arrangements.
191. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Cork will be paid for each day they worked and at the full rate. [8391/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAll teachers must be registered with the Teaching Council and the payment of the qualified rate of pay is dependent on that registration.
On an exceptional basis there is provision for schools to employ an unregistered person. The details are outlined in Circulars 31/2011 and 52/2013 issued by my Department. In that situation, an unregistered person will be paid the unqualified rate of pay and they may work up to a maximum of five consecutive days in a row.
The person referred to by the Deputy was not registered with the Teaching Council at the time of her employment in January 2018 and was paid correctly under the terms of Circular 52/2013.
192. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the costs incurred by his Department for the eight-page feature on the Action Plan for Education 2018 in a newspaper (details supplied). [8473/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing consultation between the Department of the Taoiseach and Ministers and Secretaries General of Departments, a set of priority information campaigns was compiled. Cabinet subsequently approved the agreed priority information campaigns which included the Action Plan for Education 2018.
A team from the Department of the Taoiseach worked with a team from the Department of Education on the launch of the Action Plan for Education. This work included the production of a video, social media support and a content partnership with a national daily newspaper. While the cost was not met by my Department, I understand it amounted to €8,600 excluding VAT.
193. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the schools that are involved in the pilot scheme for the creative schools initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8484/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 12 February, I, along with Minister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Josepha Madigan and the Arts Council, launched Creative Schools, a central initiative of the Government’s Creative Ireland Programme, which puts the arts and creativity at the heart of children's and young people’s lives.
Up to 150 primary and post-primary schools across the country will participate in the pilot and work with artists, creative practitioners and educators to develop their own unique programme of arts and creative work, connecting them to the full range of local and regional cultural resources and opportunities.
In addition, all participating schools will also receive a further range of supports including a once-off grant and training for teachers in the school.
Applications for Creative Schools will open on the 20th of February and participating schools will be announced in May 2018. Work will begin in schools in the selected schools in September 2018.
I encourage all primary and post-primary schools to apply to participate in this initiative. We are looking to include a wide range of schools, with a broad national spread.
194. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development and location for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8494/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials in my Department are working closely with officials in the relevant local authority under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites with a view to securing a suitable location for the school to which the Deputy refers.
My Department is working to advance the site acquisition process for the school in question as quickly as possible and the school patron will be informed of the permanent location once a site has been acquired.
Once a suitable site has been secured, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the school will be progressed into the architectural planning process.
195. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional schools and pupils included in the programme as a result of the review of DEIS published in January 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8547/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra196. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the purpose of the identification model in relation to DEIS; the date on which the update of the identification model will be available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8548/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra197. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) previously excluded will be reconsidered for inclusion in the scheme further to the publication of the identification model in relation to DEIS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8549/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra198. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 61 of 1 February 2018, the status of the assessment of all schools in relation to the DEIS programme; when it will be completed; if a school (details supplied) that was previously excluded will be reconsidered for inclusion in the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8550/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 195 to 198, inclusive, together.
We have, for the first time, introduced an objective, statistics based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage.
The key data sources used in the DEIS identification process are the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area. Variables used in the compilation of the HP Index include those related to demographic growth, dependency ratios, education levels, single parent rate, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. This data is combined with pupil data supplied by schools, anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools.
A detailed document explaining the methodology used in the Identification process is also available on the Department’s website at www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Identification-Process.pdf.
The purpose of the Identification Model is to assess all schools, both primary and post-primary, to identify levels of disadvantage among the pupil cohort of each individual school. The identification model is applied in a uniform way across the entire school system. 79 schools were included in DEIS for the first time and 30 schools were identified as needing extra supports which were allocated with effect from September 2017. These schools were those identified as having the highest levels of disadvantage in the pupil cohort of the school. A list of these schools is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Plan-2017-New-DEIS-Schools-List.pdf.
The current status is that an update of the identification model is currently underway. This will take account of updated school data, as provided by schools for the current school year, combined with the Pobal HP Index of Deprivation, based on Small Area Population statistics derived from the 2016 National Census. It is envisaged that this process will be completed by the end of Quarter 1 this year.
Should this exercise reveal that any school which did not qualify for DEIS in 2017, including the school referred to by the Deputy, meets the criteria applicable to schools with the highest concentration of disadvantage based on the updated information then additional schools may be included subject to available resources.
