Tuesday, 22 May 2018

Written Answers Nos. 51 - 75

Schools Building Projects Status

Ceisteanna (51)

Anne Rabbitte

Ceist:

51. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school building project (details supplied) did not commence construction in 2017. [22444/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The building project for St Oliver’s Special School in Tuam will provide a new 6 classroom special needs school on a Greenfield site. The development will consist of a new 2,221 sqm school building with on-site parking provisions, all associated landscaping, boundary treatments, site works and ancillary services.

The design team on this project was appointed in January 2016. Planning permission was granted in May 2017. The stage 2(b) submission which includes all statutory approvals, final designs and full tender documentation was submitted by the design team to my Department in late February 2018.

The Stage 2B submission was reviewed by my Department and comments issued earlier this week. The school and its design team have been authorised to commence the pre-qualification shortlisting of building contractors. A letter recently issued to the school with regard to a timeframe for progression to tender outlining that this project will shortly commence the tender process and is anticipated to commence construction in Quarter 4 of 2018.

Special Educational Needs

Ceisteanna (52)

John Brassil

Ceist:

52. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the process for children with intellectual disabilities transitioning from second level education will be reassessed; his views on new measures to implement an earlier programme of transition via a pilot rehabilitative training transition programme between the HSE and the National Council for Special Education; if a comprehensive programme of career guidance services within the educational system for young persons with special needs who leave the special school system will be supported; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21981/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Transitions at all stages and levels including starting school; the move from primary to post-primary school; moving between mainstream and special school settings and preparation for life after school can be a difficult time for all parents and students, including those with special educational needs.

My Department has committed itself to a range of actions aimed at supporting effective transition from school to further or higher education and adult disability services, in order to ensure that students with disabilities can be supported to plan for their futures. This requires information on the options and supports, as well as ensuring schools, families, other Government Departments and Agencies work together to ensure the needs of students can be reasonably met.

My Department, together with the NCSE, SOLAS, Education and Training Boards (ETBs), HSE, Department of Employment Affairs & Social Protection among others have key roles to play in delivering on various actions to enable achievement of key strategic priorities, including transition from school to further or higher education and adult disability services.

I understand that the context of the proposal to develop a Rehabilitative Training Transition Programme between NCSE and HSE stems from a review of the HSE's current Rehabilitation Programme. I am pleased that a meeting between NCSE and HSE will be convened shortly to discuss how this might be advanced.

The Career Guidance Review, which is currently underway, is examining existing career guidance tools and career information for all post-primary/further education/higher education students and adults, currently in place across the education and training system in Ireland.

Schools Building Projects Status

Ceisteanna (53)

Thomas Pringle

Ceist:

53. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a new building for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal with construction due to commence in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22440/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 1 of the Architectural Planning Process.

Stage 1 is the Preliminary Design Stage where the Design Team in conjunction with the school authority will analyse all the constraints of the site, develop a preferred design option and ensure that the preferred option is the best option for the delivery of the brief.

When the school's design team has completed its work on Stage 1 it will request a meeting with my Departments Planning & Building Unit at which it will present its design proposals. The school will attend and will be an active participant at that meeting.

The project will then progress through the remaining stages of architectural planning which includes detailed design, the planning application and other statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents.

School Staff

Ceisteanna (54)

Thomas Pringle

Ceist:

54. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the situation regarding a school (details supplied) in County Donegal will be addressed in view of the fact that it is still without an administrative principal despite having seven teachers and eight SNAs on its staff and is only one of two schools in Ireland facing this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22436/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The criteria for the appointment of an administrative principal to a school are based on the school’s enrolment. The school referred to by the Deputy does not meet the criteria.

Each teaching principal receives a number of days to take as release time in order to undertake administrative functions. Under these arrangements, my Department pays for a substitute teacher to be employed by the school on these release days. Under the current arrangements the number of days that principal teachers may take as release time in each school year is 15, 20 or 25 days depending on the size of the school.

Building on measures in previous budgets to enhance school leadership, Budget 2018 made €0.4 million available to fund almost 4600 additional release days for teaching principals in primary schools. This additional funding will see an increase in the number of release days available to teaching principals in the 2018/19 school year to 17, 23 or 29 days depending on the size of the school.

I recently announced an extension to the arrangements for schools with teaching principals to cluster their release days into full-time posts, with one teacher covering the release days of all the schools in the cluster. Up to 50 principal release cluster posts will be put in place for the 2018/19 school year. This measure will assist teaching principals to more effectively plan their release days for the benefit of the school.

Any additional increase in the number of release days will be considered as part of the next annual budgetary process alongside the many other demands from the education sector.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Ceisteanna (55)

Pat Deering

Ceist:

55. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which supports are provided to children with special educational needs in County Carlow through SNAs, special classes and resource teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22328/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department's policy aims to ensure that all children with Special Educational Needs 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.

Ensuring that children with special educational needs are supported and given the opportunity to reach their full potential is a key priority for this Government.

In 2018, in the region of €1.75 billion will be invested in Special Education, nearly one fifth of the overall Education budget, and up 43% since 2011.

This funding includes provision for over 13,400 Special Education Teaching posts in mainstream primary and post primary schools, providing additional teaching support to pupils with special educational needs, and over 1,440 special classes, with over 140 new Special Classes to open for the 2018/19 school year. This compares to 548 special classes in 2011.

By the end of this year, some 15,000 special needs assistants will be allocated to schools to support children with additional care needs at an annual cost of some €524m.

With regard to County Carlow, the allocation for the 2018/19 school year is 187 Special Needs Assistants across all mainstream and special schools, which represents an increase of 45% in the SNA allocation in County Carlow since the end of the 2011/12 school year, at which point 127.4 SNAS were allocated.

116.5 Special Education Teachers are currently allocated to 42 primary schools and 52.9 Special Education Teachers are allocated to 11 post primary schools in the County. This is a total allocation of 169.4 special education teachers in County Carlow, compared to 58.6 resource teachers at the end of the 2011/12 school year. However the alocation process has changed in the interim so that the new allocation model now provides a total allocation for resource teaching and learning support.

The number of special classes in the County will increase from 6 in 2011, to 32 in the 2018/19 school year, which represents a four fold increase in provision.

School Accommodation Provision

Ceisteanna (56)

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

56. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide a co-educational, non-denominational, non-fee-paying secondary school for children in Dublin 8 and Dublin 12, in view of the fact that existing schools are at capacity and this is forcing parents and children to travel considerable distances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22452/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, in November 2016, I announced the patronage of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2018 to serve the Dublin South City Centre area. This new school, which will be a co-educational, multi-denominational school under the patronage of Educate Together, will serve the Dublin 8 school planning area, along with the Dublin 2, Dublin 4 and Dublin 6, Clonskeagh, school planning areas as a regional solution.

More recently, in April 2018, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including new post-primary schools for areas adjacent to Dublin 8 and Dublin 12 as follows:

- new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2020 as a regional solution to serve the Dublin 6, Clonskeagh, and Dublin 6W school planning areas

- new 600 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2021 to serve the Dublin 2, Dublin 4 school planning area.

These new schools will further reduce pressure on schools in the adjacent school planning areas, including the Dublin 8 and 12 areas. A patronage process, which will be open to all patron bodies, will be run by my Department to decide who will operate these schools.

Schools Site Acquisitions

Ceisteanna (57)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

57. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a site will be purchased to accommodate the three school campus in Buncrana, County Donegal; the timeline of works to ensure that the school campus is completed as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21982/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy is aware the project in respect of the education campus in Buncrana is included on my Department's capital programme.

My Department is working closely with Donegal County Council in relation to the proposed site acquisition. Unfortunately, the site acquisition process to date has been protracted due to technical challenges with identified site options and difficulties in reaching agreement with landowners.

A number of options are available to progress the site acquisition process, and a significant amount has been undertaken by both Council and Department officials in order to thoroughly appraise these in order to ensure Value for Money for the State. Officials in my Department are currently finalizing the agreed next steps with Council officials in order to bring matters to a conclusion at the earliest possible date. A definitive end date for conclusion of negotiations will then be communicated to the landowner and the school authorities.

Once the site acquisition is complete the project can progress to architectural planning stage.

Special Educational Needs Staff

Ceisteanna (58)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Ceist:

58. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a recent survey of special needs assistants which indicated that they require and need more training for their roles. [22431/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The results of the FÓRSA survey to which the Deputy has referred were not submitted directly to my Department and, as such, I have not had sufficient opportunity to fully examine the survey results. I acknowledge that there are many Special Needs Assistants working in our school communities holding additional, and in many cases, much higher levels of qualifications than the minimum qualifications required.

In 2016 the National Council for Special Education was requested to lead a comprehensive review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme to identify and recommend how, in the future, additional care needs of students, over and above those needs that could be reasonably expected to be managed by teaching staff, should be met and to identify and recommend the most appropriate form of support options to provide better outcomes for students with Special Educational Needs who have additional care needs having regard to the significant amount of State investment in this area.

The NCSE has recently submitted their report to me and the findings and conclusions of that report are now under consideration. I understand that, in preparing their report the NCSE consulted with FÓRSA and may have considered the findings of the survey.

In planning for the implementation of the NCSE's recommendations, full consideration will be given to any recommendations relating to the training and qualification needs of SNAs for the future.

Schools Amalgamation

Ceisteanna (59)

Bobby Aylward

Ceist:

59. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to assist a school (details supplied) in the process of ensuring that its two student bodies can be housed together on one school campus site following amalgamation in June 2016 in order to address the managerial difficulties and potential health and safety risks of operating on two different sites at opposite ends of the respective village. [22466/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy may be aware, the co-educational school in question emerged from the amalgamation of a boys' and girls' school in September 2016 following a request from the Patron. When the application to amalgamate was made to my Department, it was clarified to the schools that it was not possible to construct a new school building to facilitate the amalgamation. It was explained that my Department's immediate priority is to provide essential classroom accommodation in areas where significant demographic need has been established to ensure that each child will have access to a physical school place. The area where the school is located has not been identified as an area of demographic growth. The Boards of Management of both schools accepted that the amalgamated school will continue to operate from the sites of the existing schools.

As the Deputy will be aware, I recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next 4 years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country.

In the circumstances, my Department is not in a position, at this time, to provide a new school building for the school in question.

Schools Property

Ceisteanna (60)

Maureen O'Sullivan

Ceist:

60. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the potential impact on schools (details supplied) should the proposed preferred route of MetroLink proceed; if he has discussed the potential impact on same with the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22382/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

My colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport has responsibility for policy and overall funding in relation to public transport.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) has statutory responsibility for the planning and development of public transport infrastructure in the Greater Dublin Area (GDA) including the development of a metro scheme (MetroLink), and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is the agency tasked with delivery of the MetroLink project.

Officials from my Department have been in contact with officials in Department of Transport Tourism and Sport and with Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in relation to the matter raised by the Deputy.

The recently published Project Ireland 2040 proposes to take forward a MetroLink scheme to run from Swords, via Dublin Airport to Dublin’s south city centre (operating in tunnel under the city centre) and onwards to Sandyford using the existing Luas Green Line to ensure that growth along this corridor can be accommodated.

The details of the MetroLink scheme (Swords to Sandyford) were the subject of a non-statutory public consultation process over the last month. It is planned to commence construction of the scheme in 2021 with a view to its completion by 2027.

As Minister for Education and Skills, I understand the concerns raised by affected schools.

The NTA and TII, through the consultative processes, are tasked with finding a way of delivering the MetroLink project that respects the social and community life of our city. This will involve working collaboratively with stakeholders to address concerns that they have identified and to develop mitigating proposals for discussion.

TII has conveyed that it must firstly assess the feedback from the recent public consultation on the emerging preferred route before determining and publishing its preferred route later in 2018. The preferred route will also be subject to public consultation and also an Environmental Impact Assessment.

My Department will engage with TII as necessary in the event that there is any proposed impact on schools.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Ceisteanna (61)

Peter Fitzpatrick

Ceist:

61. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the number of special education units nationally; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22393/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, which have enrolled students with special educational needs, including those with Autism in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education.

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.

My Department therefore provides for a continuum of provision which includes mainstream school placements with additional supports, or for pupils who require more specialist interventions, special school and special class placements.

Since 2011, the NCSE has increased the number of special classes from 548 in 2011 to 1,304 for the 2017/18 school year.

This network includes 1,048 ASD special classes, of which 130 are ASD early intervention classes, 641 primary ASD classes and 277 post-primary ASD classes in mainstream schools and 125 Special schools of which 20 are ASD special schools.

The National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers, for the development and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special classes.

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 is continuing to work with schools, parents, NEPS, health professionals and other staff who are involved in the provision of services for children with special educational needs, to ensure that each child has a school placement appropriate to their needs for the 2018/19 school year and beyond.

To this end the NCSE has indicated that it intends to establish approximately 145 new special classes for the forthcoming school year.

Parents/guardians of children with special needs who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO).

The Deputy may be aware that the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016, which was published in July 2016, has been amended to include a measure which provide for the Minister to require a school to open a special class for children with special educational needs.

This amendment will give the Minister the power to direct a school to open a special class or classes where the National Council for Special Education has identified a need for such provision within an area. This will complement the provisions already included in the Bill which will provide for a situation where a child with special educational needs cannot find a school place, and allow the National Council for Special Education to designate a school place for the child.

The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill passed Committee Stage on 28th June 2017 and will shortly proceed to Report Stage.

Capitation Grants

Ceisteanna (62)

John Curran

Ceist:

62. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the adequacy of the capitation grant payable to schools to meet the operational costs associated with running a school; his plans to introduce an enhanced capitation payment for DEIS schools which have significant difficulties fundraising; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22269/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The level of funding provided to all schools, including those in DEIS, and the drivers of costs at school level are kept under review by my Department.

Initiatives in order to assist with the reduction of costs at school level and management of finances are in place such as the services provided by the Schools Procurement Unit and the Financial Services Support Unit.

I also recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years.

Restoring capitation funding as resources permit is one of the actions included in the Action Plan for Education.

Budget 2018 marked the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan for Education, which has the central aim to make the Irish Education and Training service the best in Europe within a decade. In 2018, the budget for the Department of Education increased by €554 million to over €10 billion. Through budget 2017 and Budget 2018, we are now investing €1 billion more in education.

The process is underway for restoring grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff. The ancillary grant was increased by €6 in 2016, €5 in 2017 and €5 in 2018, in order to enable primary schools to implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.

The Deputy may wish to note that schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant which is outlined in Circular 40/2009.

School Accommodation

Ceisteanna (63)

Thomas Byrne

Ceist:

63. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to tackle the growing use of prefabricated classrooms in schools. [22420/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that in the context of a rapidly increasing school population, my Department's priority is to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and in this regard, it is sometimes necessary to make use of temporary accommodation in order to meet the accommodation needs of schools.

It is my Department’s intention to replace such temporary accommodation, including purchased accommodation, with permanent buildings, where the need is established in the context of the long-term accommodation needs of each individual school, over the lifetime of my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme. Such accommodation will be replaced as part as part of major building projects completed under the Department’s construction programmes and also under my Department’s additional accommodation scheme. An additional funding provision of €180 million is being made available from 2019 for this initiative.

In the vast majority of cases the use of prefabs is to provide short-term accommodation when a new teacher is approved, and we have successfully recruited 5,000 extra teachers in the last 2 years.

Summer Works Scheme

Ceisteanna (64)

Joan Burton

Ceist:

64. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the engagement with education partners will commence; if it will assist in developing a better timeline for the planning and delivery of summer works projects for 2018 and 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22304/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

In relation to the Summer Works Scheme 2018, over €25 million will be spent on summer works projects in 2018. This expenditure will enable the remaining approved improvement works for 178 schools nationwide to be completed. These works will be carried out by the schools themselves on a devolved basis mainly over the summer months, so the disruption to students, teachers and other school staff will be kept to a minimum.

The Department intends to engage with the relevant education partners in relation to giving schools a better lead-in period for planning and delivering projects under the summer works scheme from 2019 onwards. While the Summer Works Scheme is hugely successful in enabling small scale refurbishment works to be done on a devolved basis, the Department considers that the operation of the scheme could be improved by providing a better lead-in period for schools rather than in Quarter 2 as in previous years. This will also help ensure that works done under the Summer Works Scheme fit better with any wider refurbishment/energy retrofit plans that may be done at schools under the increased funding provided in the National Development Plan. The engagement with education partners will commence shortly and will assist in developing a better timeline for the planning and delivery of summer works projects for 2019 onwards.

Schools Property

Ceisteanna (65)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

65. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the ongoing dispute between a school (details supplied) and a trust regarding the playing pitches attached to the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22458/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy is aware from a previous response provided on 29 March 2018, a legal case is currently being taken against the Christian Brother Congregation regarding the sale of land in question. It would be inappropriate for me as Minister to comment on cases before the Courts.

The Deputy will also be aware that I have received a request from the Patron of the school concerned to approve the dissolution of the Board of Management.

The statutory process of dissolution is underway in which I, as Minister, must make a decision having considered the submissions made to me.

Until I have fully considered the request and the dissolution process is concluded I am not in a position to comment on matters that are related to the request. To make a public comment on this request to dissolve the board or related matters would be for me to pre-judge a statutory function which I must now discharge.

I will however make a decision in due course having considered all aspects of the dissolution in keeping with my statutory function.

School Enrolments

Ceisteanna (66)

Clare Daly

Ceist:

66. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of demand for junior school places in Swords, County Dublin (details supplied); if he is satisfied that a strategy is in place that will cater for the demand and enrolment needs for the 2018-19 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22396/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

There are a total of 11 schools enrolling junior infant classes serving the Swords area, comprising 8 Catholic schools, one Gaelscoil, one Educate Together school and one Church of Ireland school.

My Department is aware of the pressure on school places in recent years in the Swords school planning area. In that regard, my Department is monitoring the expected enrolment position in the school planning area with the aim of ensuring that there is adequate accommodation to cater for the demand for places for the 2018/19 school year.

As the Deputy will be aware, my Department recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022) including two new primary schools to serve the Swords (North and South) school planning areas.

This announcement follows a nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the four-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure.

It is proposed to establish the two new schools for Swords in September 2019.

Schools Building Projects

Ceisteanna (67)

Shane Cassells

Ceist:

67. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school building project (details supplied) did not commence construction in 2016 or 2017. [22445/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Any school building project must first complete the design stages of architectural planning before progressing to the tender and construction stages.

The school referred to by the Deputy will be part of a shared campus. The building project will deliver a new Post Primary school and a new special school building.

The project is in Stage 2a (Developed Design Stage) of architectural planning. A Stage 2(a) Stakeholders meeting was held in February at which a number of additional changes to the infrastructure were requested. Further clarification was sought and has since been received from the schools Design Team. This information is currently under review by my Department.

Planning permission for this particular project was sought earlier than usual in the architectural planning process, during stage 2(a) as a means to identify any potential issues which might arise. When all outstanding items are addressed the project will be authorised to progress to Stage 2b (Detailed Design Stage).

Apprenticeship Programmes

Ceisteanna (68)

John Curran

Ceist:

68. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the annual rate of enrolment in key apprenticeship trades in order to meet the demand for construction workers by 2020 to meet increased construction output in house and infrastructure development; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22270/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Securing skills supply from the education and training to the construction sector is a major focus of my Department as part of broader Government actions to increase housing supply and roll out the National Development Plan and the National Planning Framework.

Construction related apprenticeship registrations increased from 1,713 in 2015 to 2,314 in 2016 which represents an increase of 35%. This trend continued in 2017 with a further increase of 28% on the 2016 figure bringing the total number of construction related registrations to 2,963.

Apprenticeship is a demand driven educational and training programme, which aims to develop the skills of an apprentice in order to meet the needs of industry and the labour market. Consequently, the number of construction related apprentices being registered is determined by employers within the construction sector. My Department and SOLAS are committed to supporting the registration of apprentices in the construction sector. Registrations on craft apprenticeships are forecast to increase further up to 2020.

As the Deputy is aware, we are currently expanding the range of apprenticeships on offer to meet the identified skill needs of industry. Arising from our first call for apprenticeship proposals in 2015 an apprenticeship in Engineering Services Management, with the Construction Industry Federation (CIF) as industry lead, is currently being developed into a national apprenticeship programme. In addition, 26 further new programmes arising from last year’s second call for proposals were approved for further development into national apprenticeships, including a scaffolding apprenticeship, again with the CIF as industry lead and a senior quantity surveyor apprenticeship with the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland as industry lead. These new programmes, once developed, will add to and complement the range of apprenticeships currently on offer in developing the skill needs identified by the sector.

In addition to apprenticeship provision, almost 7,000 beneficiaries participated in SOLAS-funded construction related further education and training (FET) programmes provided by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) under the ‘Built Environment’ skills cluster during 2017. Examples of these programmes include programmes in concreting, ground work, scaffolding and sustainable construction.

Separately, following a series of discussions with the CIF, SOLAS identified the following semi-skilled occupations as priority areas for the ETBs:

- Form worker;

- Steel-fixer;

- Curtain waller.

Programmes have been put in place to produce approximately 100 form workers, 100 steel-fixers and 50 curtain wallers per year. SOLAS will continue to engage with the ETBs to expand provision to meet needs in these areas.

Special Educational Needs Staff Contracts

Ceisteanna (69)

Kathleen Funchion

Ceist:

69. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills when SNAs and teaching staff on similar contracts will receive notification of their employment in schools for the 2018-19 school year. [22390/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, I was very pleased to announce last Friday that 800 additional Special Needs Assistants will be allocated for the beginning of the next school year, with a further 140 expected to be allocated by the end of the year.

I was extremely pleased to be able to make the announcement on Friday, in keeping with the commitment made last year to inform schools of the September 2018 allocation before the end of May. In making this announcement at this time I am providing certainty to schools, parents and of course SNAs in relation to the posts that will be in place for the coming school year.

By the end of this year, there will be a total of 15,000 Special Needs Assistants working in our schools, a 42% increase on 2011. The National Council for Special Education notified the schools of their SNA allocations on Friday last and the details of these allocations are now published and available on their website.

Further Education and Training Programmes Eligibility

Ceisteanna (70)

Joan Burton

Ceist:

70. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 5 of 15 May 2018, and with regard to the February guidelines published by the Department of Justice and Equality for access to the labour market for international protection applicants, if his attention has been drawn to the confusion in the further education and training sector as to whether asylum seekers have unlimited access to programmes in the sector or specific programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22305/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Within the further education and training sector, access to English for Speakers of Other Languages and adult literacy provision is available for asylum seekers with priority given to those in need of basic English language skills to a level of functional competency.

Asylum seekers (international protection applicants) did not have access to the labour market and as a result ESOL and adult literacy provision were the only programmes within the further education and training sector to which asylum seekers had access.

However, arising from a Supreme Court decision last year, whereby section 16 (3) of the International Protection Act, was struck down with effect from 9 February, the decision was taken by Government to opt-in to the EU (recast) Receptions Conditions Directive (2013/22/EU) which sets out standards for the reception of applicants for international protection.

Arising from the fact that the opt-in process would take a number of months, temporary interim arrangements were set out by the Department of Justice and Equality.

The Department of Education and Skills has been working with the Department of Justice and Equality and other Government Departments to support both the interim arrangements and also to plan arrangements following the completion of the opt-in process.

As a result, the decision was taken by the Department of Education and Skills that during the interim period, in addition to ESOL and adult literacy provision, eligible applicants would also have access to the following further education and training programmes:

- Blended Learning

- Bridging and Foundation Training

- Community Training Centres

- Local Training Initiatives

- Specialist Training Programmes

- Specific Skills Training

- Traineeship

- Youthreach

- Back to Education Initiative (BTEI)

- Community Education.

Asylum seekers can now also access mainstream post-school vocational education via the Post Leaving Certificate Programme. Similar to access to Higher Education provision, this requires payment of the international fee, except where applicants meet the conditions of a pilot support scheme, having completed a substantial part of their schooling in Ireland.

Eligibility to participate on these programmes is based on the temporary interim measures outlined by the Department of Justice and Equality on access to the labour market. This means that applicants must produce evidence that their right to work has been acknowledged through the administrative scheme put in place by that Department or through the granting of a work permit by the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.

These arrangements were communicated to Education and Training Boards by SOLAS on 12 February.

Schools Building Projects Status

Ceisteanna (71)

Pat the Cope Gallagher

Ceist:

71. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Education and Skills when schools (details supplied) will go to tender stage for new school buildings; the timeline for project delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22426/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Gaelscoil na gCeithre Maistrí, Donegal

The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 1 of the Architectural Planning Process.

Stage 1 is the Preliminary Design Stage where the Design Team in conjunction with the school authority will analyse all the constraints of the site, develop a preferred design option and ensure that the preferred option is the best option for the delivery of the brief.

When the school's design team has completed its work on Stage 1 it will request a meeting with my Departments Planning & Building Unit at which it will present its design proposals. The school will attend and will be an active participant at that meeting.

The project will then progress through the remaining stages of architectural planning which includes detailed design, the planning application and other statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents.

St Mary's National School, Stranorlar, Co. Donegal.

The major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.The Stage 2b submission has been reviewed by my Department and comments issued to the school and its Design Team in December 2017.

My Department also requested confirmations from the Design Team that it carries out one final review of all of its tender documentation to ensure compliance with DoES requirements. The Design Team has been requested to submit written confirmation from each Design Team member including the PSDP that they have completed this review and are satisfied that the Tender Documents are complete, correct and in compliance with DoES and Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (BC(A)R) tender documentation requirements. A response is awaited.

A letter recently issued to the school and its Design Team advising them of a timeframe for the progression of this project including the Pre-Qualification of Contractors.

School Accommodation Provision

Ceisteanna (72)

Joan Collins

Ceist:

72. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Dublin 8 and 12 were not included in his recent announcement (details supplied) regarding the establishment of new schools. [22392/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, in November 2016, I announced the patronage of a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2018 to serve the Dublin South City Centre area. This new school will serve the Dublin 8 school planning area, along with the Dublin 2, Fublin 4 and Dublin 6, Clonskeagh, school planning areas as a regional solution.

More recently, in April 2018, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including new post-primary schools for areas adjacent to Dublin 8 and Dublin 12 as follows:

- new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2020 as a regional solution to serve the Dublin 6, Clonskeagh, and Dublin 6W school planning areas

- new 600 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2021 to serve the Dublin 2, Dublin 4 school planning area.

These new schools will further reduce pressure on schools in the adjacent school planning areas, including the Dublin 8 and 12 areas. A patronage process, which will be open to all patron bodies, will be run by my Department to decide who will operate these schools.

School Admissions

Ceisteanna (73)

Richard Boyd Barrett

Ceist:

73. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure there is no discrimination in the admissions policy to publicly funded schools; the timeframe in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22460/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that I published the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 last year. The Bill aims to introduce a more parent-friendly, equitable and consistent approach to how school admissions policy operates for the almost 4,000 recognised primary and post-primary schools in the country and to ensure a fair and balanced school admission process for all pupils. The main provisions of the Bill include measures to:

- Ensure that where a school is not oversubscribed (approximately 80% of schools) it must admit all students applying;

- Ban waiting lists, thus ensuring parents who move to a new area are not disadvantaged;

- Ban fees relating to admissions in non-fee charging schools;

- Require all schools to publish their admissions policies, which will include details of their arrangements for pupils who decline to participate in religious instruction;

- Require all schools to consult with and inform parents where changes are being made to their admissions policies;

- Provide for a situation where a child (with special needs or otherwise) cannot find a school place, and allow the National Council for Special Education or Tusla (Child and Family Agency) to designate a school place for the child.

I have also publicly expressed my views 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.

However I am also conscious that we need to provide protections to ensure that children of minority religions can continue to access primary schools of their particular minority religion or a similar minority religion.

Accordingly I am bringing forward a Report Stage amendment to the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 to remove religion as a criterion which can be used in school admissions to primary schools, but with protections to ensure that children of minority religions can continue to access primary schools of their particular minority religion or a similar minority religion.

As I have stated previously this is a complex area and there are no easy solutions to this problem but I believe that the approach taken is a reasonable and proportionate approach to balance the rights of all.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Ceisteanna (74)

Mick Wallace

Ceist:

74. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the provision of special educational supports for children in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22454/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Ensuring that children with special educational needs are supported and given the opportunity to reach their full potential is a key priority for this government.

In 2018, in the region of €1.75 billion will be invested in Special Education, nearly one fifth of the overall Education budget, and up 43% since 2011.

This funding provides for a range of supports and services including additional special education teaching support, access to SNA support, special transport arrangements, building adaptations, enhanced capitation in special schools and special classes, specialised equipment, additional teacher training, the services of the National Educational Psychological Service, ESF Aided Fund for Students with Disabilities at third level; Vocational Training for people with disabilities and Adult Education – once off projects for disability in education.

In recent years, the NCSE has provided my Department with a number of policy advice papers on the provision of supports for children with special needs, all of which are available on the NCSE’s website.

It is intended to bring into effect many improvements to the provision of special educational needs support, through policy developments across a range of areas, in conjunction with NCSE policy advice.

The new model for allocating Special Education Teaching Resources to mainstream primary and post primary schools was introduced from September 2017. The new model allocates teachers to schools on the basis of the profiled educational needs of each school.

Over 13,400 Special Education Teaching posts in mainstream primary and post primary schools for the 2017/2018 school year provides additional teaching support to students with special educational needs, with up to 1,000 schools received additional allocations, where the new model indicates additional need and no school received an allocation of resources less than the allocation they received in the 2016/17 school year.

Approximately 1,440 special classes will be in place, with 140 new Special Classes to be opened in September 2018. This compares to 548 special classes in 2011, an increase of 162%.

Last Friday, I announced that 800 additional Special Needs Assistants will be allocated for the beginning of the next school year, with a further 140 expected to be allocated by the end of the year. I was extremely pleased to be able to make the announcement on Friday, in keeping with the commitment made last year to inform schools of the September 2018 allocation by the end of May; at a time when they can give certainty to school communities at the earliest opportunity. As a result of this allocation, there will be a total of 15,000 Special Needs Assistants working in our schools, a 42% increase on 2011. The National Council for Special Education notified schools of their SNA allocations on Friday last and the details of these allocations are now published and available on their website at www.ncse.ie.

In 2016, I requested the National Council for Special Education to lead a comprehensive review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme to identify and recommend how, in the future, additional care needs of students, over and above those needs that could be reasonably expected to be managed by teaching staff, should be met and to identify and recommend the most appropriate form of support options to provide better outcomes for students with Special Educational Needs who have additional care needs having regard to the significant amount of State investment in this area.

The NCSE has recently submitted their report to me and the findings and conclusions of that report are now under consideration.

In line with the commitment in the Programme for Government, I recently announced that a demonstration project to provide in-school and pre-school therapy services will be introduced for the 2018/19 school year.

The purpose of the project is to test a model of tailored therapeutic supports that allows for early intervention in terms of providing speech and language and occupational therapy within ‘educational settings’. This innovative pilot will complement existing HSE funded provision of essential therapy services.

As part of the programme, 19 speech and language therapists and 12 Occupational Therapists will be recruited by the HSE to work with the 150 schools and pre-schools. The NCSE will also recruit 2 National Co-ordinators to manage the project.

The provision which is being made ensures that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs.

Schools Building Projects

Ceisteanna (75)

Pat Deering

Ceist:

75. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the schools involved in the bundle of five that are currently being constructed under a public private partnership PPP process will be available for the new school year; if not, the contingency plans being put in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22329/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Schools Bundle 5 PPP Project encompasses five school buildings and one further education college across four sites in Bray, Wexford, Carlow and Kells. Under the PPP arrangement, the PPP company, InspiredSpaces, had a construction works contract with Carillion Construction Ltd, which further sub-contracted to Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd (SCIL).

When Carillion Construction Ltd went into liquidation, their works contract was terminated. DIF, one of the shareholders in the PPP company, tendered for a replacement contractor for the completion of the buildings. DIF was working towards the delivery of all school buildings by the coming school year. However, the appointment of an examiner to SCIL last month has added complexity to this process and it is not yet clear the extent to which this will impact on achievement of that timeline.

While our clear focus remains on getting the new schools delivered as quickly as possible, the Department has been engaging with the relevant school authorities in relation to contingency plans to mitigate against any issues arising from delays in the delivery of the new school buildings. The specific contingency arrangements depend on the enrolment projections and, where required, additional accommodation options available for each school.