Written Answers Nos. 215-239
215. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new site for a school (details supplied), as announced in November 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37401/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.
Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Fingal County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable site for this school. Discussions with relevant parties regarding the potential acquisition of a preferred site option are at an advanced stage and my Department is working to progress matters as expeditiously as possible.
216. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure that the works to provide a new school building for a school (details supplied) in addition to the associated refurbishment works commence as a matter of urgent priority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37402/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's Capital Programme.
In that regard a technical site visit was carried out by my Department at the school site with a view to developing the project brief. My Department will continue to liaise with the school authority in respect of the project.
217. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding levels per child in ASD units or special classes at primary and second levels. [37426/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra218. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure equality of funding across all primary and post-primary education for children in ASD units or special classes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37427/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 218 together.
Capitation funding is intended to contribute towards the cost of heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep and general teaching aids required in schools.
The primary school capitation grant is €170 per pupil, subject to a minimum grant equivalent to 60 pupils. Enhanced rates are payable to Special Schools and Special Classes attached to mainstream primary schools, the rates are determined by the special education needs category of the class. The enhanced capitation rate for primary ASD special classes is €840 per pupil (inclusive of the mainstream rate of €170).
The funding arrangements made by my Department for second level schools reflect the sectoral division of our second-level system. At the core of all arrangements is reliance upon capitation as the principal determinant of funding.
The standard per capita grant for voluntary secondary schools is €296 per pupil. At Post Primary level, an enhanced capitation rate of €190 per pupil is currently only paid in respect of pupils enrolled in special classes for mild or moderate general learning disability.
The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education’s Policy Advice on Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (2016) included a recommendation to extend the enhanced level of capitation grant to post-primary schools with special classes on the same basis as primary schools to assist them with the increased running costs associated with these classes.
My Department has convened an Implementation Group with representatives of the NCSE, NEPS, the Inspectorate and representatives from other Departments and agencies to ensure that the Report’s recommendations are fully and appropriately considered.
While a number of the recommendations have already been partially or substantially implemented, work is planned on the implementation of the remaining recommendations.
I have asked my officials to prepare a progress report setting out expected timeframes for full implementation and I expect that report in the coming weeks.
219. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of school transport for three special needs students in a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37445/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
A school transport service has been sanctioned to cater for the children referred to by the Deputy and Bus Éireann will be in contact with the families to inform them of arrangements.
220. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of school transport for special needs students in a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37446/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
Bus Éireann has advised that a number of children who applied for school transport, to the school in question, are travelling on existing services and a new service will commence next week to cater for the remaining applicants.
221. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a special needs assistant will be provided for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37449/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.
The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie, in order that students who have care needs can access SNA support as and when it is needed.
In considering applications for SNA support for individual pupils, the NCSE take account of the pupils' needs and consider the resources available to the school to identify whether additionality is needed or whether the school might reasonably be expected to meet the needs of the pupils from its current level of resources.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource.
SNA allocations to all schools can change from year to year as children with care needs leave the school, as new children with care needs enrol in a school and as children develop more independent living skills and their care needs diminish over time.
My Department’s policy is to ensure that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support.
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 NCSE Appeals Process may be invoked by a parent or a school where it is considered that a child was not granted access to SNA support on the grounds that Department policy was not met in accordance with Circular 0030/2014.
Schools may also appeal a decision, where the school considers that the NCSE, in applying Department policy, has not allocated the appropriate level of SNA support to the school to meet the special educational and/or care needs of the children concerned.
Where a school has received its allocation of SNA support for 2018/19, but wishes new enrolments or assessments to be considered, which were not taken into account when the initial allocation was made, they may continue to make applications to the NCSE. The closing date for receipt of any appeals in regard to SNA allocations is Friday, 28th September 2018.
As this question relates to a particular child, I have referred the question to the NCSE for their direct reply.
222. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills if officials from his Department will meet a school (details supplied) to discuss the provision of an autism unit in the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37481/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraA project to provide a two-classroom ASD Unit is currently under construction at the school to which the Deputy refers. The project is being directly delivered by the school authority.
223. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of, and progress made to date with regard to, the provision of a new school (details supplied) in Dublin 22; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37487/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme.
In this regard, a schedule of accommodation, for the purposes of the school's project brief was furnished to the school authorities. In the context of progressing the project into the architectural planning process, a technical site visit is necessary and the details are currently being confirmed with the school patron.
224. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a building project for a school (details supplied) has moved from stage 2B to tender stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37488/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major building project at the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b.
According to the Stage 2b documentation submitted in November 2017, the estimated stage 2b cost plan increased substantially from the approved costs at stage 2a.
In accordance with Departmental Design Team Procedures, where the approved cost limits have been exceeded, a Brief Change Report is necessary.
Upon review of the Brief Change, and following a meeting with the Design Team, my Department requested further detailed information from the Design Team, in particular a stand-alone Civil and Structural Consultants report with regard to the magnitude of the increases in the substructure requirements of this project.
This additional information was received by my Department on 10th September and is currently under review.
Until the Brief Change Report has been approved, the Stage 2b documentation cannot be reviewed.
225. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the name of each national school in the diocese of Killala, County Mayo; the year each school was originally built; the parish in which each school is located; the number of pupils attending each; the number of teachers employed in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37515/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the deputy is available on a county level, not a diocesan or parish level. The information is given for the counties of Mayo and Sligo at the following link. Information on the year each school was originally built is not available. The data given is for the 2017/2018 academic year, the latest available.
226. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a project (details supplied); when the meeting will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37516/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department is liaising with the patron of the school in question in the context of making arrangements for a meeting.
227. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost in 2019 of providing 1,250 extra places on Springboard+; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37554/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpringboard+ 2018 will provide for over 8,000 places on 245 courses across the country. This is an increase of 1,500 places on the previous year. The estimate cost of providing these extra places is €3m.
228. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school teaching posts that were approved but remain unfilled as at 12 September 2018, in tabular form. [37587/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra229. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of post-primary school teaching posts that were approved but remain unfilled as at 12 September 2018, in tabular form. [37588/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 228 and 229 together.
Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts as permitted by the staffing schedule is a matter for the individual Board of Managements of each school, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.
Teachers are employed by the managerial authorities of schools. Proposals for appointments to schools are submitted by the managerial authorities. The processing of applications for payment is ongoing at present in the payroll sections of my Department. The deadline for submission of appointments to posts for the 18/19 school year is the first working day in November.
230. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if schools from the Dublin 15 area applied for inclusion in the project for bringing specialised therapists into schools and preschools, as announced on 6 July 2018; if so, the reason for their omission from the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37645/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI 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 project will be managed and co-ordinated by the National Council for Special Education.
The demonstration project is being developed by a Working Group which includes representatives from the Departments of Education, Children and Youth Affairs, Health, and the Health Service Executive.
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.
The project is taking place in the Health Service Executive (HSE) Community Healthcare Organisation (CHO) 7 Region of South West Dublin, Kildare and West Wicklow.
This region has been selected to ensure that the pre-school and in-school therapy model can be tested in both urban and rural locations and with a suitable mix of various types of schools and pre-schools. The schools selected will therefore be from this region.
75 schools, including a representative sample of primary, post primary, and special schools will take part in the project.
An additional 75 Early Years pre schools will also be included in the demonstration project.
150 school and pre school settings in total will therefore participate in the project.
Of the 75 schools selected, this includes:
- Schools with significant levels of educational disadvantage.
- A mixture of urban, large, and small schools.
- Schools with high levels of support needs as identified under the new special education teaching allocation model.
- Mainstream schools which have special classes
- Special schools with significant levels of therapy support needs.
- Schools of various types including Irish medium schools.
Pre-school settings associated with primary schools participating in the project are being included in order to provide for therapy interventions to be made at the earliest possible time and to create linkages between pre-school and primary school provision.
The list of the participating schools and pre schools has now been published on my Department's website.
As the pilot project is taking place in the CHO 7 HSE region, only schools from this area could be selected for involvement in the project.
Whereas Dublin 15 is in West Dublin, it is not part of the South West Dublin area which forms part of the HSE CHO 7 region. This meant that, unfortunately, schools from the Dublin 15 region could not be included at this time.
Decisions in relation to the extension of the service to other areas or Counties, or to extend the service nationally, will be taken following an evaluation of the current pilot phase.
231. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding is available to assist a school (details supplied) with costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37693/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraFunding for primary schools is dealt with on a per capita basis. The two main grants 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.
Unfortunately, there is no specific grant allocation available to my Department from which funding can be made available for the purpose referred to by the Deputy.
232. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a place can be facilitated in a school in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37695/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is the policy of my Department 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.
Some children with special educational needs attend mainstream classes, but some require the environment of a special class or special school. This decision is based on a recommendation contained within a professional assessment in consultation with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
Students enrolling in specialised placements must have a report from a relevant professional or team of professionals stating that:
- S/he has a disability (in line with the designation of the special placement in question) and
- S/he has significant learning needs that require the support of a specialised setting and the reasons why this is the case.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) plans and co-ordinates the provision of educational support services to children with special educational needs, in consultation with the relevant education partners and the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The enrolment of a child to 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 and it does not maintain details of waiting lists in schools.
Accordingly, the NCSE advises parents, to seek to enrol their child, by applying in writing, to the school/s of their choice as early as possible. Where parents have been unsuccessful in enrolling their child in a school placement, for the 2018/19 school year, they should update their local SENO to inform the planning process.
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The 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 my Department.
The NCSE works in collaboration with the Educational Welfare Services (EWS) of the Child and Family Agency which is the statutory agency that can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child or can offer assistance where a child is out of school. The local service is delivered through the national network of Educational Welfare Officers (EWO). Contact details are available at http://www.tusla.ie/get-in-touch/education-and-welfare/.
Where there is no placement available for a child with Special Educational Needs, my Department will consider applications under the Home Tuition Grant Scheme, where a student can receive up to 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until a placement becomes available.
As the matter raised by the Deputy refers to a particular child, I have arranged for the Deputy's question to be forwarded to the National Council for Special Education for their attention and direct reply.
233. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the transfer of a property (details supplied). [37699/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my Department has consented to a lease agreement being put in place between the Trustees of the school referred to by the Deputy and a community group.
A draft lease has been prepared and submitted to my Department for approval, when approved by my department’s legal representatives the lease will be returned to the Patrons solicitor for execution.
234. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the adult education level-five nursing studies course that was run by a school (details supplied) has been discontinued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37726/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials in my Department contacted the school on this matter who informed me that the decision to discontinue adult education was made due to a space and capacity issue and to allow the secondary school to focus on the needs of its secondary school students. The adult education programme was discontinued on a phased basis to ensure the least disruption as possible to learners.
Adult education courses are available throughout Cork from Level 1 through to Level 6 under the National Framework of Qualifications. Details of these courses can be obtained from Cork Education and Training Board or on www.fetchcourses.ie.
235. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an assessment or review of a situation can be undertaken in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37739/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department or, - in the case of an Education and Training Board (ETB) school, - to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student, or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld.
Application forms for taking a section 29 appeal are available on my Department's website at the following link:http://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/Appeal-against-Permanent-Exclusion-Suspension-or-Refusal-to-Enrol/Section-29-Appeals-Application-Form.doc, or by contacting Section 29 Administration Unit, Friars Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, phone 0761 108588. Completed applications forms should be sent to the address above, together with a copy of the letter received from the Board of Management or a person acting on behalf of the Board of Management, within 44 days of receipt of the schools decision.
The Educational Welfare Service (EWS) of the Child and Family Agency (TUSLA) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The contact details for this agency are:
Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency,
Floors 2-5, Brunel Building,
Heuston South Quarter,
Dublin 8
Phone number 01-7718500.
236. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which allegations of bullying have been investigated in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37748/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraResponsibility for tackling bullying in schools falls to the level of the individual school.
Updated Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools were published by my Department in September 2013. These procedures and the associated Department Circular 0045/2013 apply to all recognised primary and post-primary schools and to centres for education (as defined in the Education Act 1998) which are attended by pupils under the age of 18 years.School authorities and school personnel are required to adhere to these procedures in dealing with allegations and incidents of bullying. The purpose of these procedures is to give direction and guidance to school authorities and school personnel in preventing and tackling school-based bullying behaviour amongst its pupils and in dealing with any negative impact within school of bullying behaviour that occurs elsewhere.
The procedures require all schools to formally adopt and implement an anti-bullying policy that fully complies with the requirements of the procedures.
They also provide that where a parent is not satisfied that the school has dealt with a bullying case in accordance with the procedures, the parents must be referred, as appropriate, to the school’s complaints procedures. In the event that a parent has exhausted the school's complaints procedures and is still not satisfied, the procedures require that a school must advise the parents of their right to make a complaint to the Ombudsman for Children.
237. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the interdepartmental committee he has convened to examine the way in which existing mainstream State services can best meet the needs of survivors into the future has met; the committee's reporting mechanisms; and if the outcomes of the committee's work will be made public. [37759/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraOfficials from my Department have had initial communications with the various relevant Government Departments and will be arranging a first meeting of the Interdepartmental Committee as soon as possible after all responses to initial enquiries are available.
The committee's reporting mechanisms are also being finalised.
238. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, despite the approval of funding for school transport for a child (details supplied) with special needs, Bus Éireann is unable to provide transport for the chilid. [37765/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
Bus Éireann has advised that as the service referred to by the Deputy was a new service it was put out to tender for the 2018/19 school year and transport arrangements are currently being finalised.
239. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the pre-qualification of tenderers will be advertised for the construction of a new school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37805/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraA letter authorising pre-qualification of contractors issued to the Board of Management and the Project Manager on August 28th, 2018. The authorised pre-qualification process is to select a shortlist of contractors for this project. An advertisement is expected to issue in the coming weeks.
When pre-qualification is complete the project will then be progressed to tender stage. A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete.
A letter issued from my Department to the Board of Management on 9th March 2018 outlining the projected timeframe for the progression of this project to tender and construction stage and the steps involved.
