Written Answers Nos. 101-110
101. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the allocation of special educational needs teachers to a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20950/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 0013/2017 for primary schools and 0014/2017 for post primary schools set out details of a new model for allocating special education teachers to schools.
DES Circulars 0007/2019 for primary schools and 0008/2019 for post primary schools also provide details of how the allocations are being updated for schools from September 2019, based on updated profile data.
All schools have now received revised allocations for September 2019.
As the re profiling occurred, some schools have gained additional allocations, where the profile indicator data indicates these schools have additional needs. Some schools received slightly reduced allocations, where the data indicates less need, and some schools maintained their existing allocations.
The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
Under the allocation model, schools have been provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation is designed to give a fair allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the level of need in each school.
Schools are frontloaded with resources, based on each school’s profile. The allocations to schools include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.
Both my Department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which their school profiles have been calculated.
Accordingly, a number of review processes have been put in place to support schools.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) recently published details of an appeal process for the 2019 allocation process for schools. Schools who wished to appeal their allocation could do so by submitting an appeal application to the NCSE.
Schools were advised that this appeal will consider circumstances where schools considered that their school profile was calculated incorrectly, using the data set out in DES Circulars 007 and 008 2019. An appeal could be submitted for a review of the information used and of the calculation of the allocation.
A second process will be put in place to address circumstances where the school profile significantly changed following the allocation process e.g. a developing school where the net enrolment numbers significantly increased.
The criteria for qualification for mainstream school developing school posts are set out in the Primary and Post Primary School Staffing Schedule for the 2019/20 school year.
Schools who qualify for additional mainstream developing school posts in accordance with these criteria will also qualify for additional Special Education Teaching Allocations to take account of this developing status.
Finally, it is acknowledged that there are some circumstances, which may arise in schools, which fall outside the appeals process, or allocations for developing school status.
These relate to exceptional or emergency circumstances which could not have been anticipated e.g. where the school profile changes very significantly, or where other exceptional circumstances have arisen in a school and which may require a review of a school's capacity to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who need it in the school, or of their utilisation of their allocations.
A process will also be available where schools can seek a review of their allocations in the coming months, including the utilisation of their allocations, in circumstances where a school considers that very exceptional circumstances have arisen subsequent to the development of the profile.
I am satisfied that there are in place a number of processes which can review the special education teacher allocation for schools where necessary.
This Government is investing heavily in supporting our children with special educational needs, with €1.8bn being spent annually, about €1 in every 5 of the education budget.
There are currently over 13,400 special education teachers in schools, an increase of 37% since 2011.
There are therefore more special education teachers in schools now than we have ever had previously.
The very significant levels of additional provision we have made in recent years to provide additional Special Education Teachers means that all schools are resourced to provide for the special educational needs of children in their schools.
102. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cohort the July provision is aimed at; the rules of the provision; the number of teachers that have applied; the number refused; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20959/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the Home based July Provision Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards an extended school year for children with a severe or profound general learning disability or children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
The scheme was developed to reduce potential regression in learning associated with these specific categories of special education needs over the summer holidays.
Where eligible students cannot be accommodated in a school based programme, Parents can apply to my Department for grant funding towards the provision of 40 hours home based tuition.
As the home based scheme takes place outside the usual school structure it is important that home tutors are qualified to provide an educational programme.
Accordingly, the criteria for the provision of grant funding sets out that Parents must engage the services of a tutor, registered and vetted by the Teaching Council of Ireland to provide tuition to the child in the child’s home for 40 hours (10 hrs a week for four weeks).
The full terms and conditions of the Home Based July Provision Grant Scheme are published on my Departments website at
www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/July-Provision/Home-Based.html.
The closing date for receipt of completed applications for 2019 is Friday, May 17th.
In 2018, just over 6700 applications were received from Parent’s for the Home Based July Provision Grant, of which 116 were refused as they did not meet the schemes terms and conditions.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published Policy Advice on Educational Provision for Children with Autism in July 2016 which included a review of the July Scheme.
The review found that in general parents value July provision because it provides day-time respite for families and a structured day for students. The NCSE review found a number of problems with the scheme as currently organised.
These include concerns that the scheme may be inequitable because it is not provided to all students with complex special educational needs. My Department is also aware that parents of children with complex special educational needs have difficulty in sourcing a tutor for their child.
The Council recommended that the relevant Government Departments consider how an equitable national day activity scheme could be developed for all students with complex special educational needs.
The proposed scheme would provide a structured, safe, social environment for all students with complex special educational needs.
My Department has convened an Implementation Group to ensure that the Report’s recommendations are fully and appropriately considered.
There has been consultation with a number of other Departments and State agencies regarding the future direction of the July Education Programme. It is expected that the Group will make recommendations shortly concerning a revised scheme which would be implemented next year at the earliest. Before any changes are made, there will be consultations with stakeholders.
103. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the engagement that has taken place and the status of the proposed site for a school (details supplied) in order that it can relocate from its existing temporary site to the new school; when the site for the new school will be identified and allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20964/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm Department officials are working to put a solution for the permanent accommodation for the school in question in place at the earliest possible date. Engagement with relevant stakeholders is ongoing in that regard.
Unfortunately it is not possible to indicate a timeline for the confirmation of a location for the school at this point but I can assure the Deputy that the patron will be informed as soon as it is possible to do so.
104. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of non-EU students that have enrolled in higher education here over the past five years. [20988/19]
Amharc ar fhreagra
|
Enrolments by Domicile Group |
2013/2014 |
2014/2015 |
2015/2016 |
2016/2017 |
2017/2018 |
|
Ireland (inc Northern Ireland) |
188,242 |
189,643 |
194,368 |
195,116 |
198,977 |
|
Other EU |
4,421 |
4,546 |
5,131 |
4,845 |
5,251 |
|
Non-EU |
13,153 |
14,558 |
16,315 |
16,839 |
18,468 |
|
Unknown |
274 |
575 |
789 |
1,443 |
1,047 |
|
Total |
206,090 |
209,322 |
216,603 |
218,243 |
223,743 |
Note
Data includes full time and part-time enrolments. The 'unknown' category relates to incomplete data provided by students to HEIs. 2018/19 data returns are not currently available.
105. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students that qualify for the free fees initiative based on the latest student numbers available. [20989/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder my Department's free fees schemes, the Exchequer provides funding towards tuition fee costs in respect of eligible students who are pursuing an approved full-time undergraduate course of study in an approved institution in the State. The main conditions of the scheme are that students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course.
The number of students who received funding under the free fees schemes in the academic year 2017/18 was 138,200.
106. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of a reduction of €500 to the student contribution charge based on the most recent figures available. [20990/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Student Contribution, which currently stands at €3,000, was introduced with effect from the 2011/12 academic year. Based on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2017/18 (and were therefore liable to pay the Student Contribution), and taking into account expected increases in student numbers, it is estimated that the net cost to my Department of reducing the contribution by €500 for the academic year 2019/20 would be approximately €38 million.
It should be noted that this figure incorporates the resulting reduction to my Department's Student Grant Scheme budget.
While the student contribution now stands at €3,000, it is important to recognise that there has been no increase in the contribution since 2014/15. The exchequer pays this contribution (or part of it) on behalf of almost 50% of undergraduate students who are in receipt of student grant assistance.
Tax relief provisions are also available so that second and subsequent siblings do not have to bear the full cost. In addition, higher education institutions have provisions in place to allow students to pay the contribution in two moieties.
107. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which Ireland compares to other OECD countries in terms of student fees. [20991/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraStudent costs vary considerably across the OECD, from countries such as the United States and England where tuition fees are at the highest levels to a number of EU countries where no tuition fees are payable by students. The OECD Report, “Education at a Glance 2018” provides data on the structure, finances and performance of education systems in the 35 OECD countries, and a number of partner countries, and provides data on tuition fees and public supports across the OECD. Higher education is structured and funded in a wide variety of ways and arrangements are highly dependent on the context and circumstances of each individual country.
As the Deputy will be aware, in Ireland students who are eligible for assistance under the free fees schemes, receive funding towards their tuition fees with the student paying a Student Contribution which currently stands at €3,000. The contribution was introduced with effect from the 2011/12 academic year and has remained at €3,000 since 2014/15.
It is important to note that the exchequer pays the contribution (or part of it) on behalf of almost 50% of undergraduate students who are in receipt of student grant assistance. In addition, tax relief provisions are also available so that second and subsequent siblings do not have to bear the full cost.
108. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an exam number will be granted for a person (details supplied) who has been denied a number due to technical breakdown. [20997/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
109. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress on securing a permanent site for a school (details supplied). [21005/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraA permanent site for the school to which the Deputy refers was acquired by my Department on 18 December 2018.
110. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has had discussions with the developer in the area regarding the current lease on the land a school (details supplied) is on, in view of the concern of parents and the local community on the issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21006/19]
Amharc ar fhreagraDespite requests from the Department, the Developer referred to did not want to extend the lease so that the school to which the Deputy refers could remain on their land past the current academic year 2018/2019. They had required the Department to confirm that the school would vacate the property at end June 2019. Clearly, the Department could not give such confirmation as alternative interim accommodation for the school was not available in the current area. The Department had much engagement with the developer in relation to extending the leasing arrangement at this property. In this regard the Department had requested the developer’s consent to extending the lease to 31st August, 2020 to facilitate the school remaining in interim accommodation at this location until the end of the 2019/2020 school year by which time the permanent accommodation for the school will be ready. Unfortunately it was not possible to get the developer’s agreement to this lease extension. Following protracted negotiations with the Developer, agreement was reached for the school to remain in interim accommodation at its current location until the end of January 2020. The developer has indicated that it is not possible to extend the lease beyond this date.
My Department is examining alternative interim accommodation options for re-locating the school pending delivery of its permanent school building.
The site acquisition process for the school is now complete. A planning application for the permanent accommodation for the school was lodged in January 2019. A request for additional information received from the local authority was responded to on 26 April 2019 and a decision is awaited.
Officials in my Department will continue to keep the school authority updated on progress.
