Pearse Doherty
Ceist:17. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education when additional principal release days will be allocated to a school (details supplied). [30115/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool Staff
Ceisteanna (17)
Freagraí scríofa
The Roadmap for the Full Return to School sets out how schools can reopen and operate in a safe and sustainable way. The roadmap was developed in line with public health advice provided by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE and follows comprehensive consultation and engagements with education stakeholders.
The Government approved a financial package of over €375 million to support the implementation of the roadmap. These comprehensive supports across a range of areas, included funding for getting schools ready, for providing for additional supervision and substitution, and providing additional teachers to help with physical distancing, substitution and class sizes. Funding was also provided for management supports and enhanced cleaning and hygiene measures.
I am keenly aware of the huge contribution made by all Principals, including teaching Principals, most particularly this academic year when Covid-19 has placed an additional strain on Principals and our schools.
As part of the additional funding €10.2m has been allocated specifically to support Principals and Deputy Principals who undertake teaching duties in primary schools. This funding will provide each teaching principal with a minimum of one release day per week, and release days for Deputy Principals in those schools that have an existing administrative principal for this school year. More than 1,700 primary schools with teaching principals have benefitted from the increase in release days.
The school referred to by the Deputy has a mainstream staffing of a Principal and 5 mainstream class teachers. The school had an allocation of 30 Principal Release Days in the 2019/20 school year. This was increased to 31 as a result of Budget 2020 and further increased to 37 under measures announced in the Roadmap for the Full Return to Schools. These additional days have been made available to the school referred to by the Deputy this year.
There are arrangements in place for schools to cluster their principal release days into a full-time post which will assist teaching principals to more effectively plan their release days for the benefit of the school. The school referred to by the Deputy is a base school for such a cluster.
In addition to the increase of release days, schools have benefited from the lifting of the moratorium on middle management posts. Since 2017, 1,700 additional leadership posts have been invested in our primary schools which has led to 1 in 3 teachers now holding promoted positions.
My Department has committed to revising the allocation of posts of responsibility to take into account retirements during the school year. This ensures that the current level of posts of responsibility are maintained in the school system.
Schools Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (18)
Aindrias Moynihan
Ceist:18. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the measures being taken to prioritise and progress the acquisition of a site for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29848/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The building project for Gaelscoil an Chaisleain is included in my Department's capital programme.
Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Cork City Council and other relevant parties in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for the school.
A number of site options have been identified and assessed. A potential preferred site option has been identified. Negotiations with the landowner in respect of this preferred site option to accommodate the school are under way. However, as the Deputy will appreciate, negotiations in respect of site acquisitions are, by their nature, sensitive and for that reason I am not in a position to provide further information at this time. I can assure the Deputy that all parties are working to bring matters to a conclusion at the earliest possible date and Department officials will continue to keep the relevant school authorities appraised of progress.
Schools Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (19)
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill
Ceist:19. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education the timeline for obtaining a permanent premises for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29995/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department is committed to providing permanent accommodation to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of potential site options have been identified and officials from my Department are currently appraising same. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time.
The school is currently located in interim temporary accommodation at Kill O'The Grange, Blackrock pending delivery of its permanent accommodation. I would like to assure the Deputy that the acquisition of a new site for the school is a priority for my Department and the patron body will be informed of the location for the school as soon as it is possible to do so. In this regard, the school building project will be progressed into Architectural Planning once a suitable site has been acquired.
Covid-19 Tests
Ceisteanna (20)
Jim O'Callaghan
Ceist:20. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the position with regard to Covid-19 testing in schools for school age children in which appropriate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30096/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Covid 19 testing, and the broader public health response to Covid 19 infections in a school is led by the local HSE Public Health team. The Health Protection Surveillance Centre and the HSE have published guidance for managing potential cases of COVID-19 in educational settings, which includes the testing strategy within schools.
All schools were provided with the HSE document titled: “Schools Pathway for Covid-19, the Public Health approach”, setting out the approach to managing isolated confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the school community, and also the principles that will underpin the management of outbreaks or potential outbreaks and the aligned testing strategy within an educational facility.
My Department has worked with the HSE Department of Public Health to ensure that testing is prioritised for those close contacts within the school community of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
It is important to note that the response to confirmed cases or outbreaks of COVID-19 in the community or in a school is the responsibility of, and will be led and managed by, Public Health HSE. All decisions as to appropriate actions following a confirmed case or outbreak will be made by their teams in the context of a full Public Health Risk Assessment procedure. This involves the HSE Department of Public Health liaising directly with the designated school contact, usually the school principal.
My Department is working closely with the HSE Department of Public Health to ensure that public health measures are acted upon speedily by schools and areas of concerns raised by schools are addressed.
The key challenge for schools is to work to ensure that the virus is not introduced and that control measures are in place in the event of this happening. My Department has published helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable reopening of schools, in line with public health advice, including guidance on the completion and implementation of a Covid-19 response plan by schools. These plans set out the practical steps schools must take to minimise the risk of introduction and transmission of Covid-19 in the school environment and provide for the safe operation of schools.
Where a Covid 19 infection is confirmed in a school Public Health can recommend a range of actions, such as the exclusion of a pod or class. Where a number of close contacts of a confirmed case are recommended to be tested for Covid 19 those swabs are treated as a batch. This allows all contacts in a school to receive their results quickly and efficiently.
Pupil-Teacher Ratio
Ceisteanna (21)
Denis Naughten
Ceist:21. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education her plans to address large classes in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29738/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools and I am very aware of the issues faced by many schools in respect of teacher allocations and class sizes.
As part of the budget measures announced yesterday the Government have sought to deliver on this commitment by the announcement of a further 1 point change to the primary staffing schedule.
While primary schools are currently provided with class teachers on the basis of one teacher for every 26 pupils which is at its historically lowest level, this announcement continues to build on this progress. For the 2021/22 school year the staffing schedule will be on the basis of 1 teacher to 25 pupils.
The latest figures in relation to pupil teacher ratio show an improved ratio of teachers to students from 16:1 to 15:1 at primary level when comparing the 2015/16 school year to the 2019/20 school year. Average class sizes improved from 24.9 to 24.1 in the same period. The most recent budget announcement will continue the positive trend of improving class sizes.
The staffing schedule which now stands at a new historical low of 1 teacher for every 25 pupils will help ensure better teacher retention in primary schools while also ensuring that one less pupil is required to retain or recruit a teacher.
The new staffing schedule for 2021/22, taking account of the recent budget measure will be published early next year and at that stage, schools will be able to establish what their staffing arrangement are for the following school year.
Special Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (22)
Eoghan Murphy
Ceist:22. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she is satisfied with the process for establishing new ASD units in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29934/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. In this year's budget, more than 20% of the total Education Budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special needs, an increase from €1.9bn last year.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. It has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents. NCSE seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special education placements.
NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and special school places nationally, to meet identified need. This process is ongoing.
It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE for the establishment of a specialised provision and where sanctioned, a range of supports, including capital funding, is made available to the school.
Notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.
As Minister, I have powers under Section 37A of the Education Act to direct a school to provide additional places but this power is only used as a last resort and where all reasonable efforts have failed. However, the experience to date shows that real and practical challenges can be addressed effectively by working together to provide additional special class and special school places.
Through better planning at both national and local level, it is my objective that specialist education places should come on stream to meet emerging demand on a timely basis. However, the active collaboration of school communities is essential in this regard.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (23)
Pat Buckley
Ceist:23. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education the timeline and deadline for the completion of a school in Carrigtohill, County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25939/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme which tenders to pre-established frameworks of D&B contractors.
My Department is currently in the process of establishing a Framework of Design and Build Contractors to which Design and Build projects can be tendered. Once this framework is established, it is intended that this project will be tendered as soon as possible thereafter.
In the interim, my Department and it's Project Management team are liaising with a third party developer to establish a joint programme for the construction of the required road network to service the site. This is a condition of the planning permission and both my Department and the third party developer will be liaising with Cork County Council over the coming months with regard to satisfying those planning conditions. It is envisaged that the construction of the required roads and the construction of the schools will be progressed in tandem.
The school authorities will be kept informed as the project progresses.
Child Abuse
Ceisteanna (24)
Maurice Quinlivan
Ceist:24. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education when the review promised to the Creagh Lane sexual abuse survivors will be completed; and if the victims from the school will be included in the review. [28836/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The scheme under review, the ex-gratia scheme, was established on foot of the specific circumstances arising from the O’Keeffe case and in response to the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR).
It was established in 2015 to provide an effective remedy for a specific category of people, namely those persons who had commenced domestic litigation but who had discontinued those proceedings following the High Court and Supreme Court judgments in Ms O’Keeffe’s case and who were unable to re-commence their litigation in the domestic courts.
The State Claims Agency are mandated to deal with these cases. However, an independent assessor was also appointed where applicants whose claims were declined by the State Claims Agency could apply for a determination by the independent assessor.
The Department committed to abiding by the Independent Assessor’s determinations. As a result, on the foot of his determinations on the specific applications before him, payments are being made to a number of victims of child sexual abuse in day schools. The current position is that sixteen offers of payment have been made. To date, 15 offers have been accepted.
Following the determinations by the Independent Assessor, my Department announced a review of the scheme.
The review of the scheme is on-going. There has been extensive engagement between the Department for Education and the Attorney General’s office and the State Claims Agency to develop proposals on the review of the scheme. It is hoped that this review will be completed by the end of the year.
The issues involved are highly sensitive and complex and require very careful deliberation before proposals can be finalised and brought to Government. It is important to have a more complete understanding of this issue, such as the number of people who could potentially be involved, the legal implications of any course of action, and a reasonably accurate estimate of likely costs before introducing any modifications to the scheme.
Special Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (25)
Mark Ward
Ceist:25. Deputy Mark Ward asked the Minister for Education if there is a delay in opening the ASD unit in a school (details supplied); the provisions available for students who were intended to attend the school in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25991/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The school building project to which the Deputy refers has been approved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to enable the school to build a two classroom SEN base.
The project has been devolved for delivery to Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB (DDLETB) and a Design Team has been appointed in that respect. The project is currently in Architectural Design. Site surveys and investigations have commenced and a pre-planning meeting has been held with South Dublin County Council in advance of preparing the Stage 1 Preliminary Design Report. This is expected to be with my Department before the end of this year.
Officials from my Department will review the Stage 1 submission once it has been received and a meeting between Department officials, DDLETB, the Design Team and the School Authority may be required in that regard.
Given that the project has to progress through design and obtain planning permission it is not possible at this stage to provide an accurate timeframe for the completion of the project.
The SEN base in question is being provided to meet demands in the area generally. Once the unit is completed, a decision will then be taken as to the children who will be offered a place in it.
In general in terms of provisions that are available for children with special educational needs, the NCSE's local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise both schools and the parents of these children. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: https://ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list
In circumstances where no placement is available for a child in a special educational needs class, they can be catered for in a mainstream setting with appropriate supports until a suitable placement is available. Alternatively, the Department can provide Home Tuition grant funding towards the provision of 20 hours home tuition per week as an interim measure until the NCSE confirms that a placement is available.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (26)
Thomas Gould
Ceist:26. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the status of the new school building for a school (details supplied). [30266/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Officials from my Department have been working towards the acquisition of a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of potential sites have been identified and these are currently under consideration.
While a site acquisition process is underway and given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time but I can assure the Deputy that my Department is working to advance the site acquisition process for the school as quickly as possible.
Special Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (27)
Jennifer Carroll MacNeill
Ceist:27. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education the progress being made on locating special classes within schools in south County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29996/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. In this year's budget, more than 20% of the total Education Budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special needs, an increase from €1.9bn last year.
Notwithstanding the extent of this investment, there are some parts of the country, including South Dublin, where increases in population and other issues have led to concerns regarding a shortage of school places.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. NCSE is continuing its engagement with schools, patron bodies, parents and others across South Dublin to bring the required additional special class and special school placements on stream. While progress has been achieved, the NCSE has identified the need for additional special class and special school places in South Dublin for the current school-year.
Normally, special class and special school places are established with the full cooperation of the schools in areas where they are required. However there are some parts of the country where the NCSE has faced challenges in getting schools and their patrons to provide new special class or special school places.
As Minister, I have a power under Section 37A of the Education Act 1998 (as inserted by Section 8 of the Education (Admissions to Schools) Act 2018), to direct a school to provide additional provision where all reasonable efforts have failed. The legislation contains a procedure through which the capacity of schools in an area can be tested and through which ultimately a Ministerial direction can be made requiring a school to make additional special education provision available.
The legislation was used for the first time in 2019, in respect of the Dublin 15 area. Significant progress has been made in that area on foot of action taken under Section 37. A new Special School was established and six schools have agreed to open special classes thereby meeting the need for additional places in the area. The experience of Dublin 15 shows that real and practical challenges can be addressed by working together to provide additional special class and special school places.
A Report from the NCSE, prepared in accordance with Section 37A (2) of the Education Act 1998 (as inserted by Section 8 of the Education (Admissions to Schools) Act 2018), confirming the need for additional special education places in South Dublin was submitted to the then Minister in April last. This Report is available on my Department’s website.
Statutory notices under the Act were subsequently issued on 26 June, 2020 to 39 schools identified by the NCSE. The issue of the notices is but the first step in a very transparent multi-step process, the purpose of which is to establish if the school has capacity to provide new places. At each stage of the process, schools are given the opportunity to make representations and there is also an option for arbitration at a later point. Statutory notices issued under the Act together with the representations received from the schools and their patrons are published on my Department’s website. The representations received to date have all been published and are a matter of public record.
It would not be appropriate for me to comment further at this stage on the legislative process which is currently underway.
Schools Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (28)
Pádraig MacLochlainn
Ceist:28. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education the status of negotiations to secure a site in Buncrana, County Donegal, for new school campuses for schools (details supplied). [29981/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware the acquisition of a suitable site to provide new school accommodation has proved to be extremely challenging to date. My Department is working with Donegal County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites. A preferred site has been identified is being technically assessed. Donegal County Council, in consultation with my Department, have appointed an agent to undertake negotiations and engagement with the landowner.
The priority for both my Department and Donegal County Council is to secure a suitable site for the school campus at the earliest possible date so that the project can progress to design and securing planning permission.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (29)
Niamh Smyth
Ceist:29. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the status of a new building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30215/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The project at the school referred to by the Deputy is for the construction of a new 26 classroom special needs school, with a floor area of 5310sqm. The project commenced on site in June 2018 and is progressing satisfactorily.
Subject to no issues arising it is anticipated that the new building will be ready for occupation in Quarter 1 of 2021.
State Examinations
Ceisteanna (30)
Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire
Ceist:30. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if the work carried out by a company (details supplied) on behalf of her Department regarding the calculated grades model was appropriately certified as in compliance with the standards expected by her Department; and if she plans to recoup payment on foot of the very significant errors which were made. [30280/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The decision to adopt a model of Calculated Grades by my Department was a direct result of COVID-19, which prevented the state from running the conventional Leaving Certificate Examinations. A range of steps were taken to ensure adequate oversight of the Calculated Grades process.
Technical details of the Calculated Grades model and the standardisation process which forms a key element of the model were published on the date of issue of the Calculated Grades results and are available at https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/90d4a-calculated-grades-document-library/.
The system of Calculated Grades is a complex and sophisticated system. It had to be developed from scratch, specifically for the Irish Leaving Certificate, and within an extremely tight timeframe in order for students to get their Calculated Grades results in time.
As part of initial contingency planning for the Leaving Certificate 2020, the State Examinations Commission procured international expertise through Polymetrika International Inc.
Polymetrika was contracted to provide statistical and psychometric expertise, initially on the basis of contingency planning in the event of the Leaving Certificate not taking place as planned.
Polymetrika played an integral part of the development and running of the Calculated Grades model, and as such the contract for Polymetrika was extended to implement the Calculated Grades model under the pre-agreed terms of the contract. This was done following the decision of Government on 8 May 2020 to postpone the Leaving Certificate Examinations.
The design of the Calculated Grades model was informed by advice from a the National Standardisation Group, comprising experts drawn from the State Examinations Commission, the Inspectorate of the Department of Education and Skills, the Educational Research Centre and international external expertise. The National Standardisation Group is the decision-making group responsible for the implementation of the iterative design and development cycles required to produce and refine the standardisation process and the application, review, and adjustment of the data in line with the commitments, principles, parameters and constraints associated with the calculated grades process to arrive at fair and just representations of student performance. The integrity, validity and reliability of the process of national standardisation was overseen by the National Standardisation Group.
The aim of the National Standardisation Group was to deliver a set of calculated grades that met the objectives of being fair and accurate at the point in the iterative process at which a safe, satisfactory and defensible set of outcomes has been achieved.
Details regarding this group, including its terms of reference, membership and its decision making framework are available in the Report from the National Standardisation Group to the Independent Steering Committee and the Programme Board which is available at https://www.gov.ie/en/collection/90d4a-calculated-grades-document-library/. Minutes of the meetings of this group are available at https://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Regulation-of-Lobbying-Act-2015/Groups-Committees-exempted-under-the-Transparency-Code/national-standardisation-group.html.
I regret that a number of coding errors were found in the Calculated Grades process and that these were not identified at an earlier stage. These errors, which related to the processing of Junior Cycle data, required the process to be run again, resulting in improved Calculated Grades being provided to some students on 3 October. I announced on that date that I had asked that a comprehensive independent review of the design and implementation of the Calculated Grades process should take place when the process is complete. The full scope of that review will be clearly set out in advance.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (31, 43)
Martin Kenny
Ceist:31. Deputy Martin Kenny asked the Minister for Education if she will provide guidelines for schools, parents and children in which the parents of a schoolgoing child are considered high risk in terms of Covid-19 and by sending their children to school they are putting their own health at risk; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30085/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThomas Gould
Ceist:43. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the measures taken to support the learning of students with high- or very high-risk family members who are not comfortable attending school; and the measures to be taken going forward if Covid-19 cases continue to rise. [30267/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 43 together.
My Department is aware that some parents and children have had concerns about returning to school. My Department has developed and prepared a comprehensive response to supporting the wellbeing of school communities at this time. NEPS will work with schools to support them to meet the needs of their students on their return to school.
The HPSC has produced guidance in relation to the return to school for at risk groups. It outlines that children with immediate family members, including parents, in both the ‘high risk’ and ‘very high risk’ categories can return to school and it is important for the child’s overall well-being.
This is consistent with public health advice internationally in relation to at-risk family members. The guidance is available at the following link.
https://www.hpsc.ie/a-z/respiratory/coronavirus/novelcoronavirus/guidance/educationguidance/HSE%20advice%20on%20return%20to%20school.pdf
Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for the safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice. This guidance is focused on the practical steps schools must take to minimise the risk of transmission of infection, which has been highly effective to date. Schools are proving to be safe places for children and this is recognised by public health teams who have acknowledged that schools are successfully implementing the HPSC recommendations and keeping transmission levels very low.
The key priority however is that the household continues to follow all current advice on how to minimise the risk of coronavirus, through regular hand washing, cough etiquette etc.
School Staff
Ceisteanna (32)
Marian Harkin
Ceist:32. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education if she will engage with all parties representing school secretaries in order to find a resolution to the issue of equal pay for equal work. [30225/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am keenly aware of the vital role contributed by school secretaries within school communities and I recognise the very important work done by these staff, and the other support staff in the running of our schools. I have met with Fórsa, who represent many of the secretaries working in schools.
In recognition of their role, I have put special arrangements in place for the coming school year whereby schools will be funded to employ a replacement secretary or caretaker in the event that staff who are at very high risk of contracting serious illness from COVID-19 cannot work on the school premises. I have also extended the Employee Assistance Service to all school staff including secretaries.
On foot of a Chairman’s Note to the Lansdowne Road Agreement, my Department implemented the 2015 recommendations of an independent arbitrator. The Arbitrator recommended a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 be phased in over that period.
Fórsa trade union has tabled a follow-on claim from the 2015 agreement. Officials from my Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and School Management Bodies met with Fórsa on 1 October under the auspices of the Workplace Relations Commission.
I am very keen that all parties resume meaningful discussion in the WRC with a view to reaching a mutually acceptable solution. In that respect, I have asked my officials to examine closely pay issues for secretaries and caretakers, as well as very important wider matters relating to their conditions of work, in consultation with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
The WRC process remains ongoing and I support the continued engagement between all parties in an effort to reach a mutually acceptable solution.