Written Answers Nos. 39-53
39. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education her plans for the provision of ASD services and units at primary and secondary levels in existing school buildings; her further plans for identifying and addressing gaps at a regional level in the provision of ASD services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40085/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the first-ever Minister with responsibility for special education, I am determined that specialist educational placements are available to meet the needs of children with special educational needs where required. We are fortunate in Ireland that most schools accept their responsibility in this regard and are very willing to enrol children with special educational needs and open special classes to meet the needs of their community.
Good planning is essential to ensuring that specialist placements are available when and where they are required.
The National Council for Special Education has a statutory function to plan and coordinate specialist provision throughout the country. My Department works closely with the Council in supporting the establishment of the necessary provision.
Demand is forecast based on engagement with families, schools, HSE teams, NEPS and other relevant stakeholders.
There are now 1,836 special classes in place, compared to 548 in 2011. Of these 1,567 are autism classes. Provision in special schools has increased from 6,848 placements in 2011 to approx. 8,000 this year.
And while the significant growth in special class and school provision is a strong indicator that the current approach is effective, there are challenges in some parts of the country where increases in population and other issues have led to reports of a shortage of specialist school places.
Recently, protocols and procedures have been developed between my Department and the NCSE that provide for a more joined up approach to planning at both national and local level. The NCSE is developing a five year forecasting tool which incorporates population demographics and forecasts of need which will inform future planning for special class accommodation in major projects and new school builds.
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.
40. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education the method used to decide the allocation of special education teachers for a school (details supplied) in the context of a current school population of 330 rather than the earlier 171 and the high number of children with special and additional needs, including 12 children with complex needs in the ASD evergreen unit classes; if she will make a recommendation to the NCSE to review the number of special education teachers allocated to the school and to consider the request from parents for a minimum allocation of six special education teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39981/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is committed to supporting every child with special educational needs to receive an education. Next year we will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of the total educational budget, on making additional provision for special educational needs.
The manner in which special education teachers are allocated to schools is based on the profiled needs of schools. The profile takes account of enrolments, number of children with complex needs, gender profile, results of standardised tests and an allocation which takes account of disadvantage.
There are currently three special education teachers allocated to the school referred to by the Deputy, which provide additional teaching support for pupils who have special educational, or additional learning needs, in mainstream classes in the school.
The school has two additional special class teachers, allocated to two special classes for children with Autism, bringing the total number of additional special education teachers in the school to five.
In total, there are therefore over 16 additional staff including 11 SNAS providing support for pupils with special educational needs in this school.
The level of additional resourcing in this school is therefore very significant.
I understand that this school has made an application to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for a review of their mainstream special education teacher allocation.
The NCSE is in the process of carrying out this review and will notify the school of the outcome in the near future. My Department has no role in this process.
41. Deputy Johnny Mythen asked the Minister for Education if she will address the capacity issues for secondary level education provision in County Wexford. [39960/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including school planning areas in County Wexford.
Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school there are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Until these issues are discussed with the relevant school authorities the true extent of any capacity issue will only become known.
Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including those in County Wexford, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action.
As the Deputy will be aware, a new 500 pupil post-primary school has been announced for Gorey.
42. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the monitoring and analysis she is undertaking to examine the quality of education leaving certificate 2020 students are receiving; and if it has been impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. [40075/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the reopening of schools has been one of the top priorities for Government. This was motivated by a desire to deliver the best education for students. Schools and their staff have been working tirelessly to deliver this education under challenging circumstances.
My Department’s Inspectorate has been supporting and advising on the work of schools since they reopened in September. Support for the quality of teaching and learning for all students, including Leaving Certificate students, has been a key focus of Inspectorate-led online advisory sessions with post-primary principals.
Since September, the Inspectorate has engaged with 83% of post-primary schools (609 schools) to support them in a range of areas including the mediation of the curriculum, given Covid-19.
Those sessions with schools have provided valuable information. The predominant feedback from principals is that schools are operating safely and that teachers have successfully adapted their teaching approaches in the current context. A report on these advisory sessions will be published shortly.
In addition, I am acutely aware of the importance of capturing the perspectives of students, teachers and parents. In that regard, the Inspectorate has carried out a series of surveys. Those surveys focused on matters such as how teaching and students’ learning are progressing, wellbeing and the safe operation of schools. 2263 students in post-primary schools responded, including 282 Leaving Certificate students. The survey responses are currently being analysed.
The Inspectorate has also been involved in providing assurances that schools are implementing my Department’s COVID-19 response plan, through conducting a series of visits to schools which are focused on their safe operation. Implementing the plan is essential to ensure that schools are safe learning environments for all students.
43. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education the capital projects in County Monaghan that will receive funding from her Department in 2021; and the capital projects in County Monaghan that are currently under consideration for future funding from her Department. [39987/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are currently 3 projects under the Additional Accommodation Scheme on site in Monaghan with an overall projected expenditure €1.5 million. These projects are due for completion in 2020/2021.
There are also a further 17 approved projects which have been devolved for delivery to the school authority/ETB in question. It is a matter for those school authorities to advance those projects, in this regard, it is possible that these projects progress to construction activity during 2021. Furthermore there are 3 projects on the Capital Programme which are at Preliminary Design stage.
In 2020, due to the exceptional circumstances arising from COVID-19, €29m was paid under the Minor Works Grant in July 2020 and under the July Stimulus Programme additional funding of €75m was allocated to cover an enhanced Minor Works Grant. As you are aware I announced a further €55 million in Minor Works Grant to be paid in early December, 2020. In 2020 schools in Co Monaghan will have received €2.5 million in Minor Works Grants.
More broadly, capital investment in the schools sector is primarily focused on adding capacity to cater for increased enrolments, meeting this demand, ensuring every child has a school place is the key priority in the selection and delivery of school infrastructure projects.
The requirement for new schools is kept under on-going review and in particular has regard to the impact of the increased roll out of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040. My Department also continues to monitor areas where the accommodation of existing schools may need to be expanded in order to meet the needs of the local population.
Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including patrons in Co. Monaghan, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
44. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the degree to which adequate forward planning continues to take place in order to identify the number and location of primary and post-primary schools throughout the greater Dublin area and nationwide, having regard to population projections as identified by the local authorities through the core strategy figures; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40012/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department undertakes forward planning activity on an on-going basis to identify future school requirements. My Department engages with the local authority statutory planning process, conducts its own demographic analysis, engages with local patrons and uses the combined information to project school place requirements .
In regard to the statutory planning process, the Core Strategy figures to which the Deputy refers, are published by the local authorities in their statutory plans and are required to be consistent with the National Planning Framework. In order to ensure this consistency, these statutory plans must include details of where future growth is to be distributed within the relevant area over the lifetime of the plan together with details of population and household projections and the quantum of lands to be zoned for residential and mixed uses. My Department engages actively with the statutory planning process and where future population projections for an area indicate the likely future need for a new school to serve that area, my Department requests that a school site be zoned in the statutory plan to cater for a future need.
Specifically, in regard to the greater Dublin area, the Dublin Metropolitan Area Strategic Plan (MASP) indicates significant projected population growth in the Dublin Metropolitan Area with an overall population of 1.65m envisaged by 2031: an increase of 250,000 people from 2016. This projected increase is taken into account in the relevant statutory plans covering the area.
Simultaneously, in order to plan for school provision, my Department also engages in a more granular analysis of demographic data and residential development to identify where the pressure for school places in particular areas across the country will arise. This analysis utilises data such as child benefit data for a local area, engagement with local authorities in relation to residential development and engagement with local patrons. Such analysis continues to indicate increasing requirements for school places across the greater Dublin area. Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school (or schools),
- Extending the capacity of a school (or schools)
- Provision of a new school (or schools)
The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review and work on an updated exercise to assess needs for the coming years, including those which may arise in the greater Dublin area, is at an advanced stage.
45. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education when the review of the leaving certificate 2020 and the calculated grade model will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40157/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn 3 October I announced that I had asked that a comprehensive independent review of the design and implementation of the Calculated Grades process should take place.
I want this review to consider key aspects of the Calculated Grades process, including the initial decision to adopt the model, whether the process met its objectives, how effective the process was, how the process worked in terms of design and implementation and how effective the governance and oversight procedures were.
As such, it is my intention that this review will be commenced as quickly as possible and some initial scoping of the review has taken place. Two key steps remain ongoing with regard to the Calculated Grades process: the running of the postponed written Leaving Certificate examinations and the final stage of the Calculated Grades appeals process.
In addition, as there is ongoing litigation relating to Calculated Grades, it must be determined how this might impact on progressing with the review. My Department has requested legal advice on a number of aspects of the proposed review, including the possible impact on and of ongoing litigation.
The full scope of the review will be clearly set out in advance.
46. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if funding is available to tackle school capacity shortages (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40143/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including the school planning area referred to by the Deputy.
Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school there are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Until these issues are discussed with the relevant school authorities the true extent of any capacity issue will only become known.
Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including in the area in question, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action.
47. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if a guarantee will be given that the intimate role of special needs assistants, SNAs, is acknowledged and that SNAs who require medical grade masks will be provided with same. [39976/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt the outset, I wish to acknowledge the trojan work of school communities in keeping schools open during this pandemic period. School leaders, teachers, Special Needs Assistants and parents have worked together effectively in managing the risks presented by Covid-19. We are grateful to them.
A range of essential control measures have been implemented to reduce the risk of the spread of COVID-19 virus and to protect the safety, health and welfare of the whole school community.
In supporting schools on these issues, my Department is guided by the expert advice published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).
The advice from the HPSC to the Department of Education has recommended that face coverings should be worn by all staff members where it is not possible to maintain a physical distance of 2 metres from other staff, parents, essential visitors or pupils.
Special Needs Assistants attend to the care needs of some of the most vulnerable students and I acknowledge the need for them to have appropriate protective masks and face coverings when they are carrying out intimate care functions in the course of their work.
The most recent advice from the HPSC was circulated to all schools in October. The “Guidance for Schools Regarding Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) Supporting Children and Young People with Additional Care Needs in the Context of COVID-19” is very clear. It states that the use of a face covering should be routine for SNAs. It is also clear that in circumstances where SNAs are performing healthcare like tasks (personal care) the face covering should normally be a surgical mask. If a surgical mask is not practical for any reason, they should use a visor of a quality suitable for use in a healthcare setting. Funding has been provided to schools for necessary PPE including face masks.
My Department has also published a suite of helpful guidance for the safe and sustainable reopening of schools. Each school is required to have a COVID-19 Response Plan for its safe operation through the prevention, early detection and control of COVID-19 in line with public health advice.
My Department meets regularly with school stakeholders on issues and concerns in relation to Covid-19. It is only by operating in this collaborative way that we can ensure that the risk of infection is managed and controlled for all members of the school community.
48. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education the status of a new school build (details supplied); the stage the process is at; the time frame for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39978/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe building project for St Teresa's Special School is included in my Department's capital programme.
Officials in my Department continue to liaise with all relevant stakeholders in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable permanent site for the school in question.
As the Deputy may be aware, a potential preferred site option has been identified and negotiations with the landowner in respect of this preferred site option are at an advanced stage. 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 school authority appraised of progress.
49. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the shortage of school places across north County Dublin; and if she will engage with school principals and parents regarding the provision of modular accommodation and additional teachers to address the problem. [40003/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional post-primary school places in a number of school planning areas including school planning areas in North Dublin.
Where capacity issues arise it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school there are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Until these issues are discussed with the relevant school authorities the true extent of any capacity issue will only become known.
Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, including patrons in North Co. Dublin, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
In relation to requirements for additional teachers, the criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources (teachers) provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
However, the staffing arrangements for schools also includes the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional mainstream teaching posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment for the following September.
50. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some children with disabilities may not be able to access a place in schools due to competition from siblings of current pupils; her views on whether this is fair and equitable; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39845/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. Schools have discretion in relation to their admission criteria and how they are applied. Schools also have the discretion to apply different selection criteria for admission to a special class should they wish to do so. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves. My Department does not seek to intervene in the selection criterion that is applied by schools.
Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Nonetheless, where a school is oversubscribed some pupils may not obtain a place in the school.
My Department has provided a FAQ document with information for schools and parents on school admission and other related matters. This document and other relevant information on school admissions is available on my Departments website at the following link: https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Information/School-Enrolment/.
51. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education the measures that have been taken to allow for a safe resumption of inter-school sport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39963/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraKeeping schools safely open for children and staff is a key priority at all levels of the Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021: Plan for Living with COVID-19. In line with the Plan and current public health advice, matches or other sporting events, subject to limited exceptions, are not permitted under the Level 3 restrictions.
52. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she expects to be in a position to improve pupil-teacher ratios over the next five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40011/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools and measures announced in Budget 2021 will implement this.
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. Budget 2021 will implement a further 1 point reduction for the 2021/22 school year so that primary schools will be allocated teaching posts on an average basis of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils. In addition, there has been a three point reduction in the retention schedule. This measure will help ensure better teacher retention in primary schools while also ensuring that less pupils are required to retain or recruit a teacher.
Further improvements in the pupil teacher ratio will be considered in the context of the annual budgetary process.
53. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education her plans to increase the number of Gaelscoileanna to meet the demand around the country. [40076/20]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, my Department has committed to creating opportunities for expanding Irish-medium education outside the Gaeltacht in the context of the April 2018 announcement on the establishment of 42 new schools from 2019 to 2022, which will afford particular consideration to the establishment of Gaelscoileanna, Gaelcholáistí, and Aonaid Lán-Ghaeilge as part of the new patronage process. Since the April 2018 announcement the number of new schools to be established over the period 2019 to 2022 to meet a demographic demand has increased to 47 schools.
Following the announcements since April 2018, my Department has developed a new Online Patronage Process System (OPPS), which provides objective information and allows parents to express their preferences in relation to the patronage and language of instruction, i.e. Irish or English, of these new schools (with the exception of those schools which have been designated as Irish-medium gaelscoileanna in advance of the OPPS opening for parents). Parental preferences, as well as other considerations such as the extent of diversity of provision in an area (including Irish-medium provision), are key to the decision-making process.
In addition, in September 2019, the Government announced measures to increase access to Irish-medium education as part of the patronage process, including that five new primary schools being established from 2020-2022 are being designated for Irish-medium education. This step is part of a framework which includes:
- Designating the language of a new primary school as Irish in some circumstances;
- Testing (on a pilot basis) the potential to cater for demand for English and Irish medium provision through, for example, delivering two 8-classroom primary schools (one English-medium and one Irish-medium) in a shared building/campus rather than delivering one 16-classroom primary school, subject to factors such as demand and site conditions;
- Exploring the potential to expand existing Irish-medium primary schools to meet unmet demand in an area;
- Providing opportunities for patrons of existing primary schools to change the language of instruction from English to Irish, such as is envisaged as part of the Schools Reconfiguration for Diversity process.
Details of schools that provide education through the medium of Irish are available on my Department's website www.education.ie.
