Marian Harkin
Ceist:100. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education the plans in place to ensure delivery of the July provision for 2021. [24286/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpecial Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (100)
Freagraí scríofa
The Government has approved the provision of significantly expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a Covid-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.
This is an incredibly important Government decision, which ensures that for first time all primary and post primary schools have the opportunity to provide summer programmes for students with complex needs and those at risk of educational disadvantage.
The total funding available to provide the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.
The programmes for mainstream students in primary and post-primary schools are new programmes for 2021, building upon previous summer programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those in provided in DEIS schools last year.
Enhanced measures have been put in place to encourage schools to offer the programme, including measures to reduce the administrative burden, provision of funding to schools towards preparation and overseeing of the programmes, earlier payment of school staff and provision to recruit newly qualified teachers graduating this summer to work on the programme.
The programme’s aims are to support students to re-engage with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote well-being and for some who are at key transition stages, help to ensure they can move on to their planned educational placement next September along with their peers.
A home-based summer programme will continue to be available for students with complex needs where their schools are not providing a school based programme.
The programmes were developed following extensive engagement with education and disability stakeholders. My Department is now working to ensure the necessary supports, guidance and information is made available to both schools and families.
I encourage the school communities to take full advantage of this opportunity and offer this valuable programme to their students.
Further details on the schemes and how schools can apply will be made available over the coming period at gov.ie/summerprovision .
Educational Disadvantage
Ceisteanna (101)
John Lahart
Ceist:101. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education the measures in place to support children and young persons who are at risk of the highest levels of educational disadvantage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25058/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) is the main policy initiative of my Department to tackle educational disadvantage at school level. The DEIS Plan sets out the vision for interventions in the critical area of educational disadvantage policy and is based on the findings of an extensive review of the DEIS programme, which involved consultations with all relevant stakeholders.
In the 2020/21 school year the DEIS programme will support over 185,000 pupils across 887 schools (689 primary and 198 post primary). This represents in the region of 20% of the overall school population and includes 79 schools, who had the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage, who were added to the DEIS Programme for the first time from September 2017.
My Department will spend over €150million on supports for schools under the DEIS programme in 2021, which includes over €26 million for the School Completion Programme (SCP). This also includes in the region of €16.2 million which will be provided to schools in the form of a DEIS grant for the 2021/22 school year. In March I announced an improvement in the staffing threshold for all DEIS Urban Band 1 schools. I also announced an increase in the budget of the School Completion Programme and a reduction in the enrolment threshold for the allocation of an additional deputy principal in DEIS post-primary schools, from 700 to 600 students.
The Department’s investment in 2021 also includes providing for;
419 Home School Community Liaison Coordinators serving 539 schools, catering for approximately 156,000 pupils.
Additional posts for DEIS Band 1 primary schools to allow for a reduced pupil teacher ratio.
Curriculum supports
Priority access to continuing professional development
Enhanced school book grants.
Evidence from the evaluation of the DEIS programme to date demonstrates that it is having a positive effect in this effect.
A wide variety of measures are underway to ensure my Department supports Traveller children in having their educational needs met. The model for allocating Special Education Teachers in mainstream schools provides a single allocation for special educational supports based on each school’s educational profile. The model establishes a school’s educational profile, which includes traveller children, enrolled in a school under the following strands:
The number of students with complex special educational needs.
The social context of school which at primary level, one component includes the number of traveller pupils and at post primary schools, is based on the number of pupils who had exam fee exemptions, including Traveller pupils.
Percentages of students performing below a certain threshold on standardised test results which includes schools with pupils from the Traveller community who may be attaining lower standardised test scores.
My Department currently spends €2 billion on making additional provision for children with special educational needs.
This week I announced the provision of expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a Covid-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.
Under this expansion of the summer programme, students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage will have access to an enhanced summer programme of education. The total funding available to provide the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.
The programme’s aims are to support pupils to re-engage with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote well-being and for some who are at key transition stages, help to ensure they can move on to their planned educational placement next September along with their peers.
Educational Disadvantage
Ceisteanna (102)
Jennifer Murnane O'Connor
Ceist:102. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the details of the qualifying criteria, including scores and other assessment parameters which a school has to achieve at a minimum in order to qualify for DEIS status; if the review of the DEIS scheme is complete; if there are proposals for the provision of a summer programme in 2021 to include DEIS schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24881/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
A detailed analysis of school enrolment data and the latest data available from Census 2016, using the HP Deprivation Index, has been carried out by members of the DEIS Technical Group. This group contains representatives of the Department’s Statistics and Social Inclusion Units, the Inspectorate and the Educational Research Centre. My Department has commenced a consultation process with education stakeholder representatives on the technical aspects and implementation of the model, and work is ongoing on final elements of the model. It is envisaged that this will then provide the basis for development of a DEIS resource allocation system to match resources to identified need. Until this work is complete, it is not intended to extend the DEIS programme to any further schools.
This week I announced the provision of expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a Covid-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.
Under this expansion of the summer programme, students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage will have access to an enhanced summer programme of education. The total funding available to provide the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.
The programmes are available to all primary and post primary free education schools, including all DEIS Schools, and aims to support pupils to re-engage with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote well-being and for some who are at key transition stages, help to ensure they can move on to their planned educational placement next September along with their peers.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (103)
Emer Higgins
Ceist:103. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education the status of the progression of schools in the mid-western areas of Dublin that have stage 2b planning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24959/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The current status of major building projects in the mid-western areas of Dublin that have stage 2b planning is as follows:
Lucan Community College (RN 70080T)
The major building project for Lucan Community College is currently at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents.
The Stage 2(b) report for the project has been reviewed and the Design Team has carried out a final review of all tender documentation and provided my Department with Design Team confirmations that this final review is complete.
The pre-qualification process, to select a short-list of candidates to whom the project will be tendered, is ongoing and upon completion, my Department will be in contact with Dublin Dun Laoighaire ETB, who are the client for the project, with regard to the further progression of this project to the next stage of architectural planning, Stage 3 (Tender Stage).
St Joseph’s College, Lucan (RN 60263V)
The major building project for St. Joseph’s College is also currently at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design.
The Stage 2(b) report has been reviewed by my Department and comments have issued to the Design Team who have been requested to carry out a final review of all of its tender documentation to ensure compliance with Department requirements and to submit written confirmation from each Design Team member when this work has been completed.
The pre-qualification process to select a short-list of contractors in currently on-going.
Upon receipt of Design Team confirmations and completion of the pre-qualification process and subject to no issues arising, my Department will be in contact with the Design Team and school with regard to the further progression of this project to the next stage of architectural planning, Stage 3 (Tender Stage).
A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete.
Holy Family Community School, Rathcoole (RN91301D)
The major building project for Holy Family Community School, is also currently at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2(b) - Detailed Design.
The Stage 2(b) report has been reviewed by my Department and comments have issued to the Design Team who have been requested to carry out a final review of all of its tender documentation to ensure compliance with Department requirements and to submit written confirmation from each Design Team member when this work has been completed.
The pre-qualification process to select a short-list of contractors in currently on-going.
Upon receipt of Design Team confirmations and completion of the pre-qualification process and subject to no issues arising, my Department will be in contact with the Design Team and school with regard to the further progression of this project to the next stage of architectural planning, Stage 3 (Tender Stage).
A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete.
Divine Mercy JNS & SNS (RN 20187H & 19565S)
The major building project for Divine Mercy Junior and Senior Schools is also currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design.
The Design Team Consultant Architect has resigned from the project and a tender process to appoint a replacement Consultant Architect is currently nearing completion.
As soon as the appointment is ratified, the replacement architect will proceed to carry out a due diligence review of the Stage 2(b) tender documentation, previously prepared, in conjunction with the other Design Team members.
The Consultant Architect will then submit a Due Diligence Report to my Department for review.
Upon review, my Department will be in contact with the school regarding the further progression of this project, including pre-qualification of contractors.
St Thomas JNS & Scoil Áine SNS, Lucan (RN 19542R & 19676P)
The replacement Design Team Consultant Architect tender process for this project has been completed and the design team is currently working on Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design, which includes upgrading the design to ensure that new school buildings are Near Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) in compliance with the 2017 amendment to Part L of the current Building Regulations.
Arising from a Due Diligence exercise carried out by the replacement Consultant Architect a submission detailing additional works to the existing school buildings has been presented to the Department. This submission has been reviewed by my Department and the Design Team is currently working on a revised Brief Change Request taking on board the Departments comments. The revised Brief Change Request will also include for a Special Education Needs base for each school together with two additional resource rooms which have been recently approved by my Department.
Upon completion of the revised Brief Change Request it will be submitted for review. Upon review my Department will revert to the schools and their Design Team regarding the further progression of this project.
Loreto N.S, Rathfarnham (RN 00729F)
The major building project for Loreto NS, Rathfarnham is also currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2(b) – Detailed Design.
The decision to grant Planning Permission for this project has recently been appealed to An Bord Pleanala. In parallel with securing the necessary statutory approvals the Design Team will work on the preparation of tender documents.
Upon completion of the Stage 2(b) report it will be submitted to my Department for review.
Gaelscoil Lir (20531T) & Citywest and Saggart Community College (76594L)
The final Notification to Grant Planning Permission from the relevant local authority was received in March 2021 and the schools are currently at tender preparation stage. It is intended that the projects for the schools will be tendered in Quarter 4 2021.
Moyle Park College (RN 60121B)
Moyle Park College was granted approval under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2018 to construct 2 General Classrooms, 2 Standard WC’s, 1 Assisted Users WC and 1 SET room. They were also given permission to replace 2 Prefab General Classrooms with 2 General Classrooms and 2 Standard WC’s. The School Authorities received approval to proceed to the planning stage in October 2020 and the project currently remains with them to progress to the next stage.
Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (104, 139)
Michael Creed
Ceist:104. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education the status of efforts to purchase a site for new schools (details supplied) in County Cork. [24004/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraMichael Creed
Ceist:139. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education the status of efforts to purchase a site for new schools at a location (details supplied) in County Cork. [24787/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 139 together.
The building projects for Gaelscoil an Chaisleain and Le Chéile Secondary School are included in my Department's capital programme. Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Cork City Council in relation to the identification and acquisition of suitable sites for the schools.
A number of site options have been proposed and assessed. Two potential campus site options have been identified. Negotiations with the landowner of one site is under way and it is expected that negotiations with the other landowner will commence shortly. The Deputy will appreciate that 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. However, I assure him 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.
School Discipline
Ceisteanna (105)
Pauline Tully
Ceist:105. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if she will consider introducing a policy whereby in circumstances before a school considers expelling a student presenting with behavioural problems, that the school and ETB must engage the services of a behavioural analyst to work with the student in question and possibly staff in the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23948/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In accordance with Section 23 of the Education (Welfare) Act 2000 the board of management of every recognised school is legally obliged to prepare a code of behaviour in respect of the students registered in their school. This code of behaviour is prepared in consultation with the principal, teaching staff and the parents of students registered in the school.
Recognising that expulsion of a student is a serious decision it can only be made by the schools board of management. The board must, before expelling a student, notify the Educational Welfare Officer (EWO), in writing and outline the reasons for the proposed expulsion. The board of management cannot confirm the expulsion until the passing of 20 school days from the date the EWO receives such notice. This 20 day period allows the EWO to convene a meeting under Section 24 of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000 of all the relevant educational partners involved with the case including behavioural analysts if appropriate, to see if an alternative option other than expulsion can be reached.
Under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 an appeals process is available to a parent/guardian following expulsion of their child. An independent appeals committee is appointed to consider all such appeals. In circumstances where the appeals committee decision is to allow such appeals the school is directed to readmit the student.
Additional supports are also provided by my Department and other agencies to assist schools in managing pupil behaviours. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provide both individual casework service for pupils and a support and development service for teachers and school staff.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) provide educational support services including allocation of resources for schools, provision of professional learning and in school support teams.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (106)
John McGuinness
Ceist:106. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education the status of each large-scale school building project in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25062/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The current NDP, as part of Project Ireland 2040 framework, provides for €8.8bn investment in schools during the period 2018 to 2027. The increased investment under the NDP has positioned the State to focus on adding capacity to cater for increased enrolments and demographic needs.
During the NDP period 2018-2020, there were 526 completed building projects under the Large Scale Capital Programme (LSCP) and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA). These projects delivered in excess of 48,000 school places, including permanent accommodation for 229 special classes; and additional capacity for 67 classrooms in 14 special schools throughout the country. 14 of these projects delivered were in County Kilkenny.
The Department has a significant existing pipeline of projects to be delivered over the coming years to meet capacity needs managed under the Large Scale Capital Programme and the Additional School Accommodation Scheme. 42 of these projects are in County Kilkenny. 6 of these projects are on the Large Scale Capital Programme. The current status of these projects being delivered is listed on a county by county basis on the Department of Education and Skill’s website at www.education.ie and updated on a monthly basis. It should be noted that at individual project level, Design teams are required to provide a delivery programme to school authorities and to keep them updated on progress of their projects including through the provision of monthly progress reports.
I have made arrangement for the details of all 42 school building projects to be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
National Council for Special Education
Ceisteanna (107)
Alan Farrell
Ceist:107. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education if speech and language therapists among others are being directly recruited by the National Council for Special Education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24883/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The NCSE Comprehensive Review of the SNA Scheme, published in May 2018, found that the SNA Scheme, as then currently configured, worked well in meeting the needs of younger children and students for whom it was originally designed, and is greatly valued by parents, students and schools, however, it was found to be less effective for older primary and post-primary students.
The review recommended a new school inclusion model where the response by the State to the additional care needs for students in our schools would be broadened and better tailored to individual needs to include both health therapeutic and education supports.
On 12th February 2019, Government approved the trialing of a new School Inclusion Model (SIM) for the 2019/20 school year in the CHO7 area of West Dublin, Kildare, and West Wicklow.
The SIM pilot was disrupted with the closure of schools as a result of COVID-19 from March to September 2020 and again in January 2021. The HSE therapists who had been working in schools as part of the School Inclusion Model were reassigned from the schools in March 2020 and they were redeployed to other priority related work in the health services, including supporting the testing and tracing regime for COVID-19.
As the provision of in school therapy service is a fundamental and integral part of the School Inclusion Model (SIM), the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) was given sanction to recruit up to 31 speech and language, and occupational therapists, to support the continuation of this project in a government decision of July 2020.
Budget 2021 allocated funding for the expansion of SIM to two new areas for the 2021/22 school year. Planning for the resumption and expansion of SIM is currently underway now that schools have fully reopened.
Education Schemes
Ceisteanna (108)
Niamh Smyth
Ceist:108. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the status and details of the supports to the Creative Ireland and Music Generation programmes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25075/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Creative Ireland Programme is a five-year all-of-government, culture-based initiative that emphasises the importance of human creativity for individual, community and national well-being. The programme is grounded in the belief that every person has creative capacities, the development of which contributes to their personal well-being as well as to the general well-being of our communities and society. The long-term objective of the Creative Ireland Programme is that individual and collective well-being is enhanced through increased participation in creative activity at all stages of life.
My Department has a total of €3,302,000 funding allocated to Creative Ireland projects in 2021. The details of this funding is set out in the table below.
|
Programmes |
|
|
Creative Schools (1) |
€1,038,000 |
|
Creative Clusters |
€595,000 |
|
Primary School |
€250,000 |
|
Post-Primary |
€244,000 |
|
Other Initiatives |
|
|
Local Creative Youth Partnerships |
€300,000 |
|
Arts in Education Portal |
€50,000 |
|
Music Generation (2) |
€700,000 |
|
Fighting Words |
€70,000 |
|
Creative Engagement |
€55,000 |
|
Total: |
€3,302,000 |
It is also my intention to allocate an additional €500,000 in 2021 to further support creativity in schools and further details on this will be announced shortly.
Music Generation is a National Music Education Programme that aims to transform the lives of children and young people through access to high-quality, subsidised performance music education. Music Generation focuses on the provision of performance music education – that is, the breadth of vocal and instrumental learning in all genres and styles of music. This includes all pedagogical approaches and practices appropriate to particular musical cultures and traditions, and is delivered by professional musician teachers.
The Department has a total of €6.485m funding allocated for Music Generation in 2021. A breakdown of the funding is contained in the table below.
|
Area of Expenditure |
|
|
National Development Office |
€685,000 |
|
Local Music Education Partnerships |
€5,200,000 |
|
Quality Support and Development |
€600,00 |
|
Total |
€6,485,000 |
School Accommodation
Ceisteanna (109)
Neale Richmond
Ceist:109. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education the steps she is taking to minimise the time spent in temporary accommodation for new schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23949/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. With this information, the Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. Information on school enrolments and Child Benefit data allows the Department to map where children are living or attending school and this information provides a degree of certainty in projecting demand in an area in future years.
Three initiatives have been introduced recently to strengthen the demographic analysis process.
The first involves enhancing our engagement with local authorities in relation to the information on residential development incorporated in the analysis process.
The second involves the Department having additional engagement with patron bodies in relation to their local knowledge on school place requirements. Education and Training Boards, Diocesan Offices, and national patron bodies such as Educate Together, an Foras Pátrúnachta etc. can be an important source of local knowledge.
The third involves the Department putting a structure and system in place for a national inventory of school capacity to be completed by individual schools. When schools are providing their annual 30 September enrolment returns to the Department in respect of the Primary On-line Database (POD) for primary schools and Post-Primary On-line Database (PPOD) for post-primary schools, they are now also requested to provide information in respect of overall demand for school places and available capacity within their schools. The compilation and analysis of this information at local, regional and national level through the Department's Geographic Information System (GIS) is an important additional feature of the school planning process. 2019/20 was the first year of this initiative and the approach taken will provide a cost effective and efficient method for the provision and analysis of up to date data in relation to demand and capacity across over 3,500 primary schools and over 750 post-primary schools.
While it is the policy of my Department to ensure a high standard of permanent accommodation for all schools, in the context of a rapidly increasing school population over the last decade or more it is sometimes necessary to make use of temporary accommodation to meet the accommodation needs of schools.
Maximising the opportunities to achieve value for money involves matching, as best as possible, the accommodation requirement with the appropriate permanent or temporary accommodation solution. However, even where an accommodation requirement is for the long-term it may not be possible to achieve this in all cases which then triggers a requirement for an interim accommodation solution. For example, two key factors that impact on the timeline for providing a permanent building for a new school are the identification and acquisition of a suitable site and obtaining planning permission. While good progress has been made on providing better lead in periods for the establishment of new schools and opportunities for use of existing State or other school sites are maximised wherever possible it nevertheless remains a significant challenge to be managed.