Thomas Gould
Ceist:110. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the status of a school building for a school (details supplied). [25088/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (110)
Freagraí scríofa
A building project for the new Gaelscoil referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department's current Building Programme.
Officials from my Department have been working closely with Cork City Council towards acquiring a permanent site for this school.
A potential site option has been identified and discussions are still ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site. Once the site has been acquired the project will then progress to the architectural design & planning stages.
Due to the commercially sensitive nature of site acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this stage. I can, however, assure you that the acquisition of a new site for the school is a priority for the Department and the patron body will be informed of the location for the school as soon as it is possible to do so.
School Accommodation
Ceisteanna (111)
James O'Connor
Ceist:111. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education if she will review and acknowledge a school (details supplied) crisis report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24972/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department has received the report referred to by the Deputy and noted its contents.
As the Deputy is aware, 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, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
The most recent analysis undertaken by my Department projects that over 60% of the 314 school planning areas at primary level have stable or decreasing projected enrolments for the period to 2024, whereas some 90% of the school planning areas at post-primary level are anticipated to have increased enrolments for the period to 2027.
The level of demand volume across school planning areas with an increasing net requirement ranges from small to medium increases that are likely to be accommodated by existing schools through to significant projected growth that may require additional provision. This Department’s most recent projections indicate continued increasing demand for post primary school places in East County Cork, particularly in the Midleton_Carrigtwohill school planning 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.
Similar to the process adopted in advance of the current academic year, my Department is engaging with patron bodies, to identify particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming year(s) which may necessitate action including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
Teagasc na Gaeilge
Ceisteanna (112)
Aengus Ó Snodaigh
Ceist:112. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh den Aire Oideachais cén beartas atá ag a Roinn chun dul i ngleic leis na laigí ollmhóra i múineadh na Gaeilge i mbunscoileanna agus meánscoileanna aitheanta ag Cigireacht na Roinne. [25099/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Tá mo Roinn tiomanta d’eispéireas foghlama Gaeilge na scoláirí a fheabhsú ag an mbunleibhéal agus ag an iar-bhunleibhéal. Tá forbairtí suntasacha déanta ar an soláthar curaclaim ag an mbunleibhéal agus ag an iar-bhunleibhéal le blianta beaga anuas chun dul i ngleic le riachtanais na bhfoghlaimeoirí i suíomhanna difiríula teanga. Áirím ar na forbairtí sin soláthar curaclaim atá idirdhealaithe d’fhonn freastal níos fearr a dhéanamh ar riachtanais scoláirí i scoileanna a fheidhmíonn trí mheán na Gaeilge (T1) agus i scoileanna a fheidhmíonn trí Bhéarla (T2). Tugadh Curaclam Teanga na Bunscoile isteach do gach céim ag an mbunleibhéal in 2019 agus, don chéad uair, tugadh isteach sonraíochtaí idirdhealaithe do Ghaeilge na Sraithe Sóisearaí in 2017 tar éis comhairliúchán fairsing le geallsealbhóirí. Ag tógáil ar an múnla soláthair sin agus chun dul i ngleic le dúshláin atá aitheanta feadh an chomtanaim, tá próiseas comhairliúchán ar bun ag an gComhairle Náisiúnta Curaclaim agus Measúnachta faoi láthair ar dhréachtshonraíochtaí T1 agus T2 do Ghaeilge na hArdteistiméireachta (bunaithe). Tá cláir chuimsitheacha curtha ar fáil ag an tSeirbhís um Fhorbair Ghairmiúil do Mhúinteoirí agus ag an tSraith Shóisearach do Mhúinteoirí chun tacú le múinteoirí sonraíochtaí nua curaclaim a chur i bhfeidhm sna scoileanna. Ina theannta sin, leanann mo Roinn den Pholasaí don Oideachas Gaeltachta a chur i bhfeidhm agus táthar tosaithe ar phleanáil chun polasaí do oideachas lán-Ghaeilge a fhorbairt. Tugadh san áireamh sna forbairtí seo ar fad tátail i dtuairiscí an Phríomhchigire agus tuarascálacha taighde náisiúnta agus idináisiúnta ar fhoghlaim agus ar mhúineadh teanga.
Special Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (113)
Rose Conway-Walsh
Ceist:113. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education the status of the implementation of the EPSEN report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25051/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I can advise that a number of sections of the EPSEN Act 2004 have been commenced. The commenced provisions include those establishing the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and those providing for an inclusive approach to the education of children with special educational needs.
The following sections of the EPSEN Act were commenced in 2005.
Section 1 – InterpretationSection 2 - providing for the inclusive education of children with Special Educational Needs; Section 14 – placing certain duties on schools; Sections 19 to 37 - placing the Council on a statutory footing; Section 39 - placing certain duties on Health Boards; Sections 40 to 53 - amending the Education Act; Schedule 1 – providing for meetings and membership of the Council; Schedule 2 providing for the Chief Executive Officer of the Council. The remaining sections of the Act have yet to be commenced. The Sections of the EPSEN Act which have not been implemented are those which would have conferred a statutory entitlement to an educational assessment for all children with special educational needs; consequent development of a statutory individual educational plan (IEP); the delivery of detailed educational services on foot of this plan; an independent appeals process.
Since EPSEN was enacted, the Department’s policy on supporting children with special educational needs has changed and evolved on foot of evidence based policy advice from the NCSE which takes account of international perspectives. Significantly, the focus of special needs education provision has changed from a model that is diagnosis led to one which is driven by the needs of the child. This is a substantially different view to the one underlying the EPSEN Act. The levels of investment by Government in special education has increased to facilitate the underlying reforms required to implement and embed the needs based approach.
Since my appointment as the first Minister for Special Education and Inclusion I have indicated that one of my key priorities is the reviewing and updating the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act.
A review of the Act will also take into account the extent of additional investment which has been made in special educational services since 2004, with some €2 Billion per year now being spent of special educational supports.
It will also take into account the range of reforms which have taken place in recent years including the development of new allocation models which are not based primarily on a response to assessment as policy advice has indicated that requirement of diagnosis can create a risk of children being diagnosed as having a special educational need for resource allocation purposes, rather than for health reasons. Also, that as there is a spectrum of ability and disability within every special education disability category, account must be taken of need, as well as diagnosis.
Covid-19 Pandemic
Ceisteanna (114)
Christopher O'Sullivan
Ceist:114. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the measures that will be taken to enforce social distancing on school transport after reports that social distancing was not enforced on some routes prior to lockdown; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1848/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
The purpose of the scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
My Department has engaged intensively with Bus Éireann in regard to the logistics for the safe operation of School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year. Based on public health advice my Department provided for School Transport Scheme services for the 2020/2021 school year to fully operate, but with additional measures and hygiene requirements in place and with the rolling implementation of measures on post-primary services as required to provide physical distancing, using 50% of passenger capacity. My officials engage on a weekly basis with public health consultants from the HSE in relation to the safe operation of schools including school transport.
If there are individual concerns about a particular service, parents/guardians are advised to contact School Transport Section of my Department or their local Bus Éireann office.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (115)
Christopher O'Sullivan
Ceist:115. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the status of the extension for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25116/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included on the Department's Capital Programme to be delivered as part of the National Development Plan (NDP).
It has been necessary to carry out a Strategic Assessment Review of the proposed project for the school in order to consider various options as to how best to progress the project. This has now been completed and a number of options have been identified as to how the project can be progressed which will be part of the remit of the Design team for the project when appointed.
The Department is now in the process of amending the Brief Formulation Documents for the project to include for the details of the Strategic Assessment report to allow for the project to be ready to progress into architectural planning.
My Department has also now reached agreement with CEIST the school patron to manage the delivery of this project which will allow the Department to progress this project into the architectural planning process very shortly.
Special Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (116)
Bríd Smith
Ceist:116. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she plans to meet with representatives of SNAs (details supplied) to ensure that the allocation of rosters and work for the next school term can be arranged in a more just and professional manner than the current and previous system which results in great uncertainty for SNAs across the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24720/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for Special Needs Assistants for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools is to be deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.
The disruption prevented the delivery of the necessary training and information workshops to support the roll out of the new allocation model which had been planned for earlier this year.
The training and workshops are designed to help school leaders and teachers in their in-school planning for the new model and their engagement with parents. These sessions will now be rescheduled to take place during the 2021/22 school year. Further information will be issued by the NCSE in due course.
SNA allocations for 2021/22 school year will be based on the actual number of SNAs employed by a school on 30 April 2021 and the allocation on that date will be rolled over into 2021/22. No school will receive a reduced allocation.
As in previous years, there will be provision for schools to apply to the NCSE for additionality where exceptional circumstances give rise to new care needs that cannot be catered for within existing allocations. These posts will be met from within the existing Budget 2021 allocation.
SNA allocations for 2021/22 will be published later this month as in previous years.
SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.
My Department will also be publishing a circular this month to advise schools of the arrangements for the allocation of SNAs for the 2021/22 school year.
The education stakeholders including FORSA have been briefed on this issue.
Education Schemes
Ceisteanna (117)
Gary Gannon
Ceist:117. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the number of primary and post-primary schools expected to take part in the DEIS summer camp; the level of funding provided; the way in which this compares to funding in 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25130/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
On Tuesday, together with the Minister of State with responsibility for Special Education, I announced the provision of an expanded summer education programmes for pupils with complex special educational needs and for those students at greatest risk of educational disadvantage, as a Covid-19 pandemic response measure, for summer 2021.
The five key strands of the programme will run, as follows Numeracy and literacy camps in DEIS primary schools; School based summer programme in primary schools with special classes and special schools; Home based provision for children with complex needs where no school based programme is available; All primary schools (DEIS and non DEIS) have the opportunity to provide a two-week summer programme for mainstream pupils with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.
All post-primary schools (DEIS and non DEIS) have the opportunity to provide a two-week summer programme for mainstream students with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.
The programmes for mainstream students in primary and post-primary schools are new programmes for 2021, building upon previous summer programmes in DEIS schools.
For the first time ever, all schools (primary and-post primary) are encouraged to provide summer programmes and the eligibility criteria have been extended to include post-primary children with complex needs and children at risk of educational disadvantage. Prior to this expansion summer programmes were only available to special schools and pupils in special classes in primary schools and in DEIS schools.
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.
The total funding available to provide the five key strands of the programme is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.
Further details on the schemes and how schools can apply will be made available over the coming period at gov.ie/summerprovision