Written Answers Nos. 511-531
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Written Answers Nos. 511-531
511. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education if a leaving certificate 2021 student who has signed up to the online portal to sit the exam but cannot or does not attend on the day will receive the accredited grade for this subject or a no grade; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26392/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn Wednesday 17 February, I confirmed that the written Leaving Certificate 2021 examinations will be held in June, with related components also proceeding as far as possible subject to public health advice. A corresponding process of grades accredited by the State Examinations Commission (SEC) will also be available to students who opt to receive them.
This decision followed intensive engagement with education stakeholders bilaterally and through the Planning for State Examinations 2021 Advisory Group and ensures for every student a method to assess their learning and attainment at the end of their post-primary education and to progress to higher and further education, and the world of work.
The timetable for the written examinations in June has been published by the SEC. As far as possible, access to these examinations will be provided for students at very high risk of COVID-19, who are being provided with an Adapted Education Provision by their school.
The SEC is issuing Guidance for the Conduct of the Written Examinations to schools that is in line with public health advice.
It is of the utmost importance that examination candidates, parents and schools should note, in respect of sustaining public health measures in schools until the end of the year, and in the Leaving Certificate examinations, that candidates will not be allowed to present for their examinations if they:
- have been diagnosed with COVID-19;
- have any symptoms of COVID-19;
- or develop these symptoms at any stage over the course of the examinations;
- are a close contact of a confirmed case;
- are self-isolating;
- have been advised to self-isolate, or to restrict their movements.
Some students may also be at very high-risk from COVID-19; or they may have a bereavement or other medically certified illness which prevents them from sitting the examinations. There will be only one sitting of the 2021 Leaving Certificate. Candidates have by now finalised their choices of sitting examinations, receiving Accredited Grades or both on the Candidate Portal. Candidates will have Accredited Grades available to them as a safety net in the event that they are unable to take their examinations, even if they have not opted for Accredited Grades.
All candidates have the opportunity to be provided with Accredited Grades this year and it is hoped that following these revised arrangements all candidates can be provided with Accredited Grades. Candidates attending school will have information provided on their behalf by their school for all subjects they are studying in school. The process of providing Accredited Grades to candidates who are out of school learners and to candidates taking subjects outside of school requires these candidates to proactively engage in the relevant Accredited Grades Process as set out in the guidance. As such, accredited grades can only be provided, as contingency, to out-of school candidates (those who are out-of-school learners or studying a subject outside-of–school) if the candidate engaged in the relevant process, provided they have been able to produce evidence of their learning in the relevant subject(s) to allow the provision of an estimated mark.
Accredited Grades, if they can be provided, are available as contingency to candidates unable to attend the examinations for unforeseen reasons.
Where it has not been possible for a candidate to be provided with Accredited Grades and who has not, for whatever reason, attended for their examination(s), their next opportunity to sit the Leaving Certificate will be at the 2022 examinations.
512. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education when her Department will distribute and implement the latest reduced timetable guidelines to ensure they are in place in schools in September 2021; if she will ensure in their implementation that an ethnic identifier is applied for Traveller and Roma children; and if a formal evaluation at the end of year one with a disaggregated report per school will be carried out. [26422/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra526. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will seek Tusla's intervention in the oversight and information compiled by schools regarding the application of a reduced timetable including the rationale for applying the reduced timetable. [26690/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 512 and 526 together.
The purpose of the Guidelines on the use of Reduced Timetables in Schools is to ensure that the use of reduced timetables are limited to only those circumstances where it is absolutely necessary and, that where such usage occurs, schools follow best practice with the best interests of the student to the fore. The Guidelines will outline a number of key requirements for the use of reduced timetables.
Officials from my Department have ongoing engagement with Traveller and Roma representatives and are aware of the concerns of disproportionate use of reduced timetables articulated by Traveller and Roma representative groups.
My Department is working with Tusla Education Support Service with a view to guidelines on the use of reduced timetables in schools being in place for the next academic year commencing September 2021. The feasibility of the potential use of an ethnic identifier will be explored, in the context of relevant data protection provisions.
It is intended that the operation of the guidelines will be reviewed after an initial period. The data gathered will inform future policy in this area and the situation will be kept under review.
513. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education the status of the progression of secondary school builds and temporary accommodation in Carrigtwohill, Cobh and Midleton in east County Cork. [26431/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraWithin the Carrigtwohill environs, my Department will be delivering a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school. It is anticipated that the project will proceed to tender in Q2 2021. With regard to the school’s current interim accommodation, Cork ETB have a contractor currently on site installing additional interim accommodation and the anticipated handover date for this accommodation is end July 2021.
St. Aloysius, Carrigtwohill, Co. Cork (62140P)
The building project for this school is devolved to Le Chéile Trust for delivery. This extension will cater for a projected long-term enrolment for 1,000 pupils. Under this arrangement Le Chéile Trust have very recently appointed the Design Team for the project, to design the buildings, obtain the necessary statutory planning permissions and move the project onward to construction in due course. As the project is at an early stage in the delivery process, it is not possible at this time to give a date for its completion.
St Colman’s Community College RN71050P
This Major Devolved project which provided an extension to Davis Community College was delivered by Cork ETB . I am pleased to advise that this project reached substantial completion in December 2020.
The school was also approved for the purchase of two existing framed modular classrooms and the removal of four existing classroom along with the reinstatement of the grounds under the Additional Accommodation Scheme 2021.
Carrignafoy Community College, Cobh, Cork 71970G
The building project for this school is devolved for delivery to Cork ETB. My Department are currently finalising the brief and the budget to provide an extension for a projected long term enrolment of 600 pupils.
Cork ETB will then procure a Design Team for the project to design the buildings, obtain the necessary statutory planning permissions and move the projects onward to construction in due course. As the project is at an early stage in the delivery process, it is not possible at this time to give a date for its completion.
In addition, I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of applications for additional school accommodation from CBS Midleton and St Marys High School. Officials from my Department are currently corresponding with the school Patrons in relation to same.
514. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education when a person (details supplied) will be placed on the list for a position in the new autism spectrum disorder school in Dublin 12; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26458/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.
This year, over 20% of the total Education budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special educational needs. As a result, the numbers of special education teachers, SNAs and special class and school places are at unprecedented levels.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. The NCSE through the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO), is available to support both families and schools regarding a suitable placement.
As your query refers to an individual placement case, I will arrange to have it referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
515. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education if a child (details supplied) who has been informed that they can no longer travel on the school bus will be considered urgently for a taxi and the support of a special needs assistant to bring them to school and stay with them during the hours of 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. given that the school is struggling to cope with their needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26459/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly, the question has been referred to the NCSE for direct reply.
The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
Schools were notified of the arrangements for the allocation of SNA support for the 2020/21 school year and it is expected that schools will review and reprioritise the deployment of SNAs within mainstream settings and allocate resources to ensure those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support. Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014.
Schools may apply to the NCSE for additionality where they can demonstrate that the current allocation does not meet additional care needs within the mainstream classes in the school. Applications for additionality arising from significant new or emerging additional care needs, which cannot be catered within existing allocations, are dealt with by way of the exceptional review process.
Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.
A school can appeal the outcome of an exceptional review and details of how to do this are here https://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/GuidanceSchoolAppealing-Exceptional-Review-outcome.docx
In relation to transport arrangements for the pupil referred to by the Deputy, my Department is currently liaising with Bus Éireann and the family in this regard.
516. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the timeframe for completion of refurbishment works on a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26524/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. A recommended bidder was identified, but subsequently withdrew from the process. The Design Team are now preparing a tender report for the next recommended bidder. Subject to no issues arising, works could commence in Quarter 4 of 2021 with a contract duration of approximately 22 months.
517. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the timeframe for completion of refurbishment works on a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26525/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project Design Team are liaising with the contractor with a view to completion and handover of the building in the coming weeks.
518. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the percentage of posts made on each of her departmental social media accounts and platforms that were exclusively in Irish between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021, inclusive; the percentage of posts made on each of her departmental social media accounts and platforms that featured bilingual translations in Irish and English between 1 May 2020 and 30 April 2021, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26577/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department is committed under the Official Languages Act 2003 to providing detailed information on its website and social media in English and Irish where appropriate.
Tweets on the Department’s Twitter account which announce new schemes or policy changes are sent in English and Irish simultaneously. 44% of the Department’s total tweets for the period outlined are bilingual announcements while 5.6% of the tweets are exclusively in Irish.
The Department is also publishing videos and guidance for teachers, learners and parents on YouTube. 43% of these videos published have a corresponding Irish version.
40% of the Department’s Facebook posts are available in Irish. While the Department has a small number of posts on LinkedIn, this account has not yet had posts in Irish.
519. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education if the application for works under the summer works scheme for a school (details supplied) will be granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26607/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question did make an application for funding under Category 10 (External Environment) of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) in June 2019 .
The Deputy may be aware that in November 2019 Minister McHugh announced details of the schools that would receive funding in summer 2020 in respect of applications submitted in 2019 for Life safety systems (Category 01) and applications submitted in 2016 for External Environment (Category 10) projects.
Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the Scheme, applications are being assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the Circular accompanying the Scheme. In that regard, applications submitted for other works will be considered under future rounds of the Summer Works Scheme. The school in question will be considered in this regard.
In the meantime, if the condition of the yard has deteriorated to such an extent it is preventing pupils from attending school, the school authority may apply for funding under my Departments Emergency Works Scheme via the Esinet portal.
520. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education if she expects special needs assistant allocations to be increased in the academic year beginning September 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26610/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of education for children with special needs is an ongoing priority for the Government.
The numbers of special classes, special education teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are at unprecedented levels.
My Department will spend approximately €2 Billion, or over 20% of its total educational budget on making additional provision for children with special educational needs in 2021.
This represents an increase of over 50% in total expenditure since 2011, at which point €1.247 Billion per annum was provided.
Budget 2021 provided for an additional 990 additional SNAs for allocation to schools, bringing the total numbers to 18,000 by December 2021.
This allocation of SNAs is to meet the care needs of pupils in 2021 and will enable the establishment of new special classes, creation of new places in special schools, support children in mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year.
This will represent an increase of increase of 70% in the number of SNAs provided since 2011 at which point 10,575 SNAs were available.
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs 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 frontloading of SNAs for mainstream classes is a key part of the School Inclusion Model. The Department and NCSE are committed to its introduction as part of the development of that Model.
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.
In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the Minister for Special Education and Inclusion and the Minister of State for Education have agreed on the following arrangements for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants for mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year:
- Existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 will be maintained and will automatically roll-over into the 2021/22 school year.
- No school will therefore receive an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.
- SNAs currently in mainstream settings can continue in post for the next school year in the normal way.
- Priority consideration will now be given by the NCSE to applications for increased support for the 2021/22 school year. In particular, applications from schools with no SNAs and developing schools will be prioritised. Determinations will be made before 30 June. Other applications will be processed in order of date received.
- As in previous years, where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website https://ncse.ie/for-schools
The NCSE will publish SNA allocations on their website www.ncse.ie by the end of May 2021.
SNA allocations for special classes and special schools are not affected by this arrangement.
Circular 0029/2021 has been published and advises schools of the arrangements for the allocation of SNAs for the 2021/22 school year.
Provisions set out in Circular 0030/2020 has been extended for the 2021/22 school year.
Circular 0029/2021 and Circular 0030/2020 are available on the Departments website.a
521. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the amount the NGO and charity sector receive in funding from her Department per annum. [26621/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra522. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education if a record will be provided of the annual funding received by the NGO and charity sector from her Department in each of the years 2000 to 2020. [26641/21]
Amharc ar fhreagra523. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education the funding allocated to each NGO and charity in each of the years 2010 to 2020 by her Department. [26654/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 521 to 523 together.
The funding allocated to my Department, as set down in the annual Estimates, is used to meet costs associated with the provision of educational services in our schools and various related functions. The allocation is used primarily to fund the salaries of teaching and non-teaching school staff, the development of school infrastructure, capitation funding for the ongoing running costs of schools, the payment of pensions to retired school staff, the costs associated with the school transport scheme and the general administration costs of my Department.
Funding is also provided to enable the Department to make grant payments to Education and Training Boards to meet costs associated with the provision of certain educational services and to the various agencies and bodies that come under the aegis of my Department. Funding is also allocated for a range of programmes and initiatives.
The annual Appropriation Account and Revised Estimates for Public Services for my Department's Vote provides detailed information regarding expenditure and receipts.
In the course of its work, my Department makes a significant number of payments every year. Such payments are made to individuals and organisations both by way of grants and also for the provision of goods and services to it. Some of the recipients of this funding may be non-governmental organisations and/or have charitable status although my Department’s funding programmes are not generally directly aimed at such organisations. However, as those labels are not necessarily assigned to payees and as my Department would be reliant on the relevant information being correctly notified by the organisations concerned, it is not possible to provide an accurate and complete list of such recipients. In those circumstances and in view of the fact that the Deputy has sought information covering a span of some twenty years, it would not be possible without utilising very significant staff resources to search for, identify and retrieve the information sought by him.
If, however, the Deputy wishes to provide me with the names of specific non-governmental organisations or organisations with charitable status I will arrange to have the level of funding, if any, paid to them by my Department ascertained and provided to him.
524. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education the status of a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26672/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraDuring the tender clarification process, the preferred tenderer withdrew from the tender process. The process has since moved on and the Letter of Intent (LOI) issued on 23rd April 2021 to the next preferred tenderer. This allows the preferred bidder to put in place the Bond, Insurances and confirmations of all legal arrangements required under the Contract.
Following receipt of all the necessary documentation, my Department will be in a position to issue the Letter of Acceptance (LOA), which will allow the contractor to mobilise on site.
My Department will keep the Board of Management informed as the project progresses and advise them when the LOA issues.
527. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of patients availing of non-extraction dental care in the PRSI system nationwide and in north County Kildare in each of the years 2017 to 2020, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26200/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe number of customers treated nationwide under the PRSI Dental Treatment Benefit Scheme, and the total paid to dentists for their work on the scheme, in the years 2017 to 2020 inclusive are detailed below.
|
Year |
Claim volume |
Value in euro |
|
2017 |
417,336 |
15.29 million |
|
2018 |
804,375 |
46.91 million |
|
2019 |
833,781 |
48.44 million |
|
2020 |
719,640 |
41.19 million |
Statistics on uptake by customers at a county or part county level, or the number of treatments provided to residents of any specific county or part of a county are not collated by the Department and as a result are not available.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
528. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has any interdepartmental role in the implementation of the Just Transition process in the midlands process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26484/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Midlands Regional Transition team and Just Transition was established in October 2018 for communities and workers affected by the ending of peat harvesting for power generation in the Midlands region.
My Department makes a significant contribution to the work of this commission. In the last two years we have provided significant supports to the affected workers to assist them return to work including in the areas of upskilling and retraining. We have provided information seminars to advise affected employees of income supports as well as services to assist employees upskill, retrain and commence new self-employment opportunities. We provided an information service at a Jobsfair held at Mount Lucas, specifically for affected workers, where we engaged with both employees and employers in attendance. We also have close links with employers in the Midlands to harness potential job opportunities for the individuals and communities affected.
My Department works closely with all relevant Government Departments, in particular the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and the Department of Education, as well as all other stakeholders to develop, mobilise and deliver opportunities for the midlands.
529. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if a person can still qualify to maintain the pandemic unemployment payment (details supplied) in circumstances in which a person has a part-time PAYE employment which provides income of less than €960 over eight weeks. [25512/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is one of the key supports introduced by my Department for qualifying employees and self -employed who have lost employment due to Covid-19. To date expenditure on the scheme is approximately €7.5 billion.
To be eligible for PUP a person must satisfy the qualifying conditions of the statutory scheme which includes that they are not engaged in insurable employment.
A special arrangement was introduced to allow the self-employed to engage in limited levels of self-employment and retain their PUP in order to continue to maintain their business. A self- employed individual may earn income from self- employment up to €960 net of expenses, over a rolling 8- week period payment.
There are options available to a person to engage in insurable employment whereby they may be entitled to income support under the Jobseeker's Benefit or the means tested Jobseeker's Allowance scheme, provided that they are unemployed for 4 days in 7 consecutive days and that they satisfy the conditions for this support.
I would advise that a person taking up reduced levels of insurable employment should contact their local Intreo Centre for advice. I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
530. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Social Protection if voluntary contributions can be included as part of eligibility criteria for the benefit made available to persons retiring at age 65; if there is consideration of the need to include a wider scope of PRSI contributions for this payment in recognition of the varied circumstances that persons have worked throughout their lives and may not be able to do so as a result of illness in the years before they reach their State pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25601/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Benefit Payment for 65 year olds was introduced in line with the Programme for Government to provide a benefit payment for 65 years olds, who must or who choose to retire at 65, but will not be eligible to receive a State pension until pension age, which is currently 66.
Applicants must satisfy the PRSI conditionality for payment which includes having a specified number of contributions paid in the Governing Contribution Year (GCY), which is the second last complete tax year. For example, for a claim in 2021 the second last complete tax year is 2019.
A person must have paid 104 PRSI insurable employment contributions at class A, H or P or paid 156 class S contributions if they are self-employed. The second contribution condition requires that a person must also have 39 reckonable contributions paid or credited in the GCY. At least 13 of these contributions must be paid. Where a person does not have 13 paid contributions in the GCY they can be from 2 years before the GCY, the last complete tax year or the current tax year; or they have at least 26 reckonable contributions paid in both the GCY and the year immediately preceding the GCY.
The reason for the requirement to have paid contributions in the manner set out in legislation is to demonstrate a recent attachment to the workforce.
People retiring at age 65 should, in most cases, meet the required PRSI conditionality. Where a person does not satisfy the contribution requirement for receipt of the new payment, they may be eligible to apply for means tested Jobseeker's Allowance subject to satisfying the conditions for that scheme.
There are no plans to amend the contribution conditions of the scheme at this time.
I trust that this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
531. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Social Protection when a social welfare payment will be made available to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25612/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person concerned submitted an application for a Jobseeker’s Allowance payment on 27/08/2020. This application was disallowed as the person concerned did not satisfy the Habitual Residence Condition and did not provide evidence that his means were less than the weekly rate of Jobseeker’s Allowance appropriate to his circumstances.
The person concerned was notified of this decision in writing on 05/11/2020 and was afforded the option of appealing the decision to a Deciding Officer or the independent Social Welfare Appeals Office. To-date a request for an appeal has not been received.
An application form for a Supplementary Welfare Allowance payment has been issued to the person concerned. When the completed application form and any relevant supporting documentation are received the application will be assessed and the person concerned will be advised of the outcome.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
