Thursday, 8 Jul 2021

Written Answers Nos. 215-235

Naval Service

Ceisteanna (215)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

215. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the cost per ship to make the four non-operational ships in the Naval Service fit for purpose. [36916/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Defence

The Naval Service is the State's principal seagoing agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The main day-to-day role of the Naval Service is to provide a fisheries protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the EU. The service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the exclusive economic zone. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish waters as necessary. I am advised by the military authorities that the fleet is managed to ensure maximum availability to meet operational requirements. On any given patrol day, the Naval Service can carry out a number of tasks on behalf of other State agencies such as the Sea-Fisheries Protection Authority, An Garda Síochána and the Customs Service of the Revenue Commissioners.

The Naval Service has nine ships in the fleet, of which six are currently available. LÉ Orla and LÉ Eithne are currently in operational reserve, but can be called upon for surge operations in times of national emergency, as was the case when LÉ Eithne was deployed to Cork city from 20 March to 24 June last year in support of Operation Fortitude and the national response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The military authorities have advised that there would be a minimal cost in terms of maintenance, servicing and certification of equipment associated with returning both ships to operational status.

LÉ Niamh is commencing a pre-planned Mid Life Extension Programme of works, similar to one recently completed on LÉ Roisin which has returned into service. LÉ Niamh will return to maritime defence and security operations on completion of works.

I am satisfied that the Defence Forces have the necessary resources available to them, including a modern and effective range of equipment which is line with best international standards in order to fulfil all roles assigned to them by Government.

Naval Service

Ceisteanna (216, 217, 218)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

216. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number of days in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 each operational ship has been to sea. [36917/21]

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

217. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number of days in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 that each ship was not at sea due to mechanical problems or repairs whether scheduled and unscheduled in tabular form. [36918/21]

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

218. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number of days in 2018, 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021 that Naval Service vessels were not at sea due to staff shortages in tabular form. [36919/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Defence

I propose to take Questions Nos. 216, 217 and 218 together.

The Naval Service is the State's principal sea-going agency and is tasked with a variety of defence and other roles. The primary day-to-day tasking of the Naval Service is to provide a fishery protection service in accordance with the State's obligations as a member of the European Union. The Naval Service is tasked with patrolling all Irish waters from the shoreline to the outer limits of the Exclusive Economic Zone. These patrols are carried out on a regular and frequent basis and are directed to all areas of Irish waters as necessary.

Scheduled patrol days can be impacted by a range of factors including adverse weather conditions, unscheduled maintenance as well as staffing issues.

The table below sets out the number of patrol days carried out by each of the Naval Services 9 ships from 2018 up to the end of May 2021. There is also a table outlining the number of cancelled Naval Service patrol days broken down by number of days lost due to mechanical reasons and due to personnel reasons.

Total number of days at sea completed by ship 2018 - 2021

Ship	2018	2019	2020		To end May 2021
LÉ Eithne	189	64	97		0
LÉ Orla	135	79	0		0
LÉ Ciara	158	124	134		0
LÉ Roisin	114	0	0		29
LÉ Niamh	117	156	133		0
LÉ Samuel Beckett	166	166	155		72
LÉ James Joyce	202	164	159		74
LÉ WB Yeats	204	159	163		74
LÉ GB Shaw	13	149	166		106
Total	1298	1061	1007		355

Naval Service cancelled Patrol days

	2018	2019	2020	To end May 2021
Scheduled Patrol Days Lost: Mechanical Reasons*	154	42	53	47
Scheduled Patrol Days Lost: Personnel Issues	53	52	28	101

*For operational and security reasons a breakdown of this information by ship cannot be released at this time.

Question No. 217 answered with Question No. 216.

Question No. 218 answered with Question No. 216.

Departmental Strategies

Ceisteanna (219, 220, 223)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

219. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number of staff working in the programme management office of the high level implementation plan. [36920/21]

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

220. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the status of the implementation of the high level plan; the number of targets set and achieved and those set and unachieved; and the number of engagements with representative bodies before the most recent set of pay talks that related to the implementation of the high-level plan. [36921/21]

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

223. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the status of the implementation of the high-level plan. [36924/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Defence

I propose to take Questions Nos. 219, 220 and 223 together.

To implement the recommendations of the High Level Implementation Plan (HLIP) arising from the Report of the Public Service Pay Commission (PSPC) on Recruitment and Retention in the Defence Forces, a joint civil/military Programme Management Office was established. The Office was staffed by 4 persons (2 civil/2 military) on a full-time basis. As significant progress has been made and the majority of projects have been finalised, the staffing of the Office has been scaled down with the 4 persons engaged on a part-time basis alongside their other duties.

There are fifteen projects in total in the HLIP. For some, the original target dates and timelines for completion were extended due to external factors, including Covid and the status of the projects is as outlined below.

The immediate pay measures set out in the plan i.e. an increase in Military Service Allowance, the reversal of 10% cuts to allowances under the Haddington Road Agreement, and the restoration of weekend premium rates for overtime were implemented immediately upon their acceptance by the PDF Representative Associations in late 2019. A service commitment scheme for pilots was also re-introduced, with very positive uptake.

For the project Review of Technical Pay Groups 2 – 6, sanction has recently been received from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to proceed with the recommendations in the report. This will now be progressed through the Department’s Conciliation and Arbitration Process.

The Review of Pay Structures project, led by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, was intended to examine pay structures in the Defence Forces and to fall under the new public service pay agreement “Building on Momentum”. However, in the intervening period, the Commission on the Defence Forces was tasked with examining pay structures and also with some aspects of pay under the sectoral bargaining arrangements of this agreement. The recommendations of a further project dealing with incentivised long service arrangements for certain Officer and NCO ranks, will be considered in the context of the sectoral bargaining element of “Building on Momentum”.

The project relating to Bespoke Management training for leaders and managers was completed in July 2020. The project on Non-Pay Retention Measures in the PDF was completed in October 2020. The Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy was launched on 2nd December 2020. A further project to develop a Professional Military Education strategy was completed in March 2021 and the Strategy will be launched shortly. The project relating to additional specialist posts for high turnover/long lead in appointments was finalised in April 2021. The report relating to the review of recruitment in the PDF has been completed and will be submitted for my approval imminently.

The project examining Barriers to Extended Participation in the PDF was split into two phases. Phase 1 focussed on reviewing mandatory retirement ages for Officers and is nearing completion pending clarification from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on a matter relating to pension rules. Phase 2 is examining the contracts of service for enlisted personnel and is at an advanced stage.

The final project, looking at the embedding of strategic workforce planning in the Defence Forces has commenced and its work is ongoing. As this is a long term project it will be progressed through the joint civil/military Strategic Human Resources Group.

There have been regular briefings to the Representative Associations on the progress of the implementation of the HLIP projects and my Department continues to engage on all matters that fall within the scope of representation. A total of 12 meetings/briefings have taken place to date, 10 of which took place prior to the commencement of discussions on the new public service pay agreement "Building on Momentum".

Question No. 220 answered with Question No. 219.

Departmental Staff

Ceisteanna (221)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

221. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number of civilian vacancies per barracks and centre. [36922/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Defence

Civilian Employees are employed by my Department to support the operational capability of the Defence Forces. The recruitment of Civilian Employees for military instillations is an ongoing process, informed by prioritisation of posts by military management.

My Department is currently running an open competition to recruit 12 electricians across 11 locations as follows:

Collins Barracks, Cork; Stephens Barracks, Kilkenny; McKee Barracks, Dublin 7; Gormanston Camp, Co. Meath; Finner Camp, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal; Aiken Barracks, Dundalk, Co. Louth; Coolmoney Camp, Glen of Imaal, Co. Wicklow; Casement Aerodrome, Baldonnel, Co. Dublin; Naval Base, Haulbowline, Co. Cork; Sarsfield Barracks, Co. Limerick; Defence Forces' Training Centre, Curragh Camp, Co. Kildare, (2 positions).

Departmental Staff

Ceisteanna (222)

Sorca Clarke

Ceist:

222. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Defence the number of vacancies per trade and the details of the most recent recruitment drive or competitions for each in tabular form. [36923/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Defence

It has not been possible to collate the required information in the time available. I will revert to the Deputy when the information has been gathered.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to the above-referenced Parliamentary Question and my original reply stating that it was not possible to provide the required information within the timeframe available. I am now in a position to do so.

Recruitment of Civilian Employees for military instillations is an ongoing process, informed by prioritisation of posts by military management. As at 6th July 2021, there were 12 electrician vacancies with an open competition underway across 11 locations.

The military authorities have advised that, within the Permanent Defence Force (PDF), trade has been assumed to mean a role that requires an intake through a Trainee Technician Scheme (TTS) wherein specialist vacancies are filled by existing personnel who successfully complete the required TTS. Serving members of the Permanent Defence Force are invited to apply for TTS’s which are conducted each year. The military authorities have further advised that the number of vacancies requiring TTS qualifications is not discernible from the overall number of vacancies in each corps.

Please accept my apologies for the delay in providing this reply.

Question No. 223 answered with Question No. 219.

Defence Forces

Ceisteanna (224)

Cian O'Callaghan

Ceist:

224. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Defence the costs associated with Defence Forces personnel who served in Afghanistan since 2001 and to date in 2021 either with the NATO forces or with the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36980/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Deputy Simon Coveney

The data requested cannot be readily ascertained. My officials are currently examining the issue and I will revert to you as soon as possible.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51

I refer to Parliamentary Question 36980/21 and my original reply indicating that I would revert to you as soon as possible.

The position is that Defence Forces personnel served with the UN Mandated International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan and with the follow on Resolute Support Mission (RSM) between July 2002 and March 2016. Defence Forces personnel are no longer deployed in Afghanistan.

Available records indicate that the additional cost of participation in ISAF/RSM missions to Afghanistan over the period from 2002 to 2016 inclusive was some €4.5 million, comprising mainly of overseas allowances and transport, logistics, support and equipment costs.

Special Educational Needs

Ceisteanna (225)

Duncan Smith

Ceist:

225. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education the status of a case (details supplied) which relates to two primary school going children with learning difficulties in the same family who were allocated reduced July provision hours; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36881/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Deputy Josepha Madigan)

Under the home-based programme the allocation is 10 hours per week for 4 weeks where a student’s school is not participating in a school-based programme. The allocation is done on a per household basis with adjusted allocations for siblings.

Allocations of time for siblings broadly reflect how children may be grouped if they were in the same class at school. This is where one teacher is allocated to a class of six students with complex needs in schools.

However to meet the specific needs of different siblings with special needs in the home, an increased shared allocation is provided for siblings as set out in the table below:

Number of siblings	2 Children	3 Children	4 Children
Number of Hours per week	15 per week for 4 weeks	20 per week for 4 weeks	25 per week for 4 weeks

Separate allocations of 10 hours per week will be provided to a child where that child is:

- Attending school at a different educational level to their sibling – (i.e. one child is primary and the other is post-primary)

- One child is in a specialised setting (i.e. one child in a special class or a special school and the other child in mainstream)

- Where two eligible children are each in a specialised setting (i.e. a special class or a special school)

- Or where one sibling is living in a separate home.

The family referred to by the Deputy did not meet the conditions to receive separate allocations and have been advised accordingly in correspondence from the Department.

The allocations for the 2021 summer programme are independent of any allocations made during the Supplementary Programme, which was put in place during the period of school closures earlier in the year.

The Department is satisfied that the allocation of supports to families where siblings are undertaking a home based programme is fair, equitable and reflective of how the home based programme is generally provided when more than one child avails of the provision in a family home. The fact that there are circumstances where additional hours are provided, as outlined above, when children have differing levels of need, school setting or residence means the scheme is responsive to these situations.

State Examinations

Ceisteanna (226)

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

226. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will request the State Examinations Commission to conduct a review, re-evaluation and a full clarification in terms of the marking standard and the decision to exclude the use of traditional Chinese in leaving certificate Mandarin Chinese in 2022; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36957/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

Leaving Certificate subject specifications are developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) in line with prevailing government policy on curriculum and assessment. The development process is a thorough one involving extensive consultation, following which the subject specification is approved through the representative structures of the NCCA and subsequently approved by my Department. The State Examinations Commission then implements examinations in line with the subject specification and the overall policy framework.

The Leaving Certificate Mandarin Chinese specification was designed as an ab initio course, in the sense that the targeted learners are Irish or international students with no previous knowledge of the language. While heritage speakers are certainly allowed to study the course and sit the exam, the specification is not designed for them. As a result of this design intent, traditional characters are not covered by the specification and, in line with this, candidates must respond to the questions on the examination paper using the simplified characters. The inclusion of traditional characters is not suitable for a specification pitched at ab initio level.

Mandarin Chinese is one of four new language specifications being introduced in line with Languages Connect - Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education 2017-2026 . All of these new language specifications broadly align with the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR). In CEFR, there is an EU project called European Benchmarking Chinese Language (EBCL) to incorporate the Chinese language into the CEFR framework. It may be noted that this benchmark itself did not incorporate traditional characters. The potential use of traditional characters as part of the Leaving Certificate subject specification was considered at design stage, and the decision to base the reading and writing aspects of the specification on simplified characters only was a conscious one, for the reasons outlined above. If the design had instead been such as to encompass both sets of characters, the differences in the two forms of characters would also have had implications for vocabulary, syntax, language use and potentially culture as well. This would present great challenges across teaching, learning and assessment, which would also have impacts on Higher Education language programmes and Initial Teacher Education.

The State Examinations Commission is required to conduct its examinations in a manner that is faithful to the approved subject specification developed by the NCCA and in line with assessment policy as set out by my Department. For the reasons above, I have no plans at this time to ask the State Examinations Commission to conduct a review or re-evaluation of the marking standards to be applied in Leaving Certificate Mandarin Chinese in 2022, or of the requirement on candidates to use simplified Chinese characters in the examination.

Special Educational Needs

Ceisteanna (227, 228, 229, 230)

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

227. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the capital and current funding that was allocated to the school-based summer July provision programme of education for children with complex needs in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36983/21]

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

228. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the estimated additional cost of increasing funding for the school-based summer July provision programme of education for children with complex needs by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36984/21]

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

229. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the estimated additional cost of increasing funding for the home-based summer July provision programme of education for children with complex needs disabilities by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36985/21]

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

230. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the number of schools taking part in the summer July provision programme 2021; the number of schools not taking part in the programme 2021; the number of schools providing a full programme in 2021; the number of schools providing a partial programme in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36986/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Deputy Josepha Madigan)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 227, 228, 229 and 230 together.

In May 2021 the Government announced an expanded summer programme to allow primary and post-primary schools to offer a summer programme for students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.

The total funding available to provide summer programmes this year is up to €40 million, a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer programmes in 2020.

The programme was developed following extensive engagement with education stakeholders, parent and disability advocacy groups.

The programme aims are to support pupils to maintain their connection with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote wellbeing and for those who are at key transition stages, helping to ensure they continue their education journey in September either in school or in further/higher education or training.

The programmes on offer this summer include a new 2-3 week summer programme available to all primary schools and an expansion of the existing programmes in special schools and classes and in DEIS schools.

Existing programmes:

- Numeracy and literacy camps in DEIS primary schools (one week per camp)

- School based summer programme in primary special classes and special schools (2-5 weeks)

- Home based provision for students with complex needs where no school-based programme is available (4 weeks – 40 hours)

New programmes:

- All primary schools have the opportunity to provide a 2-3 week summer programme for mainstream pupils with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage.

- All Post-Primary Schools have the opportunity to provide a 2 week summer programme for students with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage

Similar to last year children with complex needs entering primary school next September are also eligible to participate in summer programmes.

This range of programmes on offer builds on the success of the expanded programmes that ran last year and incorporates feedback from education stakeholders as to how to better support the programme for all involved in summer 2021.

In 2019, the total cost of the July Provision programme was €15.8m. Of this, €5.7m was allocated to the school-based programme, and 9.8m was spent on the home-based programme. The remainder was spent on DEIS literacy and numeracy camps at primary level.

In 2020 the total cost of the expanded Summer Programme was €20.4million. Of this, €6.5 million was allocated to the school-based programme and €12.3 million was spent on the home-based programme. The remainder was spent on the DEIS literacy and numeracy camp at primary level and a new DEIS post-primary programme.

Increasing the cost of the school-based programme by 5%, 10% and 25% of the 2020 figure would bring this figure to €6.825m, €7.15m and €8.125m respectively.

Increasing the cost of the home-based programme by 5%, 10% and 25% on the 2020 figure would bring this figure to €12.915m, €13.53m and €15.375m respectively.

The total funding which has been made available to provide the expanded summer programme in 2021 is up to €40 million. Details of the actual costs of running the school-based programme will be available in October, while the details of the costs of running the home-based programme will be available in November. Details of the total costs for 2021 will not be known until the participation rates have been finalised.

For the purpose of the school-based summer programme for 2021, schools registered their interest on an online portal. Some schools had the option of registering for up to three programmes. The closing date for registrations was 25 June 2021. The indicative figures for school registrations as of this closing date is broken down as follows:

Post primary (no of schemes propsed to be run)

Inclusion programme	Special Classes
120	4

A total of 124 post primary schools have registered

Primary (number of schemes proposed to be run)

Special Class programme	Special School	Inclusion programme	DEIS Primary School Literacy and Numeracy Camps
356	48	466	352*

A total of 844 primary schools (including special schools) have registered as providing at least one scheme.

Totals

Total Post-Primary Schemes	Total Schemes run by Primary Schools	Total Schemes
124	1222	1346

A total of 968 primary and post primary schools have registered.

The actual number of schools participating and the number of weeks provided will not be known until the programmes have completed and all claim forms have been received and processed, which is expected by October.

Question No. 228 answered with Question No. 227.

Question No. 229 answered with Question No. 227.

Question No. 230 answered with Question No. 227.

Education and Training Boards

Ceisteanna (231)

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

231. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the estimated additional cost of funding each education and training board to employ a support person with disability training to support students with disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36987/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

My Department provides each of the sixteen Education and Training Board (ETB) with a staffing allocation to support its schools, colleges, head office and other centres of education. In providing these supports, it is the responsibility of each ETB to recruit and manage staffing levels within this allocation and to deploy staff in roles in accordance with the priorities and needs as identified by the ETB concerned.

I understand from clarifications received from your office that the support person role referred to in your question is that similar to the role provided by the Career Guidance Teacher. This being the case, I would like to advise the Deputy that each ETB school would have access to the services of a Career Guidance Teacher, whose role is to support and guide students, including students with disabilities.

The annual cost of funding each Career Guidance Teacher post would be in the region of €68,000.

Special Educational Needs

Ceisteanna (232)

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

232. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the funding that was allocated for assistive technologies for persons with disabilities in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively; the unmet need for assistive technologies for persons with disabilities in 2019, 2020 and to date in 2021, respectively; the additional funding needed to increase funding for assistive technologies for persons with disabilities by 5%, 10% and 25% respectively; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36988/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Deputy Josepha Madigan)

Under the Assistive Technology scheme, as set out in my Department’s Circular 0010/2013, funding is provided to schools towards the cost of computers and specialist equipment, which are required for educational purposes. Equipment is provided under this scheme for children with more complex disabilities who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential specialist equipment which they do not already have, or which cannot be provided for them through the school’s existing IT provision.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of Special Education Needs Officers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for assistive technology support.

Schools make applications directly to the SENO, providing details of the student’s special educational needs or disability, including details of the approach taken by the school in making relevant interventions.

SENOs will review the application and professional reports, in order to establish whether the criteria of the scheme have been met. They will then make a recommendation to my Department as to whether or not assistive technology is required; and based on this recommendation, my Department’s officials will decide on the level of grant, if any, to be provided. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in making such recommendations, as set out in Circular 0010/2013.

The type of equipment provided under the assistive technology scheme is varied, and includes audiological supports for students with hearing impairment, braille equipment for children with visual impairment, and computer equipment with associated modified software for students with physical or severe communicative disabilities.

All applications which met the criteria for assistive technology support, as set out in DES Circular 10/2013 have been processed and approved for the grant each year.

There is therefore not unmet need for assistive technologies for persons each year, under this scheme, as all qualifying applications have been provided for.

As the expenditure figures for 2021 are not yet available, I have included details of the expenditure for each of the last three years, for which data is available.

The cost of increasing the expenditure by 5% 10% and 25% each year is also included.

Year	Expenditure	Expenditure 5% increase	Expenditure 10% increase	Expenditure 25% increase
2018	€2,382,785	€2,501,924	€2,621,063	€2,978,481
2019	€2,577,180	€2,706,039	€2,834,898	€3,221,475
2020	€2,013,236	€2,113,898	€2,214,560	€2,516,545

Legislative Measures

Ceisteanna (233)

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

233. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the estimated additional cost of conducting a full legislative review of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 with a view to updating all the provisions within the Act to better reflect the contemporary understanding of disability and best practice for inclusive education as outlined in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36989/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Deputy Josepha Madigan)

I wish to advise the Deputy that a number of sections of the Education for Persons with Special Needs (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 – Interpretation

Section 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.

The NCSE estimated, in its Plan for the Implementation of the EPSEN Act Report, which was published in 2006, that additional investment over a period of years of up to €235m per annum, across the education and health sectors, would be required to fully implement the EPSEN Act.

The view of my Department, at the time, was that the level of investment required could be significantly greater than that envisaged in the NCSE report. Legal advice also indicated that the EPSEN Act, as it is currently constituted, may not be implemented on a phased, or age cohort, basis.

Revised estimates of the amount of additional expenditure required to fully implement the remaining sections of the EPSEN Act have not recently been conducted. The estimated level of additional expenditure required, to implement the outstanding sections of the Act, would have to take into account annual demographic growth and service developments in the area of special educational needs, pricing adjustments and salary cost differentials on an ongoing basis. Estimates would also have to be made as to the number of pupils who may now currently qualify for the statutory service provisions envisaged by the EPSEN Act.

The Government is committed to helping every child, particularly those with special educational needs, to fulfil their potential.

In 2021 the Department of Education and Skills will invest approximately €2 Billion in the area of special educational needs support.

The Government has committed to consulting with stakeholders on how best to progress aspects of the EPSEN Act on a non-statutory basis.

A range of consultations with Education Partners and Stakeholders took place in relation to the development of a new model for allocating special education teachers over the course of 2017. The new model was introduced for all schools from September 2017.

Further consultations took place with education partners and stakeholders in the context of the undertaking of a comprehensive review of the SNA scheme and will continue in relation to the implementation of recommendations contained in this report.

While awaiting the full implementation of the EPSEN Act, the NCSE has also published a number of policy advice papers which make recommendations aimed at developing a better or more effective alternative to the current resource allocation model, and which aims to move the system towards ultimate implementation of the EPSEN Act.

It should also be noted, however, that 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.

This Government will continue to prioritise investment in the area of special education support. Ongoing investment and reform will continue to see improvements made in this area.

I have also indicated that one of my priorities as Minister for Special Education and Inclusion is:

Updating our Laws: Reviewing and updating the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act.

Any review of the Act will 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.

Special Educational Needs

Ceisteanna (234)

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

234. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the estimated additional cost of hiring a further 100 resource teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36990/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education (Deputy Josepha Madigan)

I wish to advise the Deputy that DES Circular 007/2019 for primary schools and 008/2019 for post primary schools set out the details of the model for allocating special education teachers to schools.

The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile. This model has replaced the previous model of allocating resource teaching support and learning support to schools.

The Special Education Teacher allocation, allows schools to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who require such support in their schools and for schools to deploy resources based on each pupil’s individual learning needs.

It gives greater flexibility to schools as to how they can deploy their resources, to take account of the actual learning needs pupils have, as opposed to being guided by a particular diagnosis of disability, and schools are guided as to how they should make such allocation decisions.

There are currently 13,623 Special Education Teachers allocated to mainstream primary and post primary schools, at a cost of approximately €817 Million per annum, for a full year cost.

This allocation represents an increase of 40% in the total number of special education teachers allocated to schools since 2011, at which time 9740 teachers were allocated.

The additional cost of providing for an additional 100 Special Education Teachers would be approximately €6 Million per annum, based on a full year costs.

National Educational Psychological Service

Ceisteanna (235)

Pauline Tully

Ceist:

235. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education the estimated additional cost of hiring a further 100 NEPS psychologists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36991/21]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education

I can inform the Deputy that the average direct pay and non-pay cost per annum of employing an Educational Psychologist in my Department's NEPS service is €75,000 per annum. The estimated annual additional cost, therefore, of employing 100 psychologists would be €7.5m. It should be noted, however, that a recruitment exercise on such a relatively extensive scale would require in the first instance a comprehensive plan to increase the numbers of appropriately qualified graduates.