Written Answers Nos. 534-551
534. Deputy Violet-Anne Wynne asked the Minister for Education if she will investigate the circumstances of a person (details supplied) whose application has been rejected from the school bus transport scheme despite eligibility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52754/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 113,100 children, including over 14,500 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 my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Schemes children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.
Bus Éireann has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is eligible for School Transport as they are attending their closest Gaelcholáiste. As Bus Eireann has also advised there is no currently no service available, the pupil is eligible to receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements.
School Transport Section of my Department will contact eligible families directly regarding the Remote Area Grant towards the end of the current school year.
535. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education when a section in her Department will respond to correspondence sent by a person (details supplied) in County Mayo. [52782/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that officials from the Pension Unit of my Department have confirmed that a service history statement was issued to this teacher on 26th October last.
Any further queries the teacher may have can be sent directly to pensions@education.gov.ie.
537. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to ongoing concerns in a school (details supplied) in relation to an inability to get substitute teachers to cover staff absences; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52788/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraA range of measures have been put in place to provide enhanced substitute cover in the context of Covid-19. These include a major expansion of the Primary Schools Substitute Teacher Supply Panels, which now employ almost 380 teachers and provide substitute cover to over 2,500 primary schools across the country. Further work is underway to ascertain if there are ways the operation of the panels can be enhanced to help with substitute teacher supply.
The Supply Panels work alongside the existing methods of sourcing substitute teachers, such as the national substitution portal service Sub Seeker , operated by the Irish Primary Principals Network and developed in accordance with my Department's Teacher Supply Action Plan. Schools can also make local arrangements to have their own regular substitutes to call on if needed.
Measures are also underway to raise awareness of the availability of substitute work in schools. There are over 111, 000 teachers on the Teaching Council register each of whom has been emailed directly by the Council to raise awareness to the current teacher substitute challenges and where possible to make themselves available, through Sub Seeker, for substitute work
For the current school year, changes have been made to the Career Break Scheme to permit teachers on career break to carry out unlimited substitute work. Changes have also been made to the Job Sharing Scheme to permit job sharing teachers carry out substitute work on the days they are rostered off.
The Department and the Teaching Council are engaging with the providers of primary initial teacher education (ITE) to explore how flexibility in ITE programme delivery could facilitate additional substitute supply.
My Department is engaging on an ongoing basis with stakeholders to analyse the demand for substitution and to identify means to improve the availability of substitutes at this time.
538. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education when the nearest school rule relating to will be scrapped and be replaced with a nearest and next nearest rule; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52793/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the 2020/2021 school year over 114,100 children, including over 14,700 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7m in 2020.
All children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application and payment process on time for the 2021/22 school year are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. In addition all post-primary pupils who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and who have applied and paid on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
My Department commenced a review of the School Transport Scheme in February 2021. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately. The review encompasses the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs and the Primary and Post-Primary School Transport Schemes in terms of how each element of the schemes currently operate, to include eligibility criteria, trends, costs and cost drivers, and overall effectiveness in meeting the objectives of the schemes.
In June 2021, as part of phase 1 of the review, the Steering Group presented me with an initial interim report on eligibility with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school. Following consideration of this report, I approved measures which allowed for the provision of transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and had applied and paid on time. This arrangement is in place for the current school year pending completion of the full review of the School Transport Scheme
Wider considerations relating to operation of the scheme are now taking place in the next phase of the review which is now underway. The Steering Group will continue to report to me on an interim basis as the review progresses, with a view to presenting a final report with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.
539. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the status of pay equalisation for all teachers and all teaching support staff. [52802/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraPublic Service Pay is dealt with through centralised engagement and collective bargaining between Government and the public service unions. The recent public service agreements allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to commence which has led to many improvements since the measures implemented following the financial crisis. For example, the starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702 but as a result of the programmes of pay restoration, it is now €38,192.
The matter of new entrant pay is a cross sectoral issue, not just an issue for the education sector alone. The Government has supported the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants. However, the Government must also bear in mind the costs of such measures in the context of overall expenditure. The total year one cost of equalising the pay of new entrant teachers to the pre-2011 arrangements is estimated to be in the region of €59 million per annum in year one (€45 million for full resolution of pay scales and €14 million for re-instatement of the H.Dip allowance) and these costs would rise in subsequent years as more new entrants join the system.
However, measures have been put in place in relation to new entrant pay. In September 2018, an agreement, which provided for a series of incremental jumps for new entrants, was reached between the Government and the public services committee of ICTU which benefitted 18,000 teachers and nearly 5,000 SNAs within the education sector. The current national agreement, Building Momentum, which provides for two general round increases in basic salary and in allowances to be implemented in October 2021 and October 2022 for all public servants also contains a specific provision in relation to new entrant teacher pay which allows for the skipping of Point 12 of the pay scale which is a further improvement in pay for new entrant teachers. This measure will resolve in full the remaining salary scale issues pertaining to new entrant teachers. The agreement also includes a provision for a sectoral bargaining fund to be used by unions to resolve outstanding priority claims or to provide for a further 1% general pay increase and this process is underway at present.
These measures show the benefits that continued engagement and collective bargaining between the Government and the public service unions can bring.
540. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the number of ASD spaces there are at primary and post-primary level in an area (details supplied) for the academic year 2021-2022. [52803/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
The level of investment in special education, at almost €2 billion, is at an all-time high.
An additional 269 special classes have been opened this school-year. This brings the total number of special classes nationally to 2,118. The new classes provide 1,600 additional places, spread right throughout the country.
Two new special schools have also opened recently, one in Dublin and one in Cork.
Currently, a network of 38 primary school special classes, including 4 Early Intervention classes, as well as 13 post primary special classes provide 306 specialist placements for students with autism in South - West Cork, of which 7 classes were newly established for the 2021/2022 school year.
Despite this unprecedented increase, I am very aware of the need for further specialist education places in a small number of areas.
I also acknowledge that any delay in securing a suitable school placement can cause much anguish for parents and families involved.
My Department and the NCSE have therefore put in place new planning structures and procedures to ensure sufficient places become available to meet local need. As new need emerges, there is a cohesive response available to ensure places become available in a timely and targeted way.
I am aware that the NCSE is currently engaging with four primary schools in the area referenced by the Deputy regarding the establishment of additional special classes for 2022/23 and beyond.
The willingness of school communities to open special classes is central to ensuring that every child can obtain a suitable placement. My Department and the NCSE can provide the necessary funding, teaching and SNA resources, professional supports and training so that the required special class places can be provided as soon as possible.
I can assure the Deputy that the local Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) continue to be available to assist and advise both schools and the parents of children with special educational needs.
Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.
541. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the number of primary schools that give admissions priority to students based on their religious affiliation. [52804/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, section 11, amended the Equal Status Act 2000 to remove, in the case of recognised primary schools, the provision that permitted such schools to use religion as a selection criterion in school admissions.
Schools cannot therefore use religion as a selection criterion. However there is a provision to ensure that a child of a minority faith, can access a school of their faith. The amended Act provides that a recognised primary school does not discriminate where it admits as a priority a student from a minority religion who is seeking admission to a school that provides religious instruction or religious education which is of the same religious ethos as the minority religion of the student concerned or is a similar religious ethos to the minority religion of the student concerned.
542. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the way her Department is meeting the Recommendation CM/Rec(2018)4 of the Committee of Ministers to Member States on the participation of citizens in local public life. [52805/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the context of the relevant recommendation, as the Deputy will be aware, schools are a key part of the local public life in their communities. There are numerous links between schools and their communities. Since boards of management were introduced in our schools, thousands of local volunteers have individually and collectively enriched and contributed to the management and operation of our schools. This strong tradition of volunteerism and civic contribution continues to pay a key part in the running of our schools. The composition of a board of management is based on centrally agreed arrangements between the relevant stakeholders and the agreed compositions for boards of management of the circa 3,300 primary schools provides for the appointment of members from the community to the Board.
In addition, the school curriculum promotes the concept of citizenship and the role of citizens in public life. In particular the Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) curriculum aims to inform, inspire, empower and enable young people to participate as active citizens in contemporary society at local, national and global levels. The Aistear curriculum for early years also explores and promotes the concept of citizenship and social justice with children.
Initial Teacher Education and Continuous Professional Development programmes for teachers and the Teaching Council’s Standards for Initial Teacher Education include Global Citizenship Education as a core element.
543. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education the status of the provision of sheltered bus stops for Belgooly and Riverstick, County Cork. [52810/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department does not have a role in the provision of sheltered bus stops. The National Transport Authority (NTA) has responsibility for the development and implementation of public transport infrastructure including the provision of bus shelters.
544. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education when a decision will be made on an application for additional accommodation submitted by a school (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52865/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department received an application under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school authority in question.
The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Educational Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation. At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by my Department's Teacher Allocation Section, or a new SEN class has been sanctioned by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.
The ASA application from the school in question was assessed by my Department in this context and the school have been notified of the decision.
545. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education when a lease will issue to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52870/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn considering applications for the use of school facilities or grounds for non-primary or non-post primary related uses, a category within which a pre-school would fall, regard has to be had to the current and future education requirements of the school already located on a site. My Department notes that the area in which the primary school in question is located is targeted for significant growth under the National Planning Framework. Therefore it would be prudent to allow for the future expansion of this school for primary education. The feasibility of accommodating future expansion of the school as well as the pre-school will have to be technically assessed by my Department. To aid this assessment my Department is in the process of seeking future information from the school and parties involved.
Overall any final decision on the location of non-school facilities of a pre-school or after school nature on a school site has to take into full consideration the impact on the school, the staff and students.
546. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education the status of and position regarding her Department's contacts with a school (details supplied) in respect of the need for a new building programme at the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52908/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that an application under my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme was received from the school in question. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics. The second half of the National Development Plan will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock.
The school’s application is currently being assessed by my officials which shall include any necessary technical assessment. Upon completion of this process, the school authority will be contacted directly with a decision.
547. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if sitting the Mandarin exam at leaving certificate level is limited to students attending pilot schools. [52916/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is open to any school to offer Mandarin Chinese as an optional Leaving Certificate curricular subject. Schools are supported in this regard by Post Primary Languages Ireland (PPLI), which is charged under the Languages Connect strategy to provide support for foreign languages education in Ireland, predominantly at post-primary level.
Any student who is studying Mandarin Chinese for Leaving Certificate, either inside or outside of their school, can register through their school to sit Mandarin Chinese as part of their Leaving Certificate, in the same way as they register for any other subject. Entry to the examination is not restricted to students in those schools that are currently offering the subject.
The Rules and Programme for Secondary Schools require that in order to be eligible for admission to the established Leaving Certificate Examinations a pupil must have followed an approved established Leaving Certificate course as a recognised senior cycle pupil for not less than two years.
For individuals who are not recognised pupils of a post primary school, they may be admitted to the Leaving Certificate examination as an external candidate in accordance with the conditions set out by the State Examinations Commission for External Candidates: www.examinations.ie/?l=en&mc=ca&sc=ec#eci.
By way of further information, PPLI is organising a series of information sessions regarding the new Leaving Certificate Mandarin Chinese specification. These sessions aim to help students and parents to become familiar with the curriculum specification and identify suitable supports for its study, especially for those who do not have access to the curriculum in school at the moment. These online information sessions will likely take place between November and December 2021 and interest can be registered through the following link: www.surveymonkey.com/r/GH87MWS.
548. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education the status of the planning application for a new school (details supplied); and the detail of the additional information that has been requested by the planning authority. [52918/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe permanent school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been assigned to my Department’s Design & Build delivery programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.
An application for Planning Permission was submitted to the relevant Local Authority in June 2021. A Request for Further Information (RFI) was received on 28th July 2021 and my Department’s Project Manager has been actively working through the 12 no. items raised in the RFI. It is expected that a response to the RFI will issue shortly.
549. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education when the post-primary payroll division of her Department will make suitable arrangements in order that a person (details supplied) receives their due salary. [52942/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that it has recently been confirmed, that the school referred to in this question, now has sufficient enrolments for the 2021/22 school year to provide for the appointment of an additional teaching post, for the teacher concerned.
This teacher will now be included for payment at the next available pay date, of 4th November, 2021, with back payments, effective from September, 2021 also being provided for.
The school and the teacher concerned have been advised of this position.
550. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education the average waiting times for inquiries to be answered and replied to for secondary school teachers who are contacting the pension unit of his Department in Cornamaddy, Athlone, County Westmeath; the reason for the current delays; the measures being taken to help alleviate these delays; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [52971/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Pension Unit of my Department receives approximately 700 queries per week via email and telephone.
In instances of general queries, a response issues to the Customer within two to three days. For more complex queries, an initial acknowledgement will issue to the teacher and the query is then forwarded to the relevant area within the Pension Unit for their direct response and resolution. Response times are dependent on the complexity of the individual query and the priority assigned to the query.
Priority is given to processing queries, statements and benefits for teachers who will retire in the current year. Other priority criteria includes a need to process certain pension issues within particular timelines such as family law issues.
With regard to measures being taken to prevent delays the Pension Unit has, since 2020, undertaken a School Contact Exercise to pre-emptively gather and prepare information on individual teacher/SNA retirements in each calendar year to effectively plan and deliver a more efficient service.
551. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she will review the current contact tracing measures in schools due to rising numbers of Covid-19 cases. [52997/21]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe approach to supporting schools to operate safely during Covid-19 has been to follow and implement public health advice. The Department of Education has an ongoing close working relationship with the Department of Health and the HSE throughout the period of the pandemic in the context of implementing important infection prevention control measures in schools to ensure that they can operate safely. This collaboration has been invaluable.
In line with recommendations from the National Public Health Emergency Team, automatic contact tracing of asymptomatic close contacts in children aged over 3 months and less than 13 years, in schools will no longer takes place. Children who are deemed to be close contacts outside of a household setting are not be routinely required to restrict their movements and be tested.
Public Health teams will continue to provide support to schools should it be clinically required. Testing will be available for children for public health or clinical reasons, or after a Public Health Risk Assessment. The Department, together with the HSE, has stressed the importance of the message that anyone who is symptomatic for Covid-19 should not attend school.
The CMO has acknowledged the close working and ongoing important relationship between the Department of Education and health authorities to ensure that the education system can operate safely. The Department of Education understands that all infection prevention control measures are reviewed continuously in light of any new evidence both nationally and internationally. The Department will continue to engage and assist with any public health led initiative in the schools sector in this regard.
