Written Answers Nos. 360-377
360. Deputy Jennifer Murnane O'Connor asked the Minister for Education the number and location of all schools which have applied for emergency works, renovations or extensions to their properties in County Carlow; the number which were granted and denied, respectively or the status of the application since 2019 to date in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2932/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI will arrange for my Department to issue a response directly to the Deputy in relation to the information sought by her.
361. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education the status of the junior certificate in view of the disruption caused to the academic year by Covid-19; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2937/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is acutely aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. From 11 January 2021 until schools reopened on 12 April 2021, all students, including students who are due to sit the Junior Cycle state examinations in 2022, engaged in a programme of remote learning with their schools.
The public health restrictions which resulted in the closure of schools in March 2020 highlighted the absolute necessity for schools to be agile in providing for continuity of schooling in the future. As a contingency measure against the possibility of partial or full school closures, my Department provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable schools to mediate the curriculum safely for all pupils/students in a COVID-19 context.
The nature of distance learning, which was necessitated during the unprecedented closure of schools in 2020 and 2021, required educators to take on a range of approaches to support their pupils’ continuity of learning during that period. Assisted by Department-funded resources and supports, schools and teachers demonstrated great innovation in adapting to the unprecedented situation including the use of digital technologies and online learning platforms for teaching and learning.
My Department put a series of measures in place to assist schools in mitigating the impact of the school closures. During the period of school closure, schools were required to implement a plan of action to enable continuity of learning for all pupils. This involved teachers, including special education teachers, providing remote teaching and learning to all pupils in their class or on their caseload.
In September of 2021, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) published revised arrangements for the completion of Classroom Based Assessments for students in 3rd year in 2021/2022 (cohort of students 2019 – 2022). These arrangements are designed to take account of the disrupted learning experienced by students during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 school year. As the loss of learning through school closures will have affected students’ engagement with their course of study in different ways, the adjustments put in place will play to students’ strengths by leaving intact the familiar overall structure of the examinations, while incorporating additional choice in and reducing the number of Classroom-Based Assessments. The revised arrangements also remove the requirement for an Assessment Task to be completed.
The adjustments were arrived at through consultation between my Department and the NCCA and key stakeholders. These revised arrangements are available here: ncca.ie/en/resources/revised-arrangements-for-the-completion-of-classroom-based-assessments-cbas-in-school-year-20212022-1/
Junior Cycle papers are structured to reflect the learning outcomes based approach to the design of the subject specifications. This means that the elements are used to integrate the strands of the specifications resulting in assessments that require students to apply knowledge and skills acquired rather than examinations that depend on knowledge recall only. Candidates are required to answer all questions and no choice is provided. Questions are not of equal length or marks. Making any changes to the format of the papers would undermine the approach taken by teachers in developing units of learning that mediate the curriculum specifications.
These changes to the national assessment arrangements were made with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, as these principles apply to assessment and examinations and refer to student to-student, subject-to-subject, and year-to-year comparisons over time. The changes provide reassurance to students, their parents/guardians, teachers and schools. The assessment arrangements also provide progression opportunities for students who intend to pursue paths outside of school after Junior Cycle, such as those who may enter apprenticeships.
The State Examinations Commission will issue further details regarding the 2022 examinations. All aspects of the examinations will be conducted in accordance with the prevailing Public Health advice.
It is planned that the Junior Cycle Music practical performance test and the Home Economics practical test will take place during school time as normal.
By way of further information, my Department has provided a suite of guidance materials, agreed with the education partners, to enable schools to mediate the curriculum safely for all pupils/students in a COVID-19 context. These are available at www.gov.ie/backtoschool
362. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education the status of ventilation enhancements in schools; the amount of funding allocated for ventilation enhancements to date under the Enhanced Minor Works for Primary Schools and the Exceptional Minor Works Grant Funding for Post-Primary Schools, respectively; the number of schools that have received funding for ventilation enhancements to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2938/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraManaging ventilation is just one of a suite of public health measures in place to keep our schools safe. Updated guidance for schools on Practical Steps for the Deployment of Good Ventilation Practices in Schools was provided at the end of May following the work of an expert group that carefully considered the role of ventilation in managing COVID-19. The updated guidance for schools is also fully in line with the most recent guidance on non-healthcare building ventilation during COVID-19, published by the Health Protection Surveillance Centre November 2021.
To provide additional support in the context of Covid-19 the payment of a minor works grant totalling €45 million for primary schools and special schools, plus a once-off Covid-19 minor works funding of €17 million for post-primary schools, was issued in December 2021. All schools in the free scheme have received their grants.
Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs. Specialist advice/assistance of a Chartered Engineer or Registered Architect is an important source of support for schools. This will help ensure that appropriate solutions are being put in place to address ventilation issues.
In the case where a school has difficulty engaging a Chartered Engineer or Registered Architect the Department can assist, with a dedicated ventilation team available to support school principals in this regard. Schools that identify inadequate ventilation in a room can utilise their minor work grant or apply for emergency works grant assistance to address ventilation enhancements where the minor work grant does not cover the full cost of the works required.
To date 19 schools have applied for additional funding under the emergency works scheme to assist with ventilation. Of these, 11 have been approved, one was returned to the school to review the scope of the application, two were incorrectly classified as ventilation related and assessed separately, two were rejected as the application form was not fully completed and three are currently being assessed by a member of the Department’s technical team.
363. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education when schools in County Donegal which are not categorised as DEIS schools will be reassessed to ascertain if they will now qualify for DEIS funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2939/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2022 has provided for an allocation of €18 million for 2022 and €32 million for 2023 to extend the DEIS programme to further schools with the highest levels of disadvantage. This represents an increase of over 20% in funding for the DEIS programme and will enable an expansion in 2022 to additional schools.
This package follows an extensive body of work which has been under taken by the DEIS technical group in relation to the development of a model to identify the concentrated levels of disadvantage of schools. The refined DEIS ID model is an objective, statistics based process, based on school enrolment data and data available from Census 2016 under the HP Deprivation Index. It is important to note that there is no application process for the DEIS programme and all schools will be considered under the refined DEIS model when it is applied.
In advance of the implementation of the refined DEIS identification model, there will be further engagement with relevant stakeholders. The purpose is to ensure that, as far as possible, the refined DEIS identification model can provide an objective and independent means of identifying schools serving high concentrations of pupils at risk of educational disadvantage and also to ensure there is a full understanding of the refined model and its potential application.
364. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education if she will oblige teachers to use FFP2 face masks in the interest of health and safety; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2943/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has always been guided by public health advice in relation to appropriate COVID-19 infection prevention and control measures in place in schools. These measures protect students/pupils, their parents and school staff and are very effective when adhered to.
€122 million of capitation funding has been made available to primary and post primary schools to cater for PPE/Hand Sanitiser requirements in the school years 2020/21 and 2021/22 to-date.
Schools have been advised of the latest NPHET advice around mask wearing where it is acknowledged that significant protection is afforded by cloth face-coverings but that some people may prefer to wear higher grade medical or respirator masks which offer more protection. Details of suppliers and codes on the PPE procurement framework for these masks have been provided to schools by the Department should they wish to avail of these masks. The HSPC have also been requested by the Department to update their advice on face masks in schools.
365. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education her plans to develop and or introduce gender-focused sexual education in all areas of the education sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2959/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAccess to sexual and health education is an important right for students. Schools have a responsibility to provide for this, in consultation with parents, having regard to the ethos of the school. Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary junior cycle. Relationships and Sexuality Education (or RSE) is required at all levels, from primary through to senior cycle.
The Programme for Government states that ‘this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools, including an inclusive programme on LGBTI+ relationships’ .
In April 2018, the then Minister for Education and Skills asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to undertake a major review of RSE in schools across all stages of education to ensure that it is fit for purpose and meets the needs of young people today in modern Ireland.
The NCCA was asked to look at a number of specific issues in respect of RSE and the curriculum. These included but were not limited to consent; developments in relation to contraception; healthy positive, sexual expression and relationships; safe use of the Internet and social media and its effects on relationships and self-esteem; and LGBTQ+ matters.
The NCCA has established two development groups, one for primary and one for post-primary, to oversee the work in this area and support the development of guidance material for schools.
The immediate focus of the NCCA work has been on creating support materials for teachers for publication online as part of an Interim Guidance Toolkit. The toolkit's purpose is to support effective teaching and learning of SPHE/RSE linked to the current curriculum and to provide guidance on how SPE/RSE may be approached in a comprehensive way that meets the needs of young people today. These resources cover all topics including many of the topics that have been raised in the media during recent days as important for young people's education - there are resources to help teachers in teaching about rights and responsibilities in relationships, how to recognise healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationship, how to interact safely and respectfully (both online and face-to-face), the influence of the media (including pornography) on young people's understanding and expectations, sexual consent and assertive communication.
The NCCA Toolkits will be expanded during 2022 to include further age and stage appropriate guidance for teachers on how to address these and other related topics within the SPHE classroom. The Toolkit provides practical help designed to deepen teachers' understanding and skills so that they feel more confident in addressing important and sensitive topics.
In tandem with this work, preparation for the broader redeveloping and updating of the SPHE curriculum has begun. Updated curricula will be developed for Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. It is expected that a revised Junior Cycle specification will be completed by the end of 2022, following a period of public consultation. Updated specifications for primary and senior cycle will follow immediately afterwards.
In redeveloping the SPHE curriculum, the NCCA will be making explicit the importance of fostering young people's self-awareness and self-esteem and building the foundational skills and dispositions needed for building caring and healthy relationships (including respectful communication, showing empathy, appreciating difference). The new specifications will also foster skills needed for dealing with challenging times. Consent education will be included within the learning outcomes for RSE, across all levels, based on the principle that consent is a core dimension of all healthy interpersonal relationships.
366. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education if provisions will be put in place for students who may be unable to sit their mock examinations and State examinations due to having been deemed a close contact. [2962/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the arrangements being put in place for the 2022 state examinations, I announced that an alternative set of Leaving Certificate examinations would be run in 2022, shortly after the conclusion of the main set of examinations. These examinations will be limited to certain students who are unable to sit the main set of examinations due to close family bereavement, COVID-19 illness and certain other categories of serious illness, with due regard for the principles of equity, fairness and integrity, which govern all aspects of the examinations system.
The State Examinations Commission will issue further details regarding the 2022 examinations, guided by prevailing public health advice.
Mock examinations do not form part of the State examinations system. Decisions to organise mock examinations are made at school level and neither my Department nor the State Examinations Commission have a role in this matter.
367. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education if she will introduce a scheme to allow schools to introduce renewable energy technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2972/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is at the forefront of design with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both National and International level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification.
My Department’s Technical Guidance Documents set the benchmark for sustainable design in school buildings with a clear focus on energy efficiency and they are based on solid energy research projects.
Schools that are designed and built in accordance with the Department’s schools technical guidance documents have been achieving A3 Building Energy Ratings since 2009 with current schools typically achieving up to 20% higher performance than required by the current Building Regulations, along with 10% of primary energy provided via photovoltaics and infrastructure provision for electric vehicle charging.
All new technologies and approaches are tested to ensure compatibility with school design and operational requirements. Successful and repeatable results are then incorporated into all new school designs and refurbishments. The Departments policy is supported by a strong research programme with fifty three research projects at various stages including the energy website www.energyineducation.ie which is a joint partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
In the interest of sustainability, it is critical that renewable applications are properly suited to the schools needs so as to reduce energy costs and carbon and not just applied for the sake of having renewables. It is also critical that we minimise the demand for energy before we invest in renewable energy applications. This has been assisted in previous years with the wall and attic insulation programme and the water conservation programme.
My Department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications established a jointly funded pathfinder programme with the SEAI, testing and demonstrating energy efficiency and decarbonisation retrofit approaches. This pathfinder is a great example of collaboration ensuring the deployment of new design approaches and technologies are introduced to the educational environment on an evidence based approach.
This Pathfinder programme is paving the way for, and informing, a much larger national schools’ programme for the energy retrofit of schools built prior to 2008 as included in the National Development Plan. It is facilitating research on a range of typical retrofit options, which will have been tried and tested. It is providing valuable development information for a solution driven delivery strategy which will be founded on a solid evidence base that has proven the robustness and scalability of renewable solutions within the schools’ sector.
The longer-term outcome of the pathfinder will be to create an accurate and scalable model for energy efficient retrofits of schools across Ireland. The deep energy retrofit programme for schools built prior to 2008 is due to be rolled out as included in the National Development Plan.
The pathfinder programme has retrofitted 41 schools across Ireland to date with work on an additional 9 schools added in 2021 underway. 2022 sees six additional schools undergoing deep retrofit to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B with renewable heating systems. Each school undergoes a comprehensive assessment to ensure that the measures are suitable for that school and will deliver value to both the school and learnings for the national retrofit programme.
368. Deputy Brendan Howlin asked the Minister for Education if she or her officials have met with an organisation (details supplied) to discuss its respect for SNAs campaign; if she is satisfied with the level of qualification required to become an SNA; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2977/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpecial Needs Assistants (SNAs) play a huge role in helping to ensure the inclusion of pupils with significant care needs in education and in school life. This was acknowledged in the Comprehensive Review of the Special Needs Assistant Scheme (SNAs) published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in 2018. The Review made a number of recommendations regarding SNAs including referencing the training needs of SNAs. In this regard, the NCSE recommended that a new national training programme at Level 5 of the National Qualification Framework be developed for existing SNAs who do not have the requisite level of training and for new SNAs on appointment. The NCSE also recommended that training tailored to the specific complex needs of some students being cared for by SNAs would also be provided.
The policy advice has been considered by the Department. It was decided that priority should be given to the development of a training programme for SNAs who may not have had a recent opportunity to access a training programme tailored to their role. The new first national training course for SNAs provided by UCD now in place aims to enhance the knowledge, skills and expertise of SNAs whose work is central to the inclusion of students with additional care and complex needs in school life. The programme is fully funded by the Department and delivered at no cost to the SNA.
This is the first national training programme for SNAs employed in schools and is tailored to their needs. As this is the first programme, it is appropriate to take the time to review outcomes which will inform the future approach to ongoing training and professional development of SNAs. Part of that consideration will include accreditation.
Raising the minimum qualification for appointment as a special needs assistant has been referred to the Workplace Relations Commission and the Department has been engaging in that process.
The recruitment and appointment of Special Needs Assistants is a matter for the individual school authority and the Department's circular 36/2020 and 51/2019 sets out the current educational requirements for appointment as a Special Needs Assistant (SNA). In addition, the actual requirements for a post will vary depending on the specific needs of the children and the school to which the SNA is to be appointed. The Department does not believe that the existing minimum qualifications has impacted on the calibre of person appointed and it is also the case that people with experience and/or higher qualifications than the minimum are often the successful candidate in competitions held by schools.
However, having considered the claim and, in particular, the period of time since they were set, the Department is open to reviewing the position. However, the Department is not yet in a position to indicate when that review might take place but is of the view that the forthcoming review of the SNA contract proposed as part of the Building Momentum national pay agreement should be carried out and implemented first.
369. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the number of primary schools with designated ASD units in Cork city and county that are accepting enrolment for September 2022; the locations of same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3011/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
This year, my Department will spend in excess of €2 billion, or over 25% of the Department’s budget on providing additional teaching and care supports for children with special educational needs.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.
It is open to any school to make an application to the NCSE for the establishment of a specialised provision and where sanctioned, a range of supports, including capital funding, is made available to the school.
There are currently a network of 357 special classes in Cork of which 309 are special classes for children with autism. Of the 309 special classes for children with autism, 228 are at primary level including 21 Early Intervention classes and 81 are at post primary level. A total of 45 new ASD special classes were established for the 2021/2022 school year.
The NCSE through their network of SENOs (Special Educational Needs Organisers) continue to engage in a process of establishing new classes for the 2022/2023 school year and beyond by looking at local information in relation to current and projected demand for special education places. The NCSE have specific plans in place to open additional ASD special classes in the 2022/23 school year.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes.
I should also clarify that the NCSE does not maintain waiting lists for schools. Boards of management of individual schools are responsible for such enrolment matters.
The local SENOs remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.
Information on the list of schools with special classes, the type and location of these classes is published on the NCSE website and is available at www.ncse.ie.
370. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education if she plans to consolidate a school (details supplied) on a single site location; the plan and steps for doing same; the timeframe for achieving consolidation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3032/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question is the result of an amalgamation approved by my Department, in conjunction with the school Patron, in September 2021. The amalgamation was granted on the condition that the school would operate from the existing school sites and this condition was agreed to by the school Patron.
The school authority has been advised that it is open to them to apply under my Department's Additional School Accommodation Scheme (ASA), for the provision of additional accommodation if required. 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.
371. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education the status of an additional school accommodation application by a school (details supplied) for the renovation of an old building to accommodate two special educational needs classes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3037/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my Department is in receipt of an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school authority referred to by the Deputy. Supplementary information has been requested from the school authority and once this has been received, and the assessment completed, a decision will be conveyed directly to the school authority.
372. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which proposals in respect of the replacement of a school (details supplied) and the accommodation of the proposed schools at a campus have progressed; if the project has progressed satisfactorily since early November 2021; the precise stage at which each of the projects rest; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3044/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has reached an agreement in principle for the acquisition of the site for the proposed school campus referred to by the Deputy. The process is at an advanced stage and my Department is engaging with the vendor to finalise the details for heads of terms for the site.
It is intended that this site will facilitate the construction of three schools, including the school in question, as part of the campus development. In tandem with the site acquisition, my Department is working on the accommodation briefs for the three schools which is part of the preparatory work associated with the architectural planning process.
My Department is committed to advancing the campus development as quickly as possible and will be in further contact with the schools during this process.
373. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 7 October 2021, the progress that has been made between her Department and an agency (details supplied) as outlined in the reply; if the times referred to have been looked at or reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3096/22]
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 121,400 children, including over 15,500 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 €289 million in 2021.
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.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes and endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.
Following a review of the service mentioned by the Deputy, Bus Éireann have advised that it is currently tendering for a new service to facilitate revised arrangements for the family in question which will include a later morning pick up and an earlier drop off time.
They have also advised that the current service that accommodates the family will remain in place until the tendering process is complete and that the revised service will be operational within the coming weeks.
374. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education if the land on which a permanent building for a school (details supplied) will be built has been transferred from the current owner; when a planning application for the proposed permanent building will be submitted to Meath County Council; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3098/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAgreement in principle had been reached to acquire a site for the permanent location of the school in question. Contracts for sale have now been signed, conditional on the landowner providing required infrastructure upgrades to serve the site. My Department have been advised that these infrastructure upgrades are programmed to be completed by the end of July 2022.
The project to provide the permanent building for the school referred to by the Deputy is in early architectural planning which involves site surveys, school design stages and the preparation of statutory applications.
As with all school building projects, pre-planning meetings are required with the Local Authority in advance of preparing a Planning Application. This is to ensure the highest probability of a successful planning application in the shortest time possible. A considerable amount of work is required following the pre-planning meeting to prepare a suitably detailed application.
At the pre-planning meeting for the interim accommodation currently on the site, the Local Authority made it clear that the planning application for the permanent accommodation must be cognisant of the overall development plans by the landowner for their wider land holding. Discussions have been ongoing between my Department and the landowner in relation to the overall plan for the area. A planning application was recently submitted for the additional interim accommodation which the school will require for the 2022/23 academic year.
A decision by the Local Authority on the planning application for the further interim accommodation for 2022/23 must be secured before planning can be submitted for the school's permanent accommodation. However, work on preparing for the planning application for the permanent accommodation will be progressed in parallel with the Local Authority's processing of the interim application.
375. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if officials in her Department have received and considered the application made by a school (details supplied) for a new school building on the alternative site which has been secured by the patrons of the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3112/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm to the Deputy, that an application for Major Capital Funding, has been received from the school in question. Applications from schools for major capital works must be considered in the context of the demographic challenge facing the education system in the coming years.
The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. I wish to advise the Deputy that the current status of large-scale projects being delivered under project Ireland 2040, may be viewed on my Department's website, www.education.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms, including accommodation for pupils with special educational needs, if required, for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed.
My Department is also in receipt of an application for funding under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme from the school in question. Officials from my Department have corresponded with the school authority and on receipt of their response the application will be progressed and the decision will issue to the school authority directly.
376. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a schedule of the sites that were considered in advance of the decision to proceed with the use of the Magee Barracks site in Kildare town in respect of schools; and if she and or her officials conducted a survey regarding the general and geographical suitability of the site. [3142/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought by the Deputy on the schedule of the sites considered in advance of the decision to acquire the site at Magee Barracks is contained in the attached document. As it was not possible to obtain a site at the current location of the Curragh Post-Primary school, my Department’s site identification process was informed by the demographic data on post-primary requirements in the school planning areas of the Curragh, Kildare Town and Newbridge. This data showed that the greater demand for post-primary school places, which could not be met from existing school capacity, was projected to occur in the school planning area incorporating Kildare Town. Therefore, the sited identification process undertaken by my Department focused on possible suitable sites that may be available in Kildare town.
As is the standard practice where my Department identifies potential sites to meet a school requirement, a technical assessment of the site is undertaken to examine its suitability. My Department also engages with the relevant local authority to better inform the suitability of a site. This was the case in respect of the site at the former Magee Barracks.
Schedule of sites considered for the location of the replacement school for the Curragh Post-Primary and to meet post-primary requirements in the Curragh, Kildare Town and Newbridge school planning areas.
|
Reference |
Sites considered |
|
1 |
Curragh Camp and other lands in the area in the ownership of the Department of Defence |
|
2 |
Magee Barracks, Kildare Town, Co Kildare |
|
3 |
Curragh Road, Kildare Town, Co Kildare |
|
4 |
Whitesland East, Kildare Town, Co Kildare |
|
5 |
Rathbride Road, Kildare Town, Co Kildare |
|
6 |
Green Road, Kildare Town, Co Kildare |
|
7 |
Southgreen Road, Kildare Town, Co Kildare |
|
8 |
Lourdesville Nursing Home, Newtown, Kildare Town, Co Kildare |
|
9 |
Crockanure Glebe, Kildare Town, Co Kildare |
|
10 |
Walshestown Abbey Road, Newbridge, Co Kildare |
|
11 |
Suncroft, Co. Kildare |
|
12 |
Green Road, Newbridge, Co Kildare |
377. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education if she will develop and implement a national policy on sexual harassment and assault in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3167/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, my Department has commenced a review of my Department’s 2013 Action Plan on Bullying and the 2013 Anti-bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools. This review will take account of developments and relevant research since the action plan and procedures were published in 2013 and will specifically consider areas such as cyber bullying, gender identity bullying and sexual harassment.
The review will also give detailed consideration to the recommendations contained in the Oireachtas Joint Committee Report on School Bullying and the Impact on Mental Health.
This review of the Action Plan on Bullying and the Anti-bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools will involve significant consultation and collaboration across my Department, with other Government Departments and Bodies including the Ombudsman for Children, and will also involve consultation with a broad range of education stakeholders, including parents and students.
During this school year my Department's Inspectorate is prioritising monitoring and gathering information about the implementation of anti-bullying measures in schools across all its inspection types. In the first term of the current school year, the Inspectorate conducted over 500 incidental inspections in primary schools, special schools and post-primary schools. Those inspections included a focus on how schools prevent and tackle bullying through promoting a positive school climate and culture. This will help inform the review of the Action plan and review of the anti-bullying procedures by providing evidence of the type of bullying that is occurring in our schools and examples of approaches that can be successful in dealing with it. An important part of the Inspectorate’s work is a focus on the priority actions of schools in relation to promoting a positive school culture and climate.
There are currently extensive training and curricular supports, including through the Social Personal Health Education (SPHE) curriculum, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and the Webwise Programme, to assist schools in the development of policies and practices on the safe use of the internet and on the prevention of bullying including cyber-bullying.
The Report on the Review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) in primary and post-primary schools was published by the NCCA in December, 2019. The NCCA was asked to look at a number of specific issues in respect of RSE and the curriculum. These included but were not limited to consent; developments in relation to contraception; healthy positive, sexual expression and relationships; safe use of the Internet and social media and its effects on relationships and self-esteem; and LGBTQ+ matters.
The immediate focus of the NCCA work has been on creating support materials for teachers for publication online as part of an Interim Guidance Toolkit. The toolkit's purpose is to support effective teaching and learning of SPHE/RSE linked to the current curriculum and to provide guidance on how SPE/RSE may be approached in a comprehensive way that meets the needs of young people today. These resources cover all topics including many of the topics that have been raised in the media during recent days as important for young people's education - there are resources to help teachers in teaching about rights and responsibilities in relationships, how to recognise healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationship, how to interact safely and respectfully (both online and face-to-face), the influence of the media (including pornography) on young people's understanding and expectations, sexual consent and assertive communication.
The NCCA Toolkits will be expanded during 2022 to include further age and stage appropriate guidance for teachers on how to address these and other related topics within the SPHE classroom. The Toolkit provides practical help designed to deepen teachers' understanding and skills so that they feel more confident in addressing important and sensitive topics.
In tandem with this work, preparation for the broader redeveloping and updating of the SPHE curriculum has begun. Updated curricula will be developed for Primary, Junior Cycle and Senior Cycle. It is expected that a revised Junior Cycle specification will be completed by the end of 2022, following a period of public consultation. Updated specifications for primary and senior cycle will follow immediately afterwards.
In redeveloping the SPHE curriculum, the NCCA will be making explicit the importance of fostering young people's self-awareness and self-esteem and building the foundational skills and dispositions needed for building caring and healthy relationships (including respectful communication, showing empathy, appreciating difference). The new specifications will also foster skills needed for dealing with challenging times. Consent education will be included within the learning outcomes for RSE, across all levels, based on the principle that consent is a core dimension of all healthy interpersonal relationships.
