Written Answers Nos. 378-395
378. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education if a child who is deemed high-risk of contracting Covid-19 and is being home-schooled will be marked absent from school; if the authorities will be contacted to investigate the reason this is done in cases in which there are too many absences in the school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3204/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has provided guidance to schools in relation to the recording and reporting of Covid-19 related absences. Covid-19 related absences arising from pupils/students who have been requested to self-isolate by a medical professional or for pupils/students who feel unwell with symptoms consistent with Covid-19 must be recorded in accordance with the school’s normal procedures for the notification and recording of absences. However these Covid-19 related absences should be noted by the school as explained absences.
Notwithstanding the current Covid-19 related environment that schools are now operating in, the statutory requirements for reporting pupil absenteeism will continue as normal. In this respect, the Education (Welfare) Act requires the principal of a recognised school to maintain records of the attendance or non-attendance on each school day of each pupil registered at that school. Schools maintain a school register and a school roll. The purpose of the school register is to preserve a permanent record of the school history of each pupil/student. The purpose of the school roll is to record the daily and cumulative attendance of individual pupils/students. A pupils/students name will be recorded as removed from the school roll following an absence of 20 consecutive days. This is in accordance with the requirements of Department Circular 0028/2013.
The decision to home school means that parents are effectively removing their children from school and the school will have no further role in their children’s teaching and learning for the duration of the home schooling. The decision to home school may also have implications for the children’s school place should parents wish for their children to return to school at a later date.
Where a child is removed from school for the purpose of home schooling, the pupil/student’s name will be recorded as removed from the school roll following 20 consecutive absences. In addition schools are required under the Education Welfare Act 2000 to also notify the Education Welfare Service of Tusla when the aggregate number of school days on which a pupil is absent during a school year reaches 20 days. The pupil/student’s education record remains on the school register and the only change that occurs is that the status of the pupil/student’s education record is updated to reflect the fact that the pupil has left the school. Decisions therefore in relation to educating children outside of school are best made in consultation with the child’s school and Tusla’s Education Support Service (TESS).
The Education (Welfare) Act 2000 section 14 sets out that Tusla is required to maintain a register of all children in receipt of education in a place other than a recognised school. The provisions of the Act outline that, where a parent chooses to educate, or have educated, his or her child in a place other than a recognised school he or she shall apply to Tusla to have the child concerned registered on the register.
379. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that whilst provision is in place for children who are high-risk to be home-schooled there is no provision for parents who are deemed high-risk and who are in contact with each person their child is being exposed to; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3205/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra387. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education the arrangements in place for students who cannot attend school due to the fact that they are immunocompromised or live with a person who is immunocompromised; the remote learning options available in this instance; the guidance for parents and staff; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3392/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 379 and 387 together.
My 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.
The HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) has issued specific advice about children attending school in the context of Covid-19. This advice covers both children with underlying medical conditions and children living with family members with underlying conditions. For all children, care should continue to be taken to reduce transmission through the infection control measures promoted by HPSC.
The HPSC advice provides that children with immediate family members, including parents, in both the ‘high risk’ and ‘very high risk’ categories can attend school and it is important for the child’s overall well-being. This is consistent with public health advice internationally in relation to at-risk family members. The priority is that the household continues to follow all current advice on how to minimise the risk of coronavirus, through regular hand washing, etc.
With regard to the provision of education for children who are extremely vulnerable to Covid-19, my Department has published guidance in relation to students who have been medically certified as being at very high risk from Covid-19. As that guidance indicates, it is the responsibility of parents/guardians to seek medical advice and certification to indicate if their child is at very high risk to Covid-19 and to inform the school of this. Where a school receives such medical certification, it will organise the most appropriate support for the student concerned. The guidance sets out a number of options for schools to facilitate adapted education provision for students at very high risk to Covid-19.
The wellbeing of all students is a fundamental element of my Department’s overall plan in sustaining the safe and effective operation of schools as we continue to manage the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic. In this context the National Psychological Service of the Department (NEPS) is leading on supporting the wellbeing of schools communities. The response to support the wellbeing of all within school communities on the return to school requires a structured, psychosocial response which is compassionate, largely preventative and proactive. This requires a whole-school team approach to planning in order to ensure that staff, students and parents feel safe and secure. The Department’s response is aligned with the HSE guidance and based on the five key principles of promoting a sense of safety, calm, connectedness, self- and community-efficacy and hope.
380. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the number of times she has met her officials in relation to a project (details supplied); and if there is a definitive timeline established for construction. [3254/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school building project referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department’s Design and Build Programme. I engage regularly with officials in respect of the School Building Program.
On 14 June 2021, this project was included in a bundle of projects which were tendered to a newly established Design & Build Contractors Framework. The tenders were returned on 27 October 2021 and the tender assessment report from the Department's Project Manager has been recently received by the Department and is currently under review. It is anticipated that the Letter of Intent to appoint the Building Contractor will issue in the coming weeks in Quarter 1.
Once a Contractor has been appointed, my Department will keep the school informed of the construction programme underpinning the contract.
381. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education if high-efficiency particle arrestor filters will be installed as standard during the construction of the new school in Cahir, County Tipperary which will see the amalgamation of a school (details supplied); if consideration will be given to the provision of such filters in all new school builds; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3264/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra392. Deputy Martin Browne asked the Minister for Education if there are plans to install a HEPA filtration system in the new primary school being built in Cahir. County Tipperary. [3406/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 381 and 392 together.
Managing 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 €45m 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. To date three applications from fee charging schools have been received, these are being assessed.
With respect to the design of ventilation in new schools, each school project is different and required to be analysed on an individual project basis based on the specific site conditions, the height of the school building, the internal and external geometry, the configuration of the spaces, the different elevations and the different orientations.
Design teams for each project are required to fully evaluate their proposed ventilation strategy and develop a dynamic simulation model based on their proposed building design and knowledge and familiarity with the school specific project and site. The design team must use their developed dynamic simulation model to confirm that their design ventilation strategy complies with the building regulations, the Department’s technical guidance documents and that the design team’s window design and opening sections ensure that the resultant dry bulb temperature shall not exceed 25oC for more than 5% of the school year in all habitable rooms and teaching spaces and sufficient ventilation is achieved in the space for odour and CO2 dilution.
382. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education when a person (details supplied) will receive transport on the school transport scheme. [3292/22]
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.
Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, children are eligible for transport where they are attending the nearest recognised school that is or can be resourced to meet their special educational needs. Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers.
I am pleased to advise that the child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport, and Bus Éireann has advised that this child has been offered a seat on a dedicated school transport service to and from his home address to school he is attending both mornings and afternoons. However, family of the child referred to in this case has requested alternative drop-off arrangements for this child in the afternoons.
Bus Éireann endeavours to ensure that a reasonable level of transport service is provided for each eligible child. The safety of pupils travelling on school transport services is of paramount importance to the Department and Bus Éireann. In general, transport for children with special educational needs is provided from home to school and from school to home, the provision to provide school transport to locations other than that is not a feature of the scheme.
The Department considers requests to alternative addresses for eligible children based on a number of conditions; where there is an existing service in place, there is no change to the existing service (time or route), the arrangement is a consistent arrangement (ie the same time and place each day), there is no inconvenience to any other child on the service (time or change of route), there is no health and safety issues and no additional cost to the State.
Bus Éireann has advised that there is no existing service to accommodate this request for alternative drop-off arrangements under terms and conditions outlined above.
383. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education when a school (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive approval to appoint a contractor. [3300/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that approval has been given to the school to which he refers to proceed to construction for the project in question. It can now proceed with the process of appointment of the approved contractor in that context.
384. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education the status of the case of a person (details supplied) in view that an update was requested early in 2021 by this Deputy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3360/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, Caranua was established in 2013 with the purpose of disbursing the contributions of €110 million (€111.38 million including interest) provided by the religious congregations following the publication of the Ryan Report in 2009, by funding approved services to support the needs of former residents who as children suffered abuse in relevant institutions.
As the funding available to it was finite in nature, Caranua announced in May 2018 that it would cease to accept applications from 1 August 2018. Caranua made all final payments in early December 2020, with the exception of a very limited number of cases where applications were reverted to Caranua upon appeal, or where Caranua had agreed to make staggered payments for services beyond the December deadline, including in the case referred to by the Deputy.
I understand the Deputy has recently been in contact with my Department in relation to this case. The individual concerned has also been in contact with my Department who are aware of his particular circumstances and are engaging with him. However, in this regard, it should be noted that the Department is not in a position to re-open applications or undertake functions on behalf of Caranua.
385. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education the number of pupils that have sat the State examination in computer science in each year since the subject was first introduced; the number of second-level schools which are teaching this subject to leaving certificate level; and if she is satisfied with the progress in the rolling out of the subject. [3361/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraPlease find attached requested information.
386. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if her Department will process an incremental credit claim from a teacher (details supplied) without delay given that such a delay in this case will cause financial hardship; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3385/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraLaois Offaly Education and Training Board (LOETB) requested the Department to review the relevant non-teaching incremental credit application of the teacher concerned. The Department processes applications in date received order. The Department will advise LOETB staff of the outcome when the application has been reviewed and they will then update the teacher.
On the 6 April 2017, an incomplete application was received by the Teacher Terms and Conditions Section of the Department of Education for relevant non-teaching for the same period that the teacher is applying for again. The Department advised the teacher at the time of the correct procedure for submitting applications, but a new application was only submitted to the Department in this school year.
388. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the status of the DEIS bands reassessment as committed to in 2021; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3399/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraBudget 2022 has provided for an allocation of €18million for 2022 and €32million 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.
389. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the status of the consultation process with education partners regarding the implementation of the new DEIS model; if a school (details supplied) will be considered for DEIS status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3400/22]
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.
During the process to refine the DEIS identification model, and as is general practice in the Department, my Department has consulted with education partners (school management and national parent representative bodies and unions) on the technical aspects of the refinement of the DEIS identification model.
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.
390. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education the status of a new school building for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3401/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm to the Deputy, that an application for Major Capital Funding was received from the school in question in 2018. 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 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 has been in contact with the school authorities and informed them that their application is being assessed under the Additional Schools Accommodation (ASA) scheme. Supplementary information has been requested from the school authority and this has now been received. When the assessment is completed, a decision will be conveyed directly to the school authority.
391. Deputy Charles Flanagan asked the Minister for Education when she expects a school (details supplied) to receive clarification from her Department regarding the policy of integration from an ASD unit to a mainstream classroom; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3403/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of The Roadmap to the Full Reopening of schools which was announced in July 2020, guidance was provided to schools on the integration of pupils in special classes. Pupils in special classes should continue to interact, or integrate, with mainstream classes and move between classes. This guidance can be found at: www.gov.ie/en/publication/c0243-supports-for-the-special-education-sector-in-the-reopening-of-schools/ (Paragraph 19 refers).
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) team of locally based Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise schools. SENOs are mindful that the challenges presented to schools can vary depending on the built environment they operate in and the overall profile of the school community.
393. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a list of each of the teaching supply panels; the number of teachers on each panel in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3418/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the COVID-19 supports provided to schools in 2020, additional funding of €41.2 million was allocated to provide primary schools with substitute staff
This funding allowed for the expansion of the Substitute Teacher Supply Panel from a pilot scheme consisting of 6 base schools to 132 Substitute Teacher Supply Panels nationwide, with almost 380 newly appointed Supply Panel teachers employed, providing substitute cover to over 2,500 schools across the country.
Since the beginning of the current school year, 300 additional teachers have been added to the Substitute Teacher Supply Panels in response to the current difficulty in accessing substitute for teacher absences. Currently, there are 144 Supply Panels with 675 teachers allocated to the scheme.
The most recent data on the current Supply Panel clusters is attached.
394. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if his Department will raise the criteria for new SNAs to be hired to be a relevant QQI level six qualification or equivalent. [3459/22]
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.
395. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education the number of schools in an area (details supplied) that applied for funding for HEPA filters or similar ventilation systems; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3482/22]
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. To date 3 applications from fee charging schools have been received, these are being assessed.
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 including advice on whether a HEPA Air Cleaner Unit is required to deal with a poorly ventilated room.
Air cleaning devices are not a substitute for good ventilation but can be considered pending the completion of interventions/works where poor ventilation persists. This is line with the Expert Group recommendations. Air filtration does not negate the need for natural ventilation and opening windows as required. Furthermore Mike Ryan of the World Health Organisation’s Health Emergencies Programme has advised that schools not rely solely on air filters.
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. None of the 11 approved identified a need for an air filter.
