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Oideachas Gaeltachta

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 March 2022

Thursday, 10 March 2022

Ceisteanna (294, 295, 296)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

294. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais an bhfuil sé i gceist aici stádas Scoil Bheag a bhronnadh ar na hiar-bhunscoileanna ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta; mura bhfuil, an bhfuil sé i gceist aici a chinntiú go mbeidh stádas acu a chinnteodh na buntáistí céanna do na scoileanna seo ó thaobh alúntas múinteoirí agus maoine agus a bheadh acu dá mbeadh an stádas seo acu; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [13692/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

295. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais an mbeadh sí sásta stádas Scoil Bheag a bhronnadh ar na hiar-bhunscoileanna ar na hoileáin amach ón gcósta dá n-athródh siad a bpatrúnacht ó na Boird Oideachais agus Oiliúna go pátrúnacht Scoil Dheonach; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [13693/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Éamon Ó Cuív

Ceist:

296. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais cad iad na buntáistí a bhaineann le stádas Scoil Bheag a bheith ag iar-bhunscoil; cad iad na hacmhainní breise a chuirtear ar fáil dá bharr; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [13694/22]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 294, 295 and 296 together.

(Please see below for English Version of Reply)

Aithníonn mo Roinn an ról fíor-thábhachtach atá ag scoileanna beaga agus ag scoileanna oileánda maidir le pobail agus cultúr na n-oileán a chothabháil, agus tá sí tiomanta go láidir mar sin do chothabháil na scoileanna ar na hoileáin. Ar an ábhar sin agus i bhfianaise na ndúshlán uathúil atá le sárú ag scoileanna oileánda, tá tacaíochtaí breise curtha ar fáil ag mo Roinn do scoileanna dá leithéid.

Faoi mar a fhoráiltear i gCiorclán 0012/2021 tá gach ceann de na 5 iar-bhunscoil oileánda rannpháirteach sa Scéim Aitheantais Scoileanna Gaeltachta agus ag fáil 7 n-uair an chloig de theagasc breise sa tseachtain, ag teacht le rollú na scoile, le haghaidh tacaíocht bhreise Ghaeilge.  Ó 2018 ar aghaidh, íocadh deontas de €1200 le gach iar-bhunscoil Ghaeltachta chun acmhainní teagaisc Gaeilge a cheannach.

Ó 2019 ar aghaidh, tugadh deis do na 5 iar-bhunscoil Ghaeltachta oileánda a bheith rannpháirteach sa tionscadal píolótach ríomh-mhool ina n-úsáidtear soláthar foghlama cumaisc ar líne chun rochtain a sholáthar do mhic léinn ar Fhisic na hArdteistiméireachta.

Roghnaigh trí iar-bhunscoil oileánda bheith i measc na scoileanna tionscadail r-moil agus tá acmhainní breise curtha ar fáil do na scoileanna seo lena n-áirítear maoiniú aon-uaire (€5,000) do gach scoil chun trealamh teicneolaíochta a cheannach. Tá leithdháileadh breise de 4 huair an chloig de theagasc sa tseachtain curtha ar fáil do gach ceann de na trí iar-bhunscoil rannpháirteacha a bhfuil ríomh-mheantóir ag teastáil chun tacú le scoláirí.

Leagtar amach sa Straitéis Dhigiteach do scoileanna 2015-2020 beartas reatha na Roinne maidir le húsáid na dteicneolaíochtaí digiteacha sa teagasc, san fhoghlaim agus sa mheasúnú ar fud na earnáil na scoileanna. Tacaíonn Creat Foghlama Digiteach agus treoirlínte cuimsitheacha um pleanáil don fhoghlaim dhigiteach, FGL, acmhainní agus tacaíochtaí cuimsitheacha do mhúinteoirí agus do cheannairí scoile le cur i bhfeidhm na straitéise sna scoileanna. Tá na tacaíochtaí seo ar fáil do gach scoil.   In 2020, eisíodh €100m i maoiniú deontais do scoileanna le haghaidh bonneagar TFC lena n-áirítear thart ar €70,000 a eisíodh do scoileanna oileánda. Tá nascacht leathanbhanda ag gach scoil a mhaoiníonn an Roinn go díreach trína Clár Rochtana Leathanbhanda do Scoileanna.  Tá straitéis nua digiteach á cur i dtoll a chéile.

Tar éis comhfhreagras a bheith curtha faoi bhráid na Roinne, lena n-áirítear tuarascáil an Oireachtais inar sainaithníodh na dúshláin uathúla atá le sárú ag scoileanna oileánda, bunaíodh grúpa oibre idir-rannach  sa Roinn Oideachais chun féachaint ar na roghanna a bhí ann chun díriú ar na dúshláin seo agus chun moltaí a leagan amach chun tacú leis na hiar-bhunscoileanna oileánda sa Ghaeltacht.

Cuireadh pacáiste tacaíochtaí breise ar fáil do gach ceann de na cúig iar-bhunscoil oileánda ó Mheán Fómhair 2018 ar aghaidh.  Tá na tacaíochtaí seo ar fáil de bhreis ar na tacaíochtaí a fhaigheann scoileanna mar chuid den Scéim Aitheantais Scoileanna Gaeltachta. Cuimsíonn an pacáiste tacaíochtaí:

-           leithdháileadh breise múinteoirí do gach ceann de na hiar-bhunscoileanna oileánda, ó leithdháileadh de 1 phost coibhéise fostaí lánaimseartha go 1.5 post coibhéise fostaí lánaimseartha

 -       buiséad breise imfhálaithe de €15,000 sa bhliain do gach scoil

 -        bunú Choláiste Naomh Eoin, a raibh stádas mar Aonad Teanga aici roimhe seo, mar iar-bhunscoil neamhspleách ar Inis Meáin, Contae na Gaillimhe.

Cuireann mo Roinn buiséid pá agus neamhphá ar fáil do gach Bord Oideachais agus Oiliúna (BOO) chun tacú lena scoileanna BOO aonair, coláistí, ceannoifig agus ionaid oideachais eile, lena n-áirítear na 5 iar-bhunscoil oileánda. Is faoi gach Bord Oideachais agus Oiliúna atá sé na hacmhainní seo a chaitheamh sna scoileanna ina réigiún. Sa scoilbhliain 2021/2022, leithroinneadh 15 phost múinteoireachta ar Bhord Oideachais agus Oiliúna Ghaillimh Ros Comáin agus leithdháileadh 9 bpost múinteoireachta ar Bhord Oideachais agus Oiliúna Dhún na nGall i leith scoileanna oileánda, scoileanna beaga, scoileanna Gaeltachta agus scoileanna comhoideachais in abhantraigh aonair. Is faoi Phríomhfheidhmeannach gach scéim BOO atá sé an leithdháileadh foirne seo a dháileadh, lena n-áirítear poist do Scoileanna Beaga.

Leanfaidh an Roinn Oideachais d’ionadaíocht a bheith aici ar an gCoiste Idir-Rannach um Fhorbairt na nOileán, a bhunaigh an Roinn Cultúir, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta in 2019.

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My Department recognises the very important role played by small schools and island schools in maintaining the communities and culture of the islands, and is therefore strongly committed to the maintenance of the schools on the islands. For this reason and in recognition of the unique challenges faced by island schools my Department has provided additional supports to such schools.

As provided for in Circular 0012/2021 each of the 5 island post-primary schools are participating in the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme and are in receipt of 7 additional teaching hours per week, in line with school enrolment, for additional Irish-language support.  From 2018 onwards, a grant of €1200 has been paid to each post-primary Gaeltacht school to purchase Irish-language teaching resources.

From 2019 onwards, the 5 island post-primary Gaeltacht schools have been given an opportunity to participate in the e-hub pilot project that utilises an online blended-learning provision to provide access to students to Leaving Certificate Physics.

Three island post-primary schools opted to participate in the e-Hub project schools and these schools have been provided with additional resources including once-off funding (€5,000) for each school to purchase technology equipment. An additional allocation of 4 teaching hours per week has been provided for each of the three participating post-primary schools where an e-mentor is required to support students.

The Digital Strategy for schools 2015-2020 sets out the Department’s current policy on the use of digital technologies in teaching, learning and assessment across the school sector. The implementation of the strategy in schools is supported by a Digital Learning Framework (DLF) and comprehensive digital learning planning guidelines, extensive CPD, resources and supports for teachers and school leaders. These supports are available to all schools.   In 2020, €100m in grant funding issued to schools for ICT Infrastructure including some €70,000 that issued to the Island schools. All schools have broadband connectivity funded directly by the Department through its Schools Broadband Access Programme.  The development of a new digital strategy is underway.

Following the submission of correspondence to the Department, including the Oireachtas report identifying the unique challenges facing island schools, an intradepartmental  working group was established in the Department of Education to explore the options for addressing these challenges and to set out recommendations to support post-primary schools located on islands in the Gaeltacht.

A package of additional supports was provided for each of the five island post-primary schools from September 2018 onwards.  These supports are available in addition to the supports schools receive as part of the Gaeltacht Schools Recognition Scheme. The package of supports comprises:

-       an additional teacher allocation for each of the island post-primary schools from an allocation of 1  full-time equivalent post to 1.5 full-time equivalent posts

 -       an additional ring-fenced budget of €15,000 per annum for each school

 -       the establishment of Coláiste Naomh Eoin, that previously had the status of an Aonad Teanga, as an independent stand-alone post-primary school on Inis Meáin, County Galway.

My Department provides each Educational Training Board (ETB) with pay and non-pay budgets to support its individual ETB schools, colleges, head office and other centres of education, which would include the 5 Post-Primary island schools. It is a matter for each ETB how best to utilise such resources across the schools in their region. In the 2021/2022 school year, Galway Roscommon ETB was allocated 15 teaching posts and Donegal ETB was allocated 9 teaching posts in respect of island schools, small schools, Gaeltacht schools and co-ed schools in single catchment areas. The distribution of this staffing allocation including Small School posts is a matter for the Chief Executive of each ETB scheme.

The Department of Education will continue to be represented on the Inter-Departmental Committee for the Development of the Islands, which was established by the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht in 2019.

Question No. 295 answered with Question No. 294.
Question No. 296 answered with Question No. 294.
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