Richard Bruton
Ceist:256. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if a permanent site for a school (details supplied) has been identified; and construction of a permanent building is scheduled. [21700/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSite Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (256, 257)
Richard Bruton
Ceist:257. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Education if she has completed the assessment of the starting date for the new secondary school (details supplied) taking into account the very large number of new homes completed or under construction in the area. [21703/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 256 and 257 together.
As the Deputy may be aware, it is my Department's intention, in collaboration with City of Dublin ETB (CDETB), to develop two new 1,000 pupil post primary school buildings and permanent accommodation for an eight classroom primary school on the CDETB Whitehall site. The post primary schools will provide circa 1,200 additional co-educational, multidenominational post primary school places in North Dublin City to meet the demographic need in the area. Additionally, these new school buildings will provide eight classrooms for pupils with special educational needs.
My Department is now initiating the planning process for this strategic development which will include engagement with the relevant stakeholders.
In the meantime, additional interim accommodation is being provided at the post primary school on the Whitehall site to facilitate its continued expansion pending the construction of the new school building. Arrangements are also being made for further accommodation to be provided for the primary school in its current interim facility.
Question No. 257 answered with Question No. 256.
Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (258)
Paul Kehoe
Ceist:258. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education the status of the purchase of a site for new school building (details supplied); when the school community can expect clarity on the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21704/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that following extensive site identification, assessment and negotiation process, the Department has reached agreement in principle, subject to contract, for the acquisition of a site at Creagh, Gorey, Co Wexford as a permanent location for the school, to which the Deputy refers.
The conveyancing stage of the acquisition process has commenced Heads of Terms having been agreed with the Vendor and draft contracts exchanged.
The Deputy will appreciate that negotiations in respect of site acquisitions are, by their nature, sensitive and for that reason, I am not in a position to provide any further information at this time.
National Educational Psychological Service
Ceisteanna (259)
Mairéad Farrell
Ceist:259. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education the number of National Educational Psychological Service psychologists in full-time employment by county as of April 2022; the waiting times by county for a child to be assessed by a NEPS psychologist; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21730/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework where there is need via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).
NEPS does not maintain waiting lists, but in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximise positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Where reasonable progress is not made, following a school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, a psychologist will become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment. This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually.
The number of NEPS psychologists employed currently stands at 224.52 whole-time equivalents across the NEPS regions.
Disadvantaged Status
Ceisteanna (260)
Niamh Smyth
Ceist:260. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if he will review matters raised in correspondence (details supplied); the status of this appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21733/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I recently announced that from next September the DEIS programme will be extended to an additional 310 schools. 37 schools will also benefit from additional supports following reclassification. Schools were identified for inclusion in the programme through the refined DEIS identification model which is an objective, statistics based model. Schools were not required to apply for inclusion in the DEIS programme and the model has been applied fairly and equally to all schools.
My Department is committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which they have been identified for inclusion in the DEIS programme. Schools who were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data will now have the opportunity to have that outcome reviewed.
Circular 0019/2022 outlining the details of this appeals process was published recently by my Department and is available at www.gov.ie/en/circular/7e7ca-deis-identification-2022-appeals-process-for-schools/
My Department notified all schools of the appeals process on 30th March 2022. Schools had until 5pm on Friday April 29th to submit an appeal. The school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an appeal and this will be given consideration by my Department. It is my Department’s intention to provide schools with the outcome of their appeal in the coming weeks to allow time for schools to plan for the 2022/23 school year.
Special Educational Needs
Ceisteanna (261)
Seán Sherlock
Ceist:261. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education if a special education teaching allocation review will take place for a school (details supplied). [21759/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Special Education Teaching allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile.
Under the allocation model, schools have been provided with a total allocation for special education needs support based on their school profile.
The provision of a profiled allocation is designed to give a fair allocation for each school which recognises that all schools need an allocation for special needs support, but which provides a graduated allocation which takes into account the level of need in each school.
Schools are front-loaded with resources, based on each school’s profile. The allocations to schools include provision to support all pupils in the schools, including where a child receives a diagnosis after the allocation is received by a school, or where there are newly enrolling pupils to the school.
Both the Department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) are committed to ensuring that all schools are treated equally and fairly in the manner in which their school profiles have been calculated.
Accordingly, a number of review processes have been put in place to support schools.
A process is in place to address circumstances where the school profile significantly changed following the allocation process e.g. a developing school where the net enrolment numbers significantly increased.
The criteria for qualification for mainstream school developing school posts are set out in the Primary and Post Primary School Staffing Schedule for the 2022/23 school year.
Schools who qualify for additional mainstream developing school posts in accordance with these criteria also qualify for additional Special Education Teaching Allocations to take account of this developing status.
It is also acknowledged that there are some circumstances, which may arise in schools, which fall outside the allocations for developing school status.
These relate to exceptional or emergency circumstances which could not have been anticipated e.g. where the school profile changes very significantly, or where other exceptional circumstances have arisen in a school and which may require a review of schools capacity to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who need it in the school, or of their utilisation of their allocations.
A process is available where schools can seek a review of their allocations by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), including the utilisation of their allocations, in circumstances where a school considers that very exceptional circumstances have arisen subsequent to the development of the profile.
I am aware that the school submitted a review to the NCSE.
The application was examined and the outcome communicated to the school by letter dated 10/03/2022, advising that the application did not meet criteria for a review.
The letter also advised on the availability of NCSE Advisor in school or external seminar support, details of which are available on www.ncse.ie. Support which can be accessed includes; guidance and support for schools on the management and distribution of the SET allocation, the implementation of specific teaching approaches etc.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (262)
Steven Matthews
Ceist:262. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the case of a school (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to the need to expedite this process due to the population growth in the area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21766/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department remains committed to providing permanent accommodation to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers.
A number of options are currently being considered to provide permanent school facilities for this school. This includes the site identification, assessment and acquisition of a suitable green field site. To that end, a couple of preferred sites have been identified in Wicklow Town and negotiations in relation to one of these site options are ongoing.
Due to the sensitivities around land acquisitions, in general, I am unable to comment further at this time.
A solution for the school remains a priority for my Department. The school patron will be kept informed of any key developments.
School Staff
Ceisteanna (263)
Niall Collins
Ceist:263. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education her plans to provide an additional teacher to a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21777/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
For the 2022/23 school year, the staffing schedule for primary schools has been improved by one point and schools will be provided with class teachers on the basis of 1 teacher for every 24 pupils which is a historical low ratio.
The school referred to by the Deputy returned an enrolment of 41 for 30th September 2021, which allows for the retention of the current mainstream staffing of Principal and 1 classroom teacher for the 2022/23 school year.
The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria, including a specific one aimed at small schools, to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Information and application forms are available in Circular 25/2022, published on the Department website.
Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (264)
Catherine Murphy
Ceist:264. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the status of sourcing a site and or permanent building for a school (details supplied). [21786/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The site identification and assessment exercise for the school referred to by the Deputy is ongoing.
A Minister-owned site has been identified as an option for potential redevelopment to accommodate a second school. In the case where any such solution is being considered, engagement takes place with all relevant stakeholders regarding the feasibility of any proposed solution to identify what is technically feasible as well as finding a solution that is both mutually beneficial for the State and any school which may be impacted.
Representatives of the existing school have agreed to collaborate with my Department to carry out a master plan study to assess the potential of developing a second school on the Minister-owned site.
The school have sufficient interim accommodation for the 2022/23 academic year.
The school site identification process is a dynamic one where new information on sites may come to the attention of my Department from time to time.
Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (265)
Bernard Durkan
Ceist:265. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the progress in recent months in acquiring a permanent site for a school (details supplied) which will outgrow is currently temporary site in 2023; the plans to address this issue in the short-term; the proposed timeline for same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21802/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The site identification and assessment exercise for the school referred to by the Deputy is ongoing.
A Minister-owned site has been identified as an option for potential redevelopment to accommodate a second school. In the case where any such solution is being considered, engagement takes place with all relevant stakeholders regarding the feasibility of any proposed solution to identify what is technically feasible as well as finding a solution that is both mutually beneficial for the State and any school which may be impacted.
Representatives of the existing school have agreed to collaborate with my Department to carry out a master plan study to assess the potential of developing a second school on the Minister-owned site.
The school have sufficient interim accommodation for the 2022/23 academic year.
The school site identification process is a dynamic one where new information on sites may come to the attention of my Department from time to time.
Schools Building Projects
Ceisteanna (266)
Eoin Ó Broin
Ceist:266. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education the status of the provision of a new school building for a school (details supplied); the progress in relation to planning; and if she will provide a timeline for the delivery of the project. [21819/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The school and its patron body were advised by my Department in August 2021 that it would not be possible to proceed at that time with the proposed planning application for the school as South Dublin County Council had advised my Department of its intention to undertake a master plan of the Rathcoole area, including the proposed school site.
The Council has now concluded the master planning exercise and following consultation with South Dublin County Council, my Department intends to proceed with a planning application for the school on the existing site in my Department's ownership. This will require a further pre-planning meeting with the local authority and arrangements will shortly be put in place to convene that meeting.
My Department will continue to provide suitable interim accommodation for the school until such time as the permanent accommodation can be delivered.
Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (267)
John Brady
Ceist:267. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education the status of the identification of a site to develop a permanent school for a school (details supplied); the process to determine if a site is suitable; if all stakeholders have been engaged with in relation to any sites that have been identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21834/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In respect of a solution for the permanent school to which the Deputy refers, the Department is examining all options. In order to better inform these deliberations the Department has undertaken a site identification process in the greater Bray area. The site identification process has identified one site with some potential. However to advance to negotiations the Department is currently seeking clarification on a number of issues which would impact on the deliverability of this site in a timely manner.
A second site option has been brought to the attention of the Department which may be suitable as a permanent location for the school. A technical assessment is currently being carried out on this potential site option.
A solution for the school remains a priority for my Department. The school patron will be kept informed of any key developments.
Due to commercial sensitivities the Department cannot provide any further information at this time.
School Accommodation
Ceisteanna (268)
John Brady
Ceist:268. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education the duration that remains on the lease for the temporary school accommodation for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [21835/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that a lease on the property in question commenced in 2020 for a period of seven years with the option to extend by a further three years.