Written Answers Nos. 954-972
954. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education her views on the current opt-out choice for parents in relation to relationship sexuality education and social, personal and health education curricula in schools; her views that this is a viable option given that the Department is moving to update the curricula; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29193/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAccess to Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) is an important right for students. This is reflected in the Programme for Government which states that this Government will develop inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) across primary and post-primary schools. My Department continues to advance work in this regard.
SPHE is a mandatory curriculum subject in all primary schools and in post-primary Junior Cycle. RSE is required at all levels in schools, from primary through to Senior Cycle. All recognised schools are required to offer the curriculum.
All schools are also required to have an RSE policy that is developed in consultation with the school community, including school management, parents, teachers and students as appropriate. The school’s programme for Relationship and Sexuality Education is developed and taught in the context of the school’s RSE policy. In addition, schools are required to teach all aspects of the RSE programme, including family planning, sexually transmitted infections and sexual orientation. It is important to note that the ethos of the school should never preclude learners from acquiring the knowledge about the issues.
As the Deputy has stated, under the Constitution parents are recognised as the primary educators of their child and are entitled to withdraw their child from education or specific subject instruction. To date, the focus has been on the redevelopment of the RSE curriculum, but as this process continues there will be further consultation and engagement regarding all elements.
955. Deputy Jennifer Carroll MacNeill asked the Minister for Education her Department’s input and engagement with the Department of Justice and their work on the third national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29194/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere has been considerable engagement between my Department and the Department of Justice in respect of the Third National Strategy for Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (DSGBV).
My Department continues to work with the Department of Justice in formulating and implementing the Third National Strategy for Domestic, Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. Proposed actions for my Department include enhancing understanding of relationships and sexuality, and enabling frontline professionals and support staff, with the assistance of the support services for teachers, to have the necessary analysis, skills, and expertise to identify potential DSGBV dangers and make appropriate preventative interventions. As well as being done through developing and implementing updated SPHE and RSE curricula, it will also be achieved by building on continuing professional development (CPD) and anti-bullying procedures.
The proposed actions are intended to reflect the ambition of my Department to play its part in realising the aim of eradicating domestic, sexual and gender-based violence from society and I look forward to continuing to work with the Department of Justice in furtherance of this.
956. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education the amount of interest that her Department has been charged by financial institutions since negative interest rates were introduced by year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29198/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra957. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education the State agencies, organisations or boards under the responsibility of her Department or that receive funding from her Department that have been charged negative interest by financial institutions since negative interest rates were introduced; the amount of interest that has been charged to each State agency, organisation or board in 2021 in each of the preceding years in which such charges were applied; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29217/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 956 and 957 together.
The total cost to my Department of negative interest rates in outlined in the table below.
Negative interest charges were introduced on all commercial bank accounts from March 2017. Commercial bank accounts operated by my Department are funded on a just-in-time basis and every effort is made by my Department to keep the balance of monies at a minimum in those accounts so as to minimize the exposure to negative interest charges which may be applied to these accounts.
|
Negative Interest |
|
|
2014 |
- |
|
2015 |
- |
|
2016 |
- |
|
2017 |
47,523 |
|
2018 |
60,154 |
|
2019 |
49,096 |
|
2020 |
37,096 |
|
2021* |
51,181 |
|
2022** |
26,512 |
*Please note that the 2021 figures are currently being audited by the C&AG as part of the Appropriation Accounts 2021
**YTD un-audited figures
The information in respect of state bodies, within the scope of the Deputy’s question, is not held by my Department. The contact details for Department's state agencies are set out in the attached document should the Deputy wish to contact them directly with this query.
Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Education as at 29 th March 2022
|
Name of Body |
Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas |
Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta |
oireachtas@cogg.ie |
jacquelinenifhearghusa@cogg.ie |
|
Educational Research Centre |
oireachtas.queries@erc.ie |
aidan.clerkin@erc.ie |
|
National Centre for Guidance in Education |
oireachtas@ncge.ie |
Jennifer.mckenzie@ncge.ie |
|
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment Note 1 |
oireactasqueries@ncca.ie |
Aine.ArmstrongFarrell@ncca.ie |
|
State Examinations Commission |
Oireachtas@examinations.ie |
Paddy.Quinn@examinations.ie |
|
The Teaching Council |
pqrep@teachingcouncil.ie |
pfox@teachingcouncil.ie |
|
National Council for Special Education |
oireachtasqueries@ncse.ie |
patrick.martin@ncse.ie and cindyjane.oconnell@ncse.ie |
|
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund – Caranua |
Michael.Fitzpatrick@caranua.ie |
Michael.Fitzpatrick@caranua.ie |
958. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education if he will review the school transport case of a student (details supplied). [29250/22]
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 €289m 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.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education and Skills on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
I am pleased to advise that this pupil has been deemed eligible to the school they are attending and a request has been sent to Bus Eireann to provide a report on this matter. Once details have been received, Bus Éireann and School Transport Section of my Department will liaise with the family directly.
959. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education if any former Secretary Generals are seconded from her Department; the locations of same; the purpose of the secondment; the remuneration they are in receipt of from her Department or additional allocation to the agency or institution to which they are seconded arising from the secondment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29260/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is one former Secretary General of my Department on secondment to Maynooth University. This secondment follows two Government decisions in 2011 and 2021 which dealt with this matter. It is also in line with the Top Level Appointments Committee review of special retirement severance terms for Secretaries General.
The role involves work within the university in the area of enhancing public policy and undertaking work and projects in the wider public sector consistent with the national public service reform agenda. The secondee is on the payroll of Maynooth University and specific funding will be provided by the Exchequer, through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, for this purpose.
960. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education the history of her Department’s involvement and policy role in the provision of early-intervention education; the responsibilities of her Department and others in relation to early-intervention education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29323/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can inform the Deputy of the following in relation to the provision of early-intervention education by the State.
The State supports early intervention for children with special educational needs through providing funding to a number of crèche/early years settings including:
- Early Intervention classes in mainstream and special schools
- Early Intervention settings in HSE funded service providers
- Early years settings supported by the Early Childhood Care & Education Scheme (ECCE) and the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM)
- Early years settings supported by HSE grant aid or HSE funded Pre-School Assistant.
- Home Tuition Grant Scheme for children aged between 3 and 4 years of age with a diagnosis of autism where a placement in an Early Intervention setting is not available
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) programme provides up to two years of pre-school within the eligible age range, without charge. The Access and Inclusion Model (AIM), introduced in 2016, enables the full inclusion and meaningful participation of children with disabilities/additional needs in the ECCE Programme.
The goal of AIM is to create a more inclusive environment in pre-schools, so all children, regardless of ability, can benefit from quality early learning and care.
AIM is based on the needs of the child in the context of the pre-school setting. It does not require any diagnosis, recognising that many children do not have a diagnosis of a disability/additional need when starting pre-school.
The Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Programme is under the remit of the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth providing universal pre-school of up to two years for all children.
AIM involves 7 levels of progressive support, moving from the universal to the targeted, based on the needs of the child and the pre-school setting. Universal supports are designed to create a more inclusive culture in early learning and care settings, through training courses and qualifications for staff. Where universal supports are not enough to meet the needs of an individual child, targeted supports are available to ensure the child can meaningfully participate in pre-school.
More than 4,000 children with disabilities/additional needs receive targeted AIM supports every year to enable them to participate in mainstream pre-school, and many other children are benefitting from universal AIM supports.
AIM has been recognised internationally and has won awards for both excellence in practice, and inclusive policy.
Early Intervention Classes are available for children aged 3-5 with autism spectrum disorder. A small number of early intervention classes are available for children who are Deaf/Hard of Hearing and children with physical disabilities.
Early intervention classes follow the Junior/Senior Infant Day i.e. 4 hours 40 minutes each day.
Schools, in consultation with parents, may reduce the length of the school day for 3 year olds who are unable to manage a full day in the early intervention setting.
Early intervention classes are intended to provide early support for children with ASD before they start school. Following early intervention children will attend a mainstream class unless there is professional guidance that they require a special class.
Please note: A child’s attendance in an early intervention class is not, and should not be taken as, an indication that the child will require access to a special class when he/she enrols in primary school.
In the case of an early intervention class for ASD, the professional report must state that the child has been diagnosed with ASD – the requirement for the report to state that the child has complex or severe learning needs requiring the support of a special class setting, is not necessary in this case.
In certain circumstances attendance in an early intervention setting (excluding Early Intervention classes in mainstream and special schools) may be supplemented by the Home Tuition grant, where a placement is not available in an Early Intervention Class. Parents/legal guardians are requested to declare if their child is availing of any of the schemes listed above.
If the child avails of one of the schemes, after the application for the Home Tuition grant has been approved, parents/legal guardians must notify this Department immediately.
Please note that the maximum number of combined hours which can be availed of under the above schemes is 10 hours per week for children between 2½ and 3 years of age and 20 hours per week for children over 3 years of age.
Early Intervention
A diagnosis of autism (or other disabilities/additional needs) is not required to access AIM supports. However, pre-school children with a diagnosis are generally supported in mainstream pre-schools with additional supports provided through AIM where required.
961. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education the financial support or grants that are available for a rural school to build a small all-weather sports facility on its grounds for the use of its students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29343/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm to the Deputy that the majority of schools have a general purpose room / Physical Education hall and practically all schools have outdoor play areas. In addition, many schools, use adjacent local facilities, including community halls, public parks, playing fields and swimming pools.
Investment and expenditure on sports facilities is an element of the overall expenditure and investment in the School Building Programme. The provision of outdoor play areas form part of the accommodation brief for all new school buildings or where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school. In addition, my Department provides funding toward the provision of furniture and equipment including PE equipment in both primary and post-primary schools. In relation to post-primary schools, where my Department provides a sports hall as part of a building project, the equipment provided forms part of the overall furniture and equipment grant to that school.
In addition, my Department’s Design Guidelines for all new schools provides for outdoor multi use games areas (hard play areas) and the level of play space provided varies with the size of school. For example, a new 24 classroom primary school with Special Education Needs classes is provided with 3 ball courts (1,755m² in total), 2 junior play areas (600m² in total), as well as Secure hard and soft play area (300m²) and a 100m² Sensory Garden. In respect of new post-primary schools, a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school will be provided with 6 ball courts (3,060m² in total) and a 200m² secure hard and soft special education play area. The Design Guidelines do not, however, include all-weather sports pitches.
The main focus of resources over the last decade and for the coming period is on provision of additional capacity to cater for increasing demographics particularly at post-primary level and for special education needs provision. The Deputy will appreciate that the immediate priority of my Department is providing new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place.
However, the latter stages of the National Development Plan period will see an increasing focus on the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing school stock. While being mindful of the future demographic needs in respect of essential mainstream and special education provision particularly on restricted school sites, this will include a modernisation programme to ensure that students in all post-primary schools have access to appropriate facilities to support PE provision. The ancillary accommodation needs of primary schools, such as General Purpose rooms will also be considered.
Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my Department's website at, www.gov.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.
962. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on a DEIS appeal (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29345/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI announced on the 9th March 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.
Schools who were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data 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 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 and all appeals which were submitted to my Department are currently being processed.
An appeal has been received for the school in question under Circular 0019/2022 – DEIS Identification 2022: Appeals process for schools.
When all appeals have been processed, schools will be informed in writing of the outcome of the appeal. It is my Department’s intention that schools will be provided with the outcome shortly to allow schools time to plan for the 2022/23 school year.
963. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education to review correspondence (details supplied); the status of this appeal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29347/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI announced on the 9th March 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.
Schools who were not satisfied with the outcome following the application of the DEIS identification model to their school enrolment data 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 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 and all appeals which were submitted to my Department are currently being processed.
An appeal has been received for the school in question under Circular 0019/2022 – DEIS Identification 2022: Appeals process for schools.
When all appeals have been processed, schools will be informed in writing of the outcome of the appeal. It is my Department’s intention that schools will be provided with the outcome shortly to allow schools time to plan for the 2022/23 school year.
964. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education the plans that are in place to mainstream and or implement the content language integrated learning pilot on a national basis and, in particular, for secondary schools that are already providing Irish medium education outside Gaeltacht areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29353/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs set out in the 20-Year Strategy for Irish and the associated Action Plan 2018-2022, the Department of Education is currently piloting a Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL) approach as a means of extending opportunities for children in English-medium Early Learning and Care settings, primary and post-primary schools to experience partial-immersion in Irish.
As the Deputy is aware, the CLIL Irish project was announced in April 2019 as a three year project commencing in the 2019/20 school year. The first year of the project was designed as a developmental year during which CPD and resources were designed and developed to support participating educators and teachers. This first year also included the first in-setting and in-school phase during which a CLIL approach would be implemented.
Due to COVID-19 and the health advice current at the time it was necessary to postpone the in-setting and in-school phase of the project in 2019/20 and again in 2020/21. In light of this, the CLIL Steering Committee agreed to extend the project to 2024. My Department’s CLIL team, which includes experts from third level institutions and teacher education support services, continued to liaise with schools and settings throughout this period, and developed CLIL based resources in a number of subject areas, such as PE for primary schools, and a dedicated CLIL website www.jct.ie/content_and_language_integrated_learning_(CLIL)/home.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that seven Early Learning and Care settings, six primary schools and two post-primary schools are now approaching the end of the first phase of implementation of a CLIL approach to learning Irish and learning other aspects of the curriculum through Irish. The Early Learning and Care Settings focused on organising ‘Am Lóin’ activities through Irish. The Orienteering strand of the PE curriculum formed the focus at primary and subjects at post-primary school included Civic Social and Political Education, Social Personal and Health Education and PE. The experience of these settings and schools will be of great value in informing the next phase of the project.
The Department is committed to extending opportunities to other English-medium schools and settings to participate in this project. The Department is currently reaching out to schools and settings with a view to increasing participation next year.
The Deputy will appreciate that this project which is targeted, in line with the 20-Year Strategy for Irish, at English-medium schools and settings, is at too early a stage to allow any generalisation of findings. In due course, feedback gathered during the course of the project will inform decision making on CLIL as an approach to expanding children’s and young people’s engagement in learning through Irish. Feedback from the project could also prove useful in informing practice in Irish-medium settings.
The Department is also running a parallel CLIL project under Languages Connect, Ireland’s Strategy for Foreign Languages in Education which is being managed by Post Primary Languages Ireland in collaboration with Maynooth University: ppli.ie/teaching-and-learning/clil/
965. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education if she will confirm that she no longer intends to establish special education centres for children with autism and other disabilities. [29354/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpecial Education has been prioritised by Government in recent years.
This year, the Department of Education 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.
This represents an increase of over 60% in total expenditure, since 2011.
This will bring the total number of Special Education Teachers in the mainstream school system to 14,385 in 2022, an increase of 48% since 2011 when 10,575 were funded.
An additional 380 teachers are also being provided to support students to be enrolled in new special classes and new special schools for the 2022/2023 school year.
Over 1,700 additional places in 287 new special classes will become available in 2022. Since 2011, the number of special classes has increased by 386%. Since 2011, the number of special classes in mainstream schools has increased from 548 to 2,148 for the 2021/2022 school year.
Provision has been made for 19,169 SNAs by the end of 2022, which will represent an increase of 81% since 2011.
The Department of Education and the NCSE are working closely to maximise the number of new special classes that can be established in Dublin for the start of 2022/23 school year. A number of new special classes have been provided in recent weeks and intense efforts to provide additional classes will continue.
I have also recently announced the commencement of a new Section 37A process in Dublin in an effort to provide even more special class and special school places.
966. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education the efforts that are being made to address the issue of teacher supply for Irish-medium secondary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29355/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Policy on Gaeltacht Education 2017-2022, a number of teacher education initiatives have been implemented to support the delivery of Irish-medium education in schools. Since 2017, additional funding has been made available for two seconded teachers and bursaries, awarded through An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG), to support the Máistir Gairmiúil san Oideachas in NUI, Galway. The objective of this support is to work towards increasing the number of post-primary teachers who can deliver high quality Irish medium education across a range of subjects in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht schools. Also under the Policy on Gaeltacht Education a new blended-learning M.Ed. on Irish-medium and Gaeltacht Education commenced in Mary Immaculate College in 2018.
A new policy for Irish-medium education outside of Gaeltacht areas is being developed by my Department. The aim of this policy will be to provide a framework for the provision of high quality Irish-medium education outside of Gaeltacht areas. The new policy will build on the progress which has been made in the development of the Irish-medium education sector as a result of the implementation of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education. A steering group, comprised of relevant stakeholders, has been established to oversee the development of the new policy and to facilitate key stakeholder involvement in its development. A wide range of aspects relating to the delivery of Irish-medium education, including teacher education and teacher supply issues, will be considered as part of the development of the new policy. Research work on the policy is due to commence shortly, while a public consultation process will take place in late 2022.
In addition to the above, An Teastas Iarchéime I DteagascÁbharbhunaithe (TTA) SanIarbhunscolaíocht Lán-GhaeilgeAgus Ghaeltachta, a postgraduate programme which attends to the specific professional development requirements as well as the mandatory language proficiency required to teach content through Irish in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht post-primary schools, is being offered by Mary Immaculate College in conjunction with Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) and COGG.
967. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education if any energy retrofit and renewable energy works have been funded under the minor works scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29374/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy 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.
The Minor Works Grant (MWG) is capital funding which provides good flexibility to address issues at local school level. 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.
The works that can be undertaken under minor works scheme include maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds, improvement or replacement of mechanical and electrical services, the purchase of standard furniture and physical education equipment, the purchase of floor coverings and window blinds, the purchase of IT related equipment, ventilation improvements, and enhancements to outdoor learning environments.
The MWG is paid to eligible schools in the free scheme who need not apply to the Department for approval to carry out works or to purchase items covered by the scheme, as a result my Department does not hold records on its utilisation.
968. Deputy Claire Kerrane asked the Minister for Education if she will advise the processes that are in place where there is not a place in the local Gaelscoil; the way that children are ensured a place in a Gaelscoil in their area if they cannot secure one in their school of choice; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29379/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn relation to school admissions, it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in that area.
Under the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools have admission policies, which are published on the schools website. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process will be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Nonetheless, where a school is oversubscribed some pupils may not obtain a place in the school.
The act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria in their admission policies. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves.
There is an additional provision in the act that allows Irish medium schools, where it is their policy to do so, to include in their admission policy a priority for the admission of a student who has attained a reasonable age appropriate level of oral fluency in the Irish language and where that student’s fluency would be at risk of regressing if the student was not admitted to an Irish medium school. This provision recognises the difficulties that applicants may experience in accessing schools that provide an education though the medium of Irish.
969. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if he will outline the way principals and boards of management of schools can avail of mediation support where there are issues relating to the build of an extension on school grounds; the issues that lie between the consultant and the builder where it appears the relationship has almost completely broken down; if her Department provides mediation services to look to ensure projects are completed on budget within reason and on time; and if he will outline all other supports available to principals and boards of management of schools who might find themselves in such a situation and the way they can access such supports? [29385/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department does not provide mediation services for School Authorities. However, there are dispute resolution measures within the Public Works Contracts for dealing with Contractors. In many cases, the schools Insurance Policy can provide assistance and advice for the school in dealing with disputes. Schools rely on the professionalism of their appointed design team consultants to also assist.
Every school with a school building project has a contact name and number of an official in my Department dealing with that project. It is open to the School Authority to contact this official directly for further advise on their individual project.
970. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the number of projects for school extensions which will be used to accommodate ASD special classes that are ongoing; the number that are due to be completed and opened by August and September 2022; the number of these projects that are facing difficulties in relation to budget concerns, contractors, the sourcing of building supplies and planning concerns; and the number that face risks to the projected timelines of these projects. [29386/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe delivery of Special Education Needs (SEN) provision is a key priority under the NDP. My Department has delivered permanent accommodation for 292 special classes and additional capacity for 122 classrooms in 22 special schools during NDP period 2018 to 2021. A further 700 school building projects currently progressing under the NDP which will deliver over 1,300 new SEN classrooms and 200 replacement SEN classrooms catering for approximately 7,800 SEN pupils across primary and post primary; almost 100 of these projects are currently on site which will ultimately deliver classroom spaces for almost 1,000 additional SEN pupils. Taken together, this will enable new additional or modernised accommodation at over 50% of our special schools; and 60% of our post-primary schools either have an existing special class or have a project on the School Building Programme which will provide SEN accommodation;
The NCSE is projecting circa 300 extra classes needed for the 2022/2023 school year and my Department facilitates accommodation solutions where necessary to support the provision of these extra classes. There are Strategic initiatives in place which support capacity building for SEN provision including the use of a Modular Accommodation Framework and also the expansion of existing planning exemptions for provision of additional accommodation at existing school sites.
My Department is aware of the challenges presented by Covid-19, the humanitarian crisis and the challenging market conditions currently underway, and is working proactively to ensure that all school building contracts are delivered as expeditiously as possible, while working within the parameters set by the Office of Government Procurement and principles of public procurement set out at both national and EU level.
With regard to inflation, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform recently (22nd May 2022) published further measures to address the impact that exceptional inflation in construction materials and energy is having on public works contracts. It is likely that following consideration of this guidance, claims for ex-gratia payments will be made by Contractors in line with the published guidance.
971. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education her views on whether the workload is too onerous on principals and boards of management in relation to the building of school extensions, whether for ASD special classes or to remove need for temporary accommodation; and the steps that her Department is taking to ensure that the workload is limited, streamlined, and consolidated wherever possible. [29387/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra972. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if she plans to consider a more streamlined system for schools to apply for funding more easily for ASD special class extensions to school buildings; if an economy of scale has been considered for school extensions, that is that her Department would be able to consolidate projects across the country and order in bulk to achieve economy of scale; and if analysis has been carried out to consider the benefits and disadvantages to such an arrangement especially pertinent given the significant lack of special class places that still remains across the country. [29388/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 971 and 972 together.
I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of appropriate accommodation for pupils with special education needs is an absolute priority. I wish to acknowledge the valuable work being done by school principals and wider school authorities in expanding the educational provision for pupils with special educational needs including the required physical infrastructure. I would like to assure the Deputy that the supports for school principals and communities who are supporting children with special education needs is kept under constant review.
The Department is working actively with the NCSE and other key stakeholders including School Patrons and Management Bodies to provide additional special classes and special school places for the 2022/23 school year so that the remaining gaps in provision from the current provision of circa. 99% to the full 100% is achieved as quickly as possible.
My Department has close engagement with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) which has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. When the NCSE sanction a special class in a school, the school can apply to my Department for capital funding to re-configure existing spaces within the school building to accommodate the class or to construct additional accommodation. The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation. While it is open to the school authority to make an application for additional accommodation through the ASA scheme, my Department works closely with schools in order to minimise the amount of information required and to fast-track to the maximum extent possible the application for funding for reconfiguration of existing capacity for special classes in particular.
The NCSE has additionally provided my Department with projections of future requirements for classes for students with special education requirements. These are informing my Department's advance planning for special class accommodation which will enhance the opportunities for synergy and minimising the number of projects managed at school level. This advance planning is building on the significant work to date in delivering additional classrooms for students with special education needs. Such classrooms for pupils with special education needs are included as standard in the accommodation brief for new school buildings and major extension projects, unless local circumstances indicate that they will not be required.
In terms of the delivery of building projects, my Department has a number of delivery programmes utilising various procurement methods including individual open market tendering, restricted two stage tendering, design and build and procurement framework arrangements. These methods of construction procurement are selected to suit the various types of school infrastructure requirements based on scope, complexity, programme, location and value for money. My Department’s construction procurement methods are continually reviewed in light of these constraints. “Bulk ordering” of construction infrastructure is problematic due to the bespoke nature of individual school sites and the specific educational requirements of various schools. Furthermore, this method of procurement can lead to calls of restrictive tendering practices which is against EU and national procurement rules.
In order to assist school authorities and principals with the undoubted workload associated with capital projects, my Department funds external stakeholders engaged in the devolved delivery of building projects for individual schools. These stakeholders such as Patron and managerial bodies, Educational Training Boards and local authorities are funded to procure project managers and services in order to enhance their other support functions to schools on whose behalf they can either deliver projects directly or assist schools in delivering projects. Many school patrons are also funded to employ building officers who advise and support schools regarding how best to manage and address their accommodation requirements.
Since 2020, each primary school with a teaching principal has been provided with a minimum of one release day per week, with four additional release days allocated to schools with a special class. Measures announced in Budget 2022 will see administrative principals in primary schools that have two or more special classes from September, regardless of the school’s enrolment. Since the lifting of the moratorium on posts of responsibility in 2017, 1700 additional leadership posts have been invested in our primary schools, which has led to 1 in 3 teachers now holding promoted positions. The Department has committed to annually revising the allocation of Posts of Responsibility to take into account retirements during the school year which ensures that the current level of Posts of Responsibility are maintained in the school system. Measures to assist school leadership at post primary include additional posts of responsibility to enable Deputy Principals to be more fully available to assist the school principal with the leadership of the school and the appointment of an additional Deputy Principal in schools with pupil enrolment in excess of 700 pupils or 600 for DEIS 1 post primary schools.
