Written Answers Nos. 373-392
377. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education the reason that prior teaching service by a teacher, which has not been reckoned for an incremental credit as teaching, cannot be reckoned as a credit for non-teaching experience (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48099/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe criteria for the award of Incremental Credit is outlined in Circular 10/2001 for primary teachers and Circulars 29/2007 and 29/2010 for post primary teachers as agreed in the first instance, by the Teacher Conciliation Council (TCC). This Council is comprised of representatives of the teacher unions, school management bodies, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the Department of Education chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.
These circulars provide for the recognition of both prior teaching service and prior relevant non-teaching service for incremental credit purposes. In the context of these circulars teaching service is service given in a recognised school by a qualified primary teacher or a qualified post-primary teacher. Also in the context of these circulars relevant non-teaching service is service except for teaching service.
If a teacher has been teaching in an international setting prior to qualifying as a teacher and is seeking recognition of that international service, they must comply with the terms of the relevant incremental credit circular relating to either primary or post-primary teachers. Teaching service can only be reckoned when the teacher is a recognised qualified teacher here in Ireland and has worked in a recognised school setting.
Similarly, relevant non-teaching service is defined as service other than teaching service. When a teacher is refused incremental credit because they were not a qualified teacher, it does not automatically mean that they can have that service reckoned under the relevant non-teaching category.
378. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education the status of the new permanent building for a school (details supplied). [48111/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe permanent building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.
The Grant of Planning decision was received from An Bord Pleanála in February 2021.
My Department’s Project Manager together with their Design Team are engaged in the preparation of tender documentation for the project. Once this stage is complete, the project will then proceed to tender stage. It is intended that the project will be included in the next bundle of projects to proceed to tender later this year.
379. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Education the status of the new permanent building for a school (details supplied). [48112/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe permanent building project for the post-primary school referred to by the Deputy is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme. This delivery programme uses a professional external Project Manager to progress the project through the relevant stages of architectural planning, tender and construction.
The Grant of Planning decision was received from An Bord Pleanála in February 2021.
My Department’s Project Manager together with their Design Team are engaged in the preparation of tender documentation for the project. Once this stage is complete, the project will then proceed to tender stage. It is intended that the project will be included in the next bundle of projects to proceed to tender later this year.
380. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the status of all appeals that have been received for school transport; and the number of appeals that have been upheld to date. [48128/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Department of Education regarding the provision of school transport services and/or grant-aid under the terms of the School Transport Schemes may be appealed to the School Transport Appeals Board.
In 2022 a total of 1,644 appeals have been submitted for consideration by the School Transport Appeals Board. Of the total appeals heard by the Board in 2022, to date 225 were upheld by the Board and 88 were allowed or resolved.
382. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education the status of an application for transport either concessionary or remote area grant for a child (details supplied). [48149/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
The purpose of the school Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability. The scheme provides free school transport to children with diagnosed disabilities who meet the criteria.
The Department is very conscious of the specialised nature of transport provision for children with special educational needs and this is reflected in the approach that is taken in the provision of transport services. Children are eligible for transport where they have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability in accordance with Department criteria and are attending the nearest recognised mainstream school, special class or special 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 Education Needs Organisers.
The pupil referred to by the Deputy in this case submitted an application for Special Educational needs on 20.9.2022 and has been deemed eligible. The Parent of the pupil has been contacted by School Transport Section and are awaiting a response from the Parent in order to progress the application.
383. Deputy Réada Cronin asked the Minister for Education if the case of students (details supplied) will be examined; if further information will be provided in relation to same [48159/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last 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.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Bus Éireann are processing applications and issuing tickets as soon as extra buses and drivers are sourced and become available to provide transport for the higher numbers qualifying for the service.
The normal eligibility criteria of the scheme still apply and tickets continue to be allocated in line with this criteria. Pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school. At post primary level, students who live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre are deemed eligible.
Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.
In line with normal practice, all eligible children who completed the application and ticket registration process on time for the 2022/2023 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
In addition, pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the School Transport Scheme, Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level will be continued for the 2022/2023 school year. Under these measures, which were initially introduced in 2019, transport will provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied by the 29th April and registered for a ticket by the 29th July.
Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Following discussions with Minister McGrath and officials in DPER as part of the budgetary process some additional funding has been approved for the scheme which will allow officials in consultation with Bus Éireann to consider and evaluate where temporary additional capacity may be available.
The initial focus will be where families applied on time and who previously held concessionary tickets, to alleviate the impact of the increased demands on the scheme for those families. However, it is important to stress that this is subject to capacity considerations. Constraints in sourcing vehicles and drivers in certain areas of the country may also mean that it may take a number of weeks to explore solutions for additional capacity.
384. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education to provide a breakdown of the way in which the €100 million allocated in budget 2023 will be distributed between primary and secondary schools to mitigate against rising energy costs and the cost of school transport providers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48168/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have secured once-off funding of €100 million for 2022 for schools and school transport providers as part of the cost of living package that was announced on Budget Day.
Schools will be provided with an additional €90 million in departmental funding to meet the increased running costs for primary and post-primary schools in light of rising costs. This will be paid at an additional rate of approximately 40 per cent of their standard and enhanced rates of capitation funding. Of the €90 million funding, primary schools will receive around €48 million and post-primary schools will receive around €42 million.
School transport providers will receive the remaining additional €10 million to address ongoing increased fuel costs.
385. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education if assistance will be provided to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48176/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Special Education teaching allocation for each school was reviewed for the 2022/23 school year and all existing SET clusters ceased at the end of the 2021/22 school year. Schools had an opportunity to recluster their SET hours into new clusters.
The school referred to by the Deputy chose not to continue as the base school for a SET cluster post which resulted in the teacher concerned being redeployed through the Main Redeployment Panel as per the guidelines outlined in the Teacher Allocation and Redeployment circulars available on my Department's website.
386. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the large number of pupils from Castleconnell, County Limerick who are attending a school (details supplied), but are unable to avail of the free school transport which they have applied for; if she will sanction extra resources to deal with their case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48181/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who completed the application process on time, will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
In line with normal practice, all eligible children who completed the application and ticket registration process on time for the 2022/2023 school year will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Temporary Alleviation Measures was initially introduced at post-primary level in 2019 pending completion of the review of the School Transport Scheme, and will be continued for the 2022/2023 school year. Under these measures, transport will provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied by the 29th April and registered for a ticket by the 29th July.
Bus Éireann advised that a number of new applications have been received since 26th August 2022 for the 2022/23 school year.
It is very important for families to note that the application deadline for 2022/23 was 29 April 2022, and that the deadline to confirm registration for tickets was 29 July 2022. Any application completed after this date is a ‘late application’ and therefore, many school transport services are already operating at full capacity. Late applications will only be assessed after all “on time” applications have been processed and there can be no guarantee of places for late applicants.
Bus Éireann has advised existing services in the area referred to by the Deputy are operating to capacity for the 2022/23 school year.
Following discussions with Minister McGrath and officials in the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform as part of the budgetary process some additional funding has been approved for the scheme which will allow officials in consultation with Bus Éireann to consider and evaluate where temporary additional capacity may be available.
The initial focus will be where families applied on time and who previously held concessionary tickets, to alleviate the impact of the increased demands on the scheme for those families. However, it is important to stress that this is subject to capacity considerations. Constraints in sourcing vehicles and drivers in certain areas of the country may also mean that it may take a number of weeks to explore solutions for additional capacity.
387. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the progress that has been made in the past two weeks in respect of a school (details supplied) and providing for the school's current and future accommodation requirements; when it is expected that the result of consideration of the options study by her Department will be known; if delivery timeframes have now been confirmed; if a better interim solution has been found given the health and safety concerns that have been raised by the school authorities and parents; if every effort can be made to move this project forward in early date given that the school is currently operating between two premises; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48187/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, my Department is committed to providing permanent accommodation for the school in question. In this regard, my Department is currently engaging with the school patron regarding the options study and the next step includes working through the detail of developing an accommodation brief for the proposed permanent accommodation project. My Department will continue to liaise with the patron during this process.
In the meantime, my Department approved a grant in 2021 to facilitate refurbishment works in the former post-primary school building to provide additional specialist rooms including a science lab, woodwork and home-economics for the school. The project was devolved to the patron for delivery and my Department understands that the project has now been completed and the accommodation is available to the school.
388. Deputy Gino Kenny asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on a school (details supplied) in relation to a new building for a school; and if she will fast-track these build plans urgently. [48200/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is part of a joint project with the Senior National School at the same site.
Due to a request for additional accommodation to be provided, a significant change in the Brief was agreed with the Board of Management of both schools.
This led to the original design team for the project being terminated and the major building project being included on an alternative building programme.
This major building project will be delivered under my Department's ADAPT Programme.
The ADAPT Programme uses a professional external Project Manager to co-ordinate and drive the Design Team to achieve the best possible timeframe for the project through the stages of Architectural Planning to Tender and Construction.
The tender process to appoint a Project Manager has been completed. The Project Manager is currently arranging site visits and the procurement of site surveys for all projects on this ADAPT Programme including for this site in Dublin.
The process to appoint a Design Team will shortly be put in train by the Project Manager.
389. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to issues raised by management in a school (details supplied) in relation to the need to urgently install temporary accommodation to match the significant increase in pupil-intake in recent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48218/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers has been approved under the Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme for the provision of 1x General classroom, 1x Music room, 1x Textiles room, 1x Art room, 1x Graphics room, 1x Multimedia room, 1x Science lab, 1x Science Prep area, 2x Technology and shared Prep area, and a 3 Classroom SEN base. A Form of Acceptance in respect of this project has been received and a Design Team have been appointed. The project has been devolved for delivery to Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB) who will be engaging directly with the school authority to give a clear indication of progress through the various stages of construction.
The school have also been approved rental of accommodation in the interim.
390. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the number of SNAs that were recruited from September 2021; and the net increase in SNAs over that period. [48221/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI would like to thank the Deputy for the questions raised and would advise the following:
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and reviews. The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations.
When a school has been allocated an SNA, the Board of Management, as the employer, is responsible for filling the vacancy and the decision on whether to employ a full time SNA to fill a full time post or to employ an equivalent number of part time SNAs rests with the employer. The NCSE have confirmed that since September 2021, there has been a net increase of 910.54 SNA posts.
The NCSE publish statistics on SNA allocations to primary, post primary and special schools in tabular form, by county, for each school year, this information is available on their website: www.ncse.ie
My Department acts as paymaster to over 3,700 schools whose Boards of Management are the direct employers of the SNAs in those schools. SNAs in the Education and Training Board sector are employed and paid by the ETBs.
The information requested in relation to recruitment at school level is not available as the filling of vacancies is a matter for the employer.
391. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the bilateral meetings she has had with her EU counterpart to date in 2022. [48241/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe informal meeting of the EYCS (Education and Youth) Council was held in physical format in Strasbourg on the 27th January 2022. This would normally provide a good opportunity to meet my EU Ministerial colleagues in person. However, I along with a number of my EU counterparts was unable to travel at that time due to the Covid-19 crisis.
The April Education Council meeting was focused on higher education matters and was attended by Minister Harris.
I have had a number of engagements with EU colleagues in respect of education including Commissioner Mariya Gabriel and OECD officials.
392. Deputy Alan Dillon asked the Minister for Education the level of budgetary funding provided by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to support the 6,000 concessionary ticket holders in 2022 still without a ticket on the school transport scheme the immediate actions that will be taken to address this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48270/22]
Amharc ar fhreagra396. Deputy Colm Burke asked the Minister for Education the details of the way that additional funding for school transport that was announced in Budget 2023 will be spent; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48391/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 392 and 396 together.
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were 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.
As you are aware, in July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
School Transport ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
There has been an increase in tickets allocated across all counties, with an increase of 18% in the number of tickets issued to eligible pupils compared to start of the 2021/2022 school year and an increase of 27% in the number of tickets issued to concessionary pupils compared to the start of the 2021/2022 school year.
The normal eligibility criteria of the scheme still apply.
Pupils at primary level are eligible where they live no less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest primary school.
At post-primary level students who live no less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary school/education centre are deemed eligible.
All children who are eligible and who completed the application and registration process on time will be accommodated in the 2022 school year. In addition, pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the School Transport Scheme, Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level be continued for the 2022/2023 school year. Under these measures, which were initially introduced in 2019, transport will provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied by the 29th April and registered for a ticket by the 29th July.
Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary, applicants and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat on when all eligible children have been catered for.
While numbers are still being finalised for the 2022/23 school year as Bus Éireann continue to process applications, a small number of on time applications are still in the process of being assessed.
Bus Éireann will continue to issue tickets as soon as extra buses and drivers are sourced and become available to provide transport for the higher numbers qualifying for the service. Regrettably, however, the unprecedented numbers of new applications and some constraints in supply of vehicles and drivers has led to some delays in issuing tickets.
As Bus Éireann process remaining applications and where additional services may need to be put in place for eligible children, any capacity on these services will be offered to concessionary applicants.
Following discussions with Minister McGrath and officials in DPER as part of the budgetary process some additional funding has been approved for the scheme which will allow officials in consultation with Bus Éireann to consider and evaluate where temporary additional capacity may be available.
The initial focus will be where families applied on time and who previously held concessionary tickets, to alleviate the impact of the increased demands on the scheme for those families. However, it is important to stress that this is subject to capacity considerations. Constraints in sourcing vehicles and drivers in certain areas of the country may also mean that it may take a number of weeks to explore solutions for additional capacity.
