Written Answers Nos. 168-176
168. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education if she will engage with the Minister for Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform regarding the urgent need for a pay review for school bus escorts (details supplied); if her Department will engage with bus escorts regarding this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14146/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 4,000 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
The Deputy may be aware that "Building Momentum – a new public service agreement, 2021-2022" was agreed between Government and Unions in 2021 and has recently been extended to the end of 2023. The agreement provides for pay increase to public servants covered by the Unions who have signed up to the agreement, subject to compliance with sectoral action plans and industrial peace provisions of the agreement. The increase does not apply beyond public servants and therefore grant funded school staff such as secretaries, caretakers, bus escorts and cleaner employed directly by schools are not comprehended by the agreement.
Bus Escorts do not fall under the recent pay deal mentioned above, however, the Department of Education will continue to keep the rates of pay of bus escorts under review.
169. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education if school transport tickets will be facilitated in the case of the two sons of a person (details supplied); if their case will be considered as a matter of urgency; if contact will be made with the family by Bus Éireann given they have been attempting to make contact to bring this matter to a resolution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14158/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 3,800 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
Bus Éireann has advised that the family referred to by the Deputy are not eligible for transport as they are attending their third nearest Post Primary Centre. These pupils were unsuccessful in obtaining concessionary seats for the 2022/23 school year on the route to the school mentioned by the Deputy as the route is currently operating to capacity and there are no seats available.
Bus Éireann has also advised that tickets have issued to the family for another route in the area to facilitate these pupils.
170. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will provide a schedule of the locations of the 58 school building projects that are on hold in her Department for proceeding to tender and construction due to capital funding pressures; and if she will provide a schedule, by location of other schools projects that are on hold and or that will be put on hold within the next six months due to funding pressures. [14166/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has a strong track record of delivery of school building projects and this was achieved again in 2022 notwithstanding the wider construction sector environment of high inflation, labour shortages and supply chain issues.
Under Project Ireland 2040, we are investing €4.4 billion over the period 2021 to 2025, to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day.
My Department is very appreciative of the strong support provided by Government for our education budget. As part of the supplementary budget, €300m additional capital funding was provided in 2022. This helped to alleviate capital funding pressures that arose in 2022 which was reflective of the strong delivery by my Department of school building projects – particularly to support mainstream provision and special education needs provision. My Department’s overall capital outturn for 2022 was €1.12 billion.
The strong level of delivery is a key driver of capital pressures in the Department. In addition to the normal pressures on the school building budget, there are also additional pressures in the context of requirement to accelerate delivery of accommodation for children with Special Education Needs and also in respect of capacity for continued inflow of Ukrainian and other IP students – particularly at post-primary level where accommodation pressures are more acute
My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for the remainder of 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €860 million. Over 70% of the NDP allocation for 2023 is needed to cover expenditure on contractual commitments on existing projects at construction carried forward from 2022. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for the remainder of 2023, my Department is at the advanced stages of engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023. I am conscious of the numerous pressures facing the Department and their need to manage these.
I think it is best for communications to be done at individual school level and that is the approach we have taken. The Department will be providing an update to individual schools when our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform concludes. In tandem with this, my Department’s Planning & Building Unit will also be updating Patron Bodies and School Management Bodies at that stage.
Key priorities for my Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023/24 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting special needs provision. The current status of all projects are listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie. and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
171. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she will ensure that the scoping inquiry into historical sex abuse in schools will not be restricted to Roman Catholic religious orders; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14180/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, on 7 March 2023 the Government approved the establishment of a scoping inquiry to inform the government response to revelations of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders.
The scoping inquiry was established in response to recent revelations of historical sexual abuse in a number of day and boarding schools run by religious orders. While these revelations initially focused on the Spiritan Order, revelations and allegations in respect of schools run by other religious orders have since come to light. Having regard to this and the importance of meeting the challenging timeframe which I have set the scoping inquiry, schools run by religious orders will be its priority focus.
It is not the role of the scoping inquiry to make findings of fact in respect of individual religious orders or schools or individual allegations of abuse. The Lead of the scoping inquiry will, having regard to the outcomes sought by survivors, make recommendations to the Minister on the scope and breath of the Government response to revelations of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders. The Deputy may wish to note in this regard that it is envisaged the recommended response could also form a template for Government responses in respect of other settings.
The Deputy may also wish to note that elements of the scoping inquiry will focus more broadly on the school sector as a whole, including an analysis of current child protection systems and frameworks within the primary and post-primary sector.
172. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education if she has plans to reinstate CSPE as a subject that could be taken as an exam subject for the junior cycle; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14184/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs laid out in Circular Letter 0055/2019, the Junior Certificate examination in Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE) is no longer available, 2019 being the final year in which students could sit the examination in the subject. Assessment in CSPE has been school-based from the 2019/20 school year. There are currently no plans to reintroduce CSPE as an examination subject.
This is in line with the 2015 Junior Cycle Framework, which incorporates a modernised curriculum and a balanced range of assessment modes, that more appropriately addresses the needs of students in the 21st century. It provides students with learning opportunities that strike a better balance between learning knowledge, and developing a wide range of skills and thinking abilities.
Wellbeing is one of the principles that underpins Junior Cycle education. It is also reflected in a number of the statements of learning that are central to planning for the student’s experience of and the evaluation of the school’s Junior Cycle programme. All students commencing Junior Cycle from September 2017 onwards undertake the area of learning called Wellbeing. Wellbeing crosses the three years of Junior Cycle and builds on substantial work already taking place in schools in support of students’ wellbeing.
The Junior Cycle Wellbeing programme began with a minimum of 300 hours of timetabled engagement in 2017 and progressed to a minimum of 400 hours for students entering first year in 2022.
CSPE along with Physical Education (PE), Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and guidance education form the main pillars of the Junior Cycle Wellbeing programme.
To facilitate the above developments, the Junior Certificate arrangements for SPHE, CSPE and PE were allowed to continue in their early stages of Junior Cycle implementation. Schools could choose to include the existing syllabuses for these areas in their Junior Cycle programme or alternatively, to offer the new 100 hour short courses in these areas that have been available since September 2014. From September 2022 onwards, the use of the 70 hour Junior Certificate syllabuses for SPHE and CSPE have been be discontinued for students entering first year.
Most of the assessment activities in the area of Wellbeing, including CSPE, is classroom-based and formative in nature. Learning in Wellbeing is assessed by the students’ teachers and reported on to students and parents/guardians during Junior Cycle and in the JCPA which is presented at the end of the 3 year programme.
While the Junior Cycle Framework is in the relatively early stages of its implementation, the reception and impact of the new courses being studied, and their assessment, is under review and evaluation. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) conducted an Early Insights Review of each newly introduced subject specification. These gather feedback from school management, teacher/educators and interested parties, in relation to the experience of the subject in question and associated assessment arrangements. Following the early insights review of CSPE, learning outcomes in the short course specifications were updates in 2021.
In addition, a team of independent researchers from the School of Education at the University of Limerick has been commissioned by the NCCA to explore the implementation and impact of the Framework for Junior Cycle. This is a mixed methods, multi-dimensional longitudinal research study, exploring the experiences of schools over a period of four years. The first report of this study was published by the NCCA in October last year. Findings from this research will inform the NCCA's ongoing work to support schools' implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle.
173. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update in relation to a project (details supplied); if the school can continue to progress the delivery of this accommodation, as per previous agreement with her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14264/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that approval in principle, issued to the school in question for additional accommodation to cater for increased enrolments.
My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €860 million. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for the remainder of 2023, my Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023. I am conscious of the numerous pressures facing the Department and their need to manage these.
We will be providing an update to individual schools when our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform concludes. In tandem with this, my Department’s Planning & Building Unit will also be updating Patron Bodies and School Management Bodies at that stage. Key priorities for my Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023/24 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting special needs provision. The current status of all projects are listed on a county by county basis at www.gov.ie. and is updated on a regular basis to reflect their progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
174. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on a project for a school (details supplied); when funding will be made available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14265/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe permanent accommodation 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 Management team to progress the project through the stages of architectural planning, tendering and construction.
My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €860 million. Key priorities for my Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2023/24 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting special needs provision.
My Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €860 million. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for the remainder of 2023, my Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023. I am conscious of the numerous pressures facing the Department and their need to manage these.
We will be providing an update to individual schools when our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform concludes. In tandem with this, my Department’s Planning & Building Unit will also be updating Patron Bodies and School Management Bodies at that stage.
My Department will continue to liaise with the school’s patron body in relation to the school’s interim accommodation needs pending delivery of the permanent accommodation for the school.
176. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the provision of project for a school (details supplied); if a site has been identified; the timeline for tender, construction and completion; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14271/23]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe site identification and assessment exercise for Wicklow Town ETSS is ongoing.
Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time.
Once a permanent site has been acquired, the project can progress to the architectural design & planning stages.
I wish to assure the Deputy that the provision of a permanent location for this school is a priority for the Department.
