Written Answers Nos. 44-62
44. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education the steps her Department is taking to target a shortage of special needs units and early prevention units in national schools throughout Ireland, and particularly in the areas of Cavan and Monaghan; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22014/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs.
Almost 300 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE nationwide for the 2024/25 school year, and of these 6 are in County Cavan and 4 in County Monaghan. This is in addition to the almost 3,000 special classes already in operation.
The vast majority of these new classes are autism classes and have a teacher/student ratio of 1:6. The NCSE continue to sanction further special classes for the coming school year.
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. Local special education needs officers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise the parents of children with special educational needs on placement options and the various supports available. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE's website.
My department engage intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, an analysis of available school accommodation, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
As a result of this forward planning, 1,300 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE and seven new special schools have been established in recent years. In addition, four new special schools will be established for the 2024/25 school year in counties Meath, Kildare, Wexford and Limerick.
For 2024, €2.7 billion is being spent on special education, an increase of €113 million, and this is dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs. This will allow for, amongst other things, the opening of up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools, 300 additional special school places and will increase the number of teaching and SNA posts.
An additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs will be added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting these children.
My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.
45. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Education if there are any proposals in place to increase the number of classes in schools in all of the Fingal area, due to the growing population; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22029/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can assure the Deputy that the provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs is an absolute priority for my Department.
As the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school place needs, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
It is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not always be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
• Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
• School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
• Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils
• External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
Notwithstanding the above, in some areas demographic pressures and other factors are driving a requirement for additional school places.
Having considered the projected requirements in each school planning area, my Department then makes an assessment of the existing capacity and identifies any requirement for additional provision.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. In 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.
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 may 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. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
There are currently a number of active projects at primary and post-primary level in the Fingal area which will increase local capacity. The Capital Programme details the school projects that are being progressed under Project Ireland 2040. The current status of large-scale projects being delivered under Project Ireland 2040, 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.
The Educational Welfare Services (EWS) of the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) is the statutory agency that can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The local service is delivered through the national network of Educational Welfare Officers (EWO). Contact details are available at www.tusla.ie/get-in-touch/education-and-welfare/. The specific information requested is not available at this time.
The requirement for additional school places in the Fingal area is kept under on-going review. My Department will continue to liaise with Local Authorities in respect of their County Development Plans and any associated Local Area Plans with a view to identifying any potential long-term school accommodation requirements across school planning areas including the Fingal Area.
46. Deputy Verona Murphy asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the provision of school bus transport for the 2024-25 academic year for secondary school students travelling from Kilmore, County Wexford into Wexford town; if a resolution similar to the one recently found for students travelling from Gowran, County Kilkenny into Kilkenny city has been determined; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22060/24]
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 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
The Post Primary School Transport Scheme supports the transport to and from school of children who reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post-primary education centre/school.
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 and where capacity exists.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated.
Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Temporary alleviation measures were approved which allowed for the provision of transport for post-primary students who were otherwise eligible for school transport but were attending their second nearest school and had applied and paid on time. In effect, these students remain to be considered as concessionary, but transport is provided for students who met the criteria where there are existing services available.
Bus Éireann has advised that there are two areas in Kilmore that this matter may relate to, and they cannot provide an update on applications for the 2024/2025 school year unless further information is provided.
If the Deputy wishes to forward details of the families in question to School Transport Section, officials in my Department will be happy to assist.
Bus Éireann will examine all applications and services for school transport for the 2024/2025 school year following the payment closing date of 07 June. Arising from the analysis, routes may be altered, extended, or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.
47. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education when a person (details supplied) can expect to have works completed further to a successful application and assurances from the Department that his case would be dealt with as a matter of priority; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22087/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the funding available to Caranua was finite in nature, being comprised of the contributions of €110m (€111.38m including interest) provided by the religious congregations following the publication of the Ryan Report. Caranua announced in May 2018 that it would cease to accept applications from 1 August 2018. All outstanding applications were finalised by Caranua by March 2021.
My Department is not in a position to re-open applications or undertake functions on behalf of Caranua. However, my Department is aware of the particularly difficult and complex circumstances of the individual concerned, who received funding supports from Caranua. My Department is continuing to engage with the individual concerned and with other relevant parties having undertaken to assist in identifying a path forward.
48. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education if she will investigate concerns around the inability of a school staff member to access incremental credit (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22132/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is providing a payroll service for school secretaries with effect from 1st September 2023. The provision of a payroll service is part of a package agreed with Fórsa, the trade union representing school secretaries, following a series of engagements at the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC).
The agreement outlined in Circular 0036/2022 has provided for a revised salary scale and leave entitlements. Secretaries who opted to accept the terms and conditions of the agreement were assimilated onto the salary scale in one of three ways. Secretaries were assimilated onto the next point of the salary scale based on their pay as at September 2021. Those with 10 – 19 years’ service were placed at Point 5 and those with over 20 years' existing service were placed at Point 7, unless they were already earning more than this in which instance they would be placed according to their hourly rate of pay.
Under the terms of 0036/2022 new entrants are placed at the start of the incremental salary scale unless they have 10 years’ service or more as a school secretary in which case, they are assimilated to Point 5. No other administrative experience is taken into consideration for the purposes of assimilation.
Circular 0036/2022 applies only to formerly grant funded secretaries and not Clerical Officers or Grade III public servants which are allocated to certain schools.
The provisions under Circular 0081/2020 which allows secretaries to upgrade their pay scale from Grade III to Grade IV is only applicable to secretaries employed under the 1978 scheme or in Department sanctioned posts. Secretaries employed through ancillary grant funding and those who have moved to the Department’s payroll are not encompassed within the terms of this circular.
In the normal course, there are ongoing discussions with the public service unions on matters relating to pay agreements as well as general terms and conditions of employment. Any changes to terms and conditions can occur only under those processes and any such proposals would need to be considered in detail by the Department, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, and the relevant unions.
49. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for an update on the progress of an application for funding under the sports capital scheme (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22093/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraOn Thursday last Minister Martin and I announced over €26 million in equipment grants under the latest round of the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (‘SCEP’). The allocations announced were in response to equipment-only applications which sporting organisations submitted.
Further allocations, including those for capital works, and capital works tied with an equipment component, will be announced later. I can confirm that the application referred to by the Deputy is among those remaining to be assessed.
50. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the amount being paid to a company (details supplied) to remove the tents of asylum seekers; with a breakdown of the amount received per removal and the details of any other company being paid by his Department for this purpose; in tabular form. [21979/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraWaterways Ireland is a North/South Implementation Body established under the British Irish Agreement of 10 April 1998. It is funded by my Department and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
The information requested in relation to costs being paid to a company (details supplied) is not held in my Department. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. The contact email address for Waterways Ireland is ceoffice@waterwaysireland.org.
51. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he intends to initiate a national oiled wildlife response; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22064/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra52. Deputy Jennifer Whitmore asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the support he is providing to volunteer groups to help with the effects of the recently found oiled seabirds along the east coast; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22065/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 51 and 52 together.
As part of the combined response to the discovery of oiled seabirds off the South-East coast, officials from the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), which is part of my Department, have been liaising with the coastguard and the relevant local authorities in relation to both the response to and investigation into this pollution event. The NPWS has also been in contact with non-governmental organisations such as Birdwatch Ireland and Kildare Wildlife Rescue who have played a vital and much appreciated role in dealing with the birds affected by this serious event.
In terms of on-the-ground response, the NPWS has monitored the coastline and collected oiled birds, both dead and alive. The live oiled birds collected were sent to Kildare Wildlife Rescue for appropriate care. The effort to rehabilitate and release these birds is ongoing.
In light of the additional costs borne by the voluntary/third party bodies assisting in this emergency, I have committed to making funding of €50,000 available via the NPWS to further aid with the rescue and rehabilitation of oiled birds. The NPWS will continue to liaise with bodies involved in the response to this emergency as well as supporting efforts to trace the pollutant.
53. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the outcome of a NPWS investigation into the legality or otherwise of squirrel traps that were used at the Botanic Gardens in Dublin earlier this year. [21976/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI understand that the National Parks and Wildlife Service of my Department are investigating the alleged use of squirrel traps at the Botanic Gardens in Dublin.
The grey squirrel is an invasive alien species which was first brought into Ireland in 1911. It quickly established itself in the midlands and went on to expand across the entire eastern half of the country. This in turn led to the decline of the native red squirrel from much of the east of Ireland. The grey squirrel can cause significant damage to broadleaved trees as well as predating birds eggs and chicks. The species is listed on the EU Invasive Alien Species Regulations and Ireland is required to manage the population.
As the matter is still under investigation I will not be in a position to comment further at this time.
54. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will urgently add the old Irish goat to the list of animals protected under the Wildlife Act 1976, given it is now critically endangered and is being ruthlessly targeted by trophy hunters. [21977/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are large numbers of feral goats (Capra hircus) across Ireland with newly escaped/released animals joining existing herds on a regular basis. There does not appear to be justification for the extension of protected status to feral goats under the Wildlife Act at this time.
The National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department is undertaking a project to review and update wildlife legislation. This is an extensive review and is a multi-year project. It is examining closely the effectiveness of our legislation in protecting wildlife and regulating activities that adversely impact on wildlife and biodiversity. A public consultation process will commence soon and all submissions in relation to the hunting of the species referred to will be carefully considered.
55. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the cause of injury to a hare that was euthanised by a vet on day two of the Johnstown and Urlingford coursing meeting in December 2023; and if, in light of the stress, injury and death caused to hares in coursing, he will introduce a ban on the activity. [21978/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe meeting was monitored by the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) regional staff and they confirmed that one hare had to be put down by the vet on day two of the Johnstown and Urlingford coursing meeting in December 2023, as a result of an injury sustained during the transfer of the hares that morning into boxes prior to the coursing event.
56. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage the number of publicly funded contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) by his Department in each of the past ten years; the cost of each contract; and the purpose for which each contract was awarded. [18662/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe relevant details are being compiled and will be provided to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
57. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he can review the criteria for the septic tank grant; if he will acknowledge that many people who want to avail of the grant are not eligible for same as they are not located in the so-called buffer zones; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22008/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to my reply to Question No. 356 on 20 February 2024 which set out the position on this matter.
58. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage to review a matter (details supplied); if there are any allowances or financial support that can be given in this case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22009/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Water Services Acts, it is the responsibility of the property owner to ensure that their Domestic Waste Water Treatment System (DWWTS) is fit for purpose, operational and kept in good order.
My Department's Rural Water Programme provides financial assistance to households in specific circumstances where capital works are required to rectify defective DWWTS to protect human health and the environment. The terms and conditions of the grant schemes are available on my Department’s website at this link:
www.gov.ie/en/publication/6cc1e-domestic-waste-water-treatment-systems-septic-tanks/
Each local authority has appointed a Rural Water Liaison Officer (RWLO) who deals with the day to day implementation issues for the grant schemes. The RWLO can be contacted at the Rural Water Section of the relevant local authority - Cavan County Council in this instance.
59. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will consider putting a cap on the timeframe local authorities are given to carry out approved works for those who need housing adaptations; and, if so, the timeframe he considers appropriate. [22015/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department provides Exchequer funding to local authorities to administer the suite of Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability, which support older and disabled people living in private houses to adapt their home to meet their needs. The grants include the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability, the Mobility Aids Grant and the Housing Aid for Older People Grant, which are 80% funded by my Department, with a 20% contribution from the resources of the local authority. The detailed administration of these schemes, including assessment, approval and prioritisation, is the responsibility of local authorities. Applicants are encouraged to carry out the works as quickly as possible following grant approval. In general, works should be completed within six months following written approval from the local authority. In cases where works are not completed within six months following approval, local authorities should examine each case individually and, if necessary, offer an appropriate time extension for the completion of works. My Department engages regularly with local authorities on the effective and efficient administration of the scheme to ensure that all applications are dealt with in accordance with Departmental guidelines.
My Department also provides funding to local authorities under the Disabled Persons Grants (DPG) scheme to carry out works on social housing stock to address the needs of older people, people with a disability or overcrowded situations. Typical works include adaptations such as stair-lifts, level deck showers, ramps and grab rails, widening door openings and improving circulation spaces. Extensions to provide for ground floor bathrooms and bedrooms are also supported. The detailed administration of this scheme including assessment, approval and prioritisation of applications is the responsibility of local authorities. In advance of formal allocations issuing, local authorities are requested to submit information on works that can be reasonably completed in a given year and once Department approval issues for the works programme local authorities are encouraged to ensure completion of works in the year of allocation of funding.
60. Deputy Christopher O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if he will extend septic tank grants to include homes that may have old and leaking septic tanks and are located close to waterways but are not located within the high-status objective catchment areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22052/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy of providing grant funding to households for work on Domestic Waste Water Treatment Systems (DWWTS), including septic tanks, arises from the need to address damage being done to water quality in sensitive areas in particular.
There are three grants available and funding is provided under the Department’s Rural Water Programme, which is administered by the local authorities.
The grants are focused on the areas of greatest environmental priority and are available only in circumstances relating to risks to water quality and/or human health and the environment, and are not general in application.
Grants are available to householders where a septic tank has been found to be defective following an inspection by the local authority and an advisory notice has issued or if located in a designated area of greatest environmental priority.
Effective from 1 January 2024, I approved substantial improvements to the terms and conditions of all three grants. I have no plans to make further changes.
61. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department has any view or if any formal public policy exists in relation to the role public representatives might play in the governance or management of voluntary housing bodies in the context of the positive ongoing development of the voluntary housing sector; if it is the policy to discourage public representatives from serving on the boards of approved housing bodies or if the experience of public representatives might be considered a benefit to such boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22088/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Approved Housing Body (AHB) sector in Ireland plays a significant role in the delivery of social housing. Under Housing For All, the sector has a target of providing up to 40% of all new social homes nationally.
In general an independent AHB may appoint to their Board individuals as they deem fit and will endeavour to appoint members with relevant experience, competence and expertise. This is a matter for the AHB themselves to consider and to decide upon.
Further, the Approved Housing Bodies Regulatory Authority (AHBRA) was formally established in February 2021 and is an independent authority, tasked with providing the regulation of AHBs under four standards.
The AHBRA Governance Standard establishes a set of outcomes that AHBs are required to achieve in relation to the governance and management of their organisations. It relates to responsibility and accountability of the Board in ensuring an AHB complies with all relevant legal, regulatory, funding and statutory obligations. This includes acting within the AHB’s constitution or other governing documents. It is important that AHB Boards have a clear understanding of all such obligations affecting it.
Conflicts of interest and conflicts of duty must also be appropriately managed, including the holding of a register of interests. This Department has no formal policy regarding the role public representatives might play in the governance or management of voluntary housing bodies.
62. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if the NPWS will liaise with a local first responders group regarding access to a location in County Kerry (details supplied) in emergency situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22133/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) of my Department has a mandate to protect important sites in Ireland for nature and biodiversity, in accordance with national and international legal obligations and in the public interest. The site in question forms an important part of Ireland’s newest National Park and our first marine National Park; Páirc Náisiúnta na Mara, Ciarraí.
The NPWS will always offer every assistance to first responders in case of emergency. They will engage with the contact supplied to ensure access is facilitated to the location requested as appropriate and required.
