Written Answers Nos. 264-271
264. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if she will request the Teaching Council to consider allowing for the recognition of a masters in special education as a recognised qualification instead of the PME for route 3 teachers looking to attain full qualification; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14452/23]
View answerUnder the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the regulation of the teaching profession in Ireland including the registration of teachers in the State. The Teaching Council registers teachers under the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015 and in line with the Teaching Council Registration Regulations, 2016. As set out in the Schedule of the Regulations, the Council registers teachers under five routes of registration: Route 1 - Primary, Route 2 - Post-primary, Route 3 - Further Education, Route 4 - Other and Route 5 - Student Teacher. The minimum registration requirements for each route are set out in the Schedule of the regulations.
The minimum registration requirements for Route 3 – Further Education as set down in the Schedule of the regulations are as follows:
- An undergraduate degree at Level 8 or higher on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) which has a ECTS credit weighting of at least 180 credits,
or
i. An appropriate additional qualification, or
ii. A minimum of three years’ experience in a workplace or instructional setting which is relevant to the qualification(s)
AND
- A Teaching Council accredited Further Education teacher education qualification (TEQ).
Applicants who meet the degree qualification requirements set out above and who have not completed an accredited TEQ will be eligible for conditional registration for a period of three years in which time this requirement must be completed. If applicants have not addressed this condition of TEQ within the three years, they can apply for an extension of time to meet the condition. A list of accredited TEQ programmes is available on the Teaching Council website, and many such programmes offer flexibility in terms of providing for part-time and distance/blended learning approaches.
265. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will instruct her Department, to reconsider the decision to put the construction of a new building for a school (details supplied) in Citywest on hold, given the negative impact this will have on the staff and students of two schools in close proximity to one another; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14459/23]
View answerThe permanent school building project for the site referred to by the Deputy is a campus project to deliver a 1,000 pupil post-primary school and accommodation, including four classrooms, for children with special educational needs and a 16 classroom primary school and accommodation, including two classrooms, for children with special educational needs. The campus project is being delivered under my Department's Design and Build programme.
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.
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 want to reassure the Deputy and the relevant school communities that school building projects that are currently on hold due to capital funding pressures will be progressed and delivered – it is a question of timing. I am well aware of the urgency in getting these projects delivered as quickly as possible. The outcome of our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform will provide better clarity on the timelines for the progression of these projects. This is a key priority for me.
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 schools' patron bodies in relation to the schools' interim accommodation needs pending delivery of the permanent accommodation.
266. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education when her Department expects to conclude its review of school building projects, which has seen a number of projects ready to proceed to construction being delayed; the anticipated additional funding required to enable these projects proceed to construction; and if she will ensure that a school building project (details supplied) that has been under consideration for over several years proceeds at the earliest possible date. [14465/23]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has been approved for a project under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.
The project will provide the following accommodation at the school: 8 Mainstream classrooms, 3 SET rooms, 1 room for shared HSL Teacher, 1 SEN Class, reconfiguration of existing accommodation to provide a 3 Class SEN Base, GP Hall and Ancillary Accommodation as outlined in the project brief; Purchase of 3 interim accommodation to accommodate 2 mainstream classrooms, 2 SET and 1 ASD class. This project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority. This project is currently at the Design stage and a Stage 1/2a report is required to be submitted at this time. Once received, this will be reviewed by my Department.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the school has also been approved for a Summer Works Scheme external environment works project.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department has recently approved the amalgamation of the Summer Works Scheme project with the Additional Accommodation Scheme project. An update in relation to this has issued from my Department to the school Board of Management.
The 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.
The Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. The Department's published National Development Plan (NDP) allocation for 2023 is €0.86 billion.
High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for 2023, the Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to be able to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023.
Key priorities for the 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.
267. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Education if she will consider introducing similar payments and supports that are currently available to clinical psychologists during their doctoral programme and while undergoing their placements, given the need for additional educational psychologists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14485/23]
View answerThe National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of my Department provides a school-based educational psychological service to all recognised primary and post-primary schools through the application of psychological theory and practice to support the wellbeing, and the academic, social and emotional development of all learners.
A working group in the Department has been examining the matter of how NEPS can continue to recruit adequate numbers of suitably qualified staff and continue to respond to the educational psychological needs of children in recognised primary and post-primary schools across the country.
The group has agreed on a number of actions that must be taken to address supply issues in the medium to long term. These include the development of a workforce plan for educational psychologists within the Department of Education and work has begun with other Government Departments to advance this.
A number of options were considered to address some immediate supply issues. Following analysis of these, it was decided that the Department would use some available NEPS funding to sponsor a cohort of third year students of the Educational Psychology Doctoral programme in University College Dublin (UCD) and Mary Immaculate College (MIC) University of Limerick, for the current academic year 2022/23 to provide support via a contribution towards their fees and associated expenses.
The workforce planning group referred to above have been asked to make some interim recommendations in Q2 of this year regarding any other short-term measures required in advance of their final report. It is envisaged that funding supports for students on the educational psychological doctorate programme will be considered as part of this process.
268. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education the protocols and or guidelines she has issued in respect of the use of personal social media accounts by officials in her Department; the number of sanctions imposed by her Department on its own officials in the past ten years to date in respect of social media output by its officials, verbal, written or otherwise; if social media platforms are restricted on her Department’s network; if an application (details supplied) is available to use and or download onto Departmental-issued mobile phones; and if not, if it is barred from use. [14509/23]
View answerMy Department’s ICT Usage policy, currently under review, states that, save for approved social media accounts, staff members should not publish official business information on social media websites, bulletin boards, or other fora in the name of my Department or purport to represent its views on such platforms.
Under the Civil Service Disciplinary Code, which is issued to all new entrants, any inappropriate use of social media may be considered as misconduct. Misconduct can include inappropriate behaviour outside the workplace which has an impact or could reasonably be likely to have an impact within the workplace. Over the past ten years, there have been no disciplinary sanctions imposed on any member of the Department for this reason.
Content filtering is applied on all internet usage on my Department’s PCs. The purpose of the content filtering is to ensure that inappropriate websites and content are not accessible by staff members.
The TikTok app is not permitted to be used by my officials for official business and is excluded from the work container of all Departmental corporate smart phones.
269. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question Nos. 217 and 220 of 24 November 2022, the training primary school teachers receive to diagnose if a student has dyslexia or not and decide on the appropriate supports that should be provided in the case that the teacher believes the student is dyslexic; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14528/23]
View answerThe Special Educational model in schools focuses on the identification of need and the matching of specific interventions to that need. Specific interventions are therefore tailored, by the school, to the individual’s observed needs by the school, rather than being generic to a specific difficulty or disability. The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) of the Department encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Procedures are in place in schools to identify and support pupils who have additional needs. This process is called the Continuum of Support and is managed by schools. Therefore, it is not necessary for a pupil to have a diagnosis of any particular difficulty to access necessary interventions and supports.
Where teachers continue to have concerns about pupils, following a period of sustained intervention in the school setting, the involvement of NEPS may be deemed appropriate. NEPS is a school-based service that works with key personnel from a school. Psychologists meet with the school Principal and/or the Special Education Teaching Team (SET Team) to review and plan how they may support individual pupils based on the schools priority needs. This process allows schools to be responsive and to prioritise those pupils identified by them as having the highest level of need.
Teachers have access to new guidance documents for primary and post-primary schools on Supporting Students with Literacy Difficulties/Dyslexia Using the Continuum of Support. This guidance equips schools with knowledge of approaches and strategies required to support students who experience difficulties with literacy including dyslexia, using a response to intervention approach, in all school contexts: English medium schools; Gaeltacht schools; and Irish medium schools.
Training is currently being provided by NEPS nationally for all schools, at primary and post-primary levels, facilitated by local Educational Centres, on evidence informed approaches and strategies to support students with literacy difficulties including dyslexia, using the Continuum of Support approach.
270. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14537/23]
View answerI am pleased to inform the deputy that the school in question was approved funding under the Department’s Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme.
I can confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received a Pre stage 1 report from the school to which he refers. The report has been forwarded to department officials for review and my Department will be in contact with the school directly once this review has been completed.
271. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14538/23]
View answerThe Large scale capital project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning Stage 3 – tender action and award. The School is on Campus with another Special School and will be co-located at the existing site in Stillorgan.
The project brief is to provide two new 10 classroom schools, a clinic, activity rooms, assembly hall/general purpose room, playgrounds and sensory gardens. The project is currently on hold to proceed to construction due to capital funding pressures.
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.
The outcome of our engagement with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform will provide better clarity on the timelines for the progression of these projects. 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.
