Vol. 1030 No. 1
57. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education her intentions to co-operate with any potential inquiry into abuse allegations in a secondary school (details supplied) and other educational institutions. [58252/22]
I appreciate that the issue of the accusations of abuse in Blackrock College has to be dealt with sensitively. I believe that the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and other members of the Government are dealing with it with the greatest of sensitivity. There is an acknowledgement that an investigation or inquiry is needed. What is the Minister's view on the necessity of such an inquiry? What type of form would such an inquiry take, seeing as the Department of Education would be to the forefront of any inquiry into what happened at Blackrock College and other religious-run schools?
I reiterate how heartbreaking and disturbing these revelations and all revelations of abuse are. Sexual abuse of a child by a teacher, school employee or any other person is a repugnant act. It is also a criminal act. In the first instance, it is, therefore, critical that crimes that have been committed are fully and thoroughly investigated by An Garda Síochána, and that process must not be compromised. I have met with a number of survivors in recent days and will continue to do so. I appreciate how bravely so many have openly shared their own harrowing experiences with me and I wish to give voice to the enormous hurt and trauma they and so many others have endured.
It is important that there be an effective and survivor-led response from the Government. The Government is considering how best this can be achieved, having regard to both any Garda investigation and the wishes of survivors. As I said, I have engaged with a number of survivors over recent days to get a better understanding of what they would like to see happen and I will continue to do so as a priority in the coming days.
There is considerable expertise and experience in this area, and it may also be helpful if we were to examine previous inquiries of different types and identify what lessons we can take from them in respect of how they operated and the outcomes achieved and, in particular, the impact on survivors. The Department of Education and I are committed to fully supporting whatever actions are agreed.
I am also conscious that these revelations may have raised concerns about present day arrangements. In that regard, it is important to share with the House the significant changes that have taken place in our school environment since the era to which many of these allegations relate. Today we have a robust suite of measures in place to protect our children in the school environment.
The Department's Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools 2017 provides guidance to schools on their responsibilities under the Children First Act 2015 and the Children First national guidance 2017.
Thank you, Minister. We will let Deputy Ó Ríordáin back in, after which you may finish the reply.
I appreciate the Minister's response but, in tabling this question, I had assumed there would be a good chance that by the time we spoke today an inquiry would have been announced. I understand that she is to make contact with Opposition spokespeople as to how best this inquiry could be formulated. I also understand that it is the Government's intention to have an inquiry. I am happy that the Minister is committed to having a survivor-led inquiry. It is important that the Government takes advice on any ongoing Garda investigations.
The Minister spoke about how things have changed since the period in which some of these abuses took place, yet it is clear that some of those who were overseeing these institutions at that time are still in place. There are accusations that people who were involved in abuse still reside in these institutions. There are also accusations that people in positions of authority were approached 20 years ago and were told to return only if they had a solicitor. While the regulations and legislation and the oversight by the Department may have changed in the interim, the personnel who oversaw this and had responsibility for the care of children are still in place. What we need, at least from today, and I acknowledge that there will be statements on this later, is clarity on when and how this inquiry will be established and when it will take place.
I acknowledge the Deputy's sincerity and the sincerity and unanimity across the House in expressing our revulsion and unequivocal condemnation of what has been visited upon so many children, young people, now adults, who continue to live with this repugnant trauma. I acknowledge, as the survivors have said to me, that they live with it, their families live with it and their wider communities live with it.
The Deputy is 100% correct that it is my intention to consult all Opposition spokespersons, who will shortly receive notification in that regard. I very much want them to be part of the engagement and consideration of what we are about. He has been clear, and we have all been very clear, on the importance of the voice of the survivors. It is for that reason I am currently engaging with them. He is also correct that, as I have outlined, we have to be clear that there will be no impact, rightly, on the Garda inquiry, which must continue.
This is an absolute priority, and I am happy to work across the House and with everybody to ensure we get the best possible outcome in respect of the type and scope of the inquiry.
I reiterate that I believe the Government is dealing with this in a proper manner.
The Minister is dealing with it with the sensitivity it demands. However, weeks have passed and there needs to be a sense of when this inquiry will take place and what its nature will be. We must also ensure that none of this can ever happen again. While the Minister rightly points to changes in the system over the past number of years and decades, this needs to feed into the citizen' assembly on education to ensure that this deference to religious institutions and fee-paying schools in the system can be broken and that every child in every school is protected by the State. I look forward to the Minister's engagement and, hopefully, if not by the end of today, we will have clarity on how and when this inquiry will take place by the end of the week.
I appreciate the Deputy's genuine determination to engage with this, which is replicated across the House. I welcome that. It is important to note that we do have robust child protection measures in our schools, oversight of which is conducted by our inspectorate. Notwithstanding that, we are in a situation where we need to ensure that an appropriate inquiry is put in place to deal with all the abhorrent revelations that have come to light. To do that, it is important that there is sufficient engagement with all concerned. We will move at a pace.
56. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the growing difficulties regarding shortages of teachers at post-primary and primary schools and the impact that it is having on schools; and the action that she intends to take to address this. [58460/22]
I blame the national broadcaster for my delay and I apologise for that. The Minister will be familiar with the survey that the Irish Primary Principals' Network, IPPN, published last week during its conference. It found that some 52% of school principals in County Kildare did not have their full quota, 65% in County Dublin and 46% in County Wicklow. Similar problems exist at post-primary. Much of it is caused by the cost-of-living crisis. What does the Department propose to do about it?
I am aware that some schools are currently experiencing challenges in recruiting teachers and I am conscious of the impact this could have on our schools. Newly qualified teachers, NQTs, represent an additional source of supply. More than 3,600 primary and post-primary NQTs are registered with the Teaching Council this year. In May 2021, the Department published an updated technical report - Developing a Teacher Demand and Supply Model for Ireland 2020-2038. The report projects a decrease in demand for primary teachers to 2036 while at post-primary level the downward trend in demand starts from 2024. Work is ongoing to produce projections of post-primary teacher demand and supply on a subject level basis.
The IPPN, in line with the teacher supply action plan, has developed a portal for the recruitment of teachers to long-term teaching positions. The IPPN also operates a sub seeker, which has almost 12,000 teachers registered with it. Significant additional posts have been allocated to the primary substitute teacher supply panels bringing the total number up to 151 panels.
For the current school year, job sharing teachers may be employed to work in a substitute capacity and the limit on substitute work applying to teachers on career break has been suspended. Third and fourth year student teachers can now register with the Teaching Council and more than 2,100 student teachers have applied for registration.
At post-primary level, the Department has recently put in place a scheme that allows teachers teach additional hours in their subject area over the usual 22-hour weekly limit, up to a maximum of 20 additional hours per term. Furthermore, retired teachers who maintain their registration can provide substitute cover and the Department has agreed a waiver of abatement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for such teachers. The Department runs a comprehensive programme of work to support the supply of teachers and engages closely with the school management bodies and other education stakeholders.
Higher education institutions, HEIs, have developed new four-year initial teacher education undergraduate programmes in a number of post-primary priority subjects, including Irish, mathematics, computer science and modern foreign languages.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the process for the approval of the intake on the primary bachelor of education, BEd, programme and professional master of education, PME, programme for the 2023-24 academic year has commenced and the State-funded HEIs will be advised of this shortly.
Many of those measures are for the longer term. The Minister will tell me it is the job of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage's, which it is but some of this problem relates to the fact that teachers cannot afford to rent or get a mortgage in or around Dublin, Cork or Galway, and a whole-of-government approach is required. Regarding what the Department of Education and the Minister can do, much of what she referred to was at primary level whereas some of the most profound issues are at post-primary level. There are schools in Dublin and surrounding areas telling parents they cannot offer certain subjects they offered for years because they cannot get teachers. One thing that the Department can do is to release more positions so that teachers who work on a part-time basis can work full time and teachers who are not on a permanent contract can be given one. Is this something the Department is examining?
We need to look at this in the round. We have seen significant changes, enhancements and improvements in education over the past two years both at primary and post-primary level. For example, at primary level, over the past three budgets we ensured that there has been a reduction in the pupil-teacher ratio. It is an historic low of 23:1. We have ensured that all teaching principals have at least one administration day in respect of leave. Where schools have a teaching principal and two or more special classes, they are automatic administrative principals. All that is positive and proactive. It needed to be done and has been welcomed by all. It does have an impact. To compensate for that and the requirement for additional teachers, we have proactively looked at measures. We have lifted restrictions around job share, career break and retired teachers. More than 800 retired teachers came on stream last year. There are other initiatives. The Deputy referenced the post-primary sector. We have introduced the share a teacher model under which teachers can be shared between schools. There are upskilling courses at post-primary level that are fully funded by the Department in key areas. We are beholden to our third and fourth year student teachers who can now register with the Teaching Council. More than 800 Hibernia students will come on stream and that is only one HEI when it comes to availability to work in the coming weeks.
The Minister answered several other questions but she did not answer the questions I asked regarding additional positions. I do not believe that is necessarily what will resolve it at primary level but I am talking particularly about post-primary level where some teachers work on a part-time basis and others do not have a permanent contract. If they can be offered a permanent or full-time contract, they will stay with the schools and they can be recruited, particularly in the areas where there is significant pressure.
We are coming into the Christmas period and teachers will be coming back from the Middle East, Britain and elsewhere. I would say that many of them would like to stay. The Minister will recall that her predecessor on a visit to the Middle East some years ago was told by a teacher that they wanted to come back immediately and asked whether they could be given a permanent contract. As I understand it, that will not be the case. If the teacher asked the Minister whether she could give him or her a permanent contract, that would still be the case. Can the Minister consider permanent contracts and contracts of indefinite duration for teachers who are returning from abroad this Christmas?
The Deputy has to concede that we have looked at a variety of different methods. We have been proactive in this area, notwithstanding the challenges in teacher supply. In the interest of balance, the issues being faced in the education sector are not unique. We are seeing similar issues in other sectors whether it is hospitality, retail, healthcare or whatever. This is the position we find ourselves in at this time. We have an unprecedented climate internationally and all the other issues.
We have examined a number of measures and put measures in place. I am open to looking at all measures. We have a positive contracts of indefinite duration programme in place, which is a positive move for staff, and we keep everything under review. I am happy to do that.
58. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education the actions that have been taken to further the budgetary commitment to providing free schoolbooks at primary level; if she has engaged with the relevant stakeholders since this announcement; and if she will outline the model that will be put in place. [58461/22]
I am encouraged by the commitment to free schoolbooks. Myself and Sinn Féin have raised this issue for several years at budget time. I regularly make the point that we are 70 years behind the North in that.
To get that delivered is not just a case of announcing it. We need to know what the model will be, where suppliers, publishers and so on fit in, and how schools will manage it. Could the Minister tell us a bit more about that?
The Government recognises the cost of preparing children for school each September can be a financial difficulty and challenge for many families. Therefore, as part of budget 2023, I announced over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education system from September 2023. This measure will eliminate the cost to these families of all schoolbooks at primary school, including workbooks. It delivers on the programme for Government commitment to extend the free schoolbook pilot, currently in 102 DEIS primary schools, as resources permit. The free primary schoolbooks scheme will benefit up to 540,000 pupils in approximately 3,240 recognised primary schools, including over 130 special schools.
The implementation of the measure will build on the existing schoolbook rental scheme, which is available in some 94% of recognised primary schools. It also builds the free schoolbooks pilot I mentioned.
My officials are continuing to engage on how the scheme will operate. Initial contact has been made with some of the education partners on the measure. Over the coming period, my Department will be engaging further with the education partners and other stakeholders to roll out the measure in sufficient time for the 2023–24 school year.
Guidance on the procurement of books will be developed as part of our further engagement process with schools, parent and management bodies and other stakeholders on this measure. The scheme will seek to ensure that value for money is achieved and that schools will be supported to implement the scheme in a way that has the best learning outcomes for pupils. Schools will continue to have autonomy to choose books that meet curricular requirements. My Department will consider the information from the 102 schools involved in the free schoolbook pilot when developing the guidance on the procurement of books.
It is planned that funds will be provided to schools to purchase schoolbooks and related classroom resources. Schools buy books directly from schoolbook suppliers at present as part of the implementation of the schoolbook rental scheme. Ninety-six percent of primary schools participate in the scheme.
As Minister for Education, I am acutely aware of the costs faced by families upon the return of their children to school each September. This will be a ground-breaking measure.
I share the Minister's sense of the value of the measure. It is a shame that it was not extended to post-primary level, where the books are more expensive, but we will have that debate another day.
The question I still have concerns how the arrangement will work. It does not seem there is any clear sense of that. It is two months since the budget. I presume this was discussed within the Department for some time before the budget. The Minister talks about the education partners. Who they are is not a vague concept but a very specific one. Typically, it does not include the publishers or bookshops. Do not get me wrong - I believe they should not have a veto by any manner or means. Our priority needs to be to ensure the delivery of books free to children. The views of the booksellers and publishers can be taken on board but ultimately we need to decide what is in the best interest of children.
With regard to how we are going to roll this out, I presume discussions are necessary with the groups. Therefore, has the Minister met any of the publishers or bookshop owners regarding how books will be got from the printing press into the children's hands? I am not clear on that.
On the Deputy's reference to post-primary level, if we had an abundance of money, we would-----
I am not seeking to get into that.
No, but I am just making the point. A sum of €50 million is available to me. I am beginning the process at primary level but it is my hope and expectation that it will in time progress to post-primary level. We already have a very successful book rental scheme, operated by 96% of our schools.
With regard to engaging with book publishers and booksellers, schools will have autonomy regarding how they engage. If they wish to engage with a local distributor, they may do so. I made that very clear when I make my announcement and continue to do so.
There are lessons to be learned from the book rental scheme. There are also lessons to be learned from the pilot programme we have run for DEIS schools. All of that has been brought to bear. Initial discussions have taken place with the partners in education, and these will continue. The engagement will be fully consultative. I am very clear about the fact that individual schools will be free to continue with local arrangements, including through local bookshops, if they so wish.
I want to see this succeed but it all has the ring of "It will be all right on the night." The Minister refers to the education partners but she has not challenged me on, or disputed, the fact that they do not include the publishers or booksellers. I am open to being challenged on this. It does not seem there have been any discussions.
The Minister's reference to autonomy indicates there is a relatively decentralised model and that schools will be provided with a fund with which to procure the books. Am I picking that up right or will there be an element of central procurement? Will there be tendering? Obviously, the money is significant when we consider the needs of the whole State and also EU procurement rules.
It is fair enough to state the book rental scheme is good but that is not the same as free schoolbooks or what the Minister talked about. It is a step along the way but not where we need to go to. I really hope we see what I want in September but I am a little worried about the lack of preparation, or at least the lack of a clear sense as to how this will work. Having listened to the Minister, I believe there could be any number of things.
The Deputy, given his position as education spokesperson, will appreciate more than most the value of engaging across the table on any departmental initiatives. That has been a feature of everything we have done, particularly since I became Minister. That engagement will continue. It will specifically include, in respect of the working out of this, the lessons learned from what we did in the past, namely, the book rental scheme and the DEIS scheme, under which there were free schoolbooks. A variety of options have been put on the table regarding central procurement. It is also a matter of ensuring autonomy within the schools. All of those options are being analysed and worked through in the Department with the partners in education, and, obviously, it will be-----
It is more than just the Department of Education.
I have just said "with the partners in education". Any further discussions required with interested parties and central parties will take place. However, the first step is to engage with the partners in education.
Tá an t-am istigh. Níl an Teachta Gannon i láthair. Mar sin, bogfaimid ar aghaidh go dtí Ceist Uimh. 60, in ainm an Teachta Ó Laoghaire.
Who the education partners are is very clear.
Let us be clear that this should be led by the Department of Education and education partners.
Of course, but-----
The service providers will be consulted in due course.
Táimid ag bogadh ar aghaidh go dtí Ceist Uimh. 60 anois.
Excuse me. That was probably out of order. I accept that.
60. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the preparations being undertaken by her Department and the National Council for Special Education for admissions to special schools and special classes in September 2023; if it has forecasted the number of places that will be required; and if all parties are now beginning to analyse where it may be necessary to make use of legislation to compel schools rather than waiting until late spring. [58462/22]
Bearing in mind the discussion on special education on RTÉ, where we need to get to with special schools and special classes is not where we were in the past couple of years, which involved panic in April and May over where children would go. I have already been contacted by parents about September 2023, and some were worried about September 2024. We need to ensure the forecasting is right and that we can wrap this up early this year, or early in the spring, so we do not have panic. I want an update on that from the Minister of State.
I thank the Deputy for raising this. We debated a lot of these points already on radio. I did not get the opportunity to mention the National Council for Special Education, NCSE. I did mention the extra €30 million in funding that we secured for it in the budget, but the reason it is pertinent to this question is that the council will now be in a position to hire new special educational needs organisers, SENOs. One of the things that strikes me when travelling around meeting school staff and principals is that they have had difficulty on some occasions over communication with SENOs. They comprise a critical link between families and schools. We need more SENOs. The NCSE is going to be in a position to hire an extra 160 staff. It is in the process of recruiting them. They will really help in the shorter and longer term in mitigating the problem of the last-minute rush that the Deputy correctly stated occurred in the past, whereby there was a scramble to obtain an appropriate placement, be it in a special school or special class. I wished to reiterate that because it very much reflects what is happening on the ground from an operational perspective.
John Kearney, the new CEO of the NCSE, is doing an awful lot to make sure those lines of communication are kept open. In fairness to SENOs, there was only one SENO for every 55 schools in the past. That is a huge caseload and, with the best will in the world, it has been very difficult for them to have to constantly update families as to the status of the process. I hope that will make a significant difference and ameliorate the situation.
I will take this opportunity to go to the parish pump. If we are recruiting SENOs, I wish to state that there is an absence of them in my area. The Minister of State might take note of that.
There is a shared objective, namely, that we do not have a scramble every year. There are almost 1 million children in our 4,000 schools and there is easily the capacity to accommodate these children, provided we plan early enough to ensure every child has an appropriate school place. We are not yet at that point, but that can be achieved not too far into the future. To achieve that, we need to have early forecasting. Do the NCSE and the Department have a number, even an estimate, of the number of children who will require special classes or schools in September 2023? If they have those figures, what are they? If not, when will they have them?
Regarding SENOs in Cork, I can make inquiries. There are 63 new special classes in Cork this year, out of the 600 special classes we opened in primary schools this year, along with the 300 classes in post-primary schools and five special schools opened over the past three years.
In terms of numbers, it is critical that the NCSE is aware of children who require an appropriate placement, and this is where SENOs come in. I refer to one of the difficulties in the past, of which the Deputy may be aware. A child who has received a different professional assessment, or for reasons of parental preference, may move from a mainstream to a special class or vice versa or from a special class to a special school. It can be interchangeable. Some schools were not informing the NCSE of that. For this reason, it was under the misconception that there was capacity in circumstances where there was not. That issue has now been addressed.
I am aware of the number of schools in Cork with places. As is the case everywhere else, there is a significant discrepancy between what is available in primary and post-primary schools. One of the biggest challenges we need to address is the number of places in post-primary education.
One of the most frustrating issues to deal with is people who are looking for places in post-primary schools, and whether the NCSE or local schools have provided enough places. Parents have children who are 12 years of age, have had diagnoses and have been in the school system for years. They do not understand how the Department or NCSE could not know that their children need places. It is very hard to dispute that. The Minister of State did not have an opportunity to address that in the time available. Do the NCSE and Department have a figure, even an indicative one to the closest 100 or whatever, for the number of places available? If they have that information, what is the figure? If they do not have it, when will they have it? That is crucial to making decisions around section 37A.
They are, of course, aware of the numbers. They change on a daily basis, as the Deputy can appreciate. That is why we have all of the forecasting measures, which I outlined to the Deputy. For the sake of the House, we are bringing forward a number of different strategic initiatives. The geographical information system, GIS, through the planning and building unit, is now sharing real-time capacity information with the NCSE. There is updated technical guidance for building reconfiguration. There is future-proofing at post-primary level.
I mentioned that I have written a letter to all post-primary schools in recent weeks stating that we will expect them to open at least four special classes in each post-primary school over the next five years. Not all of them will have to open special classes next September, but they will need to do so in future. There are 1,803 special classes at primary level and 704 at post-primary level. We will need more in the post-primary sector, as the Deputy said, over the next few years.
66. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education the progress that has been made in regard to the proposed changes to the assessment of need process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58255/22]
The Minister of State will know that in October a lot of disquiet was expressed by school communities about the potential change in the assessment of need, AON, process. I understand from her negotiations with the INTO that a pause was put on that process. I want to get a sense of where the process now stands.
I thank the Deputy for his question. As he is aware, the AON process is provided for under the Disability Act 2005. Assessment officers under the remit of the HSE are charged with organising the AON. The Deputy will be aware of a court ruling in October 2021, which created an legal obligation on the education system to assist the HSE as part of the HSE’s AON process. That refers only to the educational component, as distinct from anything else.
The Department engaged with unions, management bodies and other stakeholders regarding the AON process and how it applies to schools. The Deputy will be aware that the Department and NCSE worked with a number of schools in June - I understand 17 were involved - on a draft of the documents required by schools to complete the education component of the AON. Feedback from the schools on the trial process informed the development of the form and guidance to be used in the process. Feedback arising from engagement with the schools was provided to stakeholders in September.
The Department of Education and NCSE have put in place a suite of supports to assist schools in completing the educational component of the HSE’s AON process. These include: detailed guidance; a short video for use by schools setting out how to comply with the process; email support; and a dedicated phone support line.
On Thursday, 27 October, the Department and NCSE met stakeholders and partners in education. The purpose of the meeting was to address the issues and concerns which have arisen in schools around the AON process and to work to resolve these issues. I understand progress was made and clarity was provided on a number of issues raised by the stakeholders.
The reaction I and other Deputies involved in this sphere got was very negative regarding the new responsibility schools felt they had to oversee, the workload being imposed on them and the lack of expertise teachers and principals have in terms of overseeing the process, especially when trying to account for a child's disability, including motor skills. On that basis, the issue has been raised in the House. Various education partners raised concerns with the Minister of State and Minister. In fairness, a conversation took place and I understand from the INTO statement the process was paused. Given that the process has been paused, what status does the pause now have? Will the idea be abandoned, changed in some way or reverted to?
I understand there are still ongoing conversations on this matter and there is a commitment to extend the trial period. On principals or teachers being overburdened, as Minister of State with responsibility for special education, I acknowledge that schools are very complex organisations, as I have seen in the school visits I have undertaken. It is important that we acknowledge we are very lucky to have effective leaders in our schools, a point noted in the chief inspector's report recently.
It is also important to be clear that while completing the AON form is a task, it is not necessarily one that has to be completed by the principal. The guidelines and video support are clear that this task can be completed by another staff member.
This mirrors the efforts that we have undertaken to lessen the administrative burden on school leaders in general. For example, we strongly encourage principals, in organising the summer programmes, to delegate key tasks to others in the school.
Regarding teachers, I do not have time to continue.
The Minister of State was coming to the second point I raised. It is not just about the workload, but also the expertise. Every Deputy in the Chamber will appreciate that principals, teachers, special needs assistants, SNAs, and everyone else who works in a school community are heroes. They are often undervalued, the first to be criticised and face a great deal of negativity, but what they do for children of all backgrounds every day of the week is inspirational. If one ever wants to be uplifted in one's political work, then take a trip to the local school to get cheered up.
Regarding expertise, teachers and principals have told me that properly assessing the needs of a child is the role of an educational psychologist. A teacher or principal does not have the expertise, or should not be expected to have the expertise, to assess the motor skills of a child. The Minister of State was about to address this point.
It is important to be clear on the purpose of the AON process as it applies to schools. The assessment of educational needs requires schools to take information about a student that already exists, usually in the student support file in the school, and make it available to the HSE via the NCSE. The assessment is an integral part of teaching and learning and teachers assess their students constantly using a range of formal and informal assessment practices. This is the information that informs the assessment of educational needs. Obviously, there are other elements to the AON process, but these are a matter for the HSE to progress. In short, teachers are fully qualified to assess their students, record the outcome of those assessments and use those outcomes to inform the teaching approaches.
62. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education the number of students who applied for school bus tickets for the 2022-23 academic year who have not yet received a school bus ticket; the number of these who were what is termed late eligible; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57855/22]
I applaud the introduction of free school transport for everyone, but as the Minister knows, it raised a number of issues. I seem to have many late eligibles in my constituency who are still awaiting transport. I counted this morning and found that I still had 30 students waiting. Has the Minister any idea of the number of applications that have not been processed? In particular, does she know how many late eligibles there are? By that I mean people who are going to become eligible for school transport but are still awaiting such transport.
The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the last school year, more than 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. The cost of the scheme in 2021 was €289 million.
In July 2022 and as part of a wider package of cost-of-living measures, the Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year for those who were eligible for the scheme. Ticket registration for the 2022-23 school year closed on 29 July, by which time almost 130,000 applications for mainstream school transport had been received. This figure included 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from previous years.
This time last year, there were approximately 103,600 children on school transport scheme services. Already, more than 127,800 tickets for the 2022-23 school year have been issued to applicants, meaning that in the region of 24,200 additional places have been created. This is an increase of 23%. Specifically, there has been an increase of 33% in concessionary tickets.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national schools and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their nearest post-primary schools or education centres, as determined by the Department. All children who are eligible for school transport and have completed the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Pending completion of the outcome of the full review of the school transport scheme, temporary alleviation measures at post-primary level have continued for the 2022-23 school year. Under these measures, pupils are eligible for transport to their next nearest schools.
As part of the budgetary process, some additional funding has been approved for the scheme, which has allowed officials in the Department, in consultation with Bus Éireann, to provide additional capacity where it is possible to do so. Bus Éireann has been prioritising areas where there are students who did not meet the eligibility criteria but were "on time concessionary pupils" and had tickets previously. 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.
They prepared a long answer for the Minister telling me all sorts of things about the school transport system I have known for many years. I asked a specific question about the number of students who had not yet received a school bus ticket, the number of those who were what are termed "late eligibles", and if the Minister would make a statement on the matter. What number of applications have been received but not dealt with yet? Some late eligibles and concessionary ticket holders got tickets while others did not. Extra money was given but there seem to have been loose rules around it. I am looking for hard facts about the number who applied and have not yet received tickets and the number of those who were late eligibles, that is, they were eligible but did not get their applications in on time.
There was a problem with the reminder that was sent out to Yahoo email addresses. There was also a bit of confusion among the public because there were no fees and parents who were used to paying fees did not realise that they had to apply a second time.
More than 130,000 applications or registrations were received by 29 July and we have issued 127,800 tickets. That process is ongoing. The 127,800 tickets represent a 23% increase on previous years, including a 33% increase in concessionary tickets.
Regarding the late application process, it is important for families to note that the application deadline was 29 April and that the deadline to confirm registration was 29 July. Any application completed after this date was a "late application" and, therefore, many school transport services were already operating at full capacity. While a number of late applications have been received, eligibility can only be determined at the time of assessment. These applications will only be assessed after all "on time" applications have been processed and there can be no guarantee of places for late applicants.
The second answer was much clearer than the first, which I appreciate. There are 2,800 applicants left, but the Minister has not yet told me how many of those would have been eligible had they applied on time. The website had to go down during the middle of the summer for a period because it had to be updated when the free transport scheme was introduced. I applaud the scheme, but it had its gremlins and caused confusion. Bus Éireann has admitted that there was a problem where people with Yahoo email addresses did not get the reminder that the rest did.
There was a little confusion. I have never had to deal with as many late eligibles as I have this year. In many cases, they applied in April but did not confirm in July because of the confusion during the summer. Is consideration still being given to granting these applicants school transport? Is fearr déanach ná go brách, or better later than never.
I wish to record my appreciation for the efforts made by the Minister to improve the school transport system and the measures she took during the course of the year to do so. A number of places are still available throughout the system on existing coach services. If those were replaced by larger buses, many more children could be accommodated.
Would it be possible for the Minister to have a look at that, with a view to meeting, insofar as possible, the existing voids that can be addressed, including in some cases for concessionary students, who see the buses passing by and whose parents must drive them to school because they cannot get access to the bus service?
Deputy Ó Cuív referred to Yahoo and the difficulties in that regard. If he has any specific cases where an issue arose, I would appreciate if he could forward the email address to my Department. However, in the main, that is not the only means of communication with parents; there were others. There was public information and the closing dates were advertised. The responsibility rests with individuals applying to be mindful of the application dates. I am happy to hear from the Deputy about specific instances. If he can give me the details, I will have them directly followed up.
In response to Deputy Durkan's point about places being available on buses, I want to be very clear that there is a rigorous analysis of the availability of places. Where it has been necessary to put on larger buses for those who are eligible and for concessionary places, we have done that. I want to be very clear about the availability of places on buses. In some instances, there may be cases where pupils do not travel on a particular day or there are other needs within a family where a child might be sick or whatever the case might be and there will be a free place on that day, but that is not a consistent free place. Where a child or young person is eligible for a ticket, he or she has the ticket.
63. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education his views on whether updated special needs reports should be ceased given that schools are still seeking updated reports for children with special needs, particularly for secondary schools, and the fact that parents are stressed attempting to access private assessments to obtain a place for their child. [58413/22]
What is the Minister of State's view on whether updated special needs reports should be ceased, given that schools are still seeking updated reports for children with special needs, in particular for secondary schools, and the fact that parents are stressed attempting to access private assessments to obtain a place for their child? Private assessments can cost anything up to €1,500, so it is an expensive avenue.
This is based on the NCSE's advice in its guidance document from 2021 regarding health professionals reports. In the first place, the report must indicate whether a child has a specific diagnosis, and then there must be some understanding of the complexity of the child's needs, what placement would be appropriate and the rationale for it. That is the NCSE's advice in that regard. An updated assessment is required when a child transitions from primary school to post-primary school. This is something post-primary schools might look for in their admission policies as well. While there is some merit in providing new assessments and reviewing a child's needs on an ongoing basis, we do need to move away from parents having to pay for the reports privately. Deputy Collins mentioned that in her question.
We must also look at whether the reports are needed or whether a more continuous review of educational needs would be better. As it stands, there is the professional report and the admissions policy, and the details are shared in the transition process between schools at primary and post-primary levels to support the transition. A lot of those details might be taken from the student's support file. There is also the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, NCCA, education passport, which provides a structured process for schools to share information to support the transition of pupils with special educational needs. It is not always used, but it can be used. Schools often prioritise the involvement of a National Educational Psychological Service, NEPS, psychologist as well to support the transition. I will update Deputy Collins on what we are doing when I next respond to her.
I was asked to put the question to the Minister of State by members of the Campaign 4 Autism Inclusion in Dublin 12. What they are seeing now are the difficulties posed for many of their children who have gone through primary school and are moving on to secondary school. As Deputy Ward said, many parents are starting to worry. One of the criteria for most secondary schools is that a child needs an updated report to access an autism class, irrespective of whether the child was attending an autism class at primary level. The campaign is raising the need to change the system. If a child is diagnosed as autistic, the diagnosis should carry through the child's educational life. The campaign suggests that there should be a supporting letter on a child's needs from the NEPS or a children's disability network team, CDNT, and that liaising with a primary school and parents should be sufficient rather than having families break the bank to get a private assessment of needs.
Given the passage of time since a pupil may have been assessed, it is common practice that pupils are reassessed ahead of transitioning to post-primary school. The assessment may assist both the pupil and the post-primary school in determining the most appropriate supports that are required for the pupil and how the school can best support the individual to integrate into mainstream classes, where possible. A review is ongoing, and the work is at an initial stage. There is a meeting today with the inspectorate, NEPS and the NCSE. It is envisaged that broader stakeholder engagement will also be undertaken on this sensitive issue for parents and children with special educational needs.
I welcome that. Does the Minister of State know how long the review will take? We will have a perfect storm with parents trying to find places in secondary schools in the time ahead unless we move very quickly to get special classes into secondary schools. There is also pressure on parents being out of pocket for €1,500 or more as they try to get an assessment of needs for their children prior to them accessing secondary level. The group is raising the issue with the Minister of State in order to map out some way to assist parents and school principals to bring their children from primary level, in particular those in special classes, into secondary school and to address their needs.
I acknowledge the Minister of State's work in this area and thank her for it. This applies to a number of schools throughout the country, including in my constituency of Kildare North. I tabled separate questions about them. I refer in particular to schools that are affected by increased demand due to population increases. Even new schools are not in a position to take the students. There is a necessity to accommodate such students, on foot of a previous agreement. I emphasise the importance of making that special accommodation for them at this particular stage. All delays will obviously impact severely on the students and their parents.
I will respond to Deputy Durkan first and then speak to the matter raised by Deputy Collins. As I mentioned in response to a previous question, 742 special classes in post-primary schools were opened this year but there are 1,803 special classes in primary schools, so there is already a gap in that regard. As I outlined, that is why I wrote the letter to all post-primary schools, stating that over the next five years each post-primary school will have to open four special classes. We need to close that gap. I mentioned earlier in response to Deputy Ó Laoghaire the forward planning that we are doing.
As regards the body of work that is being done, I understand some of the points made, for example, on cost. We must move away from people trying to pay privately for the assessments. When we have the classes set up in post-primary schools, we want to make sure that people can go to them and avail of the capacity. The work is at the initial stage. It is part of a wider range of initiatives being taken by the Department and the NCSE on the forward planning of special education. The initial work is on how placements are reviewed on an ongoing basis.
67. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her plans to ensure that energy use in schools is addressed, with particular reference to the installation of solar panels and retrofitting. [58469/22]
The Minister might have seen that Sinn Féin launched a document in recent days outlining our belief that schools have potential to be real leaders in challenging climate change. Some of it is to do with the curriculum and some to do with energy efficiency in schools. It is a real shame that very few of the 4,000 primary and post-primary schools have solar panels because the regulations are outdated, even though it would make a great difference to the costs of the schools and also in reducing emissions.
The Department has a strong record with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both national and international level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in design and specification. The National Development Plan 2021-2030, published on 4 October 2021, provides for capital funding of more than €4.4 billion for investment in school infrastructure during the period from 2021 to 2025. There continues to be a strong climate action dimension to this additional capacity and modernisation programme. Schools designed and built in accordance with the Department’s technical guidance documents have been achieving A3 building energy ratings since 2009, with current schools typically achieving up to 20% higher energy performance and 25% better carbon performance than required by the current building regulations. In addition, 10% of primary energy is provided via solar panels and there is infrastructure provision for electric vehicle charging.
As the Deputy will be aware, budget 2023 provided for the provision of funding from the climate action fund in respect of the provision of solar panels in schools up to 6 kW output. This is really positive news, which I am sure the Deputy will welcome, and will assist with schools’ energy needs and costs along with supporting the decarbonisation of our school buildings. Departmental officials are working closely with colleagues in the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications on the arrangements for this scheme and details will be announced in the shortest timeframe possible. The provision of the solar panels will be fully funded for schools. I will also announce in due course a climate action summer works programme to progress climate action specific initiatives that will assist with the roll-out of smaller scale energy retrofit works in schools.
The summer works programme has for many years featured categories that assist in improving energy reduction in schools such as heating system upgrades, roof insulation upgrades, high-performance window upgrades and electrical upgrades. The Departments of Education and the Environment, Climate and Communications have established a jointly funded pathfinder programme, which is administered by the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland and the planning and building unit in my Department. Support is also provided by Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, ETB, in respect of the programme.
On the school buildings that have been built in the past 15 years, the Minister will find no dispute from me. They are fantastic, energy-efficient buildings using the best of materials and so on, but the difficulty is that there are more 4,000 schools, many of which were built in the 1950s and 1960s by the Christian Brothers, for example, which are not the best in terms of energy efficiency. We have a big job to bring the schools estate, generally speaking, up to scratch.
I return to the issue of solar panels and I might return presently to that of retrofitting and so on. The Taoiseach told us several months ago that this would be resolved by the summer and indicated the regulations would be addressed, but it went out to a further round of consultation. I am a big fan of consultation in general but I am not sure it was necessary here. When will the regulations be in place? It is a no-brainer in view of the energy that can be generated, the benefit to schools financially and the reduction in emissions. When will they be finalised in order that schools can enter the planning process or whatever kind of process will follow?
I agree that this is a very positive move, and I welcome the fact schools will be eligible for the programme and it will be fully funded for them. Much work is being done in this regard and it is the absolute intention to roll it out as quickly as possible. Obviously, this is not within the gift of just my Department, but we are working constructively to ensure it will be delivered as quickly as possible.
I acknowledge the Deputy's reference to the deep energy retrofit programme, a significant and successful programme on which tens of millions of euro have been spent by the Department. We have seen the benefit in very many schools throughout the country and it is our ambition to grow that initiative. Much of the leadership and impetus for climate action and sustainability is coming from young people in our schools. There is a strong body of work in this area and we are continuing to move at pace.
I certainly agree with the point regarding young people. In the case of green flags in public buildings, many of the first ones we saw were in schools and other buildings in local communities. Great initiatives have been shown by young people and schools have been leaders in that regard.
On solar panels, the Minister has not given a specific date regarding the regulations. Schools cannot enter the planning system and that is a big problem.
To return to the retrofitting issue, the pathfinder programme is beneficial, but the point of it was to establish scalability. As that has surely been established over the past four or five years, it is time to scale up the programme.
I have a few practical questions on the summer works programme, which the Minister mentioned. Will the programme be entirely separate from the existing summer works programme or will there be a number of new grounds on which schools can apply? In any event, will there be additional funding for that? To clarify, will it be an entirely new programme, with a new form and so on, or will there be new grounds, additional to the nine or ten that currently exist, on which to apply within the existing programme?
The Department has many award-winning schemes that are internationally recognised for their agenda and for the priority given by the Department in the area of climate action and sustainability, and we have a strong strategy in that area as well. I mentioned the pathfinder programme and the solar panel scheme, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, and I acknowledge the work of my ministerial colleague in that regard.
As the Deputy knows, the summer works programme is invaluable to our schools for lesser initiatives but is equally important and impactful within our schools. It is envisaged the new climate-focused multiannual summer works programme will open for new applications in early 2023 and it will have the climate action initiative embedded in it.
Will they be two separate programmes?
We are working on the finer detail of that.
69. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education her plans, if any, to change conditions for teachers coming from abroad to qualify for incremental credit such as, but not limited to, staff who held a part-time role in a recognised school setting abroad; and if she will outline any other actions that may attract teachers to return to the Irish education system. [58471/22]
We spoke earlier about trying to ensure that teachers who are abroad will be attracted to come back to lay their roots here and get jobs. One challenge and disincentive can arise if they feel as though they are going to enter the system at the bottom despite being experienced teachers. I have come across several cases of teachers, which I will detail in a moment, who feel as though they would be disadvantaged and would enter the system at the bottom despite their experience and, therefore, they are inclined not to come back.
The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers were agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council, TCC. This council comprises representatives of teachers, school management and the Departments of Public Expenditure and Reform and Education. The council is chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission. The TCC meets at least every two months and the agenda is agreed between the Department and the teacher unions. The award criteria for incremental credit are laid out in the Department’s circulars for primary teachers and post-primary teachers. These circulars provide for the awarding of incremental credit for both teaching service and relevant non-teaching service that has taken place abroad.
Under the auspices of the TCC, a subcommittee has been set up to deal with incremental credit issues. Officials from my Department are considering a submission that the teachers’ unions lodged at the TCC subcommittee regarding the rules relating to incremental credit. An update on the progress of this work is provided at each TCC meeting. On conclusion of these negotiations at the TCC, the Department plans to replace existing circulars with a consolidated circular that will be applicable to both primary and post-primary teachers.
The TCC subcommittee meets four times per year and is currently considering many items including the removal of the seven-year cap on incremental credit for teaching service outside of the EU and the alignment of primary and post-primary rules relating to service in private schools outside the EU. Work is ongoing on this submission and the next subcommittee meeting is scheduled for January 2023.
As for measures to attract teachers returning to the Irish education system, I fully appreciate that, as the Deputy noted, this issue is a consideration for many of them. Nevertheless, it is a significant step forward that we have the subcommittee and the issue of incremental credit is being adjudicated on, discussed and engaged with by it.
I find the Minister's response encouraging, in which she identified some of the issues we are talking about. I can think of two examples, from Australia and Vietnam, where somebody was teaching at a private school that is well recognised by that state's authorities and operates in line with its curriculum and so on.
Despite having seven or eight years of experience in those schools, on returning home they would be treated as if they were just newly qualified. That is a severe disincentive.
Is it possible to get a timescale on how this process will proceed? I am not suggesting that it needs to be rushed or anything like that, but how long will it be before the new consolidated circular is available?
I appreciate that a body of work needs to be done in this regard. As the Deputy acknowledged, it is positive that this is now the work and consideration of the sub-committee.
We must be clear that the TCC is made up of a variety of bodies. It is not just the Department of Education. It is also made up of teachers' representatives, school management and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in order that there is a full, frank and open discussion as regards what we can do.
It is my hope and expectation that this will be prioritised in terms of moving it apace. There is an absolute commitment around looking with priority at the specific issues I already raised, whether it is the seven-year cap for those outside of the EU or the alignment of primary and post-primary conditions into one system. The next meeting of the subcommittee is scheduled to take place in January. It is difficult to give a particular timeline but it is being given the highest priority.
I will forward to the Minister some correspondence I received. If she is taking on board what the Teachers' Union of Ireland is saying, she might take on board what I am saying.
I will also flag to her a different type of issue that arose in Britain which, at the time, was still a member of the EU. A particular teacher was working on a job sharing basis in a recognised public school, although that is not really at the heart of the issue. This teacher taught for six years, working three days per week in a job-share capacity in this particular school. They hoped on their return to be able to receive incremental credit pro rata. The circulars as they stand for people working within the EU only recognise full-time jobs, however; despite the fact that had this person been working in the Irish education system for the same six years on a job share basis, the person would have accrued pro rata incremental credit. There is, therefore, an inequality that needs to be addressed. This person is fully qualified and wants to work in the system but is disincentivised because it would be starting at the beginning, even though the person has been working for six years job sharing in Britain. That is not fair and needs to be addressed.
For my own clarity, is that somebody who is working in the primary sector?
This person is working in the primary sector.
The current process as we know it has been in operation for more than 20 years now. Over the years, a number of amendments have been made. As we said, there is now an opportunity to address very specifically some of the issue that have been raised and, indeed, the wider issues I raised earlier. The fact is that this process has been operating for more than 20 years and within that period we have seen amendments, which shows the openness to looking at new opportunities to address situations as they arise. I am very happy to take the details of the case Deputy Ó Laoghaire wishes to share with me. As I said, work is moving apace and this is being prioritised.
70. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education the up-to-date report on both the temporary and permanent plans for a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57934/22]
Gaelscoil Laighean in my area was recently denied planning permission for temporary buildings on the Mount Anville site, which Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown county councillors agreed to dispose of earlier this year in order to provide a site for both temporary and permanent buildings for the school. Parents have expressed absolute disbelief and fury that this is now the third planning permission application for temporary buildings that has been put in by the Department and been refused. They asked whether the Department of Education knows how to put in a planning application for a school that has been looking for a location for seven years now.
Gaelscoil Laighean is currently located in interim accommodation in a building at Kill Lane and a room is also rented from the Mount Merrion parish centre, which is located directly across the road. It is intended that the school will move to interim accommodation and a permanent site at Mount Anville for September 2023.
With regard to the interim accommodation for Gaelscoil Laighean, an application for planning permission was lodged for the Mount Anville depot site on 21 June 2022. The final grant of permission issued from Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council on 16 September 2022 with 18 conditions. My Department’s design team responded to the council on these conditions on 5 October 2022 and is currently liaising with the local authority to finalise and agree all pre-commencement conditions to allow the building contractor to commence work on the site. The contractor has been appointed.
Agreement in principle for the acquisition of the permanent site was reached with the executive of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown County Council in June 2021, subject to the approval of the elected members of the council. The approval by the elected members to dispose of the lands to the Minister for Education was granted at a council meeting in April 2022. This acquisition is subject to the successful grant of planning permission for the permanent school facility.
With regard to the permanent school building project, the Department has commenced the tender process for the appointment of the project manager for the delivery programme, which includes Gaelscoil Laighean. An expression of interest notice was published on the eTenders portal on 14 November.
Once the project manager is appointed, he or she will commence the tender process for the appointment of the design team that will take the project forward through the stages of architectural planning to tender and construction. The school and its patron body will be kept fully informed as these steps are progressed.
Gaelscoil Laighean is part of a strong pipeline of school building projects for delivery under the Government’s national development plan. The Department has a strong track record of delivery with more than 360 school building projects at construction during 2022, including more than 50 new schools. The Department has an allocation of €4.4 billion to facilitate delivery during the period 2021 to 2025.
The conditions the planning application failed to meet were around things like lack of public lighting, lack of proper pest control, failure to put in correct waste management systems and other green conditions in those conditions mentioned by the Minister.
What the parents of Gaelscoil Laighean find really hard to believe is that where there are particular conditions around building a temporary school building - bear in mind, this school has been authorised to exist since 2015 and has been in a completely inappropriate temporary situation in Deansgrange since then - the Department does not know how to put in a planning application that meets these conditions. Therefore, we get delay after delay. Can the Minister explain that? Can she give a clear timeline as to when the school will gain access to the Mount Anville site? What is the timeline for the completion of not only the temporary but the permanent school buildings for Gaelscoil Laighean?
I want to be clear; the planning system is the planning system. In the first instance, however, I totally reject the Deputy's view in terms of the Department of Education and its delivery of school buildings and knowledge of planning. The Department has an extremely strong record of delivery in terms of school buildings. More than 360 school building projects were at construction during 2022. That is a phenomenal investment by the Department. That includes brand new schools, of which there are more than 50. The Department also has an allocation of €4.4 billion to facilitate delivery during the 2021 to 2025 school period.
Specifically with regard to Gaelscoil Laighean, the application for the Mount Anville site was lodged in June 2022. Planning was granted on 16 September 2022, with conditions. The Department's design team responded to the council on these conditions on 5 October and is currently liaising with the local authority to finalise and agree all pre-commencement conditions to allow the building contractor to commence the work on site. The contractor has also been appointed.
It still seems quite extraordinary that some of those conditions could not be met and that we have delays around the failure to meet some of them, some of which I just outlined. One would have thought people would know how to meet these sorts of basic conditions, or "green conditions" as they were described to me. We must also remember that this is a long saga. The school was originally promised a site at Newtownpark Avenue. Then, there was a long battle to get another site. We had to have council land that had been originally zoned for housing disposed to the school.
The site was given to the school because Gaelscoil Laighean needed a site. They seriously question when they will actually gain access. What is the timeline for access to the Mount Anville site for temporary buildings, and the timeline for the completion of the permanent school buildings for Gaelscoil Laighean? Is it possible to get answers to those questions because, otherwise, things seem to just drag on and on?
It is intended that the school will move to interim accommodation on its permanent site at Mount Anville for September 2023. The grant of planning permission was received on 16 September 2022. The Department officials, the project manager and the design team have engaged with the planning roles and departments within Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council to agree the works required for the public road and junction outside of the school site, as required on condition No. 7 of the planning permission. The last communication from the local authority to our design team on 17 November indicated that the council is finalising its programme of work for Mount Anville and Deerpark Road. The works to the road junction to be carried out by my Department for the interim accommodation for the school are required to align with the council’s programme of work. Both the design team of my Department and the local authority are jointly working to agree that alignment.
Specifically, on the permanent project, once the project manager is appointed, the tender process will commence for the appointment of a design team which will take the project forward through the stages of architectural planning, including preparation of the planning application to the local authority. It is not possible at this time, in advance of the appointment of the project manager, the design team and ahead of the pre-planning consultations with the local authority, to indicate when the planning permission for the project will be secured. Considerable work has been done, however, and the school will be kept informed via its patron, which I believe is An Foras Pátrúnachta.
As we have ten minutes remaining, I will try to fit two questions in, so I will ask Deputies to be as brief as they can, please.
72. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Education the way that online safety and awareness is currently incorporated into the school curriculum at primary and post-primary school level; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [57484/22]
I ask the Minister the way in which online safety and awareness is currently incorporated into the primary and post-primary curriculum, please.
I thank the Deputy for her question. As Minister for Education, the online safety of our children and young people is a priority both for myself and my Department.
Within the education system, the current social, personal and health education curriculum, known as SPHE, at primary level covers the important topics of personal safety and protection, and includes online safety. This SPHE curriculum content aims to foster well-being, self-confidence and seeks to develop the child’s own sense of personal responsibility. This learning is built on at post-primary level. Here students learn how to exercise judgment, weigh up different possibilities, examine the steps and choices that guide them towards considered decision-making, begin to understand their own rights and the rights of others, and explore decision-making in all aspects of their lives including online.
The SPHE specifications, as the Deputy is aware, are currently being redeveloped by the NCCA. The immediate focus of the work has been on creating support materials for teachers, with the NCCA online SPHE toolkits being expanded during 2022. As part of the redevelopment work, we have specifically referred to the need to ensure that the specifications are modern and up to date in respect of the online world and its impact on children.
The junior cycle draft SPHE specification was subject to a consultation process which concluded in October 2022. It is expected that the specification will be finalised by the end of this year, with implementation in schools in September 2023.
With regard to senior cycle SPHE, consultation is expected by next summer and it is expected that the curriculum will be ready for implementation in schools in September 2024. At primary level it is expected that the new curriculum will be in schools in 2025.
The Professional Development Service for Teachers, PDST, funded by my Department, offers professional learning opportunities and resources to teachers and school leaders in a range of curricular and educational areas, including supports on the prevention of online bullying and harassment.
In particular, Webwise which is part of the PDST technology in education, promotes the effective and safe use of the Internet through a sustained information and awareness strategy. It also addresses key issues such as cyberbullying, sexting, image sharing, respectful communication, social media, popular apps and much more.
I thank the Minister for that update. We all acknowledge that we are living in a very different world now from the one we were in ten or even 15 years ago. Children nowadays have so many more pressures on them and much of that is as a result of the online developments. Online gaming and social media are now an everyday part of many, if not most, teenagers' lives. While that has benefits in that we will have a technically agile workforce when these children come out of school, it also poses challenges. These are challenges in respect of cyberbullying, online safety, and the implications that this can have on people’s mental health, particularly the mental health of developing teenagers.
The Government has introduced new laws to update our statute books to reflect this new online world. We have had Coco’s law, action when it comes to revenge porn, and hate speech also. How has the Department incorporated this new reality into the curriculum? It is great to hear what the Minister is saying about SPHE and the move to incorporate this into the next two, three or four years, if one is talking about primary school, but I am wondering about what is happening now in schools across the country to protect our children online?
I completely agree with the Deputy. We are living in a much-changed and very different world now and it is important that we have an agile workforce. It is also important that we have students who are well informed and capable of living safely in this world.
I want to be clear that there are a number of initiatives under way, while we are talking about the redevelopment of the primary school curriculum, and equally so of SPHE at post-primary level. Significant resources in the interim are being made available to our staff specifically in respect of cyber bullying and online safety. Equally the PDST has a very strong continuing professional development, CPD, roll-out into our schools to support our staff. We also have the digital strategy for our schools which sets out the policy of the Department of Education on the effective use of digital technologies and teaching learning and assessment. The key action under the strategy is the promotion of the responsible and ethical use of the Internet and related technologies. That all feeds into practice within our schools.
It is fantastic to see that the responsible and ethical use of technology is very much at the core of this because that is what we want young people to do, which is to behave responsibly online towards their peers and, above all else, to stay safe.
I am aware that the Minister mentioned Webwise in her initial contribution and I have had many dealings with them. They are one of many organisations which provides fantastic resources which are there for students and teachers, but are also there for parents. I encourage parents to have a look at the online resources. Some of the social media companies offer workshops, training and explanations also. I held a number of events in my constituency in Clondalkin, Lucan and Rathcoole a number of years ago about cybersafety, online gaming and social media. It was an eye-opener to hear how much some parents knew and how other parents were struggling to keep up. All of us here, as public representatives, should be there to help our parents to keep up, even when it comes to the dictionary and the new words that children are using online now. It is about being aware and being there to support children through this. I thank the Minister very much.
I appreciate the Deputy’s interest in this area and indeed her shining a light on it. It behoves us to acknowledge the world in which we live today. Significant progress has been made by the Department. There is also a recognition that more needs to be done in this space and it is for that reason there is the review of the programmes we deliver. In the interim, we have made the toolkits available, and we have, as the Deputy has referred to, supports such as Webwise. We also have our PDST, which is specifically supporting our staff, the toolkits that are available online. The whole impetus for all of this is to ensure we can have respectful online communications through the development of digital literacy, as the Deputy has said, which is very important. We want our young people to have digital literacy, but also that they would be cognisant and mindful of the need for online safety and the safe and ethical use of all digital technologies, which is at the core of all we seek to achieve.
73. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education if she will take action to ensure that children with Down's syndrome in County Mayo have access to a school and supports in their local schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58439/22]
The battle for the right to an education for children with special educational needs has been a very long one. The €2 billion which has been provided now is very welcome. This is why it is very difficult to accept that there are still some children who are not getting their education. I am thinking in particular of a 13-year-old boy in Mayo, about whom I have written to the Minister of State. He should now be halfway through the first year at this stage but he has had no education. The school is saying that it does not have the capacity but the SENO is saying that the school does have the capacity and would have all of the resources it would need for that. There are children who are still being caught in that gap. I am asking the Minister of State, in particular, if she would intervene. I am afraid that they might appeal to the Department but that will take months and months and, by that time, the child will have gone through almost all of the year without having had an education. I ask the Minister of State to look at that.
It is unclear to me why a SENO would say that there was capacity and that the child does not have a place. That does not make any sense to me and that is something that I can follow up with the Deputy afterwards and we can take it from there.
I thank the Minister of State and will follow up with her.
