Written Answers Nos. 339-353
339. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education the plans that she has to reintroduce the higher diploma in education, shorten the two-year professional master of education to a one-year course, or both; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [62342/22]
View answerChanges to the duration and content of all initial teacher education (ITE) programmes were made in response to recommendations in the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among children and Young People 2011-2020 and were incorporated into the Teaching Council’s Policy Paper on the Continuum of Teacher Education and Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providers. The changes made to post graduate ITE programmes included the reconfiguration of their content and an increase in their duration to two years.
The lengthened and reconfigured programmes include substantial periods of school placement as central to student teacher development.
Accreditation of ITE programmes and the standards required to be registered as a teacher in Ireland are the responsibility of the Teaching Council. Revised standards for ITE were set out by the Teaching Council in Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education , published in 2020. These include a number of mandatory areas including seven core elements:
- Inclusive Education
- Global Citizenship Education
- Professional Relationships and Working with Parents
- Professional Identity and Agency
- Creativity and Reflective Practice
- Literacy and Numeracy
- Digital Skills
Céim reaffirms that post-graduate ITE programmes programmes shall be a minimum of two years’ duration.
These reforms are focused on improving the quality of teaching in our schools, which is central to the educational outcomes of our children. The changes made to the content and duration of the ITE programmes for primary and post primary teaching are in line with the aims of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and aim to ensure that newly qualified teachers are better equipped for the needs of modern day classrooms.
It is acknowledged that there are challenges around the recruitment of teachers at present. However, programmes of initial teacher education remain oversubscribed and there are no plans to reduce the current duration of the postgraduate ITE programmes to one year.
340. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the main policy achievements of her Department since 27 June 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61646/22]
View answerMy Department will soon publish a statement of priority actions to be delivered in 2023 which will elaborate on and develop the strategic actions set out in the Statement of Strategy 2021-2023. The Statement of Strategy was published in June 2021. It set out the vision, mission and strategic goals that will guide the Department’s work programme for the 2021-2023 period. The Department's Annual Reports have also been published and outline the significant work undertaken during 2020 and 2021.
Throughout 2022, my Department’s goal has been to continue to support school communities through the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine and from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department has been working intensively to make education available to Ukrainian children and providing for those most in need.
Other significant achievements for 2022 include:
- The publication of Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying. This landmark new Action Plan is dedicated to the prevention and addressing of bullying, cyber bullying, racism, gender identity bullying or sexual harassment, among other areas, in schools. Cineáltas has been informed by the views of children and young people, parents, school staff, education partners and individual members of the public and succeeds in placing the students at the very heart of the plan. Cineáltas builds on the achievements and ambition of the previous Action Plan on Bullying published in 2013, taking into account the work undertaken in recent years to ensure that our schools are safe and happy places for all our children and young people.
- €9.625 billion education funding in Budget 2023, including measures to tackle disadvantage and support children with special educational needs. This represents an increase of €443 million in core funding, as well as over €145 million in non-core expenditure. This builds on significant increases in recent budgets and further enhances the investment in the primary and post-primary education system.
- €90 million in one-off additional funding to support increased running costs for recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme in dealing with challenges they face in light of rising energy costs.
- Primary staffing schedule reduced by one point, to a historically low level of 24:1 in 2022. Further investment in new teaching posts will see the general average reduced to 23:1 in 2023. This is a further reduction on the already historically low level and the first time such a reduction has been made in three consecutive Budgets.
- Publication of the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 and the payment of €50 million in grant funding for digital technology infrastructure to all recognised primary and post-primary schools.
This strategy advances the embedding of digital technologies across teaching, learning and assessment, building on the work under previous strategies. It aims to further support the school system so that all students across our schools have the opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills they need to navigate an ever-evolving digital world successfully.
- The major expansion of the DEIS – Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools programme that will see the programme extended to an additional 322 schools. Additional allocations to the DEIS programme together with a further one point improvement in the staffing schedule for DEIS Urban Band 1 schools has created the largest ever education package to tackle educational disadvantage and represents an increase of over 20 per cent in funding for the DEIS programme over the years 2022 and 2023.
- Announcement of over €50 million to provide free books to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from September 2023. This measure will eliminate the cost to these families for all school books at primary school, including workbooks. It delivers on the Programme for Government commitment to extend the free school book pilot, currently in 102 DEIS primary schools, as resources permit. The free primary school books scheme will benefit up to 540,000 pupils in approximately 3,240 recognised primary schools, including over 130 special schools.
- There are extensive new measures to support students with special educational needs, with additional teaching, SNA and support resources. Building on the exceptional work already undertaken in 2022 to ensure appropriate placement for children in mainstream classes, special classes and special schools for 2023, the special education budget will be substantially increased by almost ten per cent, with a total spend on supporting students with special educational needs of over €2.6 billion.
- At the end of March I made a comprehensive announcement setting out a vision including specific actions for the redevelopment of Senior Cycle which builds on the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) Advisory Report on the Review of Senior Cycle, the Leaving Certificate experience since 2020, a more vocal student voice and international experience. Work is now in train in my Department to give effect to significant elements of the programme of work involved including preparations for the introduction of new and revised subjects in schools from September 2024 and changes to the assessment arrangements for fifth year students commencing fifth year in the next school year.
- Government approval for the Education (Provision in Respect of Children with Special Educational Needs) Bill 2022 - legislation which provides for a truncated Section 37A process, whereby a school can be directed to make additional provision for children with special educational needs. This new process can lead to a Ministerial direction to be served on a school within 6 to 8 weeks of receiving a report from the NCSE setting out its opinion that there are insufficient schools places in a certain area.
- Additional funding in the amount of €10m is being provided as a fuel contribution to bus contractors operating under contract to Bus Éireann for the operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme during the 2022/23 school year.
- Updating the membership of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) to include the President of the Irish Second Level Students’ Union (ISSU).
- The introduction of the Covid Learning and Supports Scheme (CLASS) that mitigates the impact of Covid-19 to students’ learning and wellbeing.
- The 2022 Summer Programme, which built on the success of 2021. Over 41,000 students benefitted from this year's programme, an increase of 300% on 2019. The measures within Budget 2023 will see an additional €20 million for the Summer Programme, bringing the total provision to €40 million. In 2020 and 2021 the Summer Programme was expanded significantly to include all mainstream schools as the most inclusive way of reaching all children who needed the extra support that the Programme provides for students at risk of educational disadvantage as a result of the COViD-19 pandemic.
- Funding investment of €65 million in 2022 to facilitate the delivery 497 projects under the Summer Works Scheme.
- A new postgraduate programme to upskill registered post-primary teachers teaching Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE).
- The establishment of Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) to support children from Ukraine.
- Establishment of a scheme to provide Irish Sign Language Support for children whose primary language is Irish Sign Language (ISL) and who are attending recognised schools.
- Investment of nearly €13 million to support the expansion and development of the NCSE to ensure that it is fit for purpose and able to deliver real and meaningful supports for children, families and schools that support children with special educational needs. This investment will see an increase of over 50 per cent in staffing levels in the NCSE.
- Launch of guidelines on the use of reduced school days, coming into effect from 1st January 2022.
- Ireland’s first-ever Computer Science Week, which took place from 8-15 October, 2022. The week’s events showcase the exciting benefits and cutting edge opportunities of Computer Science for students while shining a light on the impressive developments in classrooms around Ireland.
- The establishment of National Policy Group for Lifelong Guidance to steer the development of a coherent, long-term strategic framework for lifelong guidance.
- The creation of 21 new 2022 Creative Clusters comprising 78 schools. Creative Clusters supports schools to build capacity in creativity, schools in each cluster will enjoy access to a specialist facilitator, artist or creative expertise in whatever their chosen area of interest or theme might be. These resources will help the schools to build a project of learning and activities tailor-made for their students.
- Publication of “Autism Good Practice Guidance for Schools – Supporting Children and Young People” This guidance document is a resource to support the needs of students with autism. It aims to assist teachers, SNAs and others working with children and young people with autism in an education setting to understand their needs so there can be effective engagement.
- The provision of a minimum of one day administrative leave per week for teaching principals.
- The launch of a two-year action research project (2021-2023), aimed at supporting small rural schools, to encourage small schools to cluster together in local groups and enabling them to collaborate and identify common challenges and trial innovative solutions.
- Extension for a second year of a new language sampler module, “Say Yes to Languages” for third to sixth class pupils in primary and special schools saw some 40,000 pupils participating in the scheme in 2021/22 and 12 different languages have been selected including: French, German, Irish Sign Language, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Lithuanian, Romanian, Polish, Portuguese, Arabic and Tamil.
- Launch of a new arts in education initiative – BLAST (Bringing Live Arts to Schools and Teachers) in 2021. The 2022 Arts-in-Education BLAST Residency Programme, will enable up to 425 new Arts-in-Education residencies in schools each year.
- The continuation of the Schools Energy Retrofit Pathfinder Programme which has retrofitted 42 schools across Ireland to date with work underway on an additional 15 schools added in 2021 underway.
- The allocation of €860m for 2023 to school building projects, which will see a continued strong rollout with 300 school building projects currently at construction, most of which are scheduled for completion in 2023. These projects will deliver 50 new school buildings and extensions at around 250 schools.
- The accreditation of a pilot online training programme for special needs assistants (SNAs). This pilot training programme was commissioned for a four-year period and will inform policy considerations on future training options for SNAs.
- Publication of a report on the Review of Out-of-School Education Provision. The out-of-school education sector relates to a small number of schools and education centres which operate outside of mainstream education provision. This review focused on the education provision in the State for learners under 16 years of age who have encountered difficulties staying in mainstream education. The review also makes recommendations to inform future policy to provide a sustainable option within the education system to further serve this group of learners.
- Publication of the 2nd National Strategy on Education for Sustainable Development – ESD to 2030. ESD aims to ensure that all learners have the knowledge and skills required to promote sustainable development. ESD to 2030 provides a framework to support the contribution that the education sector is making and will continue to make towards a more sustainable future at a number of levels: individual, community, local, national and international. ESD is a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target in itself (4.7) and internationally acknowledged as a key enabler for the achievement of all 17 SDGs.
- Publication of recommendations on Gender Balance in STEM Education. The recommendations were developed in order to guide national actions that will ensure STEM education in Ireland is world class in improving gender balance, equity and inclusion effectively for our young people. They will feed into the new STEM Education Implementation Plan to 2026.
- Publication of Children’s School Lives: Preschool to Primary School Transition, the fourth report from the Children’s School Lives longitudinal study. This study, which follows approximately 4,000 children across 189 schools through their primary school years, will provide rich and insightful pictures of children’s experiences in primary schools in Ireland. The study will also show how these experiences both shape and are shaped by schools as communities, institutions, and as a system.
341. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the provision of a new school building for a school (details supplied). [61671/22]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a major school building project for the school in question has been devolved for delivery to Limerick & Clare Education & Training Board (LCETB). A Traffic Impact Assessment has recently been completed and the findings of same are currently under review by the Design Team.
The Design Team is working in consultation with LCETB, the School, the Department and the Local Authority to inform the design going forward.It is envisaged that when this process is complete, the Department can expect to receive the Stage 1 Report in due course.
While this project is still at an early stage, it is not possible to provide a timeframe for completion.
342. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Minister for Education if her Department can suggest a funding scheme or grant that would allow for a school (details supplied) to address constant flooding in its schoolyard, which prevents the children from using the yard. [61672/22]
View answerThe Minor Works Grant is the funding mechanism for schools for dealing with small scale works.
More significant works are dealt with via the multi-annual Summer Works Scheme. The purpose of the Summer Works Scheme is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small-scale building works which, ideally, can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school.
The Emergency Works Scheme is the mechanism for dealing with emergency works at individual schools.
343. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she supports the proposed restructuring of Tusla given the policy and finance remit of education welfare services sits in her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61674/22]
View answer344. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education if she has been consulted about proposed restructuring of educational welfare services within Tusla; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61675/22]
View answer345. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the way that her Department can ensure that the focus of educational welfare services remains on attendance, participation, retention if proposed restructuring by Tusla services goes ahead; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61676/22]
View answer346. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education the way that she will ensure that her Department's funds remain targeted on the best educational outcomes for all young people if TESS is disbanded under Tusla restructuring proposals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61677/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 343, 344, 345 and 346 together.
Tusla Education Support Service (TESS) operates under the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, a piece of legislation that emphasises the promotion of school attendance, participation and retention. TESS has three strands namely the Statutory Educational Welfare Service and the two school support services HSCL and SCP. The three TESS strands work together collaboratively with schools, families and other relevant services to achieve the best educational outcomes for children and young people. All three strands share, and will continue to share, the same national outcomes of improved attendance, improved participation and improved retention.
Responsibility for education welfare functions under the Education (Welfare) Act 2000, transferred back to my Department with effect from 1st January 2021 in line with Transfer of Functions Order SI 588 of 2020. The transfer of functions also includes responsibility for the administration of the non-statutory Home School Community Liaison Scheme (HSCL) and School Completion Programme (SCP). Tusla is responsible for the delivery of these services under the Child and Family Agency Act, 2013.
The amendments to the Child and Family Agency Act provide that I, as Minister for Education, in respect of the education welfare functions of the Agency, shall develop an annual Performance Statement to provide the Agency with specific policy guidance, direction, prioritisation and resource parameters in respect of each year for the preparation of its annual business plan. Furthermore, the Act provides that the Minister for Education shall determine the maximum amount of net expenditure that may be incurred by Tusla in respect of its educational welfare functions for a financial year and notify Tusla of this amount in the context of the Performance Statement. A business plan is developed by Tusla based on this performance statement. This ensures that Tusla’s Education Support Service and Alternative Education and Registration Service are aligned with the priorities of the Department of Education. The Performance Statement for 2023 has recently issued to Tusla from my Department.
In the context of the transfer of functions a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was agreed by myself and the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. The MOU acknowledges that as Tusla will now be receiving funding from two different Votes, it is necessary for each funding stream to be accounted for separately in line with Public Financial Policies and Procedures. In that regard, the MOU stipulates that these funding streams are not interchangeable and cannot be used for purposes other than that for which they were voted.
I understand that the Tusla’s Structural Reform programme commenced in 2020. Its purpose is to reimagine and implement a revised organisational structure and new ways of working for Tusla. Consultations are ongoing on how best to structure the organisation in preparation for the years ahead. This is a consultative process giving consideration to what might best assist the Agency to achieve its desired objectives, including local ownership and national leadership in a decentralised model.
My Department has been consulted and continues to remain engaged with the process in relation to the TESS functions.
347. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on a school transport service (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61691/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Bus Éireann has advised that they are sourcing a suitable contractor for the routes referred to by the Deputy and are currently undergoing the procurement process. Once a suitable contractor is sourced their Local Office will contact all the families concerned.
348. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education when a person (details supplied) who has applied for a bus ticket for transport to school will receive their ticket; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61703/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who apply but who are not eligible for school transport will be considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme but did not submit an application for school transport by the closing date of 29 April or complete the ticket registration process by the closing date of 29 July. However, Bus Éireann has further advised that their local office is currently assessing school transport routes and if seats become available, the family referred to by the Deputy will be contacted directly by their local office.
349. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education the progress that she has achieved to date in bringing school completion officers back within her Department's remit; if her attention has been drawn to reports of the impact that education and training boards are experiencing in recruiting persons as a result of the current school completion programme governance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61706/22]
View answerOn 1 January 2021, responsibility for education welfare functions, including the administration of the home school community liaison scheme and the school completion programme (SCP), transferred from the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth to my Department. The SCP forms part of the Tusla education support service, TESS. While the arrangements between Tusla and the SCP are not impacted by the change in ministerial responsibility, Tusla now reports to my Department in respect of the SCP, which is funded by my Department via Tusla.
The SCP was introduced in 2002 by my Department and the programme is now a central element of DEIS, my Department’s main policy initiative to address educational disadvantage at school level. The SCP delivers a range of local interventions in disadvantaged communities that support the retention of young people in education. The programme enables local communities to develop tailored strategies to maximise the participation levels of those at risk of early school-leaving in the education process. It entails targeting individual young people of school-going age and arranging supports to address inequalities in education access, participation and outcomes.
At present, management of the school completion programme initiatives, including the employment of staff, generally occurs at local level.
Since my Department took over responsibility for the school completion programme in January 2021, I secured additional funding to provide for an extension of SCP supports to 28 additional schools that were included in DEIS for the first time in September 2017 and a 5% overall increase in funding for the school completion programme, effective from September 2021. In addition, I negotiated a further increase of 5% for the SCP under budget 2023. The total funding for SCP will increase to over €34 million in 2023. This also takes into account the funding for additional schools that are eligible to access SCP since September 2022, arising from the expansion of the DEIS programme.
The initial focus of the transfer of the school completion programme has been very much on the development of the legislative platform to support the transfer of functions from the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, and the process in that respect was recently completed.
My Department is now moving on to consider all aspects of the programme, including governance and structures for SCP and all aspects involved therein. Officials from my Department have recently engaged with Tusla and other relevant stakeholders in relation to SCP; this engagement will continue in the context of the overall consideration of the programme.
350. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education the latest data on the number of Irish examination exemptions for students of the junior and leaving certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61769/22]
View answerI can advise the Deputy that I have recently published new circulars on exemptions from the study of Irish for implementation in the current school year (2022/23) following an interim review of the 2019 circulars. Circular 0054/2022 applies to recognised English medium primary schools and Circular 0055/2022 applies to recognised English medium post-primary schools.
The parent(s)/guardian(s)/student (if 18 years or over) make an application for an exemption from the study of Irish to the school. It is a matter for the school to consider the application in accordance with the criteria set out in the relevant circular.
The only circumstances in which a school may grant an exemption from the study of Irish are those set out in section 2 of the relevant circulars. Latest data is as follows:
|
Year 3 |
Year 3 |
Year 3 |
|
|
Count Unique Students with Exemptions |
Count Unique Students with Exemptions |
Count Unique Students with Exemptions |
|
|
Programme |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
JUNIOR CERTIFICATE SCHOOLS PROG |
1435 |
1390 |
1642 |
|
JUNIOR CYCLE |
5261 |
5418 |
5840 |
|
Grand Total |
6696 |
6808 |
7482 |
|
Year 2 Count Unique Students with Exemptions |
Year 2 Count Unique Students with Exemptions |
Year 2 Count Unique Students with Exemptions |
|
|
Programme |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
|
LEAVING CERTIFICATE |
3867 |
4184 |
4319 |
|
LEAVING CERTIFICATE APPLIED |
996 |
1081 |
1167 |
|
LEAVING CERTIFICATE VOCATIONAL |
2068 |
2145 |
2034 |
|
Grand Total |
6931 |
7410 |
7520 |
As with all our data, the accuracy of the data we hold is based on the method and details which each post-primary school utilises for making their October Return.
351. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education when an application for SNA, bus escort and DES supports for a child (details supplied) in County Donegal will be processed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61772/22]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
The NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews and the school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly your correspondence has been forwarded to the NCSE for direct reply.
The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
In relation to SNA support the NCSE have confirmed that the school has an allocation of SNA support to provide support for children with primary care needs.
The following arrangements for the allocation of SNA support in respect of students in mainstream classes for 2022/23 will apply:
a) The SNA allocations for mainstream classes in schools on 31st May 2022 will be maintained for 2022/23. This will provide greater certainty for schools.
b) A process for schools, whereby if they consider their SNA allocation is in excess of the required care needs, to engage with the NCSE. Schools should contact their local NCSE Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO) to commence the process.
c) The exceptional review process undertaken by NCSE will remain in place throughout the 2022/23 school year, where schools can seek a review of their SNA allocations which will result in one of the following outcomes:
i. No change in the level of care need identified (and no change in the resultant SNA allocation);
ii. Increase in the level of care need identified (which if significant would see an increase in the SNA allocations to the schools) ;
iii. Decrease in level of care need identified in the school (which if significant would result in a reduction in SNA allocations as the care need could be managed with less resources than are currently allocated); In relation to outcome iii, the SNA allocation will be adjusted at the end of the relevant school term.
It is expected that schools will review and reprioritise the deployment of SNAs within mainstream settings and allocate resources to ensure those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support. Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014 circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/education/2014/30.pdf.
Following such a review and reprioritisation, it is expected that a small number of schools, e.g. developing schools, may not have a sufficient SNA allocation to meet the needs of their students. These schools can apply to the NCSE for an Exceptional Review of their allocation.
Detailed information on the NCSE Exceptional Review process is published on the NCSE website. ncse.ie/application-for-sna-exceptional-review.
The NCSE will endeavour to respond to all applications for Exceptional Review received as expediently as possible and in that regard, it will prioritise applications from schools with no current SNA allocation and developing schools. The Exceptional Review process for mainstream allocations will be available to schools throughout the 2022/23 school year.
The NCSE has developed an appeal mechanism for schools who are not satisfied with the outcome of the Exceptional Review. Local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) will provide information and clarification to schools on the outcome where requested. Where schools wish to appeal the outcome of the review, they must do so using the prescribed form provided by the NCSE ncse.ie/ncse-appeals-process.
The NCSE have published the SNA allocations for the 2022/23 school year and they are available at ncse.ie/set-hours-and-sna-allocations
All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, and the SENO is available to offer assistance and advice to the school. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on ncse.ie.
School Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education and Skills on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
I am pleased to advise that the pupils referred to by the Deputy are eligible under the terms of the scheme and a sanction has been sent by School Transport Section of my Department to Bus Éireann to accommodate the child referred to by the Deputy on board an existing school transport service.
School Transport Section has sent a sanction for the employment of a school bus escort to the school authorities that the pupil referred is attending.
The school management authority is the employer of the School Bus Escort and it is the responsibility of the employer to keep up to date and comply with legislation relating to terms and conditions of employment.
The school authorities should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office when an escort has been successfully sourced and Garda vetted and is ready to commence in order for the child to be accommodated on the service.
352. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education if she will review the case of a child (details supplied) who is attending an autism unit in County Sligo but has yet to receive confirmation of a place on the school bus; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61785/22]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
The National Council for Special Education acts in an advisory role to the Department of Education on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs. Under the terms of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs, the Department will consider the report of the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO). School transport is provided to children with special educational needs who are attending the nearest school to their place of residence that is or can be resourced to meet their educational needs, as identified by the SENO.
An application for school transport was received on 2 December 2022 and I am pleased to advise that this pupil has been deemed eligible to the school they are attending and a request has been sent to Bus Eireann to provide a report on this matter. Bus Éireann and School Transport Section of my Department will liaise with the family directly with regard to this matter when the details have been received.
353. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education when school transport will be provided to an eligible student (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [61799/22]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department. In the last school year over 121,400 children, including over 15,500 children with special educational needs, were transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €289m in 2021.
In July 2022, Government announced funding for the waiving of school transport scheme fees for the coming school year as part of a wider package of cost of living measures.
Ticket registration for the 2022/23 school year closed on 29 July by which time almost 130,000 applications/registrations were received for mainstream school transport. This figure includes 44,299 new applications as well as roll-overs from the previous school year.
Children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who apply for school transport, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.
Temporary Alleviation Measures at post-primary level will be continued for the 2022/2023 school year pending completion of the review of the School Transport Scheme. This will mean that transport arrangements will continue to be provided for a number of post-primary students who are attending their second nearest school, who have applied and registered on time and who live more than 4.8km from their nearest school. Families who normally would pay an annual ticket charge will not be charged a fee for their school bus ticket for the 2022/23 school year.
Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme and was unsuccessful in obtaining a seat on board a school transport service for the 2022/23 school year as they did not complete the ticket registration process by the closing date of 29 July. All existing services in this area are currently operating at capacity.
