Written Answers Nos. 303-314
303. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education if his Department, in making decisions in relation whether to extend existing schools, build new ones, take no action and so on, takes consideration of the denominational mix of secondary schools in areas in which there is lack of an inter-denominational school in relation to the demographics of the area (details supplied). [5329/23]
View answerNew schools are established by my Department on the basis of identified demographic demand in an area, and after consideration of the capacity of existing schools to absorb the expected school place demand.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, My Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date information on significant new residential developments in each area.
My Department additionally consults with school patron bodies in order to identify areas with pressures on enrolments.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
In addition to ongoing demographic analyses, my Department continues to liaise with Local Authorities in respect of potential longer-term requirements for educational provision across the country, through the review of the County Development Plans, preparation of Local Area Plans and other relevant statutory planning processes.
Since 2011, new arrangements have been in place for the establishment of new schools involving the forecasting of demand for school places based on demographic exercises carried out by the Department. New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
The arrangements also give an opportunity to patrons to apply for the patronage of new schools. The criteria used in deciding on the patronage of new schools place a particular emphasis on parental patronage and language preferences and an analysis of existing provision in the areas where the schools are being established.
This approach is underpinned by a 2011 Government Decision.
The patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been in operation under my Department since 2018 and provides objective information to parents in the relevant school planning areas to assist them in making an informed choice about their preferred model of patronage and language of instruction for the new school.
A prospective patron can chose the school(s) it wishes to apply for and complete an application form in that regard for each school, for submission to my Department. The Department provides details on the OPPS of the school(s) and the list of applicant patrons which have applied for patronage of the school(s). Parents can then access the OPPS website, which allows them to access the appropriate survey for their area, to input the details of the eligible child(ren) and to select their preferred patron. Parental preferences from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of the process.
The patronage process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). This Group was set up in 2011 to advise the Minister on the patronage of new schools. Following their consideration of my Department’s assessment reports, the NSEG submits a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are made available on the education section of the gov.ie website. Progress has been made in recent years with the focus of the Government’s work in this area continuing to be to increase choice, by increasing the variety of schools available. Circa 48% of schools at post-primary level have a multi-denominational ethos“.
304. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education further to Parliamentary Question No. 257 of 26 January 2023, if there are any plans to include counties Leitrim and or Sligo in the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme in the next possible slot, given that the scheme has not been deployed in either of counties Leitrim or Sligo since 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5335/23]
View answerThe core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of surplus permanent teachers to other schools where vacancies exist. Ensuring efficiency in the annual redeployment processes is significant in terms of managing the overall teacher numbers.
At Post-Primary level, following discussions between the relevant stakeholders, a voluntary redeployment scheme has operated on a pilot basis in specific regions in recent years. Permanent teachers employed in these regions are given an opportunity to volunteer for a transfer to other areas of the country only if such a transfer would free up a vacancy that would facilitate the redeployment of a surplus permanent teacher in the region.
The key purpose of the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme is to assist the Department to achieve its objective of redeploying all surplus permanent teachers. To date the pilot voluntary redeployment scheme has operated in 24 counties.
The teacher redeployment arrangements are reviewed annually by my Department involving the education stakeholders, including teacher unions and management bodies. As part of the review, the Education Stakeholders can raise issues or concerns with the Department in relation to the operation of the redeployment process generally. It is open to members of the school community to liaise with their representative bodies on any matters of concern they may have.
The pilot voluntary redeployment scheme will operate in counties Laois, Offaly, Longford and Westmeath for the 2023/24 school year. There will be a chance for further counties to be included in the following year's redeployment process and these will be determined following the 2023/24 review. The criteria for the allocation of teachers to schools including the redeployment arrangements for the 2023/24 school year is available on the Department's website.
Teachers who apply under the pilot voluntary scheme and are not facilitated with a transfer continue to have the option of applying for posts in their preferred location that are advertised in the normal manner.
306. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Education if the processing of payment for works to a school (details supplied) under the additional accommodation scheme 2021 are scheduled to be expedited for payment. [5412/23]
View answerThe matter referred to by the deputy relates to an Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme project for the school in question.
Department officials have recently been in contact with the school to address queries regarding the current status of the project. The Department has sought some clarification and further documentation from the school in this respect.
Following receipt of the requested documentation from the school, my Department will be in a position to advise in terms of project progression and all associated payment requests.
308. Deputy Matt Carthy asked the Minister for Education when guidelines and funding allocations for the free schoolbook scheme will issue to primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5436/23]
View answerAs part of Budget 2023, I announced 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.
The implementation of the measure will build on the existing school book rental scheme which is available in some 96% of recognised primary schools and on the free school books pilot provided to over one hundred primary DEIS schools in recent years. Schools buy books directly from school book suppliers at present as part of the implementation of the school book rental scheme. It is currently planned on the basis that funds will be provided directly to schools to purchase school books and related classroom resources.
Initial stakeholder engagements were held in December last. Last week my Department commenced the process of further engagement with the relevant stakeholders to roll out the measure in time for the 2023/24 school year.
Guidance for primary schools on the free schoolbooks measure will be developed. 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 school book pilot when developing the guidance.
310. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Education if the issue in relation to the fact that there has been no Spanish teacher in a school (details supplied) will be addressed. [5465/23]
View answerThe recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).My Department is aware of the issue in the school referred to by the Deputy.
Ensuring a sufficient supply of qualified teachers is a priority area of action for the Department given the importance of ensuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have available to them qualified, engaged, and supportive teachers to support them in their learning.
To enhance the supply of teachers of Spanish my Department fully funds a 2-year part-time programme to upskill teachers to meet the Teaching Council's requirements in that subject. 35 teachers completed the programme in 2022 and more than 40 are expected to complete the programme this year. My Department has agreed to fund a further intake to the programme in September 2023.
My Department is undertaking a comprehensive programme to support the supply of teachers. A number of measures are being implemented to enhance the supply of teachers, including:
- a number of special temporary arrangements are being introduced, following meetings I held with initial teacher education providers, to create greater capacity for student teachers to provided substitute cover.
- the Department’s continuing professional development (CPD) services have adjusted planned CPD to reduce the need for substitution and provide additional personnel to support schools
- the additional hours that post primary teachers can teach each term have been increased from 20 to 35 for the remainder of the 2022/23 school year.
- a communications campaign has been launched to encourage retired teachers to take up short-term substitute positions and enabling them to teach for up to 50 days in each of the calendar years 2021 to 2023 without reducing their pension. In 2022, almost 870 retired primary teachers and over 220 post-primary teachers provided substitute cover in schools, representing an increase over 2021.
- registration with the Teaching Council of over 2,100 3rd and 4th year undergraduate student teachers, enabling them cover substitutable vacancies.
- providing allocations for the 2023/24 school year to post-primary schools on 26 January, while those for primary schools issued on 31 January.
- providing for fully funded upskilling programmes in mathematics, physics and Spanish. Beginning with 170 places in January 2021, I have agreed to increase places to over 300 in 2023, and a new Irish upskilling programme is planned for 2023/24.
- providing for the allocation of a significant number of additional posts to primary substitute teacher supply panels in areas where significant challenges in sourcing substitution continue. This brings the total to 610 posts on 151 panels covering more than 2,840 schools.
- the Teaching Council, on a time-bound basis, will accept applications from primary and post-primary teachers who have qualified outside of Ireland but who have not completed the statutory period of induction in the country in which they qualified.
These measures are underpinned by the Teaching Transforms campaign which promotes the teaching profession and encourages students to follow a career in teaching.
Despite the positive impact of these important actions, work remains to be done to address teacher supply challenges, particularly to ensure the availability of sufficient numbers of substitute teachers. My Department continues to work intensively with all stakeholders to develop and implement creative solutions to address the teacher supply challenges for schools.
311. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education if she will meet with a delegation of parents, teachers and school authorities from North Kildare, with a view to ensuring the availability of sufficient places at primary and post-primary level in September 2023, with particular reference to Maynooth, Clane, Prosperous or other locations as identified by the relevant school authorities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5497/23]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, for school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System to anticipate school place demand. Information from a range of sources, including Child Benefit data, school enrolment data and information on residential development activity is used for this purpose. Additionally, Project Ireland 2040 population and housing targets inform my Department's projections of school place requirements.
While my Department is aware of increasing pressures and demand for additional school places in North Kildare, it is important to note that where enrolment pressures arise, it may not be as a result of lack of accommodation but may be driven by the following factors:
- Duplication of applications – pupils have applied for a place to a number of schools in the area
- School of choice – pupils can’t get a place in their preferred school while there are places in other schools in the town/area
- Some towns/areas have single sex schools and while places are available in the school they are not available to all pupils
- External draw – pupils coming from outside the local area
My Department is working to establish the true extent of any capacity issues across school planning areas through ongoing discussions with the relevant school patrons and authorities.
This close engagement will allow my Department to identify at an early stage particular capacity requirements for the forthcoming years which may necessitate further action to that already in train including, where required, the provision of modular accommodation solutions.
As the Deputy will be aware, I have agreed to meet with representatives of post primary schools in North Kildare to discuss enrolment pressures in their areas.
312. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education to indicate the extent to which she continues to address the issue of school bullying; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5498/23]
View answerI launched Cineáltas: Action Plan on Bullying in December 2022. Cineáltas is my Department’s whole education approach to preventing and addressing bullying in schools.
Cineáltas is practical, inclusive and contains a broad range of actions which will help us all to work together towards a diverse, inclusive Irish society free from bullying in all its forms and where individual difference is valued and celebrated. It is rooted in four key principles prevention, support, oversight and community. There are 61 actions in Cineáltas which include a focus on creating an inclusive school culture and environment, provision of support for schools, training for all school staff including boards of management, research and awareness raising hoping to build strong relationships and partnerships between the whole school community, and aims to ensure that all forms of bullying including identity-based bullying are being addressed.
Cineáltas was developed by the Department of Education in collaboration with a diverse and dedicated Steering Committee led by Dr Noel Purdy of Stranmillis University College in Belfast. Cineáltas is 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.
The implementation of the actions in this Action Plan will greatly enhance and compliment the work that schools already do to ensure that all the children and young people are kept safe from harm and that the wellbeing of children and young people is at the forefront of everything we do.
Some of the key actions from the plan include:
- Development of a national database to enable the publication of an annual national report on bullying in schools
- Ensuring that student teachers and all school staff have the knowledge and skills to effectively prevent and address bullying
- Development of a recognition process, such as a Cineáltas flag, for schools who engage in measures to prevent and address bullying
- Piloting a programme of counselling supports for primary schools
- Developing guidance for the establishment of a Student Support Team model in larger primary schools
- Establishing a dedicated unit in the Department of Education to promote the voice of children and young people and to ensure that they have meaningful input into the development of Department policy
- The progression of the Charter Bill and the development of Charter Guidelines that will strengthen the voice and participation of children and young people and their parents in the development and implementation of school policies
- The Department of Education will continue to support the Stand Up Awareness Campaign
- The Department of Education will review and update the Being LGBT in School Resource
- The SPHE/RSE curriculum across primary and post primary schools will be reviewed and updated to ensure that it includes, in an age appropriate manner, the areas of consent; healthy positive, sexual expression and relationships; safe use of the internet and social media and its effects on relationships and self-esteem; and LGBTQ+ identities.
An implementation plan for Cineáltas is currently being developed by my Department and an implementation and evaluation group will be established.
My Department has established a Working Group to review and update the Anti-bullying procedures for Primary and Post Primary Schools. The working group is comprised of representatives from each of the relevant management bodies and teacher and school staff unions, along with parent representatives, Irish Second Level Students’ Union (ISSU) and the National Anti-bullying Research Centre in DCU.
313. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she continues to address pupil-teacher ratios at primary level in County Kildare and throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5499/23]
View answer314. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she continues to address pupil-teacher ratios in second level schools in County Kildare and throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5500/23]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 313 and 314 together.
Under the Programme for Government there is a commitment to seek to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools.
In Budget 2023, I ensured major investment in our schools and I have succeeded in bringing the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools for the 2023/24 school year which is the lowest ever seen at primary level. This was my third successive Budget which saw an improvement in allocation of teachers to primary schools. Budget 2021 reduced the staffing schedule to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils, while Budget 2022 reduced it further to 1 classroom teacher for every 24 pupils. A three point reduction in the retention schedule, in place since 2021, assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts. There is no change to the pupil teacher ratio at post-primary level. Teachers are allocated at a ratio of 19:1 in the Free Education System and 23:1 to schools in the fee-charging sector.
The latest figures in relation to pupil teacher ratio shows an improved ratio of teachers to pupils from 15.7:1 to 13.7:1 at primary level when comparing the 2016/17 school year to the 2021/22 school year. This compares favourably with the OECD pupil teacher ratio which is 1:15. In the same period the staffing schedule improved from 27:1 to 25:1.
