Written Answers Nos. 315-324
315. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the most sensitive areas throughout the country currently experiencing school place difficulties arising from demographic developments or the use of obsolete buildings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5501/23]
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 pressures and demand for additional school places throughout the country, 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.
The availability of places is a matter for each individual school in the context of their Admissions legislation. Enrolment data for previous schools years is on available on the Department website. Enrolment data for the 2022/23 school year is currently being finalised.
316. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which the school building programme can remain on target in the current and coming years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5502/23]
View answerThe National Development Plan sets out the national priorities and funding levels for the school building programme. Key priorities under the National Development Plan 2021 to 2030 include:
Continuing to cater for additional capacity requirements
Provision of accommodation for special classes with a particular emphasis on ramping up provision at post-primary level to facilitate a smooth transition from primary level
- Delivering on Climate Action agenda and integrating, where possible, on modernisation of existing school infrastructure
- Strengthening asset management and maintenance regime across schools
My Department has a strong track record of delivery. During the period 2018 to 2022, nearly 900 school building projects were completed.
Through Project Ireland 2040, we are investing €4.4 billion over the period 2021 to 2025, to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day.
The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector are as follows:
- demographic change, including keeping pace with delivery of SEN and accommodation for Ukrainian pupils particularly at Post Primary
- alignment with housing provision and national planning at school planning area level,
- construction costs,
- climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit.
The continued high level of construction inflation (21% in the schools sector between Q2 2021 and Q2 2022) together with the increased requirements in terms of demographics, SEN and Ukrainian students all add to capital funding pressures to be managed. In this regard, additional supplementary funding of €300m was provided in 2022 to support this strong project rollout.
These challenges will continue to be managed as best as possible in 2023 and beyond and it is envisaged that they will also get reflected, as appropriate, in the next review of the overall NDP allocations that is due to take place later in 2023.
We continue to have a strong pipeline of projects for delivery under the school building programme involving circa 300 projects at construction and in excess of 1,000 projects at the various stages of appraisal and design.
The current status of all projects is listed on the Department’s website and this is updated on a monthly basis as part of our overall communications.
317. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she continues to be in a position to meet accommodation requirements in both primary and second level schools in all areas throughout the country, with particular reference to Kildare North; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5503/23]
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.
318. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which she hopes to attract and retain teachers at primary and second level in all areas throughout the country; the regions currently showing greatest pressure in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5506/23]
View answerThe recruitment and retention of teachers are priority areas 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.
While I am aware that schools are experiencing challenges in both recruiting teachers and obtaining substitute teachers, my officials have informed me that the rate of early-retirement and resignation is consistent with previous years .
While my Department does not currently collate data on the number of secondary and primary schools with recruitment issues on a regional basis, my officials are aware of the specific challenges in certain areas.
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.
319. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which special needs school places are available at primary and second level schools throughout Kildare North and the rest of the country; if sufficient accommodation in this regard has been made for September next and thereafter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5507/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.
This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.
This includes additional teaching and care supports. It also includes funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) for an additional 54 psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes.
In 2022, funding for an additional 980 teachers and 1,165 special needs assistants was provided. For 2023, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 special needs assistants in our schools next year.
For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special needs assistants. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide.
Over the last two to three years, my Department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places.
These initiatives are bearing fruit with over 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level and almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level.
We have seen 392 new special classes open for the 2022/23 school year, bringing the total of special classes to 2,544 opened nationwide for the 2022/23 school-year. The 392 new special classes for 2022/23 is broken down by 259 at primary level and 133 at post primary level.
There are a total of 105 special classes in Co. Kildare. Of these, 79 special classes are at primary level and 26 are at post primary level. 20 new special classes at primary and 9 new special classes at post-primary have been provided in Co. Kildare over the last 3 years.
My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class and special school places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
At local level, the NCSE is continuing to engage with schools regarding the establishment of additional special classes in both mainstream and special schools for the next school year 2023/2024. Every support will be made available to schools to progress the opening of special classes in the shortest possible timeframe.
Information on the list of schools with special classes, the types and locations of these classes is published on the NCSE website and is available at www.ncse.ie.
It is of course open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class.
My Department is committed, in conjunction with the NCSE, to continue to work with parents, schools, patrons and all stakeholders to ensure that there are sufficient appropriate places for students with additional needs and to support all students to achieve their potential.
I want to reassure you also that my Department will continue to support the NCSE and schools through the provision of the necessary funding and capital investment to ensure all children are successful in accessing an education.
320. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which it is expected to be in a position to meet the school transport requirements of primary and second level pupils and students throughout North Kildare; if it is expected that the ongoing review of school transport is likely to resolve the situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5508/23]
View answerThe School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 3,800 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €332.2m.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time are now all accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation.
A review of the School Transport Scheme commenced in February 2021. The review is being conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and sustainability, and to ensure that it serves students and their families adequately.
Phase 1 of the review, an examination of issues a report on eligibility with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school was completed in June 2021.
Following commencement of the review the Steering Group presented me with an initial interim report in June 2021, with regard to eligibility and with an examination of issues for mainstream pupils relating to the nearest and next nearest school. Following consideration of this report, for the 2021/2022 school year, the extension of temporary alleviation measures were approved for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport but are attending their second nearest school and have applied and paid on time. These measures will be continued for the current school year, pending completion of the review and means transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied by the 29th April and registered for a ticket by the 29th July.
While work on the review was impacted somewhat by the current conflict in Ukraine, and by the increased demand for the scheme in summer 2022 due to fees being waived, my officials are working to complete phase 3 of the review within the coming weeks with recommendations on the future operation of the Department’s School Transport Scheme.
Planning for the operation of the school transport scheme for the 2023/24 is expected to be completed shortly. Bus Éireann will advertise the details of the 2023/2024 school year process through their website and social media platforms. Details will also be published on the Department’s website and, in line with normal practice, will also be communicated to Oireachtas Members.
321. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which smaller and rural schools continue to be adequately provided for in terms of modernisation and supports; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5509/23]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware small schools are defined for statistical purposes as schools with 4 mainstream teachers or less. Small schools are highly valued in their communities in that they provide a vital link to local heritage and history, help sustain rural populations and often act as a link for sports and social activity.
There is a commitment contained in the Programme for Government to continue to recognise the importance of small schools.
Budget 2020 provided for improved teacher staffing levels for small schools. This measure saw a more favourable pupil teacher ratio in small schools from September 2020. This improved schedule will apply in two, three and four teacher schools and ensure one fewer pupil is required to retain/recruit a teacher. This builds on measures in previous budgets which has seen improvements in the appointment and retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and more favourable enrolment thresholds for one teacher schools situated 8km or more from the nearest school of the same type of patronage and/or language of instruction.
Small schools have also benefitted from further improvements to the primary staffing schedule for all schools implemented in recent years and the staffing schedule at primary level will now reduce to 23 pupils to 1 teacher from September 2023, which is historically the lowest ever allocation ratio at primary level.
This builds on measures in previous budgets which has seen improvements in the overall allocation of teaching posts and specific targeted measures for small and isolated schools as well as primary schools on our islands. The staffing process also contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria, including a specific one aimed at small schools, to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board.
Furthermore, in July 2021, my Department launched a two-year action research project aimed at supporting small rural schools. This project officially commenced in January 2022. The purpose of the project is to inform the development of a policy of supports for small schools through working with education partners to trial innovative approaches to support and sustain small schools in a number of clusters. Six project clusters of small schools have been formed, two in Galway, and one each in Donegal, Kerry, Wicklow and Waterford, consisting of 3/4/5 schools per cluster.
Under Project Ireland 2040 the education sector will receive a total of approximately €4.4 billion capital investment over the period 2021-2025. There will be a rolling 5 year funding envelope which will be updated annually for the period 2026 to 2030 within the Government’s overall NDP funding envelope of €136 billion in exchequer capital (€165 billion total capital including non-Exchequer) that will facilitate building a modern and sustainable school infrastructure.
This significant investment allows us to move forward with certainty on our ambitious plans and deliver high quality building projects, with a real focus on sustainability, for school communities across Ireland. The strengthened focus on refurbishment of existing school stock will have different strands and will include a deep-energy retrofit programme in support of our 2030 and 2050 Climate Action Goals.
I would like to inform the Deputy that it is also open to all schools to apply for funding under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme. The purpose of the ASA scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom and Special Education Needs (SEN) accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.
322. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education the extent to which special needs teachers and SNAs continue to be available to the extent required in County Kildare and all areas throughout the country; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5510/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this Government.
For 2023, the spend by my Department on special education will be substantially increased by over 10% on last year, meaning that for 2023 my Department will spend over €2.6 billion on special education.
This level of educational funding and support is unprecedented and represents in excess of 27% of the Department’s total allocation for 2023.
This includes additional teaching and care supports. It also includes funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) for an additional 54 psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes.
In 2023 the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 686 teachers and a further 1,194 special needs assistants in our schools next year.
For the first time ever we will have over 19,000 teachers working in the area of special education and over 20,000 Special needs assistants. Together we have almost 40,000 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting children with special educational needs.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs nationwide including the allocation of SNAs and reviews.
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.
The school can apply to the NCSE for a review of its SNA allocation if it is insufficient to meet the needs of its students.
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. 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 Special Education Teaching (SET) allocation provides a single unified allocation for special educational support teaching needs to each school, based on each school’s educational profile. This model has replaced the previous model of allocating resource teaching support and learning support to schools based on a diagnosis of disability.
The Special Education Teacher allocation, allows schools to provide additional teaching support for all pupils who require such support in their schools and for schools to deploy resources based on each pupil’s individual learning needs.
The allocation gives greater flexibility to schools as to how they can deploy their resources, to take account of the actual learning needs pupils have, as opposed to being guided by a particular diagnosis of disability, and schools are guided as to how they should make such allocation decisions.
The school will take account of learning needs of children as evidenced by performance in schools but also supported where relevant by information provided regarding the nature of a condition that a pupil may have.
A process is available where schools can seek a review of their SET allocation by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), including the utilisation of their allocations. Detailed information on the NCSE review process is published on the NCSE website ncse.ie/special-education-teachers.
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 www.ncse.ie.
The Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations and a school should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required.
323. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will instruct her Department to immediately reverse the decision to refuse the hot meals scheme for a school (details supplied) which is a DEIS band 1 school operating in one of the most deprived areas in Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5270/23]
View answerThe School Meals Programme provides funding towards the provision of food services to some 1,600 schools and organisations benefitting 260,000 children. The objective of the programme is to provide regular, nutritious food to children to support them in taking full advantage of the education provided to them. The programme is an important component of policies to encourage school attendance and extra educational achievement.
Budget 2022 provided €68.1 million for the programme with an additional €9m provided to allow access to all new DEIS schools from September 2022. Additional funding for the programme has been provided for 2023 bringing the total to €94.4m.
The school referred to by the Deputy receives school meals funding through the local School Completion Programme and commenced providing hot school meals from September 2022 on the misunderstanding that they were in the hot school meals programme. The School Completion Programme have now submitted an application on their behalf to commence providing hot school meals. Officials from my Department are working currently with the school Principal and the School Completion Co-ordinator to finalise their application.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
324. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection the actual cost of carer’s allowance for 2022, broken down by month, specifying full rate and half rate, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5354/23]
View answerCarer’s Allowance is a payment to people on low incomes who are caring full-time for a person who needs support because of age, disability or illness (including mental illness). The person being cared for must require full-time care and attention.
If a person is getting certain social welfare payments and are providing full time care and attention to another person whilst also meeting all other conditions for Carer’s Allowance, they can keep their main social welfare payment and receive half-rate Carer's Allowance as well.
The table below sets out the provisional expenditure outturn for each month of 2022 and also the number of full and half rate recipients.
Carer’s Allowance Expenditure with full and half rate recipient numbers by month - 2022
|
Month |
Expenditure |
Recipients on Full Rate |
Recipients on Half Rate |
|
|
€000 |
# |
# |
|
January |
72,485 |
49,410 |
41,349 |
|
February |
72,656 |
49,345 |
41,348 |
|
March |
88,160 |
49,287 |
41,394 |
|
April |
74,541 |
49,260 |
41,396 |
|
May |
72,740 |
49,240 |
41,483 |
|
June |
89,290 |
49,143 |
41,546 |
|
July |
75,824 |
49,271 |
41,770 |
|
August |
74,719 |
49,575 |
41,980 |
|
September |
92,837 |
49,751 |
42,126 |
|
October |
92,779 |
49,659 |
42,226 |
|
November |
75,534 |
49,656 |
42,388 |
|
December |
111,693 |
49,846 |
42,422 |
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
