Written Answers Nos. 177-185
177. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education if her Department will engage directly with parents of a child (details supplied) who been unable to access a place at four schools recommended by the SENO and who has a particular educational need for a special school place. [14275/23]
View answerI would like to thank the Deputy for the question and would like to advise the following:
Enabling children with special educational needs (SEN) to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government.
It is also a key priority for me as Minister for Special Education & Inclusion, for my Department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
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 providing supports to children and young people with special educational needs and their schools.
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 funding to support children with SEN in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers and special needs assistants.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children with special educational needs 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 mainstream, special class and special school places.
These initiatives are bearing fruit with over 600 new special classes sanctioned at primary level, almost 300 new special classes sanctioned at post-primary level and five new special schools established over the last three years.
The NCSE have sanctioned 208 new special classes in Co. Dublin over the last 3 years. Of these, 156 special classes are at primary level and 52 are at post-primary level.
In total there are 474 special classes in Co. Dublin. Of these, 367 special classes are at primary level and 107 are at post primary level.
My Department is engaging intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes for the next school year 2023/2024. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements, consideration of school accommodation capacity and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level.
If the recent growth in the need for special classes continues, it is expected that a similar level of new special classes will be needed at primary level over the next three years as have been provided over the last three years. At post-primary level however, it is expected that we will need to double the number of new special classes being provided over the next three years as compared to the last three years.
The NCSE has advised my Department that it continues to work with schools to ensure that there are sufficient places available in special classes to meet the needs of children. It is expected that the NCSE will confirm where new special classes at primary and post-primary level have been sanctioned for the coming school year over the next few weeks. This is in keeping with timelines in previous years
It is of course open to any school to engage with the NCSE to establish a special class.
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
Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. The local SENOs remain available to assist and advise parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available at: ncse.ie/regional-services-contact-list.
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 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.
As your query refers to an individual placement case, I will arrange to have it referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
178. Deputy Matt Shanahan asked the Minister for Education if she will review the project details for a school (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14282/23]
View answerI am pleased to advise the Deputy that approval under the Additional School Accommodation scheme has issued to the school in question for the provision of two modular units to include 6 general classrooms, 2 Special Education Needs units and a specialist room under my Departments Modular Accommodation Framework .
I wish to advise the Deputy that projects which are funded under the Department’s Capital Programme must comply with all statutory approvals including planning permission. The majority of capital projects are devolved to a school authority who would appoint a consultant to oversee and manage their project. The onus is on the consultant to carry out an assessment of the school site to determine the most suitable location for the additional accommodation and to comply with all statutory approvals, including planning permission, or to consider if the project is suitable to be delivered under SI 114 Planning and Development Act 2000 (Exempted Development) Regulations 2001.
The School Authority has overall responsibility for delivery of the project.
179. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Education if she will reduce the eligibility for the school transport scheme to 1.2 kilometres for both primary and post-primary students. [14293/23]
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 4,000 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.
The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.
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.
Significant consultation has been undertaken as part of this review. A public survey was administered for parents/guardians and students who use the service and those who do not use the service but who would like to. A broad array of stakeholders including schools, special education interest groups, industry representatives and other Government Departments were all consulted as part of this review.
Phase 1 of the review examined the impact of eligibility criteria on mainstream pupils who were eligible for transport to their nearest school but attending their next nearest school. The report was completed in June 2021.
Following consideration of this report, for the 2021/2022 school year, the provision of temporary alleviation measures was approved for transport for post-primary students who are otherwise eligible for school transport, but were attending their second nearest school and had applied and paid on time. These measures have been continued for the current 2022/2023 school year, pending completion of the review. These measures mean that transport is provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and, who applied for school transport by the 29th April 2022 and registered for a ticket by the 29th July 2022. Phase two of the review has progressed significantly and is being completed in tandem with phase three which is well underway.
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. Once approved by Government it is planned that the review will be published.
180. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education her views on remaining pay and pension inequality for teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14305/23]
View answerThe Government is committed to the delivery of quality public services, and will continue to approach public service pay in a balanced way that is reasonable and fair to both public servants and the taxpayer. This has been achieved through series of national collective agreements applying across the public sector agreed between trade unions and the Government.
The value of public pay deals to the Government and the taxpayer is ensuring that pay costs are managed in a sustainable and orderly way and in a climate of industrial peace. By and large the public pay agreements have delivered on these objectives over the last 12 years. The current public service agreement, Building Momentum, is in place until the end of this year.
The matter of new entrant pay is a cross sectoral issue, not just an issue for the education sector alone. New entrant pay has been gradually restored over recent years through measures in national pay agreements and has led to significant improvements in the pay of teachers. For example, the starting salary for a new entrant teacher in 2012 was €30,702. As a result of pay agreements over recent years the starting salary of a teacher is now €40,635 for primary teachers and €42,015 for post primary teachers with effect from 1st March 2023.
In addition, as part of the agreement there is a specific provision in relation to new entrant teacher pay which allows for the skipping of Point 12 of the pay scale. This incremental jump provides an addition €1,700 increase to new entrants. This follows on from measures introduced in the September 2018 agreement which provided for incremental jumps for new entrants at point 4 and 8. This is a further improvement in pay for new entrant teachers which means that teachers on the post-2011 pay scale will reach point 11 of the pay scale in a far shorter time than teachers on the pre-2011 pay scales. The Building Momentum Agreement states that parties agree that these measures will be implemented to resolve in full the remaining salary scale issues pertaining to new entrant teachers.
Building Momentum also provides for a sectoral bargaining process to deal with outstanding adjudications, commitments, recommendations, awards and claims which may include allowances. The teaching unions have decided to use this fund to settle outstanding claims including some related to new entrants such as the restoration of a Professional Masters in Education allowance to new entrant teachers.
181. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education the status of a school building project (details supplied); when this project will proceed to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14317/23]
View answerA major building project for the school in question has been devolved for delivery to Cavan and Monaghan Educational Training Board (CMETB). The Tender Report was subsequently submitted to the Department in recent weeks and is currently under review. The Department will make contact with CMETB following completion of this review.Running parallel to the review of this particular Supplementary Tender Report, the Department's Planning and Building Unit is currently assessing its work programme and priorities for 2023 in the context of its available funding. My Department's published NDP allocation for 2023 is €0.86 billion. High construction inflation remains a continuing feature of the construction sector for 2023. As part of its planning ahead for 2023, my Department is engaging with the Department of Public Expenditure, NDP Delivery and Reform in relation to capital funding pressures in order to continue to be able to adequately support the operation of the school system with rollout of school building projects to construction in 2023. The Department will be updating CMETB accordingly when there is further clarity on program in this respect.
182. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Education if she will respond to concerns raised regarding the SPHE junior curriculum (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14337/23]
View answerAs Minister, I am committed to inclusive education for all. My Department is fully committed to creating safe and supportive environments in schools, that are welcoming and inclusive for every student. My Department’s Wellbeing Policy Statement and Framework for Practice (2019) promotes the provision of a whole-school approach to supporting wellbeing, an approach that has been found internationally to produce a wide range of educational and social benefits for individual children and young people, including increased inclusion, greater social cohesion, increased social capital and improvements to mental health. To support schools in this work the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) provides training to schools to ensure that the promotion of wellbeing is at the core of the ethos of every school.
The work of updating the curricula in SPHE and RSE follows on from a 2019 National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) review of RSE across primary and post-primary. The review involved students, parents, teachers, school leaders, researchers and organisations, with a view to gaining a full appreciation of the nature of young peoples’ needs and experience of RSE and this included responses from nearly 8,000 parents. That review said there was unanimous agreement among students about the importance of RSE. Students said that they wanted a safe and inclusive environment where they can discuss, ask questions and talk about all aspects of relationships and sexuality.
SPHE and RSE teaching and learning is an important and sensitive area and as a result, parents would be expected to have strong views on this. This is reflected in the NCCA consultation on the Junior Cycle specification in 2022, where more than 4,000 parents responded to the online survey.
Consultation is a core feature of the NCCA’s work in developing curricula. The NCCA consultation on the draft Junior Cycle specification took place from July to October 2022, three months rather than the normal six week consultation. Many parents, students and teachers as well as organisations with an interest in the area took the time to participate in the consultation process and more than 4,000 parents responded to the online survey element.
That consultation has informed the NCCA’s finalising of the Junior Cycle specification, which is currently being considered in my Department ahead of planned implementation in schools in September. The parent’s voice is also reflected throughout the curriculum development process for all subjects.
Work on Senior Cycle specifications has begun and it is expected to be available for public consultation in Q3 2023. A background paper was already published for consultation in October last year.
Work on Primary specifications will now that the Primary Curriculum Framework has been approved. This Framework will be the foundation for all curriculum specifications including those for SPHE and RSE. Development of a draft primary specification is expected to be completed in early 2025, with public consultation on this specification planned for 2024.
To support teachers in meeting these objectives while new curricula are being developed, the NCCA has created “toolkits”. For example, there are resources to help teachers in teaching about rights and responsibilities in relationships, how to recognise healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationship, and how to interact safely and respectfully (both online and face-to-face) and consent.
The teacher’s professional judgement plays a key role in identifying when an issue is age and stage appropriate for the particular class. The role of the SPHE/RSE teacher is complex, with a range of sensitive topics addressed in the classroom. Teachers need ongoing, appropriate teacher professional development to support them in this important work.
To introduce new and existing teachers of Junior Cycle SPHE to the updated NCCA specification, beginning on 6 March a series of two-day seminars is being provided jointly by the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) and Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) Post-Primary SPHE teams. This seminar is being offered during the school day with full substitute cover sanctioned by my Department.
Over the course of these two days of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), teachers will explore and engage with the content of the updated draft Junior Cycle SPHE specification. Teachers will be supported in developing their understanding of the diverse and facilitative role of the SPHE teacher and advance a shared understanding of how to create a safe and inclusive SPHE classroom. This CPD will place an emphasis on pedagogical approaches which support and enhance teachers' confidence in using appropriate student learning experiences to establish an environment that meets the needs of all learners in Junior Cycle SPHE. Supports and resources which are available for teachers when dealing with sensitive or challenging issues will also be explored and signposted.
In addition, I recently announced the provision of a new flagship postgraduate programme to upskill registered post-primary teachers teaching Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) and Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE). This programme, funded by my Department and provided by Dublin City University (DCU) Institute of Education, will provide a pathway for progression for post-primary teachers interested in developing their skills in teaching SPHE/RSE and in so doing build capacity and leadership within the teaching profession in relation to teaching in this important area. Schools and teachers will be supported to access the upskilling programme with the programme fees covered by Department funding and facilitation of substitute cover to allow participating students to undertake the programme. The first cohort of students commenced in February and depending on demand, further intakes to the programme in the future will be offered.
183. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education the average number of days training per grade, in her Department in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022; how this compares internationally; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14851/23]
View answerIt is the policy of my Department to provide ongoing learning and development opportunities for staff in the Department. I wish to advise the Deputy that the specific information requested by him on the average number of training days per grade in the years in question is not readily available.
My Department provides a range of training opportunities to staff, which includes Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for members of the Inspectorate, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) and other professional and technical staff.
Targeted training is also provided in priority areas such as Project Management and Business Process Improvement, management and leadership development as well as training to address ongoing business needs such as financial management training, IT training/ technical training for IT specialist staff, Health and Safety training and Irish Language training.
Staff of my Department also avail of training through a shared model for the design and delivery of Learning and Development for the Civil Service, OneLearning. OneLearning operates under the auspices of the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform. OneLearning has developed a suite of learning programmes for Civil Servants in key business areas.
Staff of the Department who undertake courses in higher or further education, primarily in their own time, which support and enhance their knowledge and skills, can apply for financial support in paying the relevant fees for these courses, under the terms of the relevant Civil Service circulars.
184. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of recipients of jobseeker's benefit or jobseeker's allowance who have been in receipt of either allowance continuously since 2019; the breakdown of these recipients, by age and county of residence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14053/23]
View answerFor the week ending 19th March 2023, there were 31,386 people on the Live Register continuously in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit with a commencement date prior to 1st January 2020. Of these 6,456 are casual jobseekers. These claims are inclusive of periods where pay may have been suspended for a recipient but their claim remained open. For example, casual jobseekers who subsequently received PUP payments while their jobseeker claim remained valid and open are included in the recipient figure.
The county and age breakdowns of these recipients are shown in Table 1 and Table 2 respectively.
Table 1: Continuous Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit claims since 2019, by county
|
County |
Recipients |
|
Carlow |
580 |
|
Cavan |
692 |
|
Clare |
844 |
|
Cork |
1,927 |
|
Donegal |
1,990 |
|
Dublin |
7,731 |
|
Galway |
1,601 |
|
Kerry |
965 |
|
Kildare |
1,060 |
|
Kilkenny |
654 |
|
Laois |
652 |
|
Leitrim |
273 |
|
Limerick |
1,249 |
|
Longford |
506 |
|
Louth |
1,391 |
|
Mayo |
1,097 |
|
Meath |
920 |
|
Monaghan |
397 |
|
Offaly |
579 |
|
Roscommon |
424 |
|
Sligo |
498 |
|
Tipperary |
1,031 |
|
Waterford |
1,052 |
|
Westmeath |
810 |
|
Wexford |
1,568 |
|
Wicklow |
856 |
|
Unknown |
39 |
|
Total |
31,386 |
Table 2: Continuous Jobseeker's Allowance or Jobseeker's Benefit claims since 2019, by age
|
Age |
Recipients |
|
Under 25 |
914 |
|
25-29 |
2,279 |
|
30-34 |
3,589 |
|
35-39 |
3,933 |
|
40-44 |
4,185 |
|
45-49 |
4,112 |
|
50-54 |
4,268 |
|
55-59 |
3,956 |
|
60+ |
4,150 |
|
Total |
31,386 |
185. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Social Protection the number of persons in receipt of the fuel allowance; the number of applications for the fuel allowance; the number of refusals for the fuel allowance over the past three years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14063/23]
View answerThe Fuel Allowance scheme is a means tested payment to assist pensioners and other long-term social welfare dependent householders with their winter heating costs. The payment is a contribution towards heating costs; it is not intended to meet these costs in full. The payment is made over the winter season at the weekly rate of €33.00 or, if preferred, by way of two instalments. Only one Fuel Allowance is payable per household. Those who qualify for the payment do not need to reapply annually.
The Department generally collates data on an annual basis. As of the end of December 2021, the Fuel Allowance scheme supported approximately 375,000 households. By the end of 2022, the number of households supported had increased to almost 394,000. It should be noted that the number of recipients fluctuates as people join and exit the scheme, as their circumstances change.
The Fuel Allowance is paid, in conjunction with primary social welfare schemes, across a number of IT systems with differing functionality for recording processing activity, and consequently precise information on approved and disallowed applications is not available. As the Department upgrades these systems, it is expected that this data will become available in the future.
As a result of the new measures introduced as part of Budget 2023, effective from January 2023, particularly for those aged 70 and over, my Department has seen an increase in applications for the Fuel Allowance. Additional resources were assigned to process these applications and a telephone service is in place to support customers. There is a more streamlined process in place for applicants aged 70 and over. A new online Fuel Allowance application service was made available from 5 December 2022, which makes it easier and quicker for customers to apply for the payment at a time and place that suits them. A short over 70s paper application form is also available to download from the Government website, gov.ie or by contacting the Sligo Fuel Allowance phone service.
Where an application for fuel allowance is awarded, it will be back-dated as appropriate and there will be no loss in payment to the qualified households concerned.
Under the Supplementary Welfare Allowance scheme, discretionary payments can be made to help people with the cost of heating their homes. A Heating Supplement may be paid to assist people with exceptional heating costs due to ill health or infirmity who cannot meet those costs. My Department also provides discretionary Additional Needs Payments to people who face difficulties in meeting their fuel bills.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
