Written Answers Nos. 219-238
219. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the balance of funds remaining in the residential institutions statutory fund; the purposes for which those monies will be used; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20715/24]
View answerCaranua was established in 2013 under the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to disburse funding supports to survivors from the contributions of €110m (€111.38m including interest) provided by the religious congregations following the publication of the Ryan Report in 2009. The 2012 Act provides that Caranua’s expenses, including both funding supports for survivors and administrative costs, must be met from the funding held in the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund. It is not possible under that Act to supplement this with Exchequer funds.
At this time, very limited funding remains available to Caranua (approximately €60,000) and this funding is being used to meet ongoing costs. The Supports for Survivors of Residential Institutional Abuse Bill 2024 provides that, upon its dissolution, the funding available to Caranua will be transferred to the Minister for Education.
It also provides that this funding will be utilised for purposes benefitting “former residents”, i.e. those who received an award of redress from the Residential Institutions Redress Board or a similar court award or settlement, and the publication of criteria by reference to which decisions regarding the utilisation of the remaining funds shall be made.
220. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the number of applications approved by Caranua which remain incomplete; the length of time those applications have been ongoing; the timeline for the completion of those application/works, in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20716/24]
View answerGiven the finite nature of the funding available to it, Caranua announced in May 2018 that it would cease to accept applications from 1 August 2018. After that date, it mainly focussed on processing applications on hand.
As part of this process, Caranua engaged extensively with applicants who had not completed the application process, as well as targeted outreach to certain groups, including survivors who were in prison, and established timelines for the provision of supporting documentation which would enable their applications to be progressed before Caranua was required to wind-down its operations. As the Deputy will appreciate, given the impending exhaustion of the funding available to it, Caranua was not in a position to allow applications to remain open indefinitely.
Caranua finalised all outstanding applications by March 2021.
221. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education the outstanding balance owed by religious congregations further to the 2002 indemnity agreement and the additional commitments after 2009 following the publication of the Ryan report; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20717/24]
View answerThe 18 religious congregations involved in the management of most of the residential institutions in which child abuse took place have made contributions towards the costs incurred by the State in responding to that abuse under two rounds: the legally binding 2002 Indemnity Agreement and the voluntary offers made in 2009 in the aftermath of the publication of the report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (the “Ryan Report”). The amounts offered were valued by the congregations at €480.6 million.
Some €125 million of the €128 million provided for under the 2002 Indemnity Agreement has been contributed, with the transfer of two properties remaining to be fully completed.
The voluntary offers made in the aftermath of the publication of the Ryan Report in 2009 included cash, properties and contributions in kind, and were valued by the congregations at €352.6 million. To date, contributions amounting to approximately €120 million have been received. When account is taken of offers not accepted, changes in the valuation of the properties offered and the value of properties offered but not being reckoned as a contribution, the total value of the voluntary offers achievable will be lower than the amount offered.
222. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education what specific measures are being taken to address menstruation-related absenteeism in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20733/24]
View answer223. Deputy Marc Ó Cathasaigh asked the Minister for Education what specific measures are being taken to address the severe effects period symptoms have on students' ability to participate, engage and learn in educational settings; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20734/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 222 and 223 together.
The full participation of every student in their education is a key priority for my Department. Operating under Tusla Education Support Services, the Education Welfare Service works to support children and families who have difficulties in relation to school attendance, participation and retention. This is a statutory service and its primary role is to ensure that every child either attends school regularly or otherwise receives a certain minimum education, to ensure and secure every child’s entitlement to education.
The SPHE curriculum at primary and post primary level provides learning and support to assist students to manage their menstrual health. The HSE suite of resources developed to support the updated Junior Cycle SPHE curriculum includes a resource specifically developed to support menstrual health and wellbeing. The value and power of having this knowledge, and the confidence to share it, empowers young people to talk openly and appropriately about menstruation and reproductive health.
The Inspectorate in my Department has noted a number of schools who are leading on projects that distribute period products and period related information in support of menstrual health and wellbeing.
The Programme for Government includes the commitment to provide a range of free, adequate, safe, and suitable period products in all educational publicly-funded settings, to ensure that no students are disadvantaged in their education by period poverty. An implementation group led by the Department of Health has been established to lead on this commitment, with representation from my Department.
Arising from the work of that group, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) has established a new arrangement to supply products including personal hygiene, and period equality products. During development of this Framework, at the request of my Department, it was arranged that it can be accessed by any primary, post-primary, special or secondary school. While the products are not free of cost, the framework arrangements offer value for money and a high-quality service. Full details and a step by step guide on access and use of the framework is available at OGP buyerzone.gov.ie.
224. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education if she has she any plans to reinstate the special education diploma allowance in full on 1 September 2025 through the local bargaining fund; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20741/24]
View answerThe Department of Education, along with other Departments across the public service, implemented the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments (September 2012) by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This meant that many allowances were no longer payable to “new entrants”, including teachers. Among the allowances that had sanction for payment to new beneficiaries removed was the Diploma in Special Education allowance.
In terms of the possible reintroduction of any allowance, additional amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions. Over the course of recent collective agreements, amendments have been agreed which have seen the value of certain allowances previously withdrawn being integrated into “new entrant” teacher pay. Examples are the equivalent of an honours primary degree allowance and the PME allowance.
Any further amendments to alter the allowances paid to teachers, whether “new entrant” or not, give rise to significant cost issues and should, as mentioned, be part of engagement and collective agreements between Unions and Government.
225. Deputy Johnny Guirke asked the Minister for Education to indicate if there are any plans by her Department to run a pilot bus route for school transport from certain areas (details supplied) under the recently announced review of the school bus transport scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20742/24]
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 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
The School Transport Scheme 2030 report has now been published, which marks the largest review of the School Transport Scheme since it was established in 1967. This review was conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness, and sustainability and to ensure it services students and their families adequately. The Government is committed to working to achieve the report’s recommendation of expanding access to the scheme so that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030.
Throughout the review, the value of the School Transport Scheme to both families and in supporting wider Government policies has been very apparent. In summary, school transport not only plays an important part in supporting children's access to education, but it also aligns to wider Government objectives.
Overall the recommended changes to the future operation of the Scheme concern:
• expansion of the current eligibility criteria
• addressing current operational challenges
• charges and grants and
• over time, moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure optimum value for money to the Exchequer
A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations will commence in September 2024. This will include a shared effort between my Department and the Department of Transport to pilot and introduce greater integration of the roll out of transport networks with school transport routes, with a view to expanding provision of transport and reducing the reliance over time on individual car trips for school journeys. Details of the areas to be piloted will be available shortly.
It is intended, subject to resources, to commence implementing the revised eligibility criteria in the 2025/2026 school year.
226. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education if she will consider an issue in regard to school transport (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20775/24]
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 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils traveling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.
The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
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.
Any pupils/students who do not meet these criteria are deemed not eligible, or otherwise known as concessionary applicants, and are allocated a ticket based on the availability of a seat when all eligible children have been catered for.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
Whilst the closing dates for applications was Friday 26th April, the Bus Éireann family portal remains open for payments until 7th June 2024. Payments made after the deadline date will be deemed late. A late payment may mean that a ticket is not available.
The portal will close from 8 June 2024 for a 3-week period to allow Bus Éireann time to plan for the new school year and all applications will be assessed in line with the School Transport Scheme.
Arising from this review, routes may be altered or extended depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.
The School Transport Scheme 2030 report has now been published, which marks the largest review of the School Transport Scheme since it was established in 1967. The Government is committed to working to achieve the report’s recommendation of expanding access to the scheme so that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030.
Overall the recommended changes to the future operation of the Scheme concern:
• expansion of the current eligibility criteria
• addressing current operational challenges
• charges and grants and
• over time, moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure optimum value for money to the Exchequer
A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations will commence in September 2024.
It is intended subject to resources to commence implementing the revised eligibility criteria in the 2025/2026 school year.
227. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide details on a squash club at the back of a school (details supplied); is this in the ownership of her Department; if there are any plans for its use, as it has been vacant for some time; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20797/24]
View answerThe property you refer to is in the ownership of the Minister for Education. I can confirm that the Mount Temple Comprehensive site, in it's totality is being master planned with a view to catering for an expanded educational need in the area. To this end, a major project is underway to deliver a school building project on this site.
228. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education if she will consider a scheme to acknowledge teaching years accrued abroad for the purposes of determining salary, in order to entice teachers who have emigrated to return; if this could be considered as a measure to increase trained teachers in Ireland and address the teacher shortage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20798/24]
View answerMy Department currently has a scheme in place which allows for teachers who work in an Oireachtas funded teaching post to apply for incremental credit with respect to previous teaching service which they accrued while teaching outside of Ireland.
The criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department of Education’s Circulars 10/2001 for Primary teachers, 29/2007 and 29/2010 for Post-Primary teachers.
The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers was agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).
229. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the measures she intends to take to address the shortage of 13 teachers due to recruitment difficulties at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20800/24]
View answerEnsuring that every child's experience in school is positive and that they have qualified, engaged teachers available to support them in their learning is a priority area of action for the Government.
Budget 2024 reflects this Government’s commitment to ongoing investment in the education system through various measures:
• Introduction of a professional master’s of education incentive scheme for newly qualified teachers graduating in 2024. Eligible teachers can receive an incentive payment of up to €2,000, to be paid in 2025.
• Expansion of upskilling programs, free to teachers, aimed at increasing the number of qualified teachers in high-demand subjects and reducing out-of-field teaching. New programs in Irish, French, politics & society, and computer science will complement existing programs in maths, physics, and Spanish. Trinity College Dublin will deliver a new Irish upskilling program for post-primary teachers starting in late 2024, available at no cost to eligible teachers.
• Provision of an additional 1,000 posts of responsibility in the school system, including 500 at post-primary level, for the 2024/25 school year, recognising the vital role of school leaders in enhancing educational outcomes by fostering a positive school environment and empowering educators and learners within their communities.
These new measures are in addition to a range of targeted measures that I have introduced in recent times, including:
• Post-primary teachers can provide up to 35 additional hours of substitute cover per term in the subject they are qualified to teach.
• Ensuring initial teacher education providers created existing flexibilities that enable student teachers to support schools, either while on placement, or in a substitute capacity. In 2022/23, more than 2,700 3rd and 4th-year undergraduate student teachers registered under Route 5 with the Teaching Council and provided valuable support to schools as substitute teachers. Currently there are 3,600 registered under Route 5 on the Teaching Council register, the highest number ever.
• Encouraging retired teachers to provide substitute cover. A communications campaign ran in early 2023 resulting in an increase in the number of teaching days provided by retired teachers of 49%, an increase of over 17,000 days between the 2021/22 school year, and the 2022/23 school year. A new communications campaign begun in January this year to encourage retired teachers to return to teaching.
• The 50 day pension abatement waiver, for retirees returning to work, has been extended for a further two years to the end of 2025.
• Restrictions on job-sharing teachers and those on a career break from working as substitutes have been reduced.
• The Teaching Transforms campaign continues to promote the teaching profession encouraging students to follow a career in teaching. The campaign uses digital, radio and video media, and is supported by a dedicated webpage, www.gov.ie/teachingtransforms
Teaching remains an attractive career choice;
• CAO first preference choices for post-primary teaching increased last year by 14%, in addition to a 9% increase in 2022.
• In 2024, there were 4,271 first preference applications for undergraduate teaching programmes, showing a trend largely consistent with recent years. Analysis of CAO applications spanning from 2017 to 2024 indicates a sustained and robust demand for undergraduate teaching programmes. On average, 6% of first preference applications during the period from 2017 to 2024 were for either primary or post-primary teaching programmes. Specifically, the percentage of first preference applications for undergraduate primary teaching programmes ranged between 2.9% and 3.8%, while those for post-primary undergraduate programmes ranged between 2.4% and 2.9%.
• The ratio of first preference applications through the CAO for level 8 courses in 2022 shows that there were 1.5 applicants per place for education, with a higher demand for primary courses (2) than for post-primary places (1.5). The demand for primary ITE is higher than for all fields except for medicine (3.5) and veterinary medicine (5.2).
The new pay deal, with all three teacher unions having recently voted in favour of, will mean that teachers’ starting salary will increase to €46,000 rising to a maximum of €85,000 per year which compares well internationally.
Over 3,700 newly qualified teachers have registered with the Teaching Council in 2023, with over 122,000 now on the Teaching Council register.
The vast majority of sanctioned teacher positions are filled. The rate of resignation and retirement is very low by any standard and is consistent with previous years.
Ireland’s education system is performing strongly, something that is supported by recent international testing. That is a tribute to the professionalism and dedication of our teachers. We need to continue to support our schools and maintain the high standards that have helped get us to where we are.
My Department continues to engage closely with education stakeholders to develop further, innovative measures to address teacher supply issues.
230. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education for an update regarding the formal lease agreement documentation being issued by her Department to the patron of a school (details supplied) to be signed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20823/24]
View answerThe lease agreement is being dealt with by the Department as a priority, in conjunction with the Chief State Solicitors Office (CSSO).
Some documentation required for the effective implementation of the new lease has to be acquired from a third party. This documentation has been requested as a matter of urgency.
By way of information, my Department supports and encourages the use of school buildings for community and recreational purposes. However, it is important that any proposed arrangement does not impede upon the future development of the school, given that the priority for schools is educational provision for its pupils.
The published Guidelines on the Use of School Buildings outside of School Hours are available for guidance in relation to the use of school buildings outside of school hours, including any planned recreational purposes.
231. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Education her plans to extend the special education diploma allowance to include eligible teachers who started working post-2012; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20831/24]
View answerThe Department of Education, along with other Departments across the public service, implemented the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments (September 2012) by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This meant that many allowances were no longer payable to “new entrants”, including teachers. Among the allowances that had sanction for payment to new beneficiaries removed was the Diploma in Special Education allowance.
In terms of the possible reintroduction of any allowance, additional amendments to Teacher Terms and Conditions, can only be achieved through engagement and collective bargaining agreements between the Government and the public service unions.
Over the course of recent collective agreements, amendments have been agreed which have seen the value of certain allowances previously withdrawn being integrated into “new entrant” teacher pay. Examples are the equivalent of an honours primary degree allowance and the PME allowance.
Any further amendments to alter the allowances paid to teachers, whether “new entrant” or not, give rise to significant cost issues and should, as mentioned, be part of engagement and collective agreements between Unions and Government.
232. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education if she will consider engaging with Bus Éireann to allow flexibility to secondary school students who take part in after-school activities to use regular Bus Éireann services with their school transport ticket; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20849/24]
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 161,600 children, including over 135,000 pupils travelling on primary and post primary services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country. The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02m.
The School Transport Scheme 2030 report has now been published, which marks the largest review of the School Transport Scheme since it was established in 1967. This review was conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness, and sustainability and to ensure it services students and their families adequately. The Government is committed to working to achieve the report’s recommendation of expanding access to the scheme so that an additional 100,000 pupils can be carried by 2030.
Throughout the review, the value of the School Transport Scheme to both families and in supporting wider Government policies has been very apparent. In summary, school transport not only plays an important part in supporting children's access to education, but it also aligns to wider Government objectives.
The recommended changes to the future operation of the Scheme include, over time, moving towards better integration with public transport to ensure optimum value for money to the Exchequer
A phased implementation of the review’s recommendations will commence in September 2024. This will include a shared effort between my Department and the Department of Transport to pilot and introduce greater integration of the roll out of transport networks with school transport routes, with a view to expanding provision of transport and reducing the reliance over time on individual car trips for school journeys. Details of the areas to be piloted will be available shortly.
233. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education if there is funding available for resourcing a sensory room in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20868/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that funding of €7,000 is made available by my Department's Loose Furniture & Equipment (F&E) Section for the provision of the start-up of a sensory room within a school. In order to be eligible for the grant, the school must demonstrate it has a National Council for Special Education (NCSE) approved ASD class and that there is a suitable room to house the sensory room (i.e. drawings of school layout with the sensory room and ASD class clearly marked). The sensory room must be a separate room from that of the ASD class and must have its own separate entry/exit. Only one Sensory room grant is funded by my Department per school.
However, I can confirm that there is no NCSE approved ASD class in the school in question and as such funding for a sensory room could not be considered while this continues to be the case.
234. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education to explain the process in applying for funding for a four-teacher school (detail supplied); and any other advice she can offer in this matter. [20869/24]
View answerThe key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
The staffing process contains an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board as outlined in the primary staffing circular 0011/2024 available on the Department website.
My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.
Correspondence issued to all schools on 26th April detailing the calculation of ancillary grant funding for 2024 and the ancillary grant is now paid to all schools.
I recently announced €50 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which has now issued to all recognised primary, Special Schools and post-primary schools. This ICT funding is being provided to schools to help them continue to use digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment and which represents the second tranche of ICT funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027
235. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education if she will provide assistance to a school (details supplied); if she is aware that the delay in providing this additional accommodation will result in a large number of children being forced to be educated in overcrowded classrooms for September 2024; if she will expedite the processing of this school’s DES re: R1 Form on health and safety grounds; if she will ensure that all steps and processes are being considered to address the accommodation issues highlighted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [20881/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy, that the school in question submitted an application for capital funding, under my Department's Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme in 2023 for one mainstream classroom and office/support space.
The purpose of the Additional School Accommodation scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream and special education classroom accommodation is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year and where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation or at other schools in the area.
At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or a new SEN class has been sanctioned by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.
I am pleased to advise that the school was approved rental of an 80m2 modular classroom in 2023 and an initial approval letter issued to the school requesting completion of documentation as part of the delivery process. I can confirm that officials in my department have only recently received the requested documentation.
I can assure the Deputy that my officials will be in contact with the school in due course following review of the aforementioned documentation and that we are very conscious that where additional school places and accommodation are required, a significant lead-in time is necessary for a variety of reasons.
236. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of HAA cards that are currently in existence. [20927/24]
View answer237. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the annual cost of services provided under HAA. [20928/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 236 and 237 together.
Health Amendment Act (HAA) Cards are medical cards provided under the Health (Amendment) Act 1996 to individuals who contracted Hepatitis C from contaminated blood products. The information requested by the Deputy in relation to those cards is held by the Department of Health and therefore the questions are more appropriate to that Department.
238. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Education the number of people excluded from the Caranua scheme. [20929/24]
View answerThe Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 provided that Caranua could provide funding supports to those how had received an award of redress from the Residential Institutions Redress Board (RIRB) or a similar court award or settlement. The RIRB was established in 2002 and closed for applications in September 2011. The RIRB made approximately 15,600 awards of redress, totalling almost €1 billion.
Caranua was established in 2013 to disburse the contributions of €110m (€111.38m including interest) provided by the religious congregations following the publication of the Ryan Report in 2009. In 2015 Caranua commissioned an actuarial study to estimate, based on data recorded by the RIRB, the survivor population as of 31 December 2015. This study concluded that the likely population of survivors would have been some 12,125 by that date.
Before closing in 2021, Caranua had made funding support payments to just over 6,000 eligible survivors who had applied for supports. Approximately 200 individuals who applied to Caranua were determined to be ineligible for support.
