Written Answers Nos. 95-106
95. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a full time special needs assistant can be provided to a person (details supplied) for September 2016 onwards in view of their need for help; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18857/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing applications from schools for special needs assistants (SNA) supports. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in making recommendations for support, which are set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014 and are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2016/17 school year by 29th February 2016. The NCSE also continues to accept applications after that date, in recognition that enrolments may not have been completed or where assessments were not completed.
I announced on the 14th June, 2016 that 860 additional Special Needs Assistants will be available for allocation to schools from September 2016, which is a 7% increase on the existing availability.
This will bring the total number of Special Needs Assistants to 12,900 at a total gross annual cost of €425 million. This increase reflects the growing participation of children with Special Needs in education and will support their full participation and progression within the educational system.
The NCSE advised all schools of their allocations for SNA support for the coming 2016/17 school year on 14th June, 2016. Details of the allocations which have been made to schools have now been published on www.ncse.ie.
Where a school wishes to make an application for SNA support in respect of a child who was not considered as part of this allocation process they may continue to make such applications to the NCSE.
Where a school wishes to appeal the SNA allocation which has been made to they may do so through the NCSE appeal process, details of which are set out at www.ncse.ie.
It should also be noted that SNA allocations are not made to individual children, but are made to schools to support the care needs of children with assessed special educational needs in the school.
All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, while Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available the NCSE website.
As the Deputy's question relates to the allocation of SNA support by the NCSE to an individual child, I have referred this question to the NCSE for their consideration and direct reply to the Deputy.
96. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding available for the construction of a school sports assembly hall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18864/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department's focus in recent years has been on prioritising the funding available for the provision of essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic need.
As the Deputy will be aware, due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the available funding in this manner, it is not possible at this point to provide an indicative timeframe for the provision of funding for PE halls generally.
97. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to upgrade AIT Athlone to university status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18867/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the new Programme for Government outlines that this new Government will continue to support the creation of Technological Universities.
This is in line with the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which provides a framework for the development of the higher education sector to 2030. With regard to the institute of technology sector, the Strategy recommended significant reforms to position the sector to meet national strategic objectives. In particular, in order to qualify for technological university status, the Strategy recommended that Institutes of Technology would have to merge and to demonstrate significant progress against robust performance criteria before they can apply to be designated as a technological university.
The Government is keen not to replicate the mistakes made in other countries and to avoid a scenario whereby Institutes of Technology are allowed to become Technological Universities simply as a rebranding exercise, in the process damaging the strengths of the sector, and the national and international reputation of the Irish Higher Education system, built up over many years.
Regional Focus: There will also be a specific focus on the particular contribution the university will make to the needs of the region in which it is located. The development of technological universities has the potential to deliver greater opportunity to students in these regions, to staff working in the institutions, and to the broader local economy and society.
Consortiums who have applied: As part of the implementation of the Strategy, the Higher Education Authority in 2012 published a four-stage process and criteria for applicant groups of institutes of technology wishing to apply to become technological universities.
The designation process consists of four stages as follows:
- an expression of interest,
- the preparation of a plan to meet the criteria,
- an evaluation of the plan, and
- an application for designation.
There are currently four consortia engaged with the process to become designated as TUs. These are TU4Dublin (Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght, Institute of Technology Blanchardstown), Technological University for the South-East (TUSE – consisting of Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow), Munster Technological University (MTU – consisting of Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee) and the Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA – consisting of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Sligo and Letterkenny Institute of Technology).
Position of Technological Universities Bill: The first Government Legislative Programme of this new Partnership Government was published on 8 June 2016, and the Technological Universities Bill has been restored to the Dáil Order Paper at Committee Stage.
I recognise that there were a significant number of matters raised in respect of the Bill at both Committee and Report Stage. It is my intention to now consult with all of the relevant stakeholders, including Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT), in relation to both the matters raised during the legislative process and the commitments contained in the Programme for Government.
Following the finalisation of this consultation process I will then advance the legislation having determined a position in relation to any matters raised as part of this consultation process.
98. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills to examine the former Mullingar Army site with a view to using same for institutional educational purposes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18871/16]
View answerAn inspection of the Mullingar Army Barracks site was carried out by Professional and Technical staff of my Department's School Planning and Building Unit in 2012 with a view to determining its suitability for school accommodation. The site and existing accommodation at the Barracks were found to present technical difficulties such that the development of the site for school use did not represent value for money in the context of other available options.
99. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills to allow a school (details supplied) which has completed the stage 2(b) (detailed design) process to proceed to stage 3 tender action as this school was included in the school building projects as part of their five year plan 2012 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18908/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the building project for the school in question is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. All statutory approvals have been obtained and the Stage 2b submission was recently approved by my Department.
However, on 1st January 2016 there were 66 major projects under construction. Since the start of this year 14 more major projects have been progressed to construction and there are currently 36 projects authorised to progress through the tender process with a view to starting on site in the coming months. That represents a total of 116 major projects either under construction or progressing to commence construction in 2016. The project for the school referred to was not at a sufficiently advanced stage to be considered for inclusion with those projects when they were authorized to proceed to tender earlier this year. The existing contractual commitments for 2016 now fully account for the funding allocation available in 2016.
My officials will continue to closely monitor expenditure on existing contractual commitments over the coming months and, as funding allows, other projects, including the project for the school in question will be considered for progression through the tender process with a view to starting on site as soon as possible.
100. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide and Portmarnock areas of County Dublin, as announced in November, 2015; if he has identified locations for these proposed schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18911/16]
View answer104. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Swords area of County Dublin, as announced in November 2015; if he has identified a location for this proposed school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18957/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 100 and 104 together.
My Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places will arise. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my Department's own databases.
The outcome of the latest demographic exercises, based on the GIS, was the announcement in November 2015 of the establishment of 13 new schools to open nationwide in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs. One of the new post-primary schools will serve the Swords school planning area and one will serve the Malahide and Portmarnock school planning areas. Both new schools will open in 2017 and both are included in my Department's six year construction programme (2016-2021). Details on the progress of all projects on this programme will be published on my Department's website and this will be updated regularly.
In April this year, my Department issued an invitation to all school patron bodies and prospective patron bodies to apply for the patronage of the nine new post-primary schools, including the schools to serve the areas referred to by the Deputy. As part of the application process, prospective patrons must submit completed parental preferences, including whether parents wish their children to be educated through the medium of Irish or of English. The closing date for receipt of applications to my Department was Wednesday 8th June.
My Department is currently assessing the applications received from the prospective patrons and an assessment report will be prepared for the consideration of the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). The Group will then submit a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. I will announce the patronage of the schools following completion of the process and the patronage assessment report will be published on my Department's website.
My Department are liaising with Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of suitable locations for these schools.
Agreement in principle has been reached in respect of a site for the new post-primary school in Swords and my Department is currently progressing with its acquisition.
In relation to the new post-primary school to serve the Malahide and Portmarnock areas, the technical feasibility of an identified site option is currently being comprehensively assessed by officials from my Department in liaison with officials from the Local Authority.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally, I am, unfortunately, not in a position to provide further details at this time. I can, however, assure you that the site acquisitions for both of these schools are being advanced by my Department and that pending the delivery of the permanent school buildings, temporary accommodation will be provided.
101. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a teaching post; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18912/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is an independent agency with responsibility for determining the appropriate staffing levels in relation to the support of pupils with special educational needs attending Special schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's policy in allocating this support.
Staffing arrangements for special schools are in line with policy advice provided by the NCSE which did not recommend alteration to staffing ratios established under SERC Report in 1993.
Circular 0042/2011 provides information to schools regarding the staffing arrangements which apply in Special schools.
The Circular sets out that special schools are staffed based on their pupil profiles and the disability category of the pupils enrolled, as opposed to being based principally on school designation. Staffing levels therefore reflect the complexity of needs that exist within schools rather than being determined solely by a school's designation, in recognition that many Special schools enrol students from disability categories other than from those provided for by their school designations.
In determining the staffing allocation for schools, including the above school, the NCSE takes into account up-to-date enrolment and pupil profile information. School staffing schedules are reviewed and updated each year by the NCSE. As such, the profile of Special school pupil populations are aligned with appropriate staffing allocations. Accordingly, the staffing allocation for the school referred to in the Deputy's question has been calculated to reflect the profile of pupils currently enrolled in the school, in accordance with each pupil's disability categorisation.
The NCSE are currently considering additional information in relation to the school's staffing allocation for 2016/17 and the school will be advised of the outcome of the NCSE's decision shortly.
102. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason further to Parliamentary Question No. 197 of 21 June 2016, no emergency works scheme application had been submitted by a school (details supplied); when he will now provide funding to this school in view of the urgent and substantial works required; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18931/16]
View answerThe Planning and Building Unit of my Department has checked this matter again and it has confirmed to me that it has no record of receiving the application to which the Deputy refers.
The copy of the application provided with the details supplied is incomplete in that it is not signed or dated by the Chairperson of the Board of Management. It is also not properly signed off by the Consultant.
The school should submit a fully completed application form together with the mandatory photographic evidence to the Department's Devolved Grants/Rental Payments Section, Department of Education and Skills, Portlaoise Road, Tullamore, Co. Offaly. When received the application will be fully considered in the context of the criteria governing the Department's Emergency Works Grant Scheme.
103. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for a vacant school (details supplied); if he will put this property on the open market; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18956/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that Waterford and Wexford Education and Training Board are currently in discussions with St. Aidan's Diocesan Trust, who are the owners of the school building to which he refers, regarding the building's future use.
105. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware that special needs assistants in County Meath are losing contracted hours and jobs without any prior warning and with the information being gathered from the National Council for Special Education website (details supplied). [18966/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools, to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.
The Deputy will be aware that on 14th June, 2016, I announced that 860 additional SNAs will be available for allocation to schools from September 2016.
12,900 SNA posts will now be available at a total gross annual cost of €425 million. This is more SNAs than we have ever had previously and will ensure that all children who qualify for SNA support can continue to receive access to such support.
In total, the number of SNAs available has increased by almost 22% since 2011, at which point 10,575 posts were available.
The criteria by which SNA support is allocated to schools is set out in my Department's Circular, DES 30/2014, which states that a key feature of the NCSE allocation process is to provide an annual allocation of SNA support to eligible schools.
The NCSE issues notification to schools each year requesting they submit applications for SNA support to the NCSE for the coming school year. Having considered all of the applications received, the NCSE advises schools of their SNA allocation quantum for the coming school year, taking into account the number of valid applications received and the assessed care needs of the children concerned.
This year, the NCSE asked all schools to submit applications for SNA support by 29th February, 2016.
The NCSE advised all schools of their allocations for SNA support for the 2016/17 school year, on 14th June, 2016, based on the number of valid applications received. The NCSE also published details of the allocations for SNA support on their website www.ncse.ie.
In making applications for SNA support for the coming school year, schools will have been engaging with their local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) in relation to these applications. Where an adjustment or reduction in a schools SNA support is likely to take place, a SENO will normally indicate this to a school in advance. However, the formal notification to schools cannot be made until the allocation process is finalised for all schools.
The provision of allocations in June ensures that schools have sufficient time to plan for the provision of supports in advance of September 2016. It also gives schools certainty as to the resources which will be available to them for the coming school year.
Whereas the NCSE will continue to consider applications throughout the school year in cases where schools have enrolled new pupils with care needs, where new assessments are received, or in cases of emergencies, the main allocation of SNA support is now made to schools on an annual allocation basis and most schools will by now have received their SNA allocations for September 2016.
It is important to note that the level of SNA support allocated to all schools can change from year to year, as students with care needs leave the school, as new students with care needs enrol, or as students develop more independent living skills as they get older and their care needs diminish over time. It is therefore appropriate that SNA allocations be reduced in schools which have declining numbers of pupils requiring SNA support, so that they can be reallocated to schools which have increased requirements.
Where there has been a reduction in SNA support in a school, supplementary assignment arrangements are in place for SNAs, details of which are set out in Departmental Circular 0041/2015.
Once an SNA with a minimum of one year's service (Service in a substitute capacity i.e. covering for maternity leave, sick leave, career breaks, job-sharing etc. does not count) is notified by his/her employer that s/he is to be made redundant then s/he shall be deemed to be a member of a supplementary assignment panel for SNAs.
The operation of this panel is described and outlined in Circular 0041/2015 and it is designed to be as flexible as possible which enables all eligible SNAs, who have the requisite Panel Form 1 completed by their former employer, to apply for any SNA position that is advertised by a school or an ETB with no sectoral, diocesan or geographical limitations imposed.
Every eligible SNA will remain on the panel for two years with a view to getting further employment. If they are not successful over that period of time in obtaining a further SNA position then they will be eligible for a Redundancy payment. Furthermore, an SNA may opt out of this supplementary assignment panel at any point in time triggering the processing of his/her redundancy payment in line with the terms set out in the SNA redundancy scheme (DES Circular 58/06) or any revision of same that is applicable at that time.
106. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) is not in full DEIS status; the way this school would go about applyig for full DEIS status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18970/16]
View answerThe school the Deputy refers to applied for the DEIS Programme in 2005 but was assessed not to have a sufficient level of disadvantage for inclusion in the scheme at the time. As the Deputy is aware, the review of the DEIS programme is currently underway and it is my intention that a New Action Plan for Educational Inclusion will be published by the end of this year.
The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the identification process for the inclusion of schools in the programme, the range and impact of different elements of the School Support Programme, and the scope for increased integration of services provided by other Departments and agencies, in order to improve effectiveness.
The number of additional schools to be included in the new programme will be determined by a new identification process for this purpose, which is currently in development and in which all schools will be assessed. Subject to Government approval, it is intended to begin to implement actions arising from an updated plan in the 2017/18 school year.
In the meantime, I do not propose to make any changes to the current programme, including the addition of further schools.
