Written Answers Nos. 87-99
87. Deputy Patrick Costello asked the Minister for Education the number of staff, broken down by grade, specifying whether they are full time or part-time, that currently work with the National Council for Special Education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30074/24]
View answerIn Budget 2023, the government provided an additional €13 million for the expansion of services within the NCSE. This will mean an increase of up to 160 additional staff in the organisation, a workforce increase of 50%.
Overall, the NCSE will increase from its current staffing base of 327 to 426 approximately. While recruitment for some grades has concluded, it remains ongoing for the final cohorts of staff. Induction for all grades is currently underway.
The following is a break-down of staff by grade currently working in the NCSE:
Customer Service Support Staff
• 88 Special Education Needs Organisers
• 15 Team Managers
• 11 Specialist leads (1 part-time)
• 5 National Development Leads
• 2 National Coordinator grades
• 18 Therapists OT, SLT, & BT
• 4 ISL Therapists
Support Staff Civil Service Grades
• 90 Civil Service Grades
Seconded Staff to the NCSE
• 47 Advisors
• 47 Visiting Teachers.
88. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education the position regarding a request for additional funding by a school in County Cork (details supplied) for essential works under the emergency works funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30078/24]
View answerThe school to which the deputy refers has submitted an application for funding for external environment works under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS).
I should explain firstly that the purpose of the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) within my Department is to provide funding specifically for unforeseen emergencies. It does so by ensuring the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are in need of resources as a result of an emergency situation. An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment, which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action, and in the case of a school, if not corrected would prevent the school or part thereof from opening.
The application for the school in question relates to an issue that is not deemed to fall within the criteria of an emergency situation and as a result, this application has been refused.
The Summer Works Scheme provides an opportunity for the school to progress this matter in the future when it next opens for new applications. Schools will be advised in due course in relation to same.
89. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education where exactly the new special school in County Kildare is to be located; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30082/24]
View answerSpecial education is a key priority for Government, underpinned by over a quarter of the entire education budget.
The vast majority of children with special educational needs are supported to attend mainstream classes with their peers. Where children with more complex needs require additional supports, special classes and special school places are provided.
The new special school planned for Kildare along with three others in counties Limerick, Meath and Wexford was announced on the 6 December 2023. Working groups to support the establishment of each special school were established and these groups continue to meet on an ongoing basis.
The initial location of all four special schools has been confirmed. For Kildare, the initial start-up location will be at Craddockstown Education Campus beside Naas Community National School. My department continues to examine potential sites for the school's long-term location and this will be confirmed in due course.
The patron, Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB), is currently progressing the recruitment of teaching and special need assistant (SNA) staff for the school. The school will initially enrol 24 students for the 2024/2025 school year and the admissions process is currently underway.
Looking forward, my department and the NCSE have begun preparatory work in relation to planning for the provision of further new special class and special school places for the 2025/26 school year and beyond.
90. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the funding provided for NEPS services in Cork in each of the years 2019 to date, in tabular form. [30166/24]
View answerMy Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework where there is need via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).
NEPS has received €32.3m allocation this year, with additional €5m Covid-related funding. This brings the overall budget for NEPS in 2024 to a level of €37.3m. This has risen from a figure of €20.8m in 2019. The incremental increases in the NEPS allocated budget from 2019 to 2024 are set out in Table 1:
Table 1
|
Year |
NEPS Total Annual Budget € million |
|
2019 |
Total € 20,756 |
|
2020 |
Total € 21,717 |
|
2021 |
Total € 22,774Covid € 800 |
|
2022 |
Total € 23,061Covid € 1,000 |
|
2023 |
Total € 28,877Covid € 5,000 |
|
2024 |
Total € 32,299Covid € 5,000 |
NEPS
psychologists work within a regional and local office structure serving the needs of schools in their immediate vicinity. NEPS is made up of eight administrative regions – Dublin; Dublin Mid-Leinster; Mid-Munster; North-Eastern; North-West/North Midlands; South-East/South Midlands; South-Western; and Western Regions. Mid-Munster Region comprises of both counties Cork and South Tipperary. The numbers of psychologists employed in the NEPS Mid-Munster region since 2019 are set out in Table 2. The numbers have risen from 28 in 2019 to 35 in 2024, an increase of 7 psychologists, representing a 25% increase in psychologist numbers in this period.
Table 2
|
Year |
Psychologists in Mid Munster |
|
2019 |
28 |
|
2020 |
27 |
|
2021 |
29 |
|
2022 |
29 |
|
2023 |
30 |
|
2024 |
35 |
I can also advise the Deputy that priority service is provided by NEPS in Cork to DEIS primary and post-primary schools. In addition, the NEPS service has been extended to all seventeen special schools within Cork since 2022 and support now extends to in excess of 400 special classes in the Cork area.
In addition to the general work of NEPS within the Mid-Munster Region, it may be of interest to the Deputy that Cork is one of the pilot sites for Strand 2 of the Counselling in Primary Schools Pilot. Strand 2 has seen the establishment of a new type of support to schools from Education Wellbeing Teams and involves the introduction of Education Wellbeing Practitioners to provide enhanced in-school supports for a cluster of primary schools in Cork, Carlow, Dublin 7, and Dublin 16. Fifteen Education Wellbeing Practitioners have been recruited to the four cluster areas and have undergone an intensive training programme provided by NEPS. Four of these Education Wellbeing Practitioners are working in the Cork Cluster providing Strand 2 Services to twenty primary schools. The Education Wellbeing Teams are working with pupils, parents, and school staff to support wellbeing and resilience at a whole school level. NEPS psychologists are providing oversight and professional supervision to support and maintain the work undertaken by the practitioners. This will ensure safe practice and the use of evidence-informed programmes and supports in schools.
91. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the funding provided for capital projects in Cork schools in each of the years 2019 to date, by year, in tabular form. [30167/24]
View answerSince 2020, my department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 900 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn.
I also announced earlier in the year that close to 90 projects, including 28 new school buildings, would be authorised to proceed from tender stage to construction over the course of 2024 and early 2025. In total, around €800 million will be invested in these projects under the department’s Large Scale Capital Programme and Additional Accommodation Scheme for essential classroom accommodation.
Between projects currently under construction and projects moving to construction in this latest phase, investments by the Department of Education are adding over 550,000 square metres of new and modernised capacity to our school estate.
This is a record level of investment in school buildings. It will expand the number of school places, significantly increase provision for special education and upgrade and modernise our school infrastructure. The impact of this will be felt in communities right around the country.
The key drivers of capital investment in the schools sector include:
• demographic growth, particularly at post primary level
• increased demand for special educational needs provision
• alignment of school place provision with new housing development
• climate action objectives including deep energy retrofit.
Since 2019, in the region of €690 million has been invested in Co. Cork schools. Of this over €640 million relates to school building projects.
Between 2019 to date 157 school building projects have been completed in Co. Cork, including 13 new schools.
Currently there are 33 school building projects under construction in Co. Cork, of which 1 is a new school for Ballinaspittle National School.
There are also 170 school building projects (Large Scale/ASA/Modular) in Co. Cork moving through the various stages of design, of which 20 are new school projects.
These projects are being delivered to ambitious timeframes, and the position on individual projects evolves all the time as they advance through various stages. The status of all projects is set out at: (www.gov.ie). This is updated on a regular basis to reflect project progress through the various stages of capital appraisal, site acquisition, design, tender and construction.
The table below provides details of yearly investment in the School Building Programme in Co. Cork from 2019 to date.
|
Capital Expenditure on School Building Projects in Co. Cork |
|||||
|
2019 (€m) |
2020 (€m) |
2021 (€m) |
2022 (€m) |
2023 (€m) |
2024 (€m) |
|
64 |
94 |
101 |
158 |
185 |
44 |
92. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education for an update on a school (details supplied) and the need for a new school building. [30168/24]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that my department received an application under the Additional Schools' Accommodation (ASA) Scheme in 2021 from the school in question. The application was for funding for the provision of three Special Education classrooms on foot of the sanction of three special classes by the NCSE in February 2021. Funding was approved for prefab replacement in 2022 for an 80m2 modular building.
As the Deputy may be aware the department’s Technical team carried out an in-depth review of the school site in 2021. The review confirmed that the school and the site are at maximum capacity and that it would not be possible to provide the required accommodation on site unless vast amounts of existing single storey accommodation was to be demolished and replaced with two storey accommodation. At that time, considering all the relevant impediments to deliver the brief of accommodation and the site constraints, the Department was not in a position to provide funding for the significant demolition of the school building. In light of this, officials in my department contacted the NCSE to advise them of same and to establish the special classes in other schools in the area.
Over the last two years, the department and the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) have worked closely on a more streamlined and joined up planning process which has ensured a targeted approach to meet demand for special education placements ahead of each new school year. The Department continues to work with the NCSE in relation to the short-term requirements for special class and special school places and also the more strategic and longer-term requirements.
In planning and providing for additional school accommodation, the Department must also have regard to construction inflation pressures and competing demands on suppliers of modular accommodation and project management services. In response to these challenges both in terms of demand for accommodation and costs, the Department must prioritise spending and seek to achieve value for money in line with the public spending code/NDP framework. In general, demographics have been falling at primary level and are due to continue to decrease. Therefore the Department considers it prudent to maximise the use of existing spare accommodation capacity at primary level in the first instance, before considering any applications for further accommodation needs. This is in line with public spending requirements. In relation to the provision of primary special classes, the shared preference of both the Department and the NCSE is to use and reconfigure existing school accommodation to provide special classes.
Since 2020, my Department has invested in the region of €4.9 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of over 900 school building projects and with construction currently underway at approximately 300 other projects, which includes 30 new school buildings. These 300 projects currently at construction involve a total State investment of over €1.2bn.
I can advise the Deputy that in January of this year, the NCSE reconfirmed the sanction of 3 special education needs classes at the school in question. The Board of Management subsequently submitted an engineer’s condition report to the department in support of their proposal to knock and rebuild a portion of the school building. In view of the reconfirmed sanction by the NCSE, the cost of the prefab for special education tuition and the engineer's condition report my department agreed to review the contents of the report. This review is ongoing.
I can confirm to the Deputy that in tandem with this review, officials from my department have met with the Patron of the school in question with a view to resolving the accommodation needs of special class pupils at the school and in the general area. Officials in my department have also been engaging with the school directly. I can only seek to assure you that we will advance this matter as quickly as possible.
93. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the number of primary school teachers employed in Cork in each of the years 2019 to date, by year, in tabular form. [30169/24]
View answer95. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the number of secondary school teachers employed in Cork in each of the years 2019 to date, by year, in tabular form. [30171/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 93 and 95 together.
The number of allocated teaching posts to schools in Co. Cork since 2019, are attached.
Number of Teaching posts allocated to schools in Co. Cork
|
PRIMARY |
|
|
School Year |
Posts Allocated |
|
2019-2020 |
4237 |
|
2020-2021 |
4326 |
|
2021-2022 |
4427 |
|
2022-2023 |
4544 |
|
2023-2024 |
4678 |
|
POST-PRIMARY |
|
|
School year |
Posts Allocated |
|
2019-2020 |
3672 |
|
2020-2021 |
3834 |
|
2021-2022 |
3800 |
|
2022-2023 |
3866 |
|
2023-2024 |
4057 |
94. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the number of primary school students enrolled in Cork schools in each of the years 2019 to date, by year, in tabular form. [30170/24]
View answer96. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the number of secondary school students enrolled in Cork schools in each of the years 2019 to date, by year, in tabular form. [30172/24]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 94 and 96 together.
Please find attached requested data for academic years 2019–2022.
Please note that we expect to publish final data for academic year 2023/24 shortly and we will revert to the deputy with the data for 2023/24 when it has been published.
Please note enrolment data is taken from the POD and PPOD databases as per the annual published school lists which can be found at the link below. All enrolments are as per the census date, 30th September, for each year.
www.gov.ie/en/collection/63363b-data-on-individual-schools/
|
Cork County |
||||
|
School Level |
2019 |
2020 |
2021 |
2022 |
|
Primary |
63,574 |
62,905 |
61,968 |
62,147 |
|
Post-Primary |
42,893 |
43,603 |
45,042 |
46,868 |
|
Special Schools |
930 |
918 |
941 |
984 |
|
Total |
107,397 |
107,426 |
107,951 |
109,999 |
97. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the funding provided through the ICT grant to Cork schools in each of the years 2019 to date, by year, in tabular form. [30173/24]
View answerThe Digital Strategy for Schools 2027, which builds on the progress made under the previous Digital Strategy (2015-2020), is underpinned by an investment of some €200m included in the National Development Plan 2021-2030 providing continuity of funding following the €210m that issued to schools to support the previous strategy. To date, €100m of that funding has issued to supports schools to implement the Digital Strategy. Overall from 2019 inclusive, schools in Cork have received over €28m in ICT Grant funding.
This funding issues directly to schools as schools are best placed to identify the requirements of their own student cohort and to meet those requirements in the most appropriate way. This can include the purchase of ICT devices such as tablets, hybrid devices, or laptops.
In addition, the Department as part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) under Next Generation EU funding facility, issued a once-off grant of €50 million in December 2021 to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme in order to support those learners at risk of educational disadvantage through the digital divide.
This funding issued directly to schools as they were best placed to determine the needs of their own students and have autonomy to do so, within the criteria applying to this funding. This can include establishing schemes to loan devices to students, and this also applies to Digital Strategy Grant funding.
The specific timing for issue of the ICT grant is subject to the availability of Exchequer funding and the wider capital needs of the Department including the building programme to ensure the supply of school accommodation.
As part of the forthcoming Review of the National Development Plan, my Department’s aim is to provide better clarity and certainty for schools on the timelines for payment of minor works and ICT grant funding.
The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the breakdown of ICT grant funding to schools in County Cork from 2019 to current , is as follows,
|
Year |
Number of Schools |
Total amount of Grant (€) |
|
2019/2020 |
429 |
5,710,949 |
|
2020/2021 |
429 |
5,707,190 |
|
2021/2022 |
442 |
5,661,291 |
|
2021/2022 NRRP |
438 |
5,316,973 |
|
2023/2024 |
442 |
5,647,486 |
98. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Education the number of applications received from schools in Cork under the major capital works scheme; and the number granted to date in 2024, in tabular form. [30186/24]
View answerAs requested by the Deputy, please see attached table showing projects for schools in Cork which received initial approval in 2024.
Please note that there are other school building projects in Co Cork at various stages of progress. The Department's website provides a list, by county, of all projects being progressed under the large scale and additional accommodation scheme. This is available here: gov - Building works for the construction, extension and refurbishment of schools (www.gov.ie) .
The stage of architectural planning is included for each project on the website. The following provides a summary of what is involved at each stage:Stage 1 – Preliminary Design. The Preliminary Design stage includes reviewing all information provided as part of the Project Brief, establishing and analysing all site factors and constraints which may impact on the project's viability.Stage 2 - Design (which is divided into Stage 2a - Developed Sketch Scheme and Stage 2b - Detailed Design)
Stage 2a includes developing the design and accurately cost planning the options agreed with the Client to a stage where the project is fully cost planned and can be prepared to lodge for statutory approvals.Stage 2b includes obtaining all statutory approvals, preparing a set of fully detailed tender documents, and preparing an accurate pre-tender cost plan.Stage 3 - Tender Action, Evaluation and Award is the procurement stage, which includes the implementation of the tender process, evaluation of tenders and award of the contract.
Stage 4 – Construction refers to the period during which the construction works are delivered on site. All members of the Design Team are collectively responsible for the effective management of the project in order to achieve its completion on time and within budget. Stage 5 - Handover of Works and Final Account refers to the final stages of project close-out, after works have been completed.
|
Roll Number |
School_Planning_Area |
School Name |
Address_2 |
Year Approved |
Total_Project_Brief |
Programme List |
Current_Stage_Of_Project |
|
81008W |
Ballintemple_CorkCity |
Ashton School |
Cork |
2024 |
Science lab & prep area 1x Art room 1x Graphics room: 4x Special education classroom 1x music room: 1x Mainstream classroom: reconfiguration of smaller GP room as fitness suite |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 1 |
|
20574O |
Midleton_Carrigtwohill |
East Cork Community National School |
Cork |
2024 |
Reconfiguration works to existing accommodation to provide SEN classrooms are being reconfigured from spare classrooms in the new Carrigtwohill Community NS RN 20442U. |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 5 |
|
20006A |
Clonakilty |
Gaelscoil Mhichíl Uí Choileáin |
Cloch na gCoillte |
2024 |
Soft play area for existing 4 x SEN |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 2b |
|
91391H |
Passage West |
St Peter's Community School |
Co Cork |
2024 |
Reconfiguration of Music room for SEN Class |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 5 |
|
20534C |
Carrigaline |
Owenabue ETNS |
Heron's Wood |
2024 |
reconfiguration of old retail unit to provide 2 x MCR and multipurpose room. |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 3 |
|
14839P |
Macroom |
CLONDROHID N S |
Macroom |
2024 |
1x SEN reconfiguration |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 1 |
|
81009B |
Boharbue |
Boherbue Comprehensive School |
Boherbue |
2024 |
Reconfiguration to provide Sensory Room for 4 existing Special Education Needs classrooms |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 4 |
|
70960D |
Coachford |
Coachford College |
Co Cork |
2024 |
Reconfiguration of classroom to provide SEN classroom |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 4 |
|
62061T |
Bandon |
Coláiste na Toirbhirte |
Bandon |
2024 |
2 x 100m2 Modular Classrooms SEN Classrooms |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 1 |
|
62580U |
Glasheen_CorkCity |
Coláiste an Spioraid Naoimh |
Cork |
2024 |
Reconfiguration to provide interim 1x Special Education classroom |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 4 |
|
11262R |
Rath Luirc_Charleville |
DRUIMNE N S |
Charleville |
2024 |
1x MCR reconfiguration of prefab for class displaced by SEN class |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 3 |
|
62730N |
Montenotte_CorkCity |
St Patricks College |
Cork |
2024 |
Phase 1 - Reconfiguration of part of main building to provide 1 x Technology Room/Prep Area and Toilets to facilitate school going co-educational from 2024/25 |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 1 |
|
76090G |
Bantry |
Coláiste Pobail Bheanntraí |
BANTRY |
2024 |
Reconfiguration of meeting room/offices to create 1x Special Education classroom and reconfiguration for displaced meeting room/offices |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 1 |
|
62170B |
Clonakilty |
Sacred Heart Secondary School |
Clonakilty |
2024 |
reconfiguration of existing space to be utilised for a second sen class |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Project Brief |
|
12292I |
Coachford |
CANOVEE MIXED N S |
Macroom |
2024 |
Reconfiguration for 1x Special Education classroom |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Project Brief |
|
15594Q |
Fermoy |
GRANGE FERMOY N S |
Fermoy |
2024 |
Reconfiguration of mainstream classroom to provide 1x Special education classroom |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 1 |
|
62693K |
Glasheen_CorkCity |
Presentation Secondary School |
Ballyphehane |
2024 |
Reconfiguration of toilets for change to co-ed |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 2b |
|
62170B |
Clonakilty |
Sacred Heart Secondary School |
Clonakilty |
2024 |
Reconfiguration of MCR for SEN Provision |
Additional School Accommodation Scheme |
Stage 1 |
99. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will fulfil the promise in the programme for Government to develop a 'policy for the Irish language in the education system from preschool to third level' without any further delay, and set up an expert group to develop this policy; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [30213/24]
View answerSignificant progress has been made by my Department in implementing the Policy on Gaeltacht Education, and the Department is now progressing work on the development of a new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht. In addition to this work, a new unit has been established within the Department recently to develop a policy framework and action plan to support the teaching of Irish in English-medium schools.
Since its publication, the Policy on Gaeltacht Education has contributed to strengthening the delivery of Irish-medium education in Gaeltacht areas. Under this policy, significant support has been provided to Gaeltacht schools through the Gaeltacht School Recognition Scheme. Language-based criteria are set out for schools within this Scheme to ensure they are providing a high standard of education through the medium of Irish. An Irish-medium B.Ed. and an M.Ed. in Irish-medium and Gaeltacht education have also been established under this Policy.
The new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht will build on the achievements of the Policy on Gaeltacht Education. A public consultation process has been conducted to gather the views of stakeholders, and Sealbhú, a research centre in DCU, has carried out an analysis of the information gathered throughout the consultation. Sealbhú was also commissioned to undertake a review of international literature which focused upon teaching through minority languages. Insights gleaned from the consultation process and from the research undertaken will inform the development of the new policy on Irish-medium education outside of the Gaeltacht.
The policy framework and action plan to be developed by the Department’s newly established Irish Language Unit for English-medium Schools will address particular key strategic challenge points where immediate and tangible action is likely to make a difference in a reasonable period of time. The policy framework and action plan will be informed by national and international research and by extensive consultation with stakeholders at national and school level.
In parallel to the work being carried out by my Department, the Department of Children, Equality, Diversity, Inclusion and Youth is currently developing a national plan on Irish language provision in early learning and care and school-age childcare. The Departments are working closely together to ensure all policies are in alignment.
Taken together, these policies and initiatives are important steps towards achieving the Programme for Government commitment of providing a comprehensive policy for the Irish language from pre-primary education to teacher education for all schools. Expert advice has been sought to inform the development of each of these policies – research has been commissioned and steering groups with relevant stakeholder organisations have guided policy development and implementation.
I look forward to continued collaboration with relevant stakeholders on this important work of strengthening the teaching of Irish in our schools, and developing and promoting Irish-medium education, both within and outside of the Gaeltacht.
