Written Answers Nos. 40-54
40. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on the facilities in a school (details supplied); to provide a timeline as to when it can move to appropriately sized facilities that are safe for staff and pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26384/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school under reference in Fermoy was established in 2018 under the patronage divestment process.
Fermoy was one of a number of areas surveyed in 2012/13 under the patronage divesting process, where there was sufficient parental demand supporting changes in school patronage. The areas surveyed were areas where demographics were not growing and therefore it was unlikely that a new multi-denominational school would be established for demographic reasons.
The clear policy on patronage divesting was to use existing educational infrastructure to facilitate provision of diversity in areas where there was no demographic imperative to establish new schools.
The reason for this approach was the imperative – equally valid now as it was then - to focus the schools capital programme on the provision of additional mainstream and special education school places at both primary and post-primary levels to ensure that every pupil can access a school place.
As part of the process of identifying a suitable accommodation solution which would facilitate the establishment of the school, the Department liaised with Cork Education and Training Board. In order to facilitate the establishment of the new school, the ETB agreed to the co-location of the Educate Together school at the former Technical School in Fermoy, together with some of the ETB’s Further Education and Training services.
Prior to the establishment of the new school in 2018 under the patronage divesting process, the Department and Educate Together, as school patron, agreed that given the accommodation available at the property and the need for the ETB to accommodate some Further Education and Training services from the property, the school would be established as a four-classroom school and that the school would maintain this configuration in the accommodation in the former Technical School unless an existing school building was freed up for use in the area.
As part of this engagement, the Department outlined to the school patron the importance of enrolments being managed within the available accommodation in a sustainable way and that this would be communicated to the school Board of Management so that parents could be fully informed and in order to manage expectations. However, the school has taken the decision to accept a significant increase in enrolments from 52 in the 2022/2023 school year to 85 in the 2023/2024 school year.
Individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account, for example, classroom accommodation and fluctuating enrolments.
The role of my Department is to ensure that all schools in an area can, between them, cater to school place requirements in that area. The broader position in the Fermoy School Planning Area is that demographics at primary level are declining and will steadily decrease for the foreseeable future.
Officials in the Department of Education have been engaging with the school patron, Educate Together, in respect of the current and future needs of the school. A technical visit by the Department was undertaken recently, the results of which will be reviewed by the department and discussed with the school's patron.
41. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on the location for the new special school in Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26407/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education is a priority for this government. It is also a key priority for my department and for the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
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 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.
One of the first steps when establishing a new school is to identify suitable sites for its location, this involves amongst other things, ensuring the site is capable of meeting the envisioned long-term needs of the school and examining if these sites require reconfiguration or indeed major building works. While this work progresses, in order to ensure schools can be established as quickly as possible, interim arrangements can be put in place to meet the school's short-term needs. This allows schools to begin planning, recruit staff and start to enrol students.
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 and the admission 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.
42. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education the plans being put in place for a school (details supplied) in Monasterevin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26412/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra43. Deputy Patricia Ryan asked the Minister for Education who is responsible for the portacabins still in a school (details supplied) in Monasterevin; who is paying for those cabins; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26413/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 42 and 43 together.
The accommodation on the school site referred to by the Deputy are both rented modular units and purchased modular units, which were vacated on the recent completion of the new school building for the school in question.
The rented units are in the ownership of a modular supplier and the Department is no longer paying rent in respect of these units. The purchased units are in the ownership of the Department and, following recent confirmation from the property-owner that they cannot be retained on site for educational use, my Department is arranging for their relocation.
44. Deputy Joe Flaherty asked the Minister for Education to provide an update on a minor works grant application to repair a roof by a school (details supplied). [26415/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works grant to primary and special schools. Under Project Ireland 2040, a commitment was given that the Minor Works grant would be paid in either December or January of the school year to all primary and special schools.? In recent years my Department’s approach has been to pay the Minor Works grant to primary and special schools in advance of the start of the following school year to facilitate a better lead in period for schools to plan any maintenance or minor works during the summer period.?
The Minor Works grant for the current school year 2023/2024 was paid in April 2023. The Minor Works grant for the school year 2024/2025 issued in April 2024. The lead-in period ahead of the new school year, give schools sufficient time to make plans and set priorities for the use of the funding.
The school referred to by the Deputy received €43,048 in Minor Works funding from 2020 to date, of which €6,369.50 was received in April 2024 for the 2024/2025 school year.
Primary and special schools need not apply for Minor Works grant aid.? Under the scheme, funding is made available to all primary and special schools on the following basis:
€5,500 basic grant plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil enrolled in the school on the 30th of September of the year prior to the issue of the grant. The €74 rate applies to a special needs pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school.
Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs.
The works that can be undertaken under the Minor Works Grant Scheme include maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds, improvement or replacement of mechanical and electrical services, the purchase of standard furniture and educational equipment, the purchase of floor coverings and window blinds, the purchase of IT related equipment, ventilation improvements, and enhancements to outdoor learning environments.
Please also note, the school referred to by the Deputy, has not submitted an application for grant aid for roof repair works under the Emergency Works Scheme or the Summer Works Scheme.
45. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education the total number of section 29 appeals under the Education Act 1998 taken in 2023; a breakdown of the total number admissible/inadmissible; the number upheld/rejected; and any balance withdrawn or still under review, in tabular form. [26433/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra46. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education the total number of persons currently eligible to serve on section 29 appeals panels (of the Education Act 1998); the nature of their appointment; the eligibility for appointment; their term of office; whether such appointments are publicly advertised and the relevant fees/expenses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26434/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 45 and 46 together.
As both questions from the Deputy are in relation to a similar topic related to Section 29 Appeals, I will combine the two questions and issue one reply that addresses both questions.
Section 29 of the Education Act 1998 as inserted by Section 7 of the Education (Admissions to schools) Act 2018 provides for an appeal, where a board of management, or a person acting on behalf of the board of management (normally the school principal) refuses to admit a student to a school, suspends a student for not less than 20 days or permanently excludes a student.
Section 29 D of this legislation provides for an oral hearing to be provided in circumstances where the appeal taken relates to a suspension of not less than 20 days, a permanent exclusion and a refusal to enrol decision that is for reasons other than oversubscription.
Section 29 E of the legislation provides that any appeal taken in respect of refused enrolment due to oversubscription, will be considered without an oral hearing.
Within each appeal type, there is a provision for the hearing committee to allow or disallow or refuse to hear or determine the appeal before them. Section 29 F (1) sets out the circumstances that allow a committee to refuse to determine an appeal in the following but not limited to the following circumstances:
• It is of the opinion of the committee that the appeal is vexatious, frivolous an abuse of process or without substance or foundation
• An appeal has not been made within the period specified in procedures under Section 29B
• An applicant has failed to provide information in accordance with procedures under Section 29B
An appeal committee of three persons is appointed to consider each appeal.
The breakdown of the total number of appeals received under Section 29 for the relevant year is as follows:
|
Appeals Received |
2023 |
|
Expulsion |
91 |
|
Suspension |
8 |
|
Oversubscription |
258 |
|
Reasons other than Oversubscription |
28 |
|
Total |
385 |
|
Appeal Outcomes |
2023 |
|
Allowed |
42 |
|
Disallowed |
177 |
|
*Refuse to Determine |
108 |
|
Appeals withdrawn |
58 |
|
Total |
385 |
|
*Following Refusal to Determine |
2023 |
|
No review requested |
86 |
|
Appeals upheld |
22 |
|
Appeals set aside |
0 |
|
108 |
A committee of three members drawn from the Section 29 Appeals Committee Panel are appointed to hear each appeal. Each Appeals committee is made up of a chairperson and two other members (“Appeals Committee”). The Appeals Committee has experience and knowledge of the education sector and is independent and impartial in carrying out its functions.
Section 29A (2) provides that a member of an appeals panel shall be appointed to the panel for such period as the Minister may determine and may be at any time be removed from the panel for stated reasons and “ shall be independent and impartial in carrying out his or her functions.”
In order to be able to make decisions regarding Section 29 appeals, committee members must have experience within the education system at a school leadership or policy level.
There are currently 37 persons on the Section 29 Appeals Committee Panel, and these are appointed by the Minister of Education for a period of 3 years. The majority of committee members are retired teachers, principals or retired inspectors and all have considerable expertise in the field of education.
The Department receives expressions of interest on an ongoing basis from retiring teachers, principals and inspectors to join the panel. As the need arises, additional members are appointed by the Minister to this panel, to replace retiring members and to take account of the volume of appeals.
Committee members receive remuneration for their work at an agreed hourly rate as approved by the Department of Public Expenditure NDP Delivery and Reform, along with travel and subsistence payments for attending an oral hearing in line with Civil Service rates. The hourly rate for the Chairperson is €30 per hour and the hourly rate for an ordinary committee member is €25 per hour.
Serving primary and post-primary Inspectors can also be appointed to the panel. Serving Inspectors do not receive additional remuneration above their normal salary, other than travel and subsistence for attending an oral hearing.
47. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will consider a proposal by a teachers' union (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26437/24]
Amharc ar fhreagra48. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will consider a proposal by a teachers' union (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26438/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 47 and 48 together.
Budget 2024 has provided for an unprecedented €10.5 billion investment in Education and Schools in Budget 2024 which includes an increase of €421 million in core current funding, as well as over €80 million in core capital funding. These additional funds build on significant increases in recent budgets and further enhance the investment in Ireland’s primary and post-primary education system. The significant increased investment is the largest Education budget in the history of the state and reflects government’s commitment to a quality inclusive school system and improved learning outcomes for every student.
The numbers employed in our schools will reach the highest ever level in the current school year. Currently there are over 42,900 teaching posts allocated across the primary school system. This represents an increase of just over 5,000 teachers when compared with the 2019/20 year when I took up office.
In three of the recent budgets, I prioritised reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools, by one point each year, which has brought the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools, the lowest level ever seen at primary level. A three point reduction in the retention schedule, which I introduced in 2021, assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts. I also improved teacher allocations for DEIS Urban Band 1 schools which now stand at an average of 17:1, 21:1 and 19:1 for junior, senior and vertical schools respectively.
As well as general teaching posts improvements, a new leadership framework introduced in 2017 allows for flexibility in identifying and prioritising the evolving leadership and management needs of schools. This shared leadership model supports school leaders in the overall management and operation of schools. It provides for the assignment and re-assignment of post holders to specific roles and responsibilities to meet a school’s evolving needs. Today, 1 in 3 primary school teachers hold management positions. In budget 2024, I provided for an additional 500 posts of responsibility (Assistant Principal II) for the 2024/25 school year.
Any further improvement will have to be considered in the context of the overall budgetary process.
49. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if she will consider a proposal by a teachers' union (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26439/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy 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 and general up-keep, 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, except for cases where a secretary is now paid from my Department’s payroll as per circular 36/2022.
The current standard rate of Capitation grant is €183 per student in primary schools. Primary schools with less than 60 pupils are paid the Capitation and the Ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils.
In addition to these grants, €20 million in funding was issued in October 2023, to support all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme. This funding was the first tranche of an overall additional €60 million funding announced as part of Budget 2024 measures designed to assist schools with increased day-to-day running costs such as heating and electricity. A further €40 million in funding was delivered in early 2024.
As part of the capitation package in Budget 2024 I am pleased to have secured €21 million as a permanent increase in capitation funding to assist schools now and longer term with increased day-to-day running costs. This will support a permanent restoration of funding for all primary and post-primary schools from September 2024. This will bring the basic rate of capitation grant to the pre-2011 level of €200 per student in primary schools. Enhanced rates will also be paid in respect of pupils with Special Educational Needs. This represents an increase of circa 9.2% of current standard and enhanced capitation rates.
Based on the current standard rate of capitation grant, the estimated cost of a 20% increase in the rate of Capitation grant for 2025/26 academic year at primary level is a first year cost of €6.9 million and a full year cost of €20.2 million.
The ancillary services grant funding is currently under review to identify a method of standardising the grant for the longer term where school secretaries have moved over to a Department operated payroll. It is not possible to provide an estimated costing for an increase in this grant funding at present.
Any possible further increases will be part of Budget 2025 negotiations. While not wishing to pre-empt the outcomes of any future Budget negotiations or fiscal parameters agreed by Government, the Department of Education will continue to seek and prioritise the additional funding required to meet the ongoing costs of running schools as part of the annual Estimates process.
Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €4.8 billion to add capacity and develop and upgrade school facilities across the country for the almost one million students and over 100,000 staff that learn and work in our schools every day.
The Minor Works Grant is one important element of this record level of capital investment in school infrastructure with significant funding provided to schools through the Minor Works Grant. Since 2020, €280m has issued to schools in Minor Works funding.
The Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary and special schools. Under Project Ireland 2040, a commitment was given that the Minor Works Grant would be paid in either December or January of the school year to all primary and special schools. In recent years my Department’s approach has been to pay the Minor Works Grant to primary and special schools in advance of the start of the following school year to facilitate a better lead in period for schools to plan any maintenance or minor works during the summer period.
The Minor Works Grant for the current school year 2023/2024 was paid in April 2023. The Minor Works Grant for the school year 2024/2025 was paid in April 2024.
Primary and special schools need not apply for minor works grant aid. Under the scheme, funding is made available to all primary and special schools on the following basis:
€5,500 basic grant plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil enrolled in the school on the 30th of September of the year prior to the issue of the grant. The €74 rate applies to a special needs pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school.
Schools have the autonomy to use this funding for maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds. Given that each school setting is different, individual schools are best placed to decide how best to use this funding to address their particular needs.
The works that can be undertaken under the Minor Works Grant Scheme include maintenance and small-scale improvements to school buildings and grounds, improvement or replacement of mechanical and electrical services, the purchase of standard furniture and educational equipment, the purchase of floor coverings and window blinds, the purchase of IT related equipment, ventilation improvements, and enhancements to outdoor learning environments.
The cost of increasing the minor works grant ceiling by 20% is detailed below in tabular form:
|
Current Rate |
20% increase |
|
|
Basic Grant |
€ 5,500.00 |
€ 6,600.00 |
|
Plus € per mainstream student |
€ 18.50 |
€ 22.20 |
|
Plus € per special needs pupil |
€ 74.00 |
€ 88.80 |
|
Total Minor Works Grant (millions) |
€ 29.13 |
€ 34.96 |
Significant funding has been provided to schools through the Minor Works grant. Since 2020, €280 million in Minor Works funding has issued to schools, which includes the Minor Works grant issued in April 24 for the school year 24/25. My Department is aware of how important this grant allocation is to schools in underpinning a strong, proactive maintenance approach. It enables schools to prioritise, plan and implement small-scale improvements to buildings and grounds, based on each individual school’s particular needs.Key priorities for the Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system with particular regard to planning ahead for the 2024/25 school year and beyond and also with particular regard to supporting special needs provision.
50. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education if a new gaelcholáiste will be opened in an area (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26440/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraRegarding plans for increasing Irish-medium school places in the South Dublin area, which encompasses the Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8 areas, it should be noted that the year of establishment, patronage model and language of instruction have yet to be determined for the new post-primary schools announced to serve the following school planning areas in the general South Dublin area: Dublin 2_Dublin 4 and Sallynoggin_Killiney_DLR/Cherrywood.
A key element of the planning for Irish-medium post-primary provision is the existing and planned enrolment for gaelscoileanna in the area, with a view to identifying oncoming needs for post-primary Irish-medium provision which may not be catered for by the existing gaelcholáistí in the area.
While it is expected that the existing gaelcholáistí in the general South Dublin area between them have sufficient school places to accommodate demand in the short term, given the number of new gaelscoileanna which have opened in recent years or are planned to open in this area, my Department is keeping the position under active review as these schools grow and the number of sixth class pupils in gaelscoileanna increases.
51. Deputy James O'Connor asked the Minister for Education if she will provide an update on an emergency works application (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [26524/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the deputy refers has submitted an application for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme (EWS). This application has recently been approved and the school has been informed in this regard.
52. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the number of requests her Department has received from Tourism Ireland seeking approval to recruit additional staff in 2023 and to date in 2024; and of the number of requests received, the number that were approved or pending in each of those years in question, in tabular form. [26329/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that apart from one request to my Department from Tourism Ireland in 2023 to recruit interns under the Tourism Ireland Global Internship Programme, I am advised that no other request to recruit additional staff was received in 2023, or to date in 2024. Information is outlined in tabular form below.
|
Year |
Number of requests received from Tourism Ireland for additional staff |
Status |
|
2023 |
1 |
Approved |
|
2024 |
0 |
n/a |
53. Deputy Paul Donnelly asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media the amount of capital funding Sport Ireland has put into a facility (details supplied) in 2023 and to date in 2024; and the nature of capital works projects carried out, in tabular form. [26330/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraSport Ireland does not provide capital funding to developments outside the national sports campus.
My Department operates two capital funding programmes for sport, namely the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme (SCEP) and the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF). The SCEP is the primary vehicle for Government support for the development of sports and recreation facilities and the purchase of non-personal sports equipment throughout the country. The LSSIF provides support for larger sports facility projects where the Exchequer investment would be greater than the maximum amount available under the SCEP. The LSSIF is currently open for applications with a deadline of 1 July 2024.
No capital funding has been provided from either fund to the facility referred to in the question, which now comes under the remit of a third level institution, in 2023 or to date in 2024.
The Government is investing significantly in Irish athletics. Since 2019, Sport Ireland has provided over €19 million in funding to Athletics Ireland. This includes €6.5 million in core funding, €5.4 million in high performance funding, €2.4 million to individual athletes and over €500,000 in Women in Sport funding.
Under the Sports Capital and Equipment Programme a total of €3.9 million was allocated to athletics under the 2020 programme. The current, 2023, round of the programme has seen €1.6 million allocated in equipment-only funding to athletics applications and assessments are currently underway in relation to the capital funding element of the 2023 programme. Under the Large Scale Sport infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) a total of €24,019,701 has been allocated to athletics projects under the first round of the fund; the second funding round is currently open and I anticipate that athletics will again feature strongly under this new round which closes on 1 July.
54. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media when the next meeting with the Sport Ireland CEO is scheduled. [26483/24]
Amharc ar fhreagraI regularly meet the CEO of Sport Ireland, Dr. Una May, at a wide range of sports events, launches and formal cross-sport engagement structures, such as the Sports Leadership Group, which meets approximately every quarter. In addition, my officials and I meet periodically with Dr. May to discuss sports policy and governance, as well as Sport Ireland's annual programme and strategic plans
While no date has been set for my next meeting with Dr. May, I would expect to meet her in the coming weeks in advance of the start of the Olympic Games next month.
