Written Answers Nos. 293-295
293. Deputy Mairéad Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Youth the total cost for the national conversation on education; to provide a breakdown of the costs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46736/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Conversation was an opportunity for everyone in Ireland with an interest in education to have their say on the future of education and was launched on 14th January 2026. The Conversation was devised by my officials to surface the priorities, concerns, and aspirations of individuals across Ireland regarding the current and future education system with the outcomes of the Conversation being used to help inform the agenda for the Convention on Education.
The National Conversation was made up of 3 elements:
National Survey with Submissions,
School Community Engagements (SCE),
Regional Events.
The Survey and Submissions process ran from 14th January to the 28th February and received over 42,000 responses including 500 written submissions. The survey was designed and hosted by my officials.
It was promoted in the following ways:
across the departments social media assets,
by school principals amongst their pupils, parents and staff bodies,
by stakeholder organisations amongst their membership,
by Department of Social Protection sending a notification to parents in receipt of child benefit who had signed up to receive notifications electronically.
The School Community Engagements (SCE) were hosted by the department in conjunction with the Education Support Centre network. School community engagements involved teachers, SNAs, parents and students engaging with each other and the department in an open manner, to identify their priorities for the education system. The 10 SCEs held around the country saw 171 adults and 256 children and young people taking part. My officials received training in facilitation techniques in advance of these events and so designed and facilitated these sessions themselves
The Regional consultations facilitated discussion on the main themes and issues that had emerged from the school community engagement events and other national conversation elements. Attendees were asked to give their views on the extent to which these topics offered scope for the most significant issues to be discussed in the Convention on Education in so far as they relate to the future of education. Approximately 190 representatives from local and community organisations took part across 4 Regional events. These were promoted by the local school and ETBs involved who also bore the costs of hosting these events.
Given the large-scale consultation that the National Conversation represented, its final cost of €98,984.02 represents excellent value for money. The initiative achieved extensive geographic coverage, engaging participants from every county, thereby ensuring that a wide diversity of regional perspectives and experiences were captured. It also successfully included participants from across a wide range of groupings in society, reflecting a broad spectrum of social, economic and community voices. This breadth of participation, combined with the relatively modest overall cost, underscores the efficiency and effectiveness of the process in delivering a truly inclusive national dialogue
Please see attached the breakdown of costs incurred in relation to the 3 elements of the National Conversation.
|
National Conversation Costs |
|
|
Artwork/Logo |
€14,587.80 |
|
Launch Event |
€6,441.40 |
|
School Community Engagements (Venue/Catering) |
€8,775.91 |
|
SCE Staff Training |
€3,000.00 |
|
Analysis of Conversation Outcomes |
€50,000.00 |
|
Facilitation service for Regional Event |
€14,950.00 |
|
Translation Services |
€1,228.91 |
|
Total |
€98,984.02 |
294. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth if she is aware of the case of a person (details supplied); if she will investigate the matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46753/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe criteria for the award of incremental credit are set out in the Department’s Circulars 10/2001, for primary teachers, and 29/2007 and 29/2010, for post-primary teachers. The criteria for the award of incremental credit to recognised teachers were agreed under the auspices of the Teachers Conciliation Council (TCC).
These circulars provide for the award of incremental credit in respect of overseas teaching service, both within and outside the EU. Teaching service outside of the EU must be deemed to be equivalent to teaching service in the Republic of Ireland. Criteria such as if the school offers a range of studies which incorporates all of the courses prescribed on the national curriculum of the State in which the school is located and if the school is in receipt of state funding must be considered and satisfied before an award of incremental credit can be made.
Teachers must be on the Department of Education’s teacher payroll or teaching in an Education and Training Board school before an application can be processed. An award of incremental credit is based on the incremental credit application submitted to either the Department or an ETB. As such, it is not possible to process an incremental credit application ahead of the teacher’s return to Ireland. There is no contractual entitlement to incremental credit.
The criteria for the award of incremental credit for teachers are subject to review by way of an incremental credit committee, which is a sub-committee of the Teachers Conciliation Council, and which meets on an ongoing basis.
295. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education and Youth the plans to build a new primary or secondary school, or the current plans for the expansion of existing schools serving the Shankill/Woodbrook area of Dublin which has experienced significant housing development in recent years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46754/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that requirement for school places is kept under on-going review in the context of available information on population, enrolments and residential development activity.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a geographical information system, using data from a range of sources, including CSO census data, child benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments have the potential to alter the demand for school places at a local level. In that regard, as part of the demographic demand analysis, my department monitors planning and construction activity in the residential sector. This involves the analysis of data sources from local authorities and the CSO along with the engagement with local authorities and the construction sector. In this way, up-to-date information on significant new residential developments is obtained and factored into the demographic analysis exercise. This is necessary to ensure that schools infrastructure planning is keeping pace with demographic changes, at a local level, where there is a constantly evolving picture with planned new residential development.
My department also conducts granular analysis below the level of a school planning area, particularly where a school planning area encompasses both high growth urban settlement areas and a more rural hinterland. Our analysis of school place demand in urban areas experiencing high population growth has indicated that demand in the urban area can be 10-20% higher than the school planning area as a whole.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
• Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
• Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
• Provision of a new school or schools.
If additional accommodation is required, the aim to try and facilitate this, as much as possible, by way of expansion of existing schools rather than establishing new schools. The expansion of existing schools is consistent with wider Government objectives under Project Ireland 2040 for an increased emphasis on compact growth. In respect of post primary schools, new post primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600-1,000 students and must be co-educational. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Irish-medium unit (aonad) in an English-medium school.
New schools are only established in areas of demographic growth as the resources available for school infrastructure have to be prioritised to meet the needs of areas of significant population increase so as to ensure that every child has a school place.
A new school entity was announced in 2018 to serve the Woodbrook/Shangannagh area where significant residential development was proposed. The patronage process and opening of this new school in 2021 was deferred as the level of residential development planned had not materialised at that time. However, a project to deliver a 16 classroom school building for this area is currently at Stage 1 of architectural planning. The department is aware of planned developments in this area by the LDA and are monitoring the pace of delivery of these developments.
A project to provide additional capacity for Gaelscoil Phádraig is currently at Stage 1 of architectural planning.
At post primary level there is a project for a new school building for North Wicklow ETSS currently at Stage 1. In addition, there is a project for Loreto Secondary School currently at Stage 2b to cater for 1000 pupils overall. Furthermore, there are plans to increase capacity at Woodbrook College currently at Stage 1 of architectural planning.
Details of large-scale projects being delivered under the school building programme may be viewed on my department's website at www.gov.ie and this information is updated regularly. In addition, a list of large-scale projects completed from 2010 to date may also be viewed on the website.
My department is satisfied that the existing demand can be accommodated at present by the existing and growing schools in the area.
The pace of delivery of additional residential development in the school planning areas, along with updated enrolment data and demographic data will be kept under review and this will inform the timing of school requirements. My department will continue to liaise with the LDA in respect to the projected completion of planned residential developments.
