Tuesday, 30 Apr 2024

The large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy is at Architectural Planning Stage 3 - Tender Action and Award.

The authorisation to issue the Letter of Intent issued on 18th April 2024, as per procurement rules, there is a 14 day standstill period, following which, should the contractor accept, a Letter of Acceptance can issue.  Only when the Letter of Acceptance has issued is there a contract in place to enable construction to commence and all the contract terms and conditions apply.

Once the contractor has been appointed, it is expected that it will take approximately 15 months to complete the project.

Given the procurement process involved, it is not appropriate at this stage to provide the detailed cost information requested by the Deputy as it is an integral part of the overall tender and the Contract awarded.

The current requirements for Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for primary Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes takes the form of 2 x 2 week placements as part of the ITE programme. This requirement is outlined in the Teaching Council’s Céim: Standards for Initial Teacher Education. The programmes shall follow Na Siollabais Oifigiúla do na Tréimhsí Foghlama sa Ghaeltacht do Mhic Léinn Oideachais. Budget 2020 provided for the re-instatement of the grant to cover the full cost of the Gaeltacht Learning Periods (GLPs) for undergraduate and post-graduate students in State-funded primary ITE programmes, with effect from the 2020/2021 academic year.  The grant was previously funded by my Department up to the 2012/2013 academic year, when it was ceased due to financial constraints. 

As outlined in the Post Primary Curricular Subject Requirements, prior to completion of their teacher education studies, post-primary student teachers should (where relevant) provide verifiable evidence of an immersive educational experience in the curricular language that they are studying of a minimum of four weeks duration. This may be accessed in two blocks, each of which must be at least two weeks.  In the case of Gaeilge, at least one of these blocks must be in a Gaeltacht setting with the option of one block in an Irish medium setting.

The immersive educational experience(s) for Gaeilge must be one of the following: 

• attending an Irish language course 

• working as a staff member in an educational setting in the Gaeltacht 

• conducting an action research project which is of relevance to their teaching studies 

• engaging in School Placement.

These are different requirement to that for primary student teachers, for whom attendance at a programme of study in a Gaeltacht college is compulsory, as part of their ITE programmes. 

With regards to post primary student teachers, the requirement to attend at a programme of study in a Gaeltacht college is only one of the four options available to satisfy the evidence of an immersive educational experience in Gaeilge.

As such, the GLP grant is not made available for students on post primary ITE programmes.  

Gross expenditure in the order of €241 million was incurred by my Department on salaries for teachers and special needs assistants (including employer’s PRSI) in fee-charging schools across the 2020/21 and 2021/22 school years.

Capital supports (building-related and ICT grants) are also available to such schools and these totaled over €5.9 million across the calendar years 2021 and 2022. In addition, specific Covid-19 grant funding of €6 million was paid to these schools  for hand sanitizer, enhanced cleaning and supervision across the 2020/21 and 2021/22 school years.

The figures given relate to the gross costs of fee-charging schools and not the net financial position. Given that the Pupil Teacher Ratio is 19:1 for free scheme schools and 23:1 in fee-charging schools, the figures above do not take into account the additional cost associated with the greater number of teachers that would need to be employed if the pupils in fee-charging schools were instead enrolled in schools in the free scheme.

Currently there are over 42,900 teaching posts allocated across the primary school system. This represents an increase of over 4,300 teachers when compared with the 2020/21 school year.

Budget 2024 has provided for an unprecedented €10.5 billion investment in education, which includes an increase of €421 million in core current funding, as well as over €80 million in core capital funding. An additional €170 million is also being provided as part of Cost of Living and COVID-19 supports. These additional funds build on significant increases in recent budgets and further enhance the investment in Ireland’s 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.

In the three previous 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. 

The latest figures in relation to pupil teacher ratio shows an improved ratio of teachers to pupils from 15.7:1 to 13.4:1 at primary level when comparing the 2016/17 school year to the 2022/23 school year.   In the same period the primary staffing schedule improved from 27:1 to 24:1.  Average class sizes at primary improved from 24.6 to 22.8 in the same period.  The improvements brought about by Budget 2023 for this school year will be available in the statistical reports published at the end of the school year as will the final teacher allocation figure in respect of the current school year.

The allocation process for the 2024/25 school year is currently underway and will not be finalised until the Autumn. 

Enabling 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.

For 2024, €2.7 billion is being spent on special education, an increase of €113 million, and this is dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs. This will allow for, amongst other things, the opening of up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools and 300 additional special school places.

In 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting these children 

SNAs play a central role in the successful inclusion of students with additional and significant care needs into mainstream education, special classes and special schools ensuring that these students can access education to enable them to achieve their best outcomes and reach their full potential.

In 2023 there was over 20,000 SNAs in schools. The NCSE publish the SNA allocations for each school year in tabular form, by school and county on its website.

The allocations of SNAs for the 2024/25 school year is currently underway. Schools will be advised of allocations as soon as possible and in line with previous years timelines.  

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.

Enabling 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.  

For 2024, €2.7 billion is being spent on special education, an increase of €113 million, and this is dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs. 

This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS). 

In 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. 

At the end of March 2024, there are over 14,520 Special Education Teacher posts allocated to mainstream schools which is an increase of 49.8% on the number in the education system since 2011. The tabular breakdown at March 2024 is provided below. 

At present for the 2024/25 school year there is a total of 14,600 SET teachers provisionally allocated to mainstream schools and this will increase to approx. 14,750, an  increase of in excess of 51% on 2011 numbers, ahead of the start of the 2024/25 school year when the NCSE reviews and the projected enrolment post process is completed at the end of May.

Similar tabular data for 2024/25 school year will not be available until the above processes are completed at the end of May.

Enabling 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.

For 2024, €2.7 billion is being spent on special education, an increase of €113 million, and this is dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs. This will allow for, amongst other things, the opening of up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools and 300 additional special school places.

The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs.

Over the last number of years, my department and the NCSE have introduced a number of strategic initiatives to plan for and provide sufficient special class and special school places.

These initiatives are bearing fruit with almost 1,300 new special classes sanctioned and seven new special schools established over the last four years.

My department engage intensely with the NCSE in relation to the forward planning of new special classes and additional special school places. This forward planning work is well underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. This work involves a detailed review of statistical data in relation to forecasting demand for special class places, an analysis of available school accommodation, consideration of improved data sharing arrangements and a particular focus on the provision of special classes at post-primary level. 

As a result of this forward planning, two new special schools have been established for this current school year in Cork and Dublin, with further capacity being expanded in 11 other special schools.

In addition, four new special schools will be established for the 2024/25 school year in counties Meath, Kildare, Wexford and Limerick. This will bring to 11 the number of new special schools established in recent years.

Along with the two new special schools opening this school year, 390 new special classes – 254 at primary and 136 at post-primary level – have been sanctioned by the NCSE.

The NCSE have published the list of schools with special classes for the 2023/24 school year in tabular form, by school and county, for each school year, this information is available on their website.

Planning for special classes and special school places nationwide is currently underway ahead of the 2024/25 school year. The locations of new classes for 2024/25 will be confirmed by the NCSE shortly. 

Parents seeking special class placements for their children are advised to contact the NCSE locally so that their needs can be taken into account for planning purposes. Local special educational needs organisers (SENOs) are available to assist and advise the parents of children with special educational needs. Parents may contact SENOs directly using the contact details available on the NCSE's website.

My department and the NCSE are committed to ensuring that sufficient special education placements will be available for children for this school year and future years.

I can confirm to the Deputy, that my Department has received an application for capital funding, under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) scheme, from the school authority in question

The purpose of my Department’s Additional School Accommodation (or ASA) scheme is to ensure that essential mainstream classroom accommodation and accommodation for pupils with special education needs is available to cater for pupils enrolled each year, where the need cannot be met by the school’s existing accommodation.

At primary level, this situation generally arises to cater for a school’s accommodation requirements where an additional teaching post has been sanctioned by Teacher Allocation Section, or the requirement for a new class for pupils with special education needs has been identified by the NCSE, and all available alternative accommodation within the school is already being used for classroom purposes.

The consideration of the accommodation requirements for the school in question forms part of the Planning and Building Unit’s overall assessment of its work programme and priorities in the context of available capital funding.

As the Deputy will be aware, on foot of an assessment of the ASA application from the school, advice was sought from my Department's professional and technical section. This advice has been provided and my officials are considering options for the school in question. My officials will be in contact with the school authorities at the earliest possible time in this regard. 

My Department is committed to providing funding to recognised primary and post-primary schools in the free education scheme by way of per capita grants. The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs such as heating, lighting, cleaning, insurance, general up-keep etc. and the Ancillary grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. Schools have the flexibility to use capitation funding provided for general running costs and ancillary funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.

Correspondence issued to all schools on 26th April detailing the calculation of ancillary grant funding for 2024 and the ancillary grant is now paid to all schools.

I recently announced €50 million in grant funding for Information and Communications Technology (ICT), which has now issued to all recognised primary, Special Schools and post-primary schools. This ICT funding is being provided to schools to help them continue to use digital technologies in their teaching, learning and assessment and which represents the second tranche of ICT funding under the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027. 

My Department are aware of issues remaining with the large scale capital project at the school referred to by the Deputy.

Department Officials are working with the Design Team and will be in contact with the Principal when there is a proposal in in place to resolve the remaining issues, a meeting can be arranged when this proposal is finalised. 

I propose to take Questions Nos. 352 and 353 together.

Enabling 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.

For 2024, €2.7 billion is being spent on special education, an increase of €113 million, and this is dedicated to providing supports for children with special educational needs. This will allow for, amongst other things, the opening of up to 400 new special classes in mainstream schools and 300 additional special school places.

This includes funding to support children with special educational needs in mainstream classes; funding for new special classes and new special school places; additional special educational teachers, special needs assistants (SNAs) and funding for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS).

In 2024, the number of teaching and SNA posts in our schools will increase with an additional 744 teachers and 1,216 SNAs added to deliver up to 2,700 new places for children with special educational needs. This will mean we will have over 41,500 qualified and committed people in our schools who are focused wholly and exclusively on supporting these children.

The NCSE has the responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs. The department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. 

The NCSE has confirmed that currently no application as been received from the school for an exceptional teaching post. Schools should liaise with the NCSE directly in the event that additional supports are required.

My department and the NCSE are committed to delivering an education system that is of the highest quality and where every child and young person feels valued and is actively supported and nurtured to reach their full potential.