Matt Carthy (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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314. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 474 of 17 January 2023, the current status regarding the proposed permanent extension at a school (details supplied) to comprise of a three-classroom SEN base, five additional classrooms, two special education tuition rooms, one music room, one textiles room, one science laboratory and preparation room, associated circulation and WC and ancillary areas; if she will expedite the process to ensure that works commence without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19127/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy was approved under the Additional School Accommodation (ASA) Scheme to enter my Department’s pipeline of school buildings. The school authority is being assisted by Cavan and Monaghan ETB (CMETB) in the delivery of this project.

A Stage 2A Addendum report has been submitted and is currently being reviewed from both a technical and cost perspective in accordance with the requirements of the Public Spending Code. All projects, including this one, will undergo the necessary due diligence outlined in the public Infrastructure Guidelines. Managing timing, scope, and cost is crucial to staying within budgetary limits for the overall program.

The Department will be in contact with Cavan and Monaghan ETB and the school directly once this review has been completed.

Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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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.

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 engages 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.

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 for opening this current school year.

The new special schools established over recent years have focused on providing additional places in our largest urban areas: Dublin and Cork. The department and NCSE have already begun planning in relation to further expanding special school capacity for the 2024/25 school year and beyond.

It is estimated that a further 300 new special school places may be required each year for the coming years. When looking to provide additional capacity the department’s preferred option is to increase provision in existing special schools if possible.

In 2021, a major extension and refurbishment project was completed in the school referred to by the Deputy. This project delivered nine classrooms with a range of ancillary accommodations. Where it is not possible to increase provision in a region, the department and NCSE will consider the need to establish a new special school.

Four new special schools will be established for the 2024/25 school year in Meath, Kildare, Wexford and Limerick. The schools will be under the patronage of the local Education and Training Boards.

In planning for increased special school places, the department and NCSE review all of the available data on the growing need for special school places across the country. This involves a detailed analysis of enrolment trends and the potential for existing special schools in a region to expand.

An important consideration when deciding to establish or expand provision in an existing special school is the distances that some students are travelling in order to access a special school placement.

My department and the NCSE are continually reviewing where additional capacity is required in existing special schools or in what regions a new special school may need to be established over the coming years.

I want to assure the Deputy that both my department and the NCSE will continue to monitor and review the need for further new special schools or the expansion of existing special schools to ensure that sufficient special education placements will be available for this coming school year and future years.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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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.

The current standard rate of Capitation grant is €183 per pupil at Primary level and this year's grant is being paid, as usual, in 2 instalments, - the first in January and the second in June, for the 2023/24 academic year. Enhanced rates of capitation are also paid in respect of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Traveller pupils.

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 is 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 of capitation will also be paid in respect of pupils with Special Educational Needs and Traveller pupils. This represents an increase of circa 9.2% of current standard and enhanced capitation rates.

The school may wish to make contact with the National Association of Boards of Management in Special Education (NABMSE) in relation to insurance. NABMSE facilitate a group insurance scheme on behalf of special schools. NABMSE can be contacted at info@nabmse.ie.

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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Since 2020, the Department of Education has invested in the region of €4.5 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, of which circa. €9m relates to Special Schools.

Key priorities for the Department's work programme include continuing strong delivery to support the operation of the school system regarding planning ahead for the 2024/25 school year and beyond and regarding supporting special needs provision.

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 issued this week.

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 Minor Works Grant is not for items of a non-capital nature. This includes payment of wages or salaries, payment of bills such as ESB and telephone accounts, water rates, purchase of oil etc.

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.

The current standard rate of Capitation grant is €183 per pupil at Primary level and this year's grant is being paid, as usual, in 2 instalments, - the first in January and the second in June, for the 2023/24 academic year. Primary schools with less than 60 pupils are paid the Capitation and the Ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils.

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 in the 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 traveller pupils and pupils with Special Educational Needs. This represents an increase of circa 9.2% of current standard and enhanced capitation rates.