Cian O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay North, Social Democrats)
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211. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if measures are in place to address the overcrowding and lack of access to appropriate facilities for the students at a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28005/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the primary school referenced is accommodated in a property leased by the Department of Education. The school was approved as a single-stream, eight class primary school.

In all instances, the Department works to ensure that school accommodation capacity is maximised to meet requirements in an area. In that context, the Department-leased property at is also facilitating the special school while its new school building is delivered.

This special school has grown over almost sixty years, and had an enrolment in the last school year of 65 pupils. These children have particular needs, significantly over and above the typical requirements of children in mainstream classes and this is reflected in a much greater proportion of teaching and support staff, and the provision of specific facilities and equipment. Access to a GP room (or “hall”) is an important element of this provision. To meet that need the hall within the building was shared between the schools until October 2022.

Although sanctioned as an eight class room school, the primary school in question grew its enrolments to nine mainstream classes. My Department approved the provision of modular accommodation on the school site to meet this additional need as well as to support the establishment of a special class at the school. At the primary school's request, the Board of Management of the special school agreed to allow the primary school full use of the school hall as an interim solution pending the installation of this modular accommodation. The primary school confirmed to the special school that full access to half of the hall would be restored to the special school upon installation of that modular accommodation. The modular accommodation in question has since been installed.

My Department has requested the patron of the primary school to work with the school to fulfil the agreement made with the special school. The Department-supported Buildings Officer within that patron body has been asked to work through an appropriate solution in this respect. Engagement between my Department and patron is ongoing. I can confirm that, on foot of this engagement, the special school in question has access to the hall for the Summer Programme provision.

My Department is also continuing to work to ensure the completion of the new building for the special school as soon as possible. I can confirm to the Deputy that the building project for the special school referred to is at Stage 4 - Construction. Works commenced on site in June 2023 with an estimated completion timeframe of 18 months. However, due to unforeseen site issues at the outset, completion is now estimated at Quarter 2 of 2025. The Design Team and my Department's Planning and Building Unit are monitoring progress closely and every effort will be made to mitigate any further delay.

Bríd Smith (Dublin South Central, People Before Profit Alliance)
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212. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the situation regarding the ending of a shared access arrangement of a school hall between schools (details supplied); if an immediate solution will be provided to resolve the situation; her views on the fact that many of the children in the school have never had physical education indoors and this important part of the curriculum can only be delivered depending on the weather; the status of the construction of the new urgently-needed building; when it will be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28013/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy may be aware, the primary school referenced is accommodated in a property leased by the Department of Education. The school was approved as a single-stream, eight class primary school.

In all instances, the Department works to ensure that school accommodation capacity is maximised to meet requirements in an area. In that context, the Department-leased property at is also facilitating the special school while its new school building is delivered.

This special school has grown over almost sixty years, and had an enrolment in the last school year of 65 pupils. These children have particular needs, significantly over and above the typical requirements of children in mainstream classes and this is reflected in a much greater proportion of teaching and support staff, and the provision of specific facilities and equipment. Access to a GP room (or “hall”) is an important element of this provision. To meet that need the hall within the building was shared between the schools until October 2022.

Although sanctioned as an eight class room school, the primary school in question grew its enrolments to nine mainstream classes. My Department approved the provision of modular accommodation on the school site to meet this additional need as well as to support the establishment of a special class at the school. At the primary school's request, the Board of Management of the special school agreed to allow the primary school full use of the school hall as an interim solution pending the installation of this modular accommodation. The primary confirmed to the special school that full access to half of the hall would be restored to the special school upon installation of that modular accommodation. The modular accommodation in question has since been installed.

My Department has requested the patron of the primary school to work with the school to fulfil the agreement made with the special school. The Department-supported Buildings Officer within that patron body has been asked to work through an appropriate solution in this respect. Engagement between my Department and patron is ongoing. I can confirm that, on foot of this engagement, the special school in question has access to the hall for the Summer Programme provision.

My Department is also continuing to work to ensure the completion of the new building for the special school as soon as possible. I can confirm to the Deputy that the building project for the special school referred to is at Stage 4 - Construction. Works commenced on site in June 2023 with an estimated completion timeframe of 18 months. However, due to unforeseen site issues at the outset, completion is now estimated at Quarter 2 of 2025. The Design Team and my Department's Planning and Building Unit are monitoring progress closely and every effort will be made to mitigate any further delay.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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213. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide a list of all second-level education institutions aided by her Department in which there was no provision of a laboratory technician for the teaching of leaving certificate science subjects, for each year since 2005, in tabular form. [28016/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I assume the Deputy is referring to recognised schools under the Education Act, 1998 and the reference to science subjects means primarily Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

These three science subjects are optional subjects which students opt to take at Leaving Certificate level and significant numbers of students choose these subjects currently. The current syllabi for Chemistry and Physics were introduced in 2000 and first examined in 2002, while the syllabus for Biology was introduced in 2002 and first examined in 2004.

Over this period and up to 2023 the number of candidates sitting Biology has increased by from 24,060 candidates in 2001 to 34,603 in 2023; the numbers sitting Chemistry have risen from 6,355 candidates in 2001 to 9,750 in 2023 whilst the number sitting Physics has decreased marginally over the same period from 8,411 in 2001 to 7,767 in 2023.

In March 2022, I announced an ambitious programme of redevelopment of Senior Cycle, under which all Leaving Certificate subjects and modules would be revised in annual tranches. All new and revised subject specifications will include additional assessment components (AACs) worth at least 40% of the overall marks.

Biology, Chemistry and Physics are part of the first tranche of revised subjects, to be introduced in schools nationally in the 2025/2026 school year.

The NCCA Councill at its June meeting approved the revised specifications which were developed by a Subject Development Group whose membership included practising science teachers and which included a comprehensive consultation process. Those draft specifications will now be considered by my Department and myself ahead of their final approval and introduction. The introduction of the revised curriculum and assessment arrangements will be supported by a strong programme of teacher professional learning to be delivered by Oide, and the provision of an expanded package of sample assessment materials by the SEC at a significantly earlier date than has previously been the case.

My Department in allocating staff to schools does not provide for a grade of laboratory technician and consequently the data sought by the Deputy is not available from, or held by, my Department. It is important to note that the current specifications or curriculum contain a number of experiments which are to be conducted in schools by teachers and students and a similar approach is being taken in the revised specifications. Therefore, I would point out that the curriculum has not been written on the basis that laboratory technicians are available in schools.

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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214. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide a list of all second-level education institutions aided by her Department in which there was no provision of a laboratory for the teaching of leaving certificate chemistry, for each year since 2005, in tabular form. [28017/24]

Patrick Costello (Dublin South Central, Green Party)
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215. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills to provide a list of all second-level education institutions aided by her Department in which there was no provision of a laboratory for the teaching of leaving certificate physics, for each year since 2005, in tabular form. [28018/24]

Norma Foley (Kerry, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 214 and 215 together.

I can assure the Deputy that with regard to the new science curricula, I acknowledge that hands-on experience and access to appropriate facilities and time in laboratories is an important part of the science curriculum. My Department and I will continue to examine how schools can be supported in the introduction of the new science curricula. The appropriate scheduling of laboratory time within schools will also be important.

In the first instance I wish to clarify that science labs are designed to meet the broad science curricula across the Junior and Senior Cycle and are not specific to an individual science subject.

My Department provides science labs with the construction of all new post-primary schools respectively (6 science labs plus 3 prep areas for a 1,000 pupil post-primary school). These facilities may also be provided where a major building or refurbishment project is being delivered for an existing school. It is also open to a school to make an application through the ASA scheme for a science lab, where required. 219 science labs were delivered through large scale and additional accommodation and modular projects since 2020, there are 86 currently under construction and 61 in the next phase of projects going to construction.

Furthermore, the upgrade of laboratory facilities is a category which has been supported through the summer works scheme.

My Department does not hold the specific data requested by the Deputy, however, in 2020, as part of the annual Schools Data Collection, post primary schools reported on whether or not they had a science lab. Of 715 schools, 8 indicated that they did not have at least one science lab. Of these 8, 5 were newly established schools which have new school building projects in train that will deliver state-of-the-art science facilities. All of these schools have also since been provided with science lab facilities as part of their interim accommodation. One more of the eight has since amalgamated with other schools and now has science lab facilities, one has a project in train that is delivering science lab accommodation, and the final one has a made an application for science lab accommodation. This application is at an advanced stage of assessment.

I can assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to support schools with respect to the provision of required science labs through the various capital funding schemes referenced.