The Seanad is a better place with you in it. I thank Senator Malcolm Byrne for raising this very important issue. As he is aware, this is a matter under the remit of the Minister for Education. She is acutely aware of the disruption caused to students as a result of school closures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic. From 11 January 2021 until their return to school all students, including fifth year students who are due to sit their leaving certificate examinations in 2022, engaged in a programme of remote learn…

I thank the Senator. The fact that there has been a detrimental effect on fifth year students means that we very much need that clarity as soon as possible, preferably before the school term starts in September. As you know, fifth year is the start of the senior cycle. I have seen my son and his friends struggle with the amount of months of the senior cycle that they have missed. They are asking me on a daily basis what is happening and whether we know if accommodation is going to be made for the leaving certificat…

I thank Senator Sherlock. Yes, I am a Minister of State at the Department of Education but my responsibility is for special education so this matter does not fall under my remit. I will, however, take the Senator's concerns back to the Minister, Deputy Foley. I hope I will be able to give the Senator a comprehensive response which will address some of the issues she has raised. As the Senator knows, this project is included in the Department's construction programme, which is being delivered under the national deve…

Planning permission for the 16-classroom building, which is to be built on the site procured by the Department of Education from Dublin City Council, was secured on 28 May on the basis of a proposed amended right of way. The right of way has been the subject of much discussion with the owner of the neighbouring property, discussion which is ongoing. That two-pronged process with regard to the pre-qualification stage and the stage 2b report being carried out in parallel will expedite matters. There is a meeting with…

I thank the Deputy for the opportunity to update the House on the site acquisition for Gaelscoil an Chaisleáin and Le Chéile Secondary School in Ballincollig, whose building projects are included in the Department's capital programme. Under the memorandum of understanding in place between the Department and local authorities, officials in my Department are working with Cork City Council on the identification and acquisition of suitable sites for the two schools. Gaelscoil an Chaisleáin opened in September 2017 in t…

I thank the Deputy. I note what he is saying on the urgency of this matter. I also note it is his fourth time raising it in the Dáil. I will relay this information to the Minister, Deputy Foley. I have no doubt that she takes a hands-on approach insofar as possible with all of the building projects. What the Deputy said about Ballincollig, and the fact it is a very busy area, goes to show how difficult and challenging it has been for the Department to acquire a site. I also agree with him that it cannot be just a m…

I thank the Senator for raising this issue. I will take this opportunity to outline the Department's perspective on this matter. Scoil Shéamais Naofa is a Catholic mixed all-Irish primary school under the patronage of the Bishop of Galway. In September 2020, the school had an enrolment of 259 pupils. I understand that enrolments in the school have fallen by 9% in the past five years. The school currently has a principal, ten mainstream teachers, three special education teachers, a part-time special education teache…

I will bring the Senator's comments and concerns to the Minister, Deputy Foley. I understand what he is saying about traffic management. This is a matter for the local authority, but we have to ensure the safety of children. That is critical. The Senator should bear in mind the demographic exercise that is being undertaken on projected growth. The fact that the decrease in demand for places in the area in question will be approximately 200 by 2024 does not augur well for trying to find a new school for the area. I …

I am pleased to take this matter on behalf of the Minister of State, Deputy Robert Troy. I welcome the recent risk report on unemployment blackspots by the Houses of the Oireachtas Library and Research Service. This excellent research does a great job at highlighting the concentrated nature of employment blackspots. It is particularly worrying, as the Senator said, to note that in 2016, 17 out of a total of 38 electoral districts in the city of Limerick were unemployment blackspots and, moreover, that Limerick city…

I thank the Senator. I hear what he is saying. I know Limerick well. My grandfather originated from Limerick. It is a fantastic city and a fantastic region. I heard what the Senator said about the north side of Limerick and I will convey that to the Minister of State, Deputy Troy. I was struck by what he said about particular black spots and unemployment in areas ranging from 58% to 39%. Those are quite stark figures and that is something we need to tackle. The Senator acknowledged IDA Ireland does considerable goo…

Táim buíoch as ucht an deis labhairt inniú ar an ábhar tábhachtach seo. Covid-19 has impacted all parts of society, but we must remember that some groups have been impacted more than others. Those in society who require additional supports or have particular needs have found the past year to be more difficult than others. In opening this discussion, as Minister of State with responsibility for special education and inclusion, I want to focus particularly on how Covid-19 has impacted the educational experience of th…

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Yes. Some programmes are being run again this year, including numeracy and literacy camps in DEIS primary schools, a school-based summer programme in primary special classes and special schools. There will be home-based provision for students with complex needs where no school-based programme is available. New programmes are also being provided this year. All primary schools will have the opportunity to provide a two-week summer programme for mainstream pupils with complex needs and those at greatest risk of educat…

I thank Senator McDowell for the question. The Senator will be aware that in April 2018, a 600 pupil post-primary school that will act as a regional solution for the Dublin 2 and Dublin 4 school planning area was announced. In 2019, my Department acquired the former Dublin Institute of Technology Rathmines building to accommodate this post-primary school. This post-primary school was originally to open in 2021 but for various reasons, including that the additional residential development has not yet materialised, t…

I thank Senator McDowell for his comments. It is important that there is no silo thinking, especially when we are talking about education. The Senator appreciates the fact that an Educate Together national school will go into the old Rathmines DIT site from August, and that eventually a post-primary school will go in there also. There is no other place to put these particular schools, and this is the plan from the Department of Education's perspective. A collaborative aspect that would involve all the different Dep…

I have discussed this matter with the Senator previously and I am happy to set out the position today from my perspective and the perspective of the Department and Minister. Harold's Cross is a co-educational, second level school, which will provide 1,000 post-primary places with four classroom special education needs units to serve the two school planning areas of Dublin 6 Clonskeagh and Dublin 6 west. The school opened its doors for its first intake of pupils in September 2020 in interim accommodation on the site…

I thank the Senator for her comments, which I will convey to the Minister. As matters stand, the Department does not believe that students' enjoyment of all sports will be hampered by hard play areas. The rationale for not allowing AstroTurf is that it is not a feasible proposition as it would reduce the area of the hard play space in what is a constrained urban site and would provide less flexibility. The Department does not provide funding for AstroTurf for any school so an exception cannot, unfortunately, be mad…

I thank the Senator for raising the matter of school places in Moycullen. It gives me an opportunity to set out my Department's position on school place requirements in the area. The Senator may be aware that in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data in a way that takes account of the significant local and regional variations in demographic trends and enrolment projections, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. As the Senator correctly pointed out, M…

I thank the Senator. I will take his comments back to the Minister, Deputy Foley, and the Department. I hear what he is saying and his concern that the growth projections are underestimated. The 2020 demographic projections, being the most recent, indicate a projected demand for approximately 50 additional post-primary places in the Spiddal-Inverin area by 2024. An increase of approximately 1,000 post-primary pupils by 2024 is projected in Galway city. In summary, over the longer term, it is anticipated that Galway…

I thank the Deputy for setting out the timeline from his perspective. It is important to say the legacy of sexual abuse against children, whether in residential institutions, day schools or in any other setting is harrowing. I understand the review of the ex gratia scheme is ongoing and it is the Minister, Deputy Foley’s intention to bring proposals to Government shortly in this regard. It has always been the contention of the State that it bears no strict liability for abuse in day schools, given the unique contex…