All of the steps that need to be taken have been taken and have been worked through. Legislation on the running of the accredited grades process and so on has cleared the Seanad and will begin its passage through the Dáil this afternoon. That legislation is important because it ascribes to the SEC the authority to run the calculated grades process as it was known last year or the accredited grades process as it will be known this year. Within the legislation, provision is being made for a variety of issues, for exa…

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, more than 114,000 children, including 14,700 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country at a cost of over €224.7 million in 2020. Having regard to available resources, the purpose of the scheme is to support the transport to and from school of children whose places of residence are remote fro…

To be clear, the process is that all children who are eligible and complete the application and payment process on time will be accommodated on school transport services for the 2021-2022 school year. Children who are not eligible may apply for school transport on a concessionary basis. If seats are available, even where capacity is at 50%, they will be made available on a concessionary basis. I want to be clear, as we look back on what we have achieved in education and forward to what we will do in future, that ev…

I appreciate the Deputy's interest in this issue. I am very clear in terms of school transport. It is important to acknowledge that we are conducting a review of the service. It is my intention that we will do all we can to ensure that as wide an access as possible is provided in terms of eligibility of children and young people for school transport. That is part of the remit of the current review. I have to be honest with the Deputy and say that where pubic health advice pertains, that advice will be followed. If …

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time." Ba mhaith liom mo bhuíochas a ghabháil as ucht an am agus an deis a thabhairt dom labhairt anseo inniu. I am honoured to be in the House to bring the Education (Leaving Certificate Examinations) (Accredited Grades) Bill 2021 forward on Second Stage and to open this debate. As Members will be aware, the Bill has already passed through Seanad Éireann. On Second Stage in that House, many contributions were made that demonstrated the importance Senators attach to educa…

In my opening remarks, I set out the objectives and principles underpinning this Bill. Its core function is to help students from the leaving certificate class of 2021 to complete their schooling and to progress to the next chapter of their lives. This progression and transition is one of the recognised milestones in so many students' lives, going back many years. It is one of the traditions for so many students. This Bill, when enacted, will confer new or additional powers on the SEC, the body which has managed an…

I thank the Deputies for raising this matter as it gives me the opportunity to outline the position with regard to the accommodation needs of St. Gabriel's Special School in Bishopstown, County Cork. This matter has been raised with me by a number of public representatives, including my Cabinet colleagues and the Taoiseach. St. Gabriel's Special School is the primary school under the patronage of the Brothers of Charity. The school caters for children and teenagers aged four to 18 years of age with severe and profo…

I confirm that I am very conscious of the excellent work that takes place daily in the school and of the support provided by school communities, parents, guardians and all who are invested in the progress of the school. Notwithstanding the difficult circumstances of a Covid-19 environment, I fully acknowledge all that is achieved daily by the entire school community. It is important to note that the Department of Education places an extremely high priority on provision and support for children with particular educa…

I have tabled four amendments, each of which provides for minor textual amendments to reflect some points that were missed prior to publication. On the advice of parliamentary counsel, the amendments are necessary. The amendments do not alter the substance of the sections or the schedules where they arise, and they are only technical or clerical in nature. Amendment No. 1 will delete the word "necessarily" from the second line of section 2(2), which is on page 5 at line 4. Amendment No. 8 proposes to delete “Examin…

I welcome the intention behind this amendment. I can agree with it in principle and I thank the Senator for tabling it. Fundamentally, the process of standardisation will operate at national level. It is preferable to use aggregate or cohort data, as the evidence is that the use of junior cycle data in the regression model is of better predictive quality when done at a class group rather than individual level. I cannot agree to the amendment, however, as in certain cases, it is necessary to rely on the individual j…

The principle behind this amendment - providing transparency in how the process of standardisation will operate - can be agreed with, but the amendment seeks to have the process of standardisation published in advance of results day. This is not something that can be agreed to because the final composition or application of the process will, or at least may, not be known right up to results day. I can commit to doing, at a minimum, what we did last year in having the technical details of the model and standardisati…

It is important to point out that, as a matter of policy, the provision of estimated marks is grounded fundamentally in the professional judgment of teachers and an in-school alignment before submission to the SEC. The definition of "estimated mark" in the Bill provides clarity on what professional judgment is understood to encompass. The process through which professional judgment is exercised would make it impossible that another person unknown to the student could be expected to review the evidence as a candidat…

I thank Senator Buttimer and appreciate his particular interest, and ongoing engagement, on matters of education. I suggest that many of the points he made are outside the scope of this Bill. Be that as it may, I acknowledge that, and I said previously and last Friday, there are learnings in everything from Covid and I am in no doubt that there are learnings in terms of all that we have achieved in respect of calculated grades and now the accredited grades process. The Senator will be aware that we have the senior …

Sections 4 and 5 will operate in accordance with the procedures as may be prescribed. In that regard, regulations are currently being drafted that give effect to the provisions concerned. I indicated during the Second Stage debate and I, again, confirm here today, as did Senator Dolan, that there will be a robust review process in place that will not lead to decisions being made without considering individual circumstances. While the consideration of the provision is always subject to the constitutional protection …

I thank the Senator. I want to be clear that the candidate is afforded an opportunity to make his or her case. The threshold is very high. It will not be easy to find against a student for canvassing. It is right and proper that it be vigorous and robust and that there be significant engagement around this. On the legal requirements, we have been clear that legal advice was sought and it confirms that the strong review that is afforded to everyone concerned in anything of this nature is a proportionate response. I …

I confirm that the procedure under which a review is conducted will seek the views of the candidate in respect of any report made of canvassing. Section 7(2)(a) expressly provides that the candidate will have the opportunity to submit representations. If the student was unaware of any canvassing, the candidate has the opportunity to make that case in the representations. If the candidate does make the case, the review must take this into account in reaching a decision. The candidate enjoys the protection that any d…

I thank Senators for their contribution and, in particular, Senator Ruane for the amendment. I am not in a position to accept the amendment for a number of reasons. The matters outlined for consideration by the Senator are not provided for in this Bill, which is focused on leaving certificate 2021 only. This amendment, if accepted, would set aside the senior cycle review process, which is at a very advanced stage and the advisory report is imminent. As referenced earlier today, the Citizens’ Assembly is another veh…

I thank the Senator. I know these two cases are of particular interest to her. I acknowledge that she has raised these issues consistently. To give the background as to where we are within the Department, following a demographic exercise carried out by the Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the county for the period from 2019 to 2022, the requirement for a new 1000-pupil post-primary school to be established in 2019 to serve the east side of Galway city and Oranmore school p…

I thank the Senator. I again acknowledge her personal engagement on an ongoing basis in regard to these two schools. I commit that we will expedite them as quickly as we possibly can. As the Senator will appreciate, there is a considerable body of work when a number of different sites have to be technically assessed, but we will do all we can to expedite this as quickly as possible. In regard to the emergency works at Cuan na Gaillimhe, again, we will take a look at that and see what the situation is. With regard t…

I thank the Senator. I am commenting on behalf of my colleague the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Deputy McConalogue, who, due to a prior commitment, is unable to be here. For the record, I will read his response. He has made inquiries into the matter. The position is that there are no immediate plans to make the 8 million or so records of the former Irish Land Commission generally available to the public for research purposes or otherwise as they are still working documents. While the question spec…