Question No. 496 answered with Question No. 493.

It is suffering significant population decline, predominantly concentrated in the west and midlands of Ireland. That continues apace. It is calculated that in the last 40 years, 800 electoral divisions have lost population or significantly lost population. There has been a lopsided spatial policy which has put hundreds of thousands of young people into the Dublin area, in particular. The Central Statistics Office, CSO, figures state that there is increasing income inequality between the western regions, the north-western regions and the rest of the State. When will this Government's policy become more than social welfare for rural Ireland?

I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 110 together.

The rural regeneration and development fund, RRDF, provides funding for the development and construction of capital projects in towns, villages and rural areas across Ireland. The fund is central to achieving the objectives and key deliverables of Our Rural Future, the Government's five-year policy for rural Ireland. At the heart of Our Rural Future is a commitment to revitalising towns and villages across rural Ireland, making them more attractive places to live, work and raise a family. The projects supported by the fund assist in the regeneration of rural towns and villages by addressing vacancy and dereliction and positioning them for further growth through regeneration and town centre renewal. The fund also invests in strategic projects that contribute to further economic development in rural areas.

Calls for applications to the fund are sought under categories 1 and 2. Category 1 relates to large-scale ambitious capital projects with all necessary planning and other consents in place, which are ready to proceed. Category 2 provides smaller grant funding to enable the development of project proposals suitable for future calls for category 1 applications. Since the RRDF was established in 2018, funding of €395 million has been approved for 215 projects. When matching funding is included, the total value of these projects is worth over €542 million. Since my appointment as Minister for Rural and Community Development in June 2020, funding of over €100 million has been drawn down from the fund. A table setting out the monthly drawdowns since June 2020 has been attached as an appendix to this response.

The delivery of projects funded under the RRDF experienced significant delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic. However, I am pleased to confirm that stronger progress is now being achieved. Thirty projects are complete. In addition, a further 81 projects are expected to be completed by the end of the year. A list of projects in each county scheduled to be completed in 2023 is attached to this response as an appendix for the information of the Deputies. I remain committed to ensuring that this vital funding can deliver real and transformative change in towns across rural Ireland. Underlying this is the need to ensure delivery on the ground. To this end, I have outlined to local authorities the priority that I assign to the delivery of these projects. I have asked my officials to ensure there is an ongoing process of engagement with local authorities.

I do not think the Minister is getting to the nub of the question at all. The issue is that the EU has downgraded the north-west region as a lagging region. The EU has said that as a result of falling GDP per capita in those areas compared with the rest of the country, places like Galway, Roscommon, Leitrim, Sligo, Donegal, Monaghan and Mayo face increasing challenges. That is happening under the Minister's watch. GDP is falling in these areas, which is damning. The gap between the north and west region and the national average is now estimated to be three times higher than it was a decade ago. What I mean by social welfare for rural Ireland is that the current approach is not fixing the problem. It is handing out money here and there but it is not getting to the core issue. I know of many people who tell me that kids want to live in those areas but cannot get planning permission. What happens is that schools and services start to close. I know farmers are leaving the land because prices are too low to be able to raise families in these locations.

The EU has said that underinvestment in key infrastructure is leading to regional inequality. These areas want good transport infrastructure, communications infrastructure, education facilities and telecommunication facilities so that they can do business. That is still missing from the Government's plans.

First of all, I want to say that Deputy Tóibín should come down to Mayo tomorrow. We have a €300 million investment, which is the biggest single investment. The road between Westport and Castlebar will open tomorrow. Allergan, Baxter and Coca-Cola are all crying out for people for their workforces. I meet principals of schools from every corner of the county. All these areas are expanding. I disagree with Deputy Tóibín. The great line from the Opposition is always that the west has been left behind. There have never been as many people working and living in rural Ireland as there are now. It is time that we spoke up. The kind of stuff that has been done by the Department of the Minister, Deputy Humphreys, over the last number of years has been fantastic for towns and villages. The rural regeneration scheme is fantastic.

I want to ask the Minister a question. I compliment State agencies such as Údarás na Gaeltachta. When I was Minister, and the Minister has continued this, it set up the Gteic facilities, with jobs in counties Galway, Kerry, Waterford and Mayo. I am asking the Minister if she could talk to more State agencies and LEADER companies because some local authorities are not actually standing up to the plate. Projects and money are being allocated by the Minister's Department and these projects are not being delivered. It is not through the fault of the Minister or the Department but because some of these people are not doing their jobs. I ask the Minister to look at other State agencies that could carry out some of these works and maybe allocate the funding through them rather than always to local authorities.

To clarify something, there has been no downgrading of the north and western region by the European Commission from being a region in transition. This 2018 designation is based on GDP per capita in the region and has been used to calculate European funding allocations for 2021 to 2027. Separately, the European Parliament's committee on regional development categorised the north and west region as a lagging region using a range of other data such as productivity, education and skills. They are two completely different, separate things.

I agree with Deputy Ring. Sometimes projects are not delivered as quickly as we would like. We engage with local authorities. We have constant contact with them. We were in touch with them again last week. A new LEADER programme is coming out, which is currently open for expressions of interest. Proposals will come in in due course. Deputy Ring is right. I know Deputy Tóibín is a one-man band in here but he is a party leader.

The table below shows the total number of teachers for the years 2018 – 2021, this includes primary and post-primary.

Data is reported on an academic year basis, i.e., 2021 means September 2021. Teacher numbers are based on allocations of teachers (whole time equivalents) each year and not actual persons (to avoid complications arising from job-sharing, leave cover and other factors). PLC teachers are not included in the number for teachers.

For a more detailed breakdown please follow the link below:

assets.gov.ie/246552/96fc2eb5-b7c9-4a17-afbc-de288a471b3f.pdf#page=null

No, it is not. That is misinformation.

The School Transport Scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education.  In the current school year over 147,900 children, including over 18,000 children with special educational needs, are transported on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country.

In addition, school transport scheme services are being provided in the current school year for over 4,500 children who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine.

The total cost of the scheme in 2022 was €338.9m.

Under the terms of the Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport and who complete the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation for the 2023/24 school year.

In addition, temporary alleviation measures have been continued for the 2023/2024 school year(s), pending completion of the review and this means that transport will be provided for post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who apply and pay by the closing dates.

Children who are not eligible for school transport, but who complete the application process on time, are considered for spare seats that may exist after eligible children have been facilitated; such seats are referred to as concessionary seats.

A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services.

Bus Éireann review all school transport services over the summer months. Arising from this review, routes may be altered, extended or withdrawn depending on the number and location of eligible children who will be availing of school transport for the following school year.

Because of the nature of concessionary transport for non-eligible children and the priority of providing places for eligible children, there may be an excess of demand over supply for concessionary places, in these cases Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for spare seats using an agreed selection process.  Where there is a transport service available, Bus Éireann liaise with families regarding ticketing etc.

In cases where the Department is satisfied that a family's nearest school is full, eligibility for school transport will be determined based on the distance they reside from the next nearest school having regard to ethos and language.  Bus Éireann have confirmed that families in this area are attending their third and fourth closest schools.  They have been requested to provide the details below which have not yet been received in School Transport Section.

- The steps taken to enrol your child in the nearest and next nearest schools

- Evidence that an application for enrolment was made within the deadline dates specified by the school and

- A letter from the School Authorities confirming that the school was full at the time of enrollment for your child

This documentation can be sent to school transport section at the address below for consideration to school_transport@education.gov.ie

Plus they said they could not spend it.

-----even though it accounts for 2.5% of the population.

Meath could not spend it.

While it might suit the narrative for our local constituents to be able to say that, the truth of the matter is every county should be getting a fair shot at it. Strangely, Dublin got investment for 63 rural hubs through Our Rural Future, even though the likes of Mayo and other counties get far less. That is a strange question as well.

I disagree with Deputy Tóibín. He does not have his facts right. Sporting organisations in towns such as Ballina, Castlebar and Westport are not able to provide the infrastructure because so many people are coming back from the cities, and England, America and Australia, to live in County Mayo. It is a fantastic county. If the Deputy saw last week what we did in Ballina, we made Mayo and Ireland proud. We showed what could be done. The people did that.

Deputy Tóibín talked about funding. When I was Minister, I heard the same kind of thing from members of the Opposition, which was that this or that county did not get funding. It was very simple. It was because some of their local authorities were not applying for funding and were not making the application. I remember getting attacked-----

Where a student is facing difficulties in a school, support services from the Educational Welfare Officer, the National Educational Physiological Services and the local Special Educational Needs Organiser as appropriate are available to the family by contacting the school in question.

Where a board of management make a decision to refuse admission to a school, the parent/guardian can appeal that decision under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998, and an independent appeals committee will be appointed to consider the appeal.

The role of the section 29 hearing committee is to examine the application for enrolment and consider if it was correctly processed by the school, in accordance with the school’s Enrolment Policy.

The section 29 appeals committee cannot consider matters that are not provided for within the school’s Enrolment Policy. If it is considered that a school has erred in their processing of an enrolment application, a section 29 appeal committee can examine how the application was processed by the school and identify if the school did not follow its Enrolment policy.  In cases where an error occurred the section 29 appeal committee will consider if the error had a material effect on the application. Where an error had a material effect on the enrolment application, the section 29 appeal committee can direct the school to enrol the student or adjust the students ranking on the waiting list.

My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a student, except in circumstances where an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 has been allowed and the appeals committee directs that the school admit the child concerned.

A section 29 appeal must be made no later than 63 calendar days from the date of the school’s decision to refuse admission.

It is important to note that if a parent/guardian have been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, and they wish to appeal this decision they must first make a written request to the school seeking a review of the board of management’s decision.  This request for a review to the board of management is time bound and must be made within 21 calendar days from the date of the decision by the school to refuse admission to the child.

If a parent/guardian has been refused admission for a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, they may, but are not required to, request a review by the board of management within 21 calendar days from the date of the decision by the school to refuse admission to the child.  Where a parent/guardian has  been refused admission for a reason other than the school being oversubscribed and do not choose to seek a review by the board of management they may make an appeal to an independent appeals committee no later than 63 calendar days from the date of the school’s decision to refuse admission.

Full details on the section 29 appeals process for refused enrolment are available on the Gov.ie  website at the links below:

www.gov.ie/en/publication/8248c-appeals-in-relation-to-refusal-to-admit-a-student-due-to-a-school-being-oversubscribed/

www.gov.ie/en/publication/31c4f-appeals-in-relation-to-refusal-to-admit-a-student-for-a-reason-other-than-the-school-being-oversubscribed/

-----about west Cork getting funding-----

-----always get the most money?

-----when it had no application in and we could not give it funding.

The provision of child and adolescent mental health services in Ireland lies specifically within the remit of the Department of Health and the HSE. Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) is a service that provides assessment and treatment for young people who are experiencing mental health difficulties.  However, The Department of Education plays an important role in supporting the wellbeing and mental health of our young people.  The Department’s Wellbeing Policy and Framework for practice has given recognition to the importance of promoting wellbeing in education.  The approach set out in the Wellbeing Policy is a whole school and preventative approach which has multiple components that include providing children and young people with opportunities to build core social and emotional skills and competencies, experience supportive relationships within the school setting and be part of a school environment and culture that feels both physically and psychologically safe.

Following the publication by the National Education Psychological Service (NEPS) of guidance for post primary schools on establishing a student support team or reviewing an existing team, psychologists are currently facilitating post-primary schools to improve the Student Support Team process.  Student Support Teams are the structure through which key wellbeing and wellbeing-related policies are implemented in post-primary schools.

NEPS has developed training for school staff on the promotion of wellbeing and resilience in schools which include upskilling school staff on the use and implementation of therapeutically-informed approaches in schools.  These include trauma-informed approaches, approaches based on the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy, and attachment-aware approaches. The approaches outlined in the training are based on research findings, on the experience of experts in their fields and on the experience of practicing psychologists working in schools. The training will build the capability of school staff in both primary and post-primary settings, including for school leaders, teachers and SNAs.

NEPS has resumed the provision of training for school staff on the Friends for Life programmes to help reduce anxiety in children and also the Incredible Years Classroom Management System.  NEPS has also launched an eLearning course - Responding to Critical Incidents in Schools.  This course is aimed specifically at the school’s Critical Incident Management Team, but open to all interested staff.

The programmes and initiatives set out above are in addition to the educational psychological support that NEPS provide to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to individual pupil casework where there is need. NEPS works closely with the HSE and its agencies to ensure those who may require the provision of therapy or counselling are referred on to the appropriate clinical services for intervention and support.

I announced in the budget, an additional 54 educational psychologists to provide services to special schools and special classes as part of budget 2023. I also announced in the budget that €5 million will be invested in piloting a programme of counselling supports for primary school students. This will serve to support the very positive work which already takes place in the area of wellbeing in our schools. The details of the programme are currently being finalised.

The Minister is doing a fantastic job. Rural Ireland is alive and well and people like Deputy Tóibín will not talk it down.

Everybody-----

My Department acknowledges that a library of books, audio books and other material to increase the literacy (in English, Irish or other languages) and numeracy resources in a school, can play an important part in a school’s teaching and learning.

In 2022 my Department made once-off funding of €20 million available to all recognised primary and post-primary schools in the Free Education Scheme to purchase books, audio books and other media for the purposes of improving their existing literacy-resource banks. Assistance was also provided by my Department, with the support of the Public Library Service, to the schools on how best to use the funding, through a guidance note, webinars and support from local libraries, that support is still available to schools.

Following on from this funding, as the Deputy is aware, in Budget 2023, my Department announced over €50 million to provide free schoolbooks to primary school pupils within the free education scheme from September 2023. At a minimum the scheme will provide free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks for all pupils in recognised primary schools and special schools and will eliminate the cost of these items for parents of children and young people enrolled in these schools. Any surplus grant can be used to purchase shared books, audio books and other material to increase the literacy (in English, Irish or other languages) and numeracy resources in a school. Funding should only be used for this purpose, however, where all other schoolbooks, workbooks, copybooks and related classroom resources costs have been met. Alternatively, the surplus can be carried forward to the next school year. Schools should consider the need to replace or purchase new schoolbooks in the following year when deciding how to use any surplus grant in the current year.

Separately, under the Junior Certificate School Programme (JCSP), the JCSP Demonstration Library Project was set up. Introduced in 1996, the JCSP is a social inclusion programme that is aimed at students who are identified as being at risk of being socially or academically isolated or at risk of early school leaving. The Demonstration Library Project has established high-quality school libraries in 30 schools with 32 professional librarians based in these schools. Librarians are responsible, together with key school staff, for drawing up and implementing library strategies to tackle the literacy difficulties experienced by many JCSP students.  Each year, every library receives a grant from JCSP which funds literacy and numeracy initiatives, book buying and resources for the library. Currently there is a review of the JCSP being undertaken and therefore the programme is closed to new applicants while the review continues but current provision is continuing for the present.

I hope this information is of assistance to the Deputy.

He will not talk it down with his one-horse band.

Every Deputy is smiling at the fact-----

A response to the correspondence referred to by the Deputy issued on 17 April.

The Deputy may wish to note that the Programme for Government commits to the development of inclusive and age appropriate curricula for RSE and SPHE across primary and post-primary schools. Work to implement this commitment is ongoing, building on a major review of RSE in schools, completed in 2019 by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).  he review involved students, parents, teachers, school leaders, researchers and organisations, with a view to gaining a full appreciation of the nature of young peoples’ needs and experience of RSE and this included responses from nearly 8,000 parents.  An updated Junior Cycle specification has been developed for introduction in schools this coming September, and work is ongoing on an updated specification for Senior Cycle.

The NCCA has recently commenced work on the curricular area of Wellbeing in primary schools, which includes SPHE and RSE. The development process for the new specification will include research and consultation. Consultation is a core feature of the NCCA’s work in developing curricula with a variety of voices reflected throughout the curriculum development process for all subjects. Members of Subject Development Groups are nominated by the partners in education and include representatives of teachers, school management, parents and other stakeholders in education, including co-opted persons with expertise in the area.

It is intended the public consultation on the draft Primary Wellbeing specification will occur next year, with the intention of introducing the new specification in schools in 2025.

SPHE and RSE teaching and learning is an important and sensitive area and I would encourage parents, students, teachers and all other stakeholders to take part in this public consultation as this work progresses.

-----that the two Ministers get more money for their counties rather regularly.

I think he should be Minister now.

It is a €1 billion fund.

Why is he not a Minister any more?

Deputy Tóibín would want to get up now and go around the country, even around County Meath where he lives. I am going there in the next few weeks. There is a new library and cultural centre in Trim.

I fought for it.

There is a new community hub in Enfield and many remote working hubs that allow people to live and work in their communities. Deputy English is a big supporter of those projects. I will visit them shortly. They are making a difference. I am going around rural areas and talking to people. I can tell the Deputy that if he had been with me in Abbeyshrule, County Longford, last week, he would have seen how appreciative communities are that we are providing funding to allow them realise their vision and ambition for their communities. We are empowering and helping communities. It is not a top-down but bottom-up approach. When we get the applications, we work with communities to deliver.

On a point of clarification regarding the local improvement schemes, additional funding was given to local authorities that stated they could spend it. If they asked for it in the last round, they got 70% or 80% of what they asked for. If counties Monaghan and Cavan can spend it, all I can say is fair play to them.