Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 28 May 2024

This question is about Castlebar Educate Together School. The school operates over three campuses and has 150 pupils. The Minister will be familiar with the school because she visited it in September 2022. She promised them at the time a new school but nothing has been delivered since. She asked them to submit possible locations and sites and they did that immediately but they cannot get any straight answers. Will the Minister tell me what is happening with Castlebar Educate Together?

Castlebar Educate Together National School was established as a four-class school under the terms of a divestment process in September 2016. I am very pleased to confirm that a capital project to provide a new permanent eight-classroom school building for the school is included in the Department of Education's school building programme pipeline. This capital project is at site acquisition stage. The site acquisition process is being progressed in line with standard acquisition protocols. The Department has engaged the services of a site acquisition manager consultancy team to identify and assess potential site options.

Following this extensive site identification and assessment exercise, a number of potential site options have been shortlisted for further consideration. This includes more detailed technical and economic appraisals of these potential site options. The Department is working towards securing the most suitable site for the school while also ensuring value for money for the Exchequer is achieved.

While the Department is putting a solution in place for the long-term needs of the school, additional accommodation has been provided for the school over recent years. The school, in line with terms agreed as part of the original divestment process, has been instructed to take cognisance of its existing accommodation capacity when managing its enrolment of 134 pupils.

The demand for school places in the Castlebar school planning area is projected to peak this year. Census data shows that the population of Castlebar town increased by 8% from 2016 to 2022. The number of primary school-aged children increased by 5.5%. However, the number of preschool children, aged zero to four, decreased by 12%. This downward trend in demographics is expected to impact school enrolments over the coming years.

The school also received approval to negotiate further with the owners of the premises on Newport Road for additional space, to include one special education tuition room, a staff room and a toilet. It was necessary to obtain planning permission for this work, and this has since been obtained. The Department has approved reconfiguration of this additional space for use by the school. This project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery under the Department's additional accommodation scheme.

Part of the problem is the pipeline and how long the pipeline is. Since the possible sites were submitted to the Minister, nothing seems to have happened from the school end. Some of the children are in Marsh House, some are in Cavendish Lane and some are near the hat factory. The Minister may have heard Sarah Calvey, the principal, and Sarah Scott, one of the pupils, on "Morning Ireland" this morning describing how they have to go back and over to the different premises. It is not right in this day and age, so I ask the Minister to expedite that as quickly as possible.

The other reason I ask the Minister to expedite this is the fact that so much money is being wasted in between on heating and lighting three buildings that are not conducive to the education that can be delivered through Educate Together. It is really important that school is delivered as quickly as possible on one site. The children of Castlebar deserve better than what they are getting at the moment.

The Department has not been found wanting in making the additional facilities available. At the time of the establishment in 2016, the school was designated as a four-classroom school with the agreement of the patron. That is what the patron agreed to, and it was agreed with the patron that enrolments would be managed within the available accommodation. It was agreed the school would grow to eight classes when a suitable permanent solution or suitable accommodation could be put in place. In 2016, the four-class school could have facilitated approximately 100 pupils, but the current enrolment is 134 pupils. That is across six classes. That is two classes more than was agreed at the time of the establishment. The school has also been supported with an additional teacher in recognition of the fact it is a split site. I acknowledge that great work happens in the school every single day. The new permanent build to facilitate an eight-classroom school has been agreed by the Department, and we are seeking to put in place the appropriate site. That is being worked on and a manager has been put in place. I absolutely agree with the Deputy, and this will be expedited as quickly as possible.

I thank the Minister for that. We are very keen to get a timeline on this, as she can see, in order that we can reassure the parents and the teachers as well as the children, who asked me about this at a meeting recently. One parent I spoke to has a child with special needs and she just cannot understand why the sibling cannot be on the same side as her. I ask that this be expedited as quickly as possible in order that money can be saved and that, once and for all, we can have a permanent location for this school. The school is on a journey of real success in the demand there has been for it. That is reflective of the parents and the teachers and the good standard of education that is delivered there. I ask the Minister to expedite the process, identify the site as quickly as possible and proceed with it on that basis in order that certainty can be given to the families, the children and the teachers who are working under extremely difficult conditions.

I absolutely agree with the Deputy. There is excellent work happening in the school every single day. The Department has not been found wanting when it comes to resourcing Mayo. More than €111 million between 2020 and 2024 has been expended on buildings in the Mayo school area. That is 46 school building projects. There are 11 additional accommodation and large-scale projects currently in the Department's school building programme pipeline across the county. In those four years, more than €530 million has been shared within the Educate Together patronage. The Department also currently funds a project manager or a buildings officer for Educate Together to help it move along with the projects under its care or under its wing. It is my determination that we will expedite this as quickly as possible. We have put a manager in place to ensure the appropriate site for the best needs of the school and all the other requirements are put in place as a matter of urgency.

This question seeks to ascertain from the Minister the extent to which she remains satisfied she can accommodate primary and secondary level schoolchildren throughout County Kildare and throughout the country in time for the enrolment next September. This is a very important time for children, and the indecision or doubt we had last September would not be a help if it were to reoccur.

The provision of school places to meet the needs of children and young people at primary and post-primary level, including children and young people with special educational needs, is a priority for the Department. At a national level, Ireland has been experiencing growth in overall post-primary enrolments, and this is projected to continue in many parts of the country for the coming years before beginning to decline. However, first-year enrolments nationally are expected to have peaked in the current school year and will begin to decline from next year. At a national level, there are more than 10,000 more first year places available for 2024-25 than sixth class children.

Of course, there is significant regional and local variation in enrolment trends and projections, with residential construction activity one of the most significant influencing factors. This means that, even as enrolments nationally begin to decline, we can still expect to see increasing demand at primary and post-primary level in particular towns and areas in the country, and enrolment pressures may arise in a very limited number of school planning areas from year to year. This must be seen in the context of an annual enrolment process that caters for some 140,000 pupils at junior infants and first-year level and that, on the whole, transacts very smoothly. There are 314 school planning areas in the country, and typically only a small minority of these areas require follow-up engagement from the Department with schools and patrons to work through mainstream school place solutions for the following year.

More than €280 million has been invested in school infrastructure in County Kildare since 2020 alone, reflecting a strong focus on alignment of school place availability with the significant residential development across the county.

Our data show that in County Kildare overall, there are approximately 400 more first year places available for September 2024 than sixth class children. In nine of the 14 school planning areas in County Kildare, there are more first year places available for 2024-25 than sixth class children due to leave primary school. When school planning areas are clustered to take account of typical enrolment patterns, it can be seen that there are more first year places than sixth class children across each area in the county.

I thank the Minister for her helpful reply and I acknowledge the tremendous investment in education in County Kildare in school buildings in particular and in improving standards generally. We all came through the time when it was not so. We are anxious to ascertain certain things. For instance, Mercy Convent in Naas appears to be completed in terms of building works, but is not. It is completed on the outside but not the inside.

The Minister kindly arranged for Oireachtas Members to meet with the planning section of her Department, wherein we learned a few things, some reassuring and some not. One was the disclosure that a climate element had to be applied to each school place requirement as we proceed, to the effect that some children were ushered into a school other than their local school, other than the school their siblings attended and other than the school their parents had attended. They felt they had a right to be heard. While we agree climate is important, the lives and education of children is equally important. The Minister understands that more than anybody else. We are anxious to help and for the Minister to help us.

The Deputy is correct there has been significant investment in Kildare in the past four years. Whether it is new schools or extension of school accommodation, the Department has not been found wanting. I will request an update on the school the Deputy mentioned and ensure he receives it.

In the round, we are told there are 400 more places in the system for sixth class than is required. We are also reminded that first year enrolments will peak this year. Notwithstanding that, we are confident that where there is a need for places, those places will be provided. We continue to engage on the ground and, where schools have co-operated with us in sharing the data they have, we have found there is duplication and that people are coming from outside areas or whatever. We are working through them case by case and are confident we will deliver what is required.

I agree the Minister has given much time to ensuring the fastest possible delivery takes place and that accommodation needs and the needs of children in education are kept to the fore. St. Farnan's Post Primary School in Prosperous is another one we all thought would be well advanced by now but it is not.

I reiterate the point I made on the climate element. This is a red herring that has been drawn, though not by the Minister. It is a mistake made by somebody in terms of planning for the future. It is impossible to plan while that element is in place. Children have only a short time in education and their needs have to be met early, first and by no means last. If there is some regulation preventing that, it will cause a problem in the future, notwithstanding the good efforts of the Minister.

I acknowledge the Deputy has a particular commitment to education and engages with me on an ongoing basis in relation to it. In the vast majority of areas, through the work of schools, their patron bodies, their management bodies and the Department of Education, there are sufficient school places available to meet the needs of children in the area for 2024-25. The Department is working with schools individually and collectively, and with their patrons, to make additional places available where required for 2024-25. While some applicants might not yet have received an offer of a school place, families can be assured young people in an area who require a school place will be provided with one. There will be greater clarity for families in the coming weeks as admissions processes continue to work through and the required additional places come on stream.

The civic, social and political education, CSPE, programme, along with physical education, PE, and social, personal, and health education, SPHE, form the core pillars of the mandatory well-being aspect of the curriculum at junior cycle. The 100-hour CSPE short course, which was introduced in 2016 and updated in 2021, contributes to building the skills students need to contribute positively to a democratic society and to promote sustainable living. Building on related learning experiences in primary education, CSPE gives students an understanding of social, economic and political structures at local, national and global levels and the opportunity to imagine and create ways in which they can make a difference to the lives of individuals and communities.

As a core pillar of the junior cycle well-being programme, all schools are required to teach CSPE. This is reflected in the Department’s post-primary online database, which shows all 722 post-primary schools provide CSPE at junior cycle level. This includes the 232 post-primary DEIS schools registered on our system. I want to be clear that all our schools provide the CSPE programme.

The inspectorate of the Department of Education works to improve the quality of learning for children and young people in schools, early learning and care settings, centres for education and other learning settings. This is done through the provision of high-quality evaluation, analysis and advice. A range of inspection types is used to gather information on the quality of education provision and to evaluate schools. These range from one-day incidental inspections that are typically unannounced to more intensive whole-school evaluations and inspections that follow through on how schools have implemented recommendations made in previous inspection reports.

In general, CSPE is evaluated as part of the "Whole-School Evaluation: Management, Leadership and Learning" process. This process is designed to evaluate key aspects of the work of the school and to promote school improvement. CSPE is evaluated as part of the "quality of support for students' wellbeing" heading of these reports. Inspectors evaluate whether schools are providing CSPE as set out in the framework for junior cycle and the manner in which the school manages and addresses the well-being of all its students.

Is the Minister satisfied all schools are participating equally or is there a variation between different areas, particularly disadvantaged areas? Can she evaluate the extent to which that is happening? For example, is there a known situation whereby particular schools invariably do not participate or do not participate fully?

All of our 722 post-primary schools provide CSPE. That includes our 232 DEIS schools. Oversight of that is by our inspectorate, which visits schools, whether on an unannounced basis, an incidental inspection or for a planned and longer term inspection. As part of the longer term inspection - the whole-school evaluation, as it is called - CSPE is inspected, verified and overseen by the inspector for the duration of the time that they are evaluating what is happening in the school. It is an important subject which speaks to civic engagement, political and social engagement and supporting young peoples to become leaders in the community.

This is inspected by the inspectorate. All inspections of a school are published.

They are available for perusal by anyone who wishes to do so. That is important and it speaks to the breadth of work that happens in schools every day and the excellence, determination and focus by staff in schools preparing students for the next chapters in their lives. It also speaks to the transparency that is so important in the education sector. They are freely available for anyone to inspect the views and the findings of the inspectorate as it engaged with the schools on the ground. In fact, they are worth reading because they show the terrific dedication and proactivity of staff and engagement by students in the school community environment. I advise anyone who has an interest and the time that it would be well worth taking a look at.

This question should refer to the 2.4 km rule and the case I have of children having to walk more than 1 km on a narrow and dangerous road. This is in the Boleyglass and Derryfada areas. I want to raise the issue of pick-up points. Children from a number of different households are all walking down the same narrow, dangerous road to the pick-up point. Can that be moved to accommodate them and to ensure their health and safety?

The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year more than 161,600 children are being transported on a daily basis to schools throughout the country. This figure comprises more than 135,000 pupils travelling on mainstream services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and 6,800 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02 million.

Under the current terms of the school transport scheme, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 km, as the Deputy pointed out, from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their nearest post primary school or education centre as determined by the Department and Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport, who apply and who pay on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements. The remote area grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 km or more to or from a designated pick-up or set-down point.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only, and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available, Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.

Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of the Department. Safety of children travelling on the school transport services is of paramount importance to the Department and to Bus Éireann. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that such eligible children have a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the scheme nationally. Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 km to travel to a pick-up point. Children are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.

The issue is with regard to the pick-up points and to the common sense that is needed around this to ensure the health and safety of children. I know the Minister would agree with that. The school transport system is plagued by a lack of flexibility in an number of ways. As the Minister knows, the system needs to be reformed. We all know that the scheme is not a door-to-door service but at the same time there needs to be common sense applied in each situation. In rural areas, roads can be very dangerous, there are often no footpaths and in the winter months it can be really dark. We are not asking for the bus to go far out of its way. This would only require a small detour to collect safely a number of children. The important point is that the road used to be served by a school bus but was stopped when there were no children using it. Now that there are children using it, it should be reinstated. This is why I am asking the Minister to look at it. Some areas may go for a period of years with no children and then children move in to the area - and we are very grateful that they do, in those cases - and in those cases, the school bus system has to respond to facilitate those children.

This question seeks to alert the Minister of the need to deal with the issue of school transport. Difficulties have arisen in relation to the availability of school places. It has become necessary for some parents to drop their children to school and pick them up. This involves four trips for parents in the day and in some cases, to more than one school, which makes life extremely difficult. Could the transport system be improved or made more flexible?

The school transport scheme is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the current school year, as I said previously, 161,600 children availed of or are availing of the school transport scheme. That comprises 135,000 pupils travelling on mainstream services, 19,800 pupils with special educational needs, and almost 7,000 pupils who have arrived to Ireland from Ukraine. The total cost of the scheme in 2023 was €382.02 million.

Under the current terms of the school transport scheme, children are eligible for transport at primary level where they reside not less than 3.2 km from and are attending their nearest national school, and at post-primary level where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their nearest post primary school or education centre as determined by the Department and Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Children who are eligible for school transport, who apply and who pay on time are accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation. Children who are eligible for school transport but for whom no service is available may be offered the remote area grant. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 km or more to or from a designated pick-up or set-down point.

Temporary alleviation measures, TAMS, at post-primary level, which have been in place since 2019, are being continued for the 2024-25 school year. Under these measures, transport is provided where there is a route in operation and where capacity exists for concessionary post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school and are attending their second nearest school and who applied and paid on time.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available, Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process. It should be noted that planning for school transport services in any given school year commences in December to January preceding the start of the school year. In this regard, planning for the 2024-25 school year has already started with my officials in regular engagement with Bus Éireann in this regard.

A review of the school transport scheme has been completed. This review was conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and its sustainability, and to ensure it services students and their families adequately.

I thank the Minister for her reply. I know she has made huge efforts to try to improve the school transport system where voids occur. Given the information the Minister has given to the House might it be possible, in the circumstances likely to emerge in the not-too-distant future, to introduce a little bit of flexibility into the system in order to ensure the various dots are joined up? This would prevent situations like we have just had where children were asked to get off a bus and walk the rest of the way home. This is an appalling thing to happen and should not occur, for reasons of security and other reasons. I know the Minister did not approve that. If it is possible to anticipate what is going to happen, then it should be possible for the school transport system to be able to respond and that would be hugely helpful.

I want to reiterate that more than 161,000 young people are currently availing of the system. They are being transported to and from school every single day. It is a hugely important service.

I come from a rural constituency. Nobody appreciates or understands its value as much as I do, and I know Deputies across the floor of the House understand that. However, we have a greater ambition in that we want an additional 100,000 students to be in a position to avail of the school transport system. It is for that reason we are looking at flexibilities going forward and reducing the criteria of 3.2 km at primary to 1 km, and the 4.8 km to 2 km. We are also looking at aligning the school transport scheme with the public transport service. That would be a post-primary level, obviously. As requested by parents, we are also considering allowing children with additional needs to travel on mainstream school transport if they so choose, or to continue on a special education service. We will be piloting some of these aspects come September. We will show as much flexibility as possible to parents presently but our overall ambition is a great one, with an additional 100,000 students.

I will be repeating myself now. The school transport scheme is operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education, as we said. We have more than 161,600 young people availing of it. That figure is divided into children travelling on mainstream services and children with special educational needs who are travelling. The total cost of the scheme was in excess of €382 million in the 2023 school year. We know it is very good value for money. Families are being asked to pay €50 at primary school, €75 at post-primary level and €125 for a family ticket. In fact, the cost to the State per student for the school transport scheme is more than €1,100. That is incredibly good value. It is an excellent system but our objective is to ensure that more people will have an opportunity to avail of it going forward. Therefore, we have an ambitious projection forward of 100,000 additional students availing of the scheme by 2030.

The temporary alleviation measures to which the Deputy refers are currently in place at post-primary level and will be in place for the 2024-25 school year. Under these measures, transport is provided where there is a route in operation and where capacity exists for concessionary post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school, are attending their second nearest school and applied and paid on time. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available, Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process. It should be noted that planning for school transport services in any given year will commence in the preceding December to January. In this regard, planning for the 2024-25 school year has already commenced, with officials of the Department in regular contact and engagement with Bus Éireann.

A review of the school transport scheme has been completed, as I stated earlier. The review was conducted with a view to examining the current scheme, its broader effectiveness and, specifically, with reference to the nearest and the next-nearest school, as the Deputy raised. All of that is part of the review going forward. The school transport scheme 2030, which has now been published, will be an opportunity for us to look at the scope and potential to do things differently, add greater capacity and allow a maximum number of students avail of the transport scheme.

I commend the Minister on the work she is doing in this area because there is huge potential here. To clarify, is she saying students can actually avail of transport to the second-nearest school at second level? That is one question. Has the Minister looked at a similar situation applying to primary school students? That is my second question. I think I have time left to put a third question. I understand that where a student applies to a school and is told there is no place or is not offered a place but, rather, put on a waiting list, that is a de facto refusal. In such cases, the student can appeal to the board of management and if that does not work a section 29 appeal can be made to the Department. If it is deemed that there is no space in the school, the student is entitled to transport to the next-nearest school. However, many parents do not know about this process. In fact, I have said here previously that you would almost want to be a barrister to follow it. Parents are not aware of the process and they are not being told about it. In future, will the Minister ensure parents know that this process exists? By the time they find out about it, it is too late. Those are three questions on the second-nearest school for this year, the primary school situation and this convoluted appeals system.

I thank the Deputy. The second-nearest school scheme is called the temporary alleviation measure, TAMS. It is in place currently and will be in place for the 2024-25 school year. I want to be clear in explaining what the TAMS actually means. Under that measure, transport is provided where there is a route in operation and where capacity exists for concessionary post-primary pupils who are eligible for transport to their nearest school but are attending their second-nearest school, and who applied and paid on time.

Specifically regarding primary school level, the issue has not cropped up quite as much at primary school because, generally speaking, children go to their nearest primary school, the local primary school. However, it is our ambition as part of the review I have referenced that the 3.2 km and the 4.8 km will be reduced. It will be reduced to 1 km for primary school level going forward. That will be as good as being to one's nearest or next-nearest school. What was the third question?

Yes. The Deputy makes a fair point. If students are eligible and their first school is full, on receipt of verifying documentation the next school becomes the first school. I take the Deputy's point that people may not be sufficiently aware of that and it is something we should look at with regard to communication.

I thank the Minister for the response. The last point is really interesting because I have come across, as I am sure colleagues have as well, parents who are not aware of this appeals system to the board of management. Neither are they aware of the situation that if a student is put on a waiting list, it is a de facto refusal. As the student is not offered a place, it is a refusal from the school and the student is then entitled to appeal to the board of management and to make a section 29 appeal. If the student gets a place in the second-nearest school or further away, he or she will not get school transport unless all this documentation is shown, but you cannot show it unless you know about it.

Finally, I put to the Minister the fact that primary school students in particular being driven to the school, mainly by their parents, is leading to massive congestion in towns at specific times. Will the Government or the Department have a look at a system whereby we would have local bus services to bring children to school? People quite often seem to want to bring the children right up to the door of the school and it leads to massive congestion, unnecessary travel and stress on parents. If we had a local school bus system in towns and villages throughout the country, it would alleviate that problem. It is all very fine being 1 km or 2 km away but in many instances it is the people living closer to the school who are driving children there and causing all these issues. It may be something the Minister will consider.

I thank the Deputy. To be fair, parents or guardians sometimes have a variety of reasons as to why it is necessary for them to bring their children to school or drive them to school. The reasons can be multifaceted and complex and parents and guardians should always have that freedom. Notwithstanding that, I know there are many parents who are very keen to be in a position to avail of the school transport system. It would make life a lot easier for them and it would also reduce traffic on the road. That is why we have this ambitious programme of more than 161,000 young people at present and by 2030 an additional 100,000 being able to avail of a school transport system that will ensure parents have greater freedom with regard to children getting to and from school, and also greater opportunity to reduce the number of cars that are on the road. However, that element of flexibility will in some small instances have to remain in place. The vast majority of young people like to travel on the bus with the rest of the community where that suits their needs.

We have an unusual situation. There are two Deputies with two questions each. One Deputy was not in the House at the time the first question came up. I propose to take them all, if possible. Deputy Canney was here on time for his questions. Is it agreed that we take his questions now? Agreed. We will then follow up with the ones that were not asked at the time.

It is about temporary accommodation for Lough Cutra National School in County Galway. It is looking for temporary accommodation while the existing school is refurbished top to bottom. It is not being funded for the temporary accommodation it needs to keep the school going while construction work goes ahead.

I submitted the question. I will give the Minister the kernel of it. The school got an additional accommodation grant but it is a total refurbishment of the school. The problem is that every one of the students has to be taken out of the school and there is no place locally to put them. The Department has said it must find its own accommodation to put them in temporarily for about six months. It is an impossible task. Funding is also a problem. The school is looking for the Department to provide temporary accommodation during the construction period to allow the school to function in a rural area while refurbishment works go ahead and to fund it.

Without knowing the details, I cannot comment because I am not apprised of it. The Department works collaboratively with schools, particularly those benefiting, as the Deputy outlined, from a refurbishment or additional accommodation, whatever the case may be. We have a policy of engagement, co-operation and collaboration. I am confident the project the Deputy outlined is a significant undertaking financially by the Department. We want to ensure education continues to be delivered while that is provided. I do not have the specifics but I note the Deputy submitted the question. I will ensure it is replied to in full.

The Chair has put me up again for Question No. 32. Has Bus Éireann been allocated the necessary resources to make sure there is the adequate number of buses and sizes of buses in place for the school year in September? Last year, we saw lots of problems arise. Buses were not in place, some started off and after a week they stopped. A lot went on and there was a lot of stress. It needs to be planned properly for this year. I know payments are now coming so the volume that will be required should be apparent shortly.

There are currently 161,000 young people transported every day via Bus Éireann. It is an enormous number and an important service. I have said previously in reply to other queries that planning for the 2024-25 school year begins in the previous year. It is well under way at this point. Applications for places on the buses opened in April and I think the closing date is around 7 June for payment or medical card details or whatever the case may be, so we will have a clearer picture at that point of the numbers required, earlier than in previous years. It was early last year as well.

Contracts are entered into in good faith with subcontractors. It was very disappointing, on occasion, last year when contracts were handed back the night before the school run commenced or at some point along the way. Obviously, everybody is dependent on the bus service running as it is supposed to.

This year, as in previous years, we are ensuring it is a reduced fare. It is €50 for a primary school child, which costs the State €1,100 per child. It is €75 at post-primary, which costs the State €1,100. It is €125 for a family ticket. It is very good value. All of the engagement and planning work has been ongoing between the Department and Bus Éireann as well as engagement with parents or guardians who applied early. We look forward to a successful year ahead.

I thank the Minister. I know a lot of money and effort goes into it. At the end of the day, it is the inspectors on the ground who have to deal with parents and students who might have a ticket for a bus but there is no bus to bring them. The parents then have to try to get them to school and they have to go to work. In some cases, great work is done to try to rectify the situation under awful pressure at a time of the year when everybody is trying to get back into the school term. While I understand the application process is open, the payment process has to be completed by 7 June, the week after next, and planning goes on, the contracts entered into with bus companies and private operators should be put in place earlier. There should be a heavy penalty if they pop out of it, so to speak, the night before they are supposed to provide a service. Students and parents are left in a vacuum for up to three or four months until it is put together again. I respect all the problems associated with it.

I do not underestimate the challenge it has posed for parents. Of the more than 161,000 young people transported, the vast majority were transported seamlessly and positively and it worked as it was supposed to. There were isolated instances here and there. I do not underestimate the difficulty that caused for parents and guardians, especially the last-minute nature. It is far from ideal. It is not acceptable that a contract can be returned the night before the route is supposed to commence. There has been considerable engagement by Bus Éireann with everybody concerned and between my Department and Bus Éireann. I met Bus Éireann on this matter so that it will be as smooth a transition as possible in September. You cannot account for the unexpected but every possible procedure has been put in place and every possible requirement on behalf of all involved is being met, as far as we are concerned. The Deputy referenced to it being earlier. We put it in place earlier last year and this year to facilitate earlier roll-out. As the Deputy is aware, we are also piloting two different types of scheme this year as part of school transport 2030, which means we will look at engaging with public transport and school transport. A second pilot will look at something similar and some of the other recommendations.

This question is around Scoil Mhuire National School in Milford, County Donegal. I discussed this matter with the Minister earlier in the year. This school is not fit for purpose in terms of the buildings, but in terms of education, it is the opposite. It offers a tremendous education but in conditions that are unacceptable. It is landlocked site and is very dangerous at the junction of roads. The building is from the 1950s. It is totally inadequate in every way. The school has secured a new site. I understand the school representatives met the Minister recently. I am looking for an update on the Minister's perspective.

The school in question has received approval in principle for a building project under my Department’s additional school accommodation, ASA, scheme. The project will provide for two mainstream classrooms and two special education teaching rooms.

This project is currently at stage 3, which is tender stage. The project is one of close to 90 projects with a total value of approximately €800 million that I recently announced would proceed from tender to construction during 2024 or early 2025. In addition, at the school under reference, further approval was provided under the ASA scheme in 2022 for modular accommodation to provide one mainstream classroom and two special education tuition rooms. In early 2023, the brief for the school was reviewed and a further special education needs classroom was added to the scope. I am pleased to advise that this project is now largely complete and occupied, with just some external works remaining to be finalised. I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department is in receipt of a letter dated 28 February 2024 from the board of management of the school in question in relation to the acquisition of a greenfield site by the school. Further, an application for capital funding for development of this greenfield site was received on 21 May 2024.

I note that the level of additional accommodation already being progressed for the school under reference, both under the modular and traditional build ASA programmes, is a significant investment in the existing school and will greatly improve the teaching and learning environment. Modular accommodation being provided to schools today is high quality, robust and durable. All new buildings, including modular buildings, are required to meet the near zero energy building standard, which ensures high levels of energy efficiency, thermal performance and sustainability.

Since 2020, the Department has invested more than €4.8 billion in our schools throughout the country, involving the completion of more than 800 school building projects and construction currently under way at approximately 300 other projects. This is a record level of investment in our schools and highlights the Government’s strong track record of delivery in providing additional capacity and modern facilities to school communities. In County Donegal alone, in the years since this Government came into being, the Department has invested more than €136 million in school infrastructure and completed 42 school building projects. As of the end of April, a further 23 projects were in construction in County Donegal with eight at tender stage.

I had the opportunity to visit that school, as the Deputy referenced, with the Minister, Deputy McConalogue and Senator Blaney. I am conscious and aware, as the Deputy has outlined, of the application it has made to the Department, which is being given due consideration.

As the Minister says, she has visited the school and seen at first hand the conditions in the school. The board of management is adamant that when it engaged with the Department it was assured that if it applied for these additional modular buildings, it would not impact on its application for a new school. It is now really frustrated that when asking about being included in a school capital programme, the response from the Department is about these modular buildings. It was always assured that these would not militate against the wider proposal. Not only that, but I also think it is extraordinary that the school has found an alternative site at no cost to the State. This site is within the controlled boundaries of Milford town. It would be ideally located, so I think it is an exceptional offer. However, the school buildings are totally inadequate for modern education. I am sure the Minister will agree, having seen it for herself. I appeal to her to please include the school in that capital programme.

I appreciate the case the Deputy is making, and he makes it well. I also acknowledge the case being made by the Minister, Deputy McConalogue, and Senator Blaney. I have met the board and the principal and acknowledge the great work they do there every single day. I also say that it was only at the end of February that the Department received acknowledgement of availability of the site, and it was only on 21 May that the Department received the application for capital funding to develop the greenfield site. That will have to be considered with regard to the needs of the school and also right across the country in terms of the funding immediately available to the Department. As I have said, that is quite considerable funding of more than €4.8 billion over the past four years. I recently announced another €800 million for 90 projects moving from tender to construction this year and at the start of 2025. There has been enormous investment, particularly in County Donegal. We will have to facilitate the Department with the time to look at what has been proposed.

I acknowledge there has been a good bit of good news for schools in County Donegal. I would not begrudge the Minister that assertion. However, she will know, having visited this school, that the conditions are not acceptable for modern education. They do not comply in any way with classroom sizes, toilet and play amenities. Special needs children are being educated in hallways. It is just not acceptable. The point is that the school understood clearly that if it went down the path of modular buildings it would not have an impact on its wider plans. The fact is it has secured a new site. What stood with me is that I have rarely seen a school with such poor buildings that does not have light at the end of the tunnel, or a clear pathway to a new school. I was told that they would knuckle down and get on with the conditions they have if they knew a new school was coming down the line. We are looking to give them hope that pathway is there. They can endure these conditions for another couple of years until we get to the point, and they have a school they deserve, considering the tremendous education they provide.

I acknowledge the Department has been cognisant of the needs of the school. It is for that reason that the school received approval for two mainstream classrooms and two special education teaching rooms. That is currently at tender stage. The Department has recognised the challenges the school has faced. That was in addition to a further ASA scheme in 2022 for modular accommodation to provide a mainstream classroom and two special education tuition rooms. The Department has been cognisant of the great work happening in that school every day, the delivery of education, the dedication to students and the need for appropriate facilities. This has been put in place between 2022 and currently.

On the site becoming available, which was notified to the Department at the end of February, the application that came in on 21 May for consideration for capital funding will be considered in due course.

The issue with the autism unit at De La Salle is that it was operating out of a classroom made available by a teacher, which then had to be returned to them. There is a plan for a building that would deal with two units. The issue was that a modular unit is going in that will only fit one class, but a huge amount of work has been done by the principal and the NCSE. I got good news last Friday, so I am hoping this will just be reaffirmation of that in the sense that resources will be provided by the Department. They will be able to look after these two classes. The parents who were previously told they would not be looked after are now being told that their kids will be looked after. It is to make sure the resources are provided. Beyond that, the big one we need is for the school extension that is in train to actually happen. That would deal with this entire circumstance.

I will tell the Deputy all that is available to me at present, but I will say that I will engage with him again if there is something missing. I will ask for a further update.

The school referred to by the Deputy was approved to enter the Department’s pipeline of school building projects under the additional school accommodation scheme. The project will provide a two-class special education base, two mainstream classrooms, and a technical graphics room. The project has been devolved for delivery to the school authority.

The school referred to already operates one special class and the Department recently granted approval to construction of a special educational needs modular classroom, which is expected to reach practical completion later this year. This additional accommodation will help alleviate the immediate enrolment pressures on the school pending the delivery of the larger additional school accommodation project, which provides a two-class special educational needs base.

The school appointed a design team to progress the larger traditional ASA project through the various stages of architectural design, planning, procurement and construction. The Department’s professional and technical officials recently reviewed the design team’s stage 2B post-planning approval architectural cost report and requested further information on that. Once that information has been submitted, the Department will complete its review of this stage of the project.

The provision of accommodation for children with special educational needs is at the heart of our priorities and is a core driver of investment plans. The National Council for Special Education has responsibility for planning and co-ordinating school supports for children with special educational needs. In recent years, the 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 1,700 new special classes sanctioned and seven new special schools established in recent years, and a further four opening in September. More than 320 new special classes have been sanctioned by the NCSE nationwide for the 2024-25 school year. Eleven of these 11 are in County Louth. This means there are now more than 3,000 special classes in our education system.

The important issue relates to the school building programme and ensuring that the planned extension will happen as soon as possible. Obviously, it would have been better if it had happened earlier, but it would be good to get a timeline for when we think it can be delivered. If it was in train, we would not have the issues we have been facing recently, whereby parents were told that there was no space in the school for a new autism unit for their children. In fairness and as already stated, major work was done by the principal, the SENO and the NCSE, although there are promises in respect of the Department providing resources and we need to make sure that happens. Nevertheless, they will be operating in probably suboptimal space, and we need to make sure the resources will be provided in the short term and that the building and all the associated necessary aspects will follow. While Friday was really positive, we need to make sure we deliver on sustainable positivity.

Absolutely. I know that the Deputy has a particular interest in special education and has engaged with me a number of times on it. We are deeply committed in this area, and while we were coming from a low base, it is an achievement to say we now have 3,000 special classes in the scheme and we can see that, for example, of the new special classes that are in place, 11 are in County Louth. We have 11 new special schools in place and, alongside all that, we are committed to delivering additional accommodation to schools that require it, as I have outlined, where there will be a two-class special educational base, two mainstream classrooms and a technical graphics room. We are totally committed. A great deal of work has been done, but I am not for a moment suggesting that work has been completed. More work needs to be done. It is in everybody's best interest that where we set up a class, the appropriate resources will be put in place. We have always done that and we will ensure we have done that, and if the Deputy requires anything additional, I will engage with him on that.