Finian McGrath
Question:61. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding funds or grants in respect of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 3 [43860/12]
View answerSchools Building Projects Status
Questions (61)
Written answers
A building project for the school to which the Deputy refers commenced construction in February 2011 and is nearing the Substantial Completion Stage. Resource teaching spaces were provided for within the school design and my Department considers that these are sufficient to meet the school's needs.
School Accommodation
Questions (62)
Finian McGrath
Question:62. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding extra accommodation in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5. [43861/12]
View answerWritten answers
The school referred to by the Deputy wrote to my Department on 2 October this year. This followed an unsuccessful application in 2011 to replace existing temporary accommodation. My Department is considering the school's letter and will shortly respond directly to the school authority.
Special Educational Needs Staffing
Questions (63)
Jack Wall
Question:63. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons a decision has not been made regarding an application for a special needs assistant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43891/12]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of such supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. As this question relates to an individual application for SNA support for a particular child, I have arranged for the issue raised by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their direct attention and reply.
Special Educational Needs Staffing
Questions (64)
Ciara Conway
Question:64. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the future of the fund for students with disabilities and student assistance fund once the current phase expires post 2013; if this scheme will be continued, the way it will be funded; the level of funding available; the way this will be distributed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43903/12]
View answerWritten answers
The Third Level Access Measure provides support for disadvantaged students through two sub-priorities: the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities. The objective of the Student Assistance Fund, is to assist students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise, due to their financial circumstances, be unable to continue their third level studies. The Fund for Students with Disabilities provides funding to further and higher education institutions for the provision of services and supports for full-time students with disabilities. These funds are managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of my Department and is funded under the National Development Plan, with assistance from the European Social Fund. No decisions have yet been taken on the amount that will be allocated to Ireland or the programmes to be funded in the next round of EU Structural Funds for the 2014-20 period. The management of the Third Level Access Measures Fund rests with the Higher Education Authority and the allocation of funding for the various access measures is a matter for that authority. Some €13.2 million is available in the Third Level Access Measure Fund overall in the 2012-13 academic year.
School Staffing
Questions (65)
Charlie McConalogue
Question:65. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedures that were followed in relation to the appointment of a principal to the staff of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; if he will detail the background to and purpose of this initiative, if he was directly involved in the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43913/12]
View answerWritten answers
The appointment of the person to whom the Deputy refers followed a disciplinary process initiated against that person by the board of management of a community school. The board of management of a community school, as is the case generally in schools, is the employer and therefore the Minister is not involved in any disciplinary process that a board initiates. There was no outcome to that disciplinary process because it was rendered moot by an agreement entered into between the person in question and the board of management. That agreement was reached in the context of High Court proceedings taken by that person against the school. In the context of those discussions, my Department arranged for the person concerned to be assigned to Co. Kildare VEC as a teacher where, for the remainder of the current school year (i.e. the 2012-13 school year), he will carry out principal duties in the school to which the Deputy refers, arising from a vacancy in the post of principal in that school. My Department had separately indicated to the VEC that the filling of the vacancy through permanent recruitment should not apply pending the completion of an analysis of how the future education needs of the area would be planned for and met.