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Wednesday, 17 Oct 2012

Written Answers Nos. 123-133

Student Grant Scheme Appeals

Questions (123)

John O'Mahony

Question:

123. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of appeals received by Student Universal Support Ireland for student grants; the length of time it is taking to assess and make a decision on an appeal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45077/12]

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Written answers

Some 848 appeals have been received to date by Student Universal Support Ireland. The average time it is currently taking to process an appeal is 27 days. SUSI aim to issue determinations as promptly as possible and within the specified timeframes defined in the Student Support Act, 2011.

Teaching Qualifications

Questions (124)

Emmet Stagg

Question:

124. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in issuing a substantive response to representations (details supplied). [45101/12]

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Written answers

Further to the Deputy's question, the situation regarding the challenges involved in the teaching and learning of Mathematics and their consideration in my Department were outlined in this House and in subsequent correspondence. By way of update on the information provided at that time, I would like to inform the Deputy that the postgraduate course for 'out of field' teachers of mathematics is now in place. My colleague Minister Sherlock has recently launched the Professional Diploma in Mathematics for Teaching, a blended learning, two year part-time programme, available nationwide free of charge, at a cost of approximately €2 million in 2012, to improve the skills of maths teachers at post-primary level.

Provision of the course is led by the National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching & Learning (NCE-MSTL), based in the University of Limerick (UL), and will be accredited jointly by the UL and NUI Galway through their strategic alliance. 390 places were made available for the first intake and at least two further intakes are proposed.

Teaching Contracts

Questions (125)

Eamonn Maloney

Question:

125. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of his response to Parliamentary Question No. 420 of 18 September 2012, if he will provide similar information by age band of their ages when they first started teaching in respect of primary teachers who first started teaching in 2012 and to date in 2012. [45155/12]

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Written answers

The information sought by the Deputy is being compiled and will be forwarded to him.

Teaching Qualifications

Questions (126)

Finian McGrath

Question:

126. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No 193 of 7 February 2012, when a reply will issue. [45223/12]

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Written answers

Further to the Deputy's question, the situation regarding the challenges involved in the teaching and learning of Mathematics and their consideration in my Department were outlined in this House and in subsequent correspondence. By way of update, I would like to inform the Deputy that the postgraduate course for 'out of field' teachers of mathematics is now in place. My colleague Minister Sherlock has recently launched the Professional Diploma in Mathematics for Teaching, a blended learning, two year part-time programme, available nationwide free of charge, at a cost of approximately €2 million in 2012, to improve the skills of maths teachers at post-primary level. Provision of the course is led by the National Centre for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching & Learning (NCE-MSTL), based in the University of Limerick (UL), and will be accredited jointly by the UL and NUI Galway through their strategic alliance. 390 places were made available for the first intake and at least two further intakes are proposed.

Site Acquisitions

Questions (127)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

127. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 66 of 10 October 2012, if his Department in prioritising the acquisition of a site for one school is cognisant to the broader educational needs of the area and if therefore the criteria applying to the selection of the prioritised site will include consideration of the possible extension of the site in the future; his views on whether an approach previously adopted by his Department in Athy, County Kildare, and Naas, County Kildare, represents best practice in educational planning; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45255/12]

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Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware, the Programme for Government notes that shared educational campuses will be the preferred model for development of educational infrastructure in areas of demographic growth. He cites some of the many examples of where such campuses have been successfully developed. However, as the Deputy will understand, the development of such campuses has to take account of identified local needs, existing education infrastructural provision, the availability of suitable sites and other competing demands on my Department's capital budget. The position as outlined in PQ No. 66 of 10 October 2012 reflects my Department's assessment in relation to the need to provide additional capacity at post primary level in the area referred to by the Deputy.

School Transport Provision

Questions (128, 129, 130)

Gerry Adams

Question:

128. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are any requirements on his Department to ensure that arrangements put in place to transport children with special needs to school are suitable to the needs of that child. [45277/12]

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Gerry Adams

Question:

129. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that the transport arrangements are suitable in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45278/12]

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Gerry Adams

Question:

130. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has received an application for an individual transport grant from a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45279/12]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 128 to 130, inclusive, together.

Under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme, a pupil with special needs will be eligible for transport if s/he is attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/ special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet the child's special educational needs under Department of Education and Skills criteria. The purpose of the School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Needs is to provide a reasonable level of transport service for children with a diagnosed disability and/or special educational need.

School transport services are operated by Bus Éireann on behalf of my Department. Following receipt of an application for school transport, Bus Éireann advised that the child in question could be accommodated on an existing service at the times outlined by the Deputy in the details supplied. However, as the parent raised concerns regarding the suitability of this service, Bus Éireann has been requested to examine alternative arrangements and to submit a report. A Special Transport Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements may be provided at the discretion of the Department in certain situations including where Bus Éireann is not in a position to provide a transport service. The family will be advised of the position regarding the availability of school transport as soon as the report from Bus Éireann is received and considered.

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Questions (131)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

131. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details in tabular form for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012 the total amount of expenditure on consultancy by his Department, any body under his aegis or State agency for which he has responsibility; the names of the consultancy companies awarded contracts; the nature of the work concerned; the fees paid to each consultant; if the matter was advertised for competitive tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45295/12]

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Written answers

The information sought in relation to expenditure on consultancy by my Department is outlined in the following table.With regard to agencies under the aegis of my Department the information sought is a matter for each agency and is not collated centrally. If the Deputy has an interest in a particular agency then officials in my Department will request the agency concerned to provide the relevant information insofar as it is possible.

YEAR 2012 from 1/01/2012 to 31/08/2012

Consultant

Purpose

Total Cost

Mokum Change Management

Oracle Training & Support & Oracle Functional Consultancy Fees May & June 2012 includes supply of service (4th schedule) vat at 23% (part of the Department's Performance Budgeting and Vote Restructuring Project

€7,522.99

Version 1

Functional and Training consultancy as part of the Department's Performance Budgeting and Vote Restructuring Project

€2,070.00

Pat McLoughlin (former CEO Eastern Health Board)

Expenses related to work on the Independent Panel set up re the establishment of a Single Grant Awarding Authority in 2011.

€83.66

Sir Jim Rose

Expenses in relation to his work as International Expert for Literacy & Numeracy Implementation Group meetings. 

€2,462.84

Analyses Mason

Technical commercial and financial advice in the procurement of broadband services for schools

€52,040.42

Mazars

Audit of Labour Market Activation Projects co-funded by the European Social Fund (ESF) Human Capital Investment Operational Programme (HCI OP) 2007-2013

€9,839.14

Deloitte

2011 Annual Declaration of Assurancefor the leargas Lifelong Learning Programme and the HEA Lifelong Learning Erasmus Programme.

€16,568.10

WRC Social & Economic Consultants

Provision of Administrative & Technical support to the European Globalisation Fund Managing Authority

€210,059.40

2012 Total:

€300,646.55

Legal Matters

Questions (132)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

132. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details in tabular form for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012 inclusive, of the arrangements entered into by him, any body under his aegis or State agency for which he has responsibility for the obtaining of advice from a senior or junior counsel and or a firm of solicitors; the subject matter for which advice was sought; the names of the barristers' and solicitors' firms concerned and the fees paid; the nature of the work concerned; if in each case the matter was advertised for competitive tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45312/12]

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Written answers

Information relevant to the Deputy's question is currently being compiled. A further reply will issue to the Deputy as soon as possible.

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Questions (133)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

133. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list of all companies or persons providing an external professional service to his Department such as ICT, legal advice, advertising, project management and including any other external professional service not listed; the amount invoiced by each company to him over the past 12 months, in tabular form. [45329/12]

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Written answers

The information requested by the Deputy is not centrally collated and is not readily available in the format required. However, my officials will examine means of compiling information in respect of professional services provided to the Department during the past twelve months and it will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as available.

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