Written Answers Nos. 115-123
115. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide information on staffing resources (details supplied) each December from 2002-2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9003/13]
View answerThe information requested is not readily available. It will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
116. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he intends to review the decision that no maintenance grant is paid to new postgraduate students. [9004/13]
View answerI regret that given the level of demand on the funding available to me for student grants I have no plans to extend the scope of the student grant scheme to allow new postgraduate students to avail of maintenance support.
117. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on their application for a student grant. [9005/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland, that on 12th February 2013, a request for further documentation was issued to the student referred to by the Deputy. When the requested documentation is returned the student will be notified directly of the outcome.
118. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on their application for a student grant. [9006/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that requested supporting documentation was received from the student in question on 7th February 2013. When this documentation has been reviewed, the student will be notified directly of the outcome.
119. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on their application for a student grant. [9007/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland, that on 24th January 2013, a request for further documentation was issued to the student referred to by the Deputy. When the requested documentation is returned the student will be notified directly of the outcome.
120. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Offaly may expect a decision on their application for a student grant. [9008/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a grant and an award letter issued on 16th January, 2013.
121. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a child with Down's syndrome can automatically qualify for resource hours and a special needs assistant to help them progress through mainstream school; his views on the importance of ensuring that children with Down's syndrome are provided with the necessary resources and assistance in order that they can participate and develop in an inclusive educational system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9012/13]
View answer127. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason children with Down's syndrome do not automatically qualify for resource hours in our national schools. [9170/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 127 together.
The Deputy will be aware of this Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with Down syndrome, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. The policy of my Department is to secure the maximum possible level of inclusion of students with special educational needs in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, or where a special school or special class placement may be required to ensure such placements are provided for.
Pupils with Down's syndrome attending mainstream schools may receive additional teaching support in primary schools, either under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, if the pupil's educational psychological assessment places the pupil in the mild general learning disability/high incidence disability category, or through an allocation of individual additional resource teaching hours which are allocated by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), if the child is assessed as being within the low incidence category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05.
Pupils with Down syndrome who have care needs may also receive access to Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates a quantum of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the care needs of all of the qualifying children enrolled in the school, and on the basis of the assessed care needs of the children, rather than solely by reference to a pupil's disability categorisation.
I have asked the National Council for Special Education to provide me with policy advice on the issue of whether Down syndrome should be reclassified as a low incidence disability in all instances, regardless of assessed cognitive ability. This advice will be included in the NCSE’s comprehensive policy advice on how the education system can best support children with special educational needs which is currently in preparation and which is expected in the coming months.
All schools have been advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching or SNA support for the 2013/14 school year by 15th March 2013 and schools will then be notified by Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) of their resource teaching allocation for 2013/14, based on the number of valid applications received.
All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
122. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school building works which are outstanding at a primary school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9015/13]
View answerThe project is at an advanced stage of the tender process. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that work will commence on site later this year and will be completed in quarter 2.
123. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if, following the change in pupil-teacher ratio at further education colleges, he has conducted a review into the number of courses that have been affected by the change; the number of courses that have had to be discontinued due to the absence of one or more instructors for various modules of the courses; if there is an estimate of the number of students that have been affected; if he will share this information; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9017/13]
View answerThe change in the pupil teacher ratio (PTR) for the Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programme will not take effect until September 2013. The number of PLC teaching posts will be reduced by 200 and this may lead to some reduction in subject choices for learners.
In the meantime PLC providers will have an opportunity to plan for the reduced allocation to ensure they can continue to deliver programmes which closely meet the needs of both learners and employers. In doing so it is expected that they will have regard to the full range of factors relevant to PLC provision while minimising impact on learners. This would include consideration of factors such as the relevance of courses to the labour market, numbers undertaking courses, completion rates, certification rates and progression rates as well as the capacity for amalgamation of courses or modular delivery, etc. Until this process has been finalised it is not possible to advise the Deputy of the impact of this change.
