Written Answers Nos. 103-121
104. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline in tabular form the number of semi-State organisations currently in operation under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29814/13]
View answer105. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Finance if he will outline the number of new semi-State organisations under his aegis which have been established since March 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29827/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together.
The following table contains details of the semi-State organisations currently under in operation under the remit of my Department.
Name of Body
The National Treasury Management Agency
The Irish Fiscal Advisory Council ( Established in June 2011 and was placed on a statutory basis at the end of 2012)
Financial Services Ombudsman Council
In addition in September 2011 the Government announced the establishment of the New Economy and Recovery Authority (NewERA) within the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). Work on the necessary draft legislation to put NewERA on a statutory footing is on-going.
106. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding plans to roll out broadband services for all schools here; the cost of such services to each school; if this cost will be borne by the State or will each school’s board of management have to meet the cost of broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28639/13]
View answerUnder the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary schools and for those post primary schools not yet connected to the Schools Highspeed 100Mbit/s Broadband Network. The connectivity cost for these schools in 2013 is expected to be approx €2.7m.
There are currently 278 post primary schools connected under the Schools Highspeed 100Mbit/s Broadband Network. All post primary schools will be connected by the end of 2014. The cost for connectivity of the 278 schools in 2013 is expected to be approx €3.5m.
There is no cost to schools to avail of these services.
107. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if central Government will have full discretion over the youth guarantee budget for Ireland when it has been allocated in accordance with the multi-annual financial framework; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28877/13]
View answerThere is no specific EU budget for a Youth Guarantee. The European Commission has launched a proposal for a Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) that is to be delivered under the 2014-2020 Multi Annual Financial Framework of the EU. The Regulations that will govern the implementation of the YEI are still being negotiated between the EU Institutions and the exact detail of how the YEI will be implemented is not yet finally decided. The Commission proposal envisages, however, that the YEI will be implemented in conjunction with the implementation of the European Social Fund for the period 2014-2020. The process to establish the ESF priorities for Ireland will continue over the coming months between the European Commission and relevant Government Departments.
108. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list in tabular form the schools that are to have their prefabs replaced with permanent classrooms as part of the €15 million prefab replacement scheme in 2013/14. [28625/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is available on my Department's website in the format requested.
109. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for a Student Universal Support Ireland grant will be reviewed in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare in view of the circumstances; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28627/13]
View answerStudents in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) pursuing higher education can apply to have their eligibility assessed under the student grant scheme to the Student Universal Support Ireland before the closing date in the relevant academic year in respect of the cost of the student contribution and where applicable tuition fees.
Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the applicant referred to by the Deputy requested her application to be cancelled and a cancellation letter was issued to her on the 4th January 2013.
SUSI will investigate the matter further and will contact the applicant within the coming week with the outcome of the investigation.
110. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Clare will be facilitated with a third level grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28633/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that the applicant referred to by the Deputy was issued with a decision on the 6/6/2013 advising him that he was deemed ineligible to receive a grant.
The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form it would not be possible for me to say why the brother qualified for a student grant.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the appeals officer in SUSI.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grant Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form will be available on request from SUSI.
111. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a determination will be made in respect of a person's appeal to be provided with a grant on foot of the provision of additional information as requested; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28658/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the applicant referred to by the Deputy was issued with a decision on the 2/5/2013 advising him that he was deemed ineligible to receive a grant. SUSI also confirmed that they have no appeal on file in relation to this applicant.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the appeals officer in SUSI.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grant Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form will be available on request from SUSI.
112. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the research prioritisation exercise, the approach that will be taken by him to areas of higher education research that are not prioritised and in particular the supports made available to research in the humanities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28663/13]
View answerThe research prioritisation report provides that a proportion of investment should continue to be available to support research driven by knowledge creation. This type of research continues to be funded as part of a sustainable well functioning STI system, which helps to develop the human capital that is required for a sustainable system including postgraduate and post-doctoral training of researchers and the recruitment and retention of world class senior researchers.
The Irish Research Council (IRC), which is funded by my Department, operates a suite of interlinked research schemes, in particular at postgraduate and early stage postdoctoral researcher levels. Its remit covers the full range of disciplines spanning the humanities, social sciences, business, law, sciences, engineering and technology. This year my Department is providing €31.4 million to the IRC to support research activities across a range of programmes.
113. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the strategies he has in place to deal with the anticipated significant increase in numbers seeking higher education places over the next decade as a result of demographics; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28669/13]
View answerThe system is facing many challenges ahead, and a growing demand for highly skilled and innovative adaptable Irish graduates with a world-class reputation. If the system is to meet increasing demands for knowledge, innovation and human capital, higher education institutions need to have a strong strategic focus and mission direction underpinned by a new relationship of accountability with the state. I recently announced major restructuring of the higher education system to introduce greater coherency, collaboration and consolidation of provision at regional and national level.
Also being implemented are new system governance arrangements that will ensure that all higher education institutions will be held accountable for their performance against our national priorities and stated system objectives. These changes should improve quality outcomes better access, transfer and progression opportunities for growing numbers of students in a more streamlined and efficient system. In addition, as the Deputy is aware, the Higher Education Authority (HEA) is undertaking a study on the sustainability of the current funding system for higher education. This study was initiated at my request and an initial report has been published. This report makes it clear that immediate work is required to prepare for a longer term approach to a system that can be maintained through a sustainable funding base which will be able to address the continual expansion of the sector while protecting quality of education. The HEA is continuing its work in this area and I will be advised further as this work progresses. The report will help inform the decision-making as to the future funding of the sector.
114. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of demographic changes over the past decade, his plans to review the way schools are classified as DEIS schools; the number of schools classified as DEIS schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28670/13]
View answerA key priority for my Department is to prioritise and target resources in schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. That challenge is significant, given the current economic climate and the target to reduce public expenditure. This limits the capacity for any additionality in the DEIS programme. In this context, I have no immediate plans to undertake the type of review to which the Deputy refers.
At present, there are 860 schools participating in the DEIS programme. These schools are categorised as follows:
Primary Urban Band 1 schools - 197
Primary Urban Band 2 schools - 144
Rural Primary schools - 324
Post Primary schools - 195
115. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will update Dáil Éireann on his Department's consideration of requests that children with Down's syndrome be allocated maximum resource hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28726/13]
View answer135. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to the absence of resource teaching hours for children with Down's syndrome, if he intends to reintroduce this service for those children who are suffering a serious disadvantage as a result of this condition in the first instance for those who need one to one teaching in order to help them overcome such difficulties with speech and language impediments, and specifically address the fact that children with Down's syndrome with a mild learning disability have no access to resource teaching hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28952/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 115 and 135 together.
The Deputy will be aware of this Government's ongoing commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including children 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 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 may be allocated resources under the category of mild general learning disability, or under the categories of moderate general learning difficulty or Assessed Syndrome, in conjunction with another Low Incidence disability. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a formal role under the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004 in advising me in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities. My Department requested that the NCSE consider the issue of whether Down syndrome should be reclassified as a low incidence disability in all instances, regardless of assessed cognitive ability, in the context of its preparation of comprehensive advice on how the educational system supports children with special educational needs in schools.
The NCSE report on Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs in Schools has now been published and is available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie. The report recommends that under the new resource allocation model proposed by the NCSE in its report, children should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category. The NCSE has recommended that in the short-term, pupils with Down syndrome pupils who are in the Mild General Learning Difficulty (Mild GLD) category should continue to be supported by schools' Learning Support allocation in the same way as other pupils with a Mild GLD.
It has not been recommended that an exception should be made for children with Down syndrome who are in the mild general learning difficulty range, over other children who are in the mild range and who also may have other co-morbid conditions. However, the NCSE report states that it is confident that the introduction of a new allocation model will overcome the difficulty posed by all children with mild general learning disabilities, including children with Down syndrome, who have additional difficulties and who can be supported according to their level of need and in line with their learning plan process. In the meantime, schools are reminded that they can differentiate the level of learning support granted to ensure that available resources are used to support children in line with their needs.
I have requested the NCSE to immediately proceed to establish a Working Group in order to develop a proposal for consideration for a new Tailored Allocation Model, which is set out as one of the principal recommendations of the report.
116. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will update Dáil Éireann on his Department's continuing review of special education circular 02/05; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28727/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that last year I requested the NCSE to review and make recommendations on the supports that we provide to children with special educational needs and how they are allocated, to ensure we are delivering the best possible educational experience and outcomes for our children. The NCSE have now published their policy advice on Support Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, which is available on the website www.ncse.ie.
The NCSE Report is clear that there are many aspects of the current system which parents and schools are very happy with. However, the NCSE also considers that there are concerns in relation to some aspects of our current system, under the headings of Enrolment, Assessments, and the Supports for children with Special Educational Needs and their allocation. The Report makes 28 detailed recommendations which the NCSE feels would help to address these issues. The recommendations in the Report are both interesting and significant. They deserve in-depth and detailed examination and exploration. Accordingly, I have asked my Department to carefully review the recommendations and report back to me on them. The report recommends that under the new resource allocation model proposed by the NCSE in its report, children should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category.
I have requested the NCSE to immediately proceed to establish a Working Group in order to develop a proposal for consideration for a new Tailored Allocation Model, which is set out as one of the principal recommendations of the report. This proposal will then be considered by my Department. I am very conscious that in making any changes to our supports for children with Special Educational Needs, we also need to protect the gains we have made. I would therefore like to give an assurance that consultation will be a key aspect in the implementation of any of these recommendations.
117. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on school transport arrangements (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28730/13]
View answerThe child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport to the school in question; the family was advised of the position on 6th June 2013.
118. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding that has been provided by his Department to a school (details supplied) since the school was opened; if he will provide a breakdown of this funding per year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28732/13]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that all the records of funding that would have been generated from the time the school in question first opened are not readily available due to the historical nature of record keeping and data storage. I am happy to provide the most recent records of funding covering the ten years 2004 to end May 2013. The level of funding provided by my Department to the school in question is as follows:
2004 - €77,103.60
2005 - €422,739
2006 - €118,135.09
2007 - €98,570.30
2008 - €83,138.93
2009 - €110,172.13
2010 - €119,800.35
2011 - €201,968.38
2012 - €85,143.26
2013 - €400,320.90
119. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Wexford taking up a soon to be vacated premises; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28739/13]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the school to which he refers has applied to my Department for major capital funding for a new school building. I can confirm also that I met with a delegation from the school last week relating to their request to relocate to the premises in question.
My Department advised the delegation that the premises, when vacated, is required to meet emerging demographic needs at primary level in the area and that the proposal from the school must be considered in this context. The Deputy will appreciate that my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. The school authority undertook to consider the Department's position whereby the premises could potentially address the school's accommodation needs while at the same time meet the demographic needs of the area. The school will convey its view to my Department following consideration of the proposal.
120. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be provided to cover a requirement for substitute teachers to cover for teachers who will be travelling abroad with students who have won a national award and will be competing in the United States for Ireland (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28740/13]
View answerUnder the terms of Circular 49/2010 each post primary school is provided with an annual allocation of substitute hours. These hours are used to provide cover for teacher absences arising from uncertified sick leave and official school business. If the teachers are considered to be on official school business by the managerial authority of the school then these hours provided under Circular 49/2010 may be utilised to provide substitution cover.
There is no other provision in place to provide substitution cover for such absences.
121. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way decisions are being made to establish the nearest school for a student under the terms of the post-primary school transport scheme when schools are the same distance apart or where there is less than 1 km in distance of a difference; if it is true that Google Maps is the programme used to establish the distance; the timeframe spent assessing each application using this programme; the amount of discretion allowed in this regard if a student does not attend their chosen school when the distance is the same particularly when one school is more suitable for the needs of the student; if he will examine if this is the best use of resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28780/13]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Distance eligibility is determined by Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the relevant education centre and a variety of methods may be used to calculate this measurement including a specially designed GIS mapping system. Mobile Inspectors carry out physical measurements and for the majority of families it is apparent that they are well in excess of the required distance of 4.8 kms from the school attended. In cases where distance eligibility is marginal or in dispute, vehicles fitted with calibrated measuring devices which measure the distance down to the nearest metre may be used to establish the exact distance and/or the nearest appropriate education centre to the child's home.
For measurement purposes the shortest traversable route between the child's home and the relevant education centre may be either a pedestrian or vehicular route, and it is not necessarily the route that the school bus takes. The family in question should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office if they wish to query the measurement used to determine eligibility for school transport. While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, eligibility for school transport at post primary level is to the nearest centre/school.
