Written Answers Nos. 89 - 108
89. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the employment conditions of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33955/13]
View answerWhen the moratorium was introduced the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools and these continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium is therefore limited to the Director of Adult Education, Assistant Principal and Special Duties allowances payable to teachers on promotion. Vacancies at this level arise due to retirements in the specific grades and typically also from the knock on effect of filling Principal and Deputy Principal posts. The Department has interim alleviation measures in place for schools that are acutely affected by the impact of the moratorium at Assistant Principal level. It is a matter for each individual school authority to re-organise and prioritise the appropriate duties for post of responsibility holders in the context of implementing the moratorium.
90. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the school transport needs of persons (details supplied) in County Kilkenny will be examined with a view to granting them a place on the school transport scheme; and if he will expedite a response. [33959/13]
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. Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that the children in question will not be attending their nearest education centre and are therefore not eligible for school transport. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of a conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and the payment of the annual charge. In this regard, Bus Éireann has advised that the family have been offered concessionary fare paying transport.
91. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills when Student Universal Support Ireland will make a final determination on a grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Roscommon; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33977/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, that following an appeal to the SUSI Appeals Officer the original decision of the awarding authority was upheld and a decision letter issued on 10th May 2013. Where an appeal is turned down in writing by SUSI and the applicant remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his or her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form will be available on request from SUSI.
92. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a refurbishment project for a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; the timeframe for completion of works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33978/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is currently considering an application from the school, to which he refers, and a response will be conveyed to the school authorities as soon as this process has been completed.
93. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of permanent accommodation for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34020/13]
View answerThe project referred to by the Deputy is included in the school building programme and is currently in architectural planning. The school authorities will be kept informed of the progress on the project.
94. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available to school leavers with disabilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34034/13]
View answerAll FAS mainstream programmes are open to all unemployed individuals including those with a disability. In addition, through the Specialist Training Providers programme, FAS will provide a number of places for people with disabilities who require a greater level of support than may be available in mainstream provision. FÁS contracts with Specialist Training Providers (STPs) country-wide to deliver training programmes for people with disabilities. A range of specialist courses are available at two levels of training, Introductory Skills Training (IST) and Skill Specific Training (SST), at 49 locations across the country. The specialist training provision includes in-centre, employer based and blended learning approaches to accommodate learners' training needs. These training courses lead to awards at levels 3-5 on the National Framework of Qualifications. Specialist Training is provided to a wide range of clients with all types of disabilities.
The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) provides funding to both further and higher education institutions for the provision of services and supports for full-time students with disabilities. The Fund aims to ensure that students can participate fully in their academic programmes and are not disadvantaged by reason of a disability. There are three types of assistance typically provided under the Fund for Students with Disabilities: Assistive Technology Equipment and Software; Personal and Academic Support; Transport. The Fund for Students with Disabilities is managed by the HEA on behalf of my Department. Students can contact the disability or access officer in his/her institution for information on the Fund for Students with Disabilities. Further details of the services and supports which are funded can be found on www.studentfinance.ie.
95. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a Student Universal Support Ireland grant has still not been paid to a college in respect of a student (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34053/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that they are reviewing the case referred to by the Deputy and will be in direct contact with the student. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the Student Grant Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form will be available on request from SUSI.
Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners.
96. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is considering restructuring the current process of allocating resource teaching posts in favour of a ratio system (details supplied) that would allocate a resource teacher based on the number of mainstream teachers employed in a school. [34054/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) recently published comprehensive policy advice on Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, which is available on its website www.ncse.ie. The NCSE consulted widely with parents of children with special educational needs, representative bodies and the education partners in preparing this policy advice. Inter alia, the report recommends that under the new resource allocation model proposed by the NCSE in the report, children should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category.
I have, as suggested by the Report, requested the NCSE to establish a Working Group to develop a proposal, for consideration, for a `tailored' allocation model, which will underpin a new allocation system for teaching supports for children with Special Educational Needs based on the profiled educational needs of children in schools. Mr Eamonn Stack, who is the NCSE Chairperson, will chair this working group and the group, which will include parents, will begin its work immediately. The group will report to me in September on the progress of its work, to develop advice on how to reform the way the substantial additional educational resources for pupils with special educational needs are allocated in the school system.
97. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is considering putting in place measures that will ensure that resource teachers and special needs assistants are not assigned to more than one school; and the reason special needs assistants are paid on a 32 hour basis when the primary school week is approximately 26 hours long. [34055/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) recently published comprehensive policy advice on Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, which is available on its website www.ncse.ie. The NCSE consulted widely with parents of children with special educational needs, representative bodies and the education partners in preparing this policy advice. Inter alia, the report recommends that under the new resource allocation model proposed by the NCSE in the report, children should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category.
I have, as suggested by the Report, requested the NCSE to establish a Working Group to develop a proposal, for consideration, for a `tailored' allocation model, which will underpin a new allocation system for teaching supports for children with Special Educational Needs based on the profiled educational needs of children in schools. The Working Group will report to me in September on the progress of its work, to develop advice on how to reform the way the substantial additional educational resources for pupils with special educational needs are allocated in the school system.
I wish to explain also that there is no system for shared Special Needs Assistant (SNA) allocations between schools. The NCSE Policy Advice does not recommend a significant change to the manner of allocating SNAs to schools, but recommends clarification of the role of an SNA. The Deputy may also be aware that my Department has published a Value for Money (VFM) and Policy Analysis Review of the Special Needs Assistant scheme, which is available on my Departments website: www.education.gov.ie.
The Review has shown that the SNA Scheme has been successful in supporting schools in meeting the needs of students with disabilities who also have significant care needs. However, the review also found that the allocation process is generally not well understood within schools and by parents nor is the purpose of the Scheme fully understood. The review recommended that the SNA scheme should be restated to ensure an efficient allocation of SNA resources and to clarify the 'care' nature of the SNA role for parents, schools and professionals. My Department has established a working group which is presently implementing the recommendations of the SNA Value for Money report.
The working week for full-time SNAs is defined in their contract (Department of Education and Skills Circulars 12/05 and 15/05). SNAs are required to work normal classroom hours including class break periods and in addition to attend before and after school in order to help with the preparation and tidying up of classrooms, reception and dispersal of children etc. The exact hours of work will normally be specified by the Board of Management in the SNAs contract of employment and may vary from school to school depending on the requirements of the school. In addition the contract for Special Needs Assistants in the post primary sector specifies that SNAs are required to work the month of June.
Furthermore, all SNAs were required to be available for a number of days at the start and finish of each school term not exceeding 12 in total. Under the Croke Park Agreement it was agreed to introduce greater flexibility to the use of these 12 days. These 12 days will now equate to 72 hours (pro-rata for part-time SNAs) to be used by schools as an additional bank of hours to be utilised and delivered outside of normal school opening hours and/or the normal school year. SNAs who are employed in a part-time capacity are obviously paid a pro-rata amount dependent upon their level of hours of employment. Part-time SNAs are paid on the agreed divisor rate for pay purposes for part-time SNAs which is 32 hours.
98. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the statutory limitations on what he describes as the statutory autonomy of publicly funded universities. [34056/13]
View answer99. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the exclusion of the public from the libraries of publicly funded universities. [34057/13]
View answer100. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are reasonable grounds for contending that the functions of a university were being performed in a manner which prima facie constitutes a breach of the laws, statutes, or ordinances applicable to the university; if he has ever been of that opinion; the university or universities on which he has had that opinion. [34058/13]
View answer101. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he maintains that the publicly funded universities are at liberty to exclude as a rule the public from their libraries; his views on what is meant by promoting learning in society generally, one of the statutory objects of universities, according to section 12 of the Universities Act 1997, if not the admission and use of the public of the libraries of publicly funded universities. [34059/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 98 to 101, inclusive, together.
As indicated previously, universities are responsible for the operation and management of their facilities and independently decide arrangements whereby access to their libraries may be allowed. I understand that, in general, universities do facilitate access by the public for genuine scholarly and research purposes, where this is possible. Having regard to the many practical considerations involved in the management of a university campus, this is a reasonable policy. In the circumstances, I can add nothing further to the responses I have given to previous questions and representations by the Deputy on these issues.
102. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update in tabular form of all school sites purchased by his Department in 2012 and to date in 2013; the price paid for each site; the size of each site; the address of each site; the name of the vendor of each site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34087/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that information relating to site acquisitions in 2012 and 2013 is commercially sensitive. Therefore, I am not in a position to release the information sought by the Deputy, at this time, as it would risk prejudicing future and ongoing negotiations in relation to site acquisitions by my Department.
103. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the eligibility of PhD students for grant assistance beyond four years in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34100/13]
View answerA grant is payable for the normal duration of an approved course and is renewed annually subject to ongoing compliance with the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme. Grant aid for postgraduate study is limited to a maximum of four years in total. Account is taken of all previous attendance and attainment at postgraduate level when considering grant aid entitlement for postgraduate study, regardless of whether a person previously received a grant or not. To determine eligibility for the 2013/14 academic year the student should submit an online grant application to Student Universal Support Ireland via www.susi.ie.
Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners. In addition the Student Assistance Fund will continue to be made available through the access offices of third-level institutions to assist students in exceptional financial need. Given the level of demand on the student grant budget from first time students and students that are progressing with their studies to a higher level, there are no plans at present to change the arrangements in place for postgraduate students.
104. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of the temporary accommodation on the site of a school (details supplied) in County Louth for a proposed autism unit which the National Council for Special Education proposed; if the accommodation has been purchased or leased by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34102/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the annual rental cost of the temporary accommodation, to which he refers, amounts to €13,751. I also wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question has a requirement for additional mainstream classroom accommodation for the coming school year and this temporary accommodation will be used for this purpose. The Deputy will be aware that a major building project for the school is currently at an advanced stage of the architectural planning process with an expected completion date of September 2014 subject to no issues arising. The need for temporary accommodation will cease as soon as the permanent accommodation is in place.
105. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the development of a new school (details provided) in County Dublin ; if that school is part of the new build schedule; the date on which works will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34123/13]
View answerIt is my understanding that the school to which the Deputy is referring is currently located in Skerries. As the Deputy will be aware the school, referred to, is included on the Five Year Plan that I annunced in March 2012 and is expected to proceed to construction in 2015/16. I also wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is working closely with the local authority to identify a suitable site for the school concerned. However due to commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time.
106. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the role his Department has in improving road safety and parking issues at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; the plans in place in this regard for this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34127/13]
View answerIn relation to the school building project referred to by the Deputy, traffic management proposals and a mobility management plan were submitted as part of the planning approval process and these received all the necessary statutory approvals.
107. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent of further assistance by way of higher education grant available in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34135/13]
View answerTo satisfy the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course, having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another, where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course. The objective of this policy is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. Given the level of demand on the student grant budget from first time students and students that are progressing with their studies to a higher level, there are no plans at present to change the arrangements in place.
In the scenario presented by the Deputy, a student who already holds a Masters and now proposes to do a Higher Diploma is not considered to be progressing and cannot be considered for funding under the Student Grant Scheme. Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners.
108. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reasons behind the payment of a whips allowance to the Socialist Party and the People Before Profit Alliance in view of the fact that both of these parties only have one member in Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33989/13]
View answer111. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason behind the payment of a whips allowance to the Socialist Party and the People Before Profit Alliance in view of the fact that these parties only have one member in Dáil Éireann and for a group to be recognised for speaking rights in Dáil Éireann it requires seven members; the reason this payment is made to these Deputies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [33993/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 108 and 111 together.
The Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) and Ministerial, Parliamentary, Judicial and Court Offices (Amendment) Act, 1998, provides that an order may be made to provide for a payment to a member of the Oireachtas who holds the position of Party Whip in Dáil Éireann. In that Act, a Party Whip is defined as a member of Dáil Éireann nominated by the leader of a party in Dáil Éireann, having not less than two members in Dáil Éireann, to be the whip of that party. There is no link between the technical rules for speaking time and the provisions of this legislation.
When the last statutory instrument relating to whip’s allowances, (S.I. No 347 of 2001), was published, both the Socialist Party and People before Profit Alliance had the required two members in Dáil Éireann, and therefore provision had to be made for a whip’s allowance for those parties should it be sought. However, this allowance was never claimed by or paid to a member of either party, and as both parties have less than the required two members, this allowance is no longer permitted to be paid.
Officials from my Department are currently preparing a new statutory instrument to reflect the revised rates for various allowances payable to members following the implementation of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013. This S.I. will also remove the provision for the two whips’ allowances referred to by the Deputy, as the parties concerned no longer qualify for such an allowance.
