Tuesday, 16 Jul 2013

Written Answers Nos. 311-330

Schools Building Projects Expenditure

Questions (311, 313)

Dessie Ellis

Question:

311. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total capital cost of school buildings in 2013 and 2014. [34847/13]

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

313. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total capital cost of school buildings in 2013 and 2014. [35282/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 311 and 313 together.

The total capital allocation available to my Department for the school sector (primary and post-primary) in 2013 is €369 million. In 2014 the expected capital allocation for the school sector is €461 million. The capital allocation for both 2013 and 2014 includes costs associated with the PPP Programme. The 2014 is subject to the budgetary process later in the year.

Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme Numbers

Questions (312)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

312. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of persons in receipt of the vocational training opportunities scheme in 2010, 2011, 2012 and to date in 2013; the current number in receipt broken down by county; the total costs of the payment in 2010, 2011, 2012 and estimated total costs in 2013; his plans for the future of the payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34897/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

The Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) provides second chance education and training courses of up to two years duration for people who are 21 years of age or over, and who are at least six months unemployed. People participating in VTOS who are in receipt of Job Seekers Benefit or Job Seekers Allowance receive a payment in lieu of this from the Education and Training Board (ETB) for the duration of their course. These payments are funded by my Department.

People participating in VTOS who are in receipt of a Disability Allowance or One Parent Family Payment continue to receive their payment from the Department of Social Protection.

In 2010, there were 5,702 learners enrolled on the VTOS programme, 4,251 of whom were in receipt of a VTOS training allowance from VECs. In 2011, there were 5,650 learners enrolled on the VTOS programme, 4,211 of whom were in receipt of a VTOS training allowance from VECs. In 2012, there were 5,637 learners enrolled on the VTOS programme, 4,335 of whom were in receipt of a VTOS training allowance from VECs.

A total of €79 million funding was provided by my Department in both 2010 and 2011 and almost €80 million in 2012 for the VTOS programme. This included pay and non-pay costs and included the cost of allowances paid to learners. A similar budget has been provided for 2013.

Data on learners are compiled from an annual survey of VTOS learners conducted at the end of December each year. I provided the Deputy with a breakdown of 2012 VTOS participants by county on 8 April 2013. The data for 2013 will be compiled from the annual survey due to be undertaken at the end of December 2013 and a breakdown of this data will be available in early 2014.

Question No. 313 answered with Question No. 311.

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Questions (314)

Finian McGrath

Question:

314. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason his officials requested the National Council for Special Education to make the announcement of the resource teacher and special needs assistant allocations to schools at the same time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34180/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The NCSE, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department.

All schools were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013/14 school year by 15 March 2013. Following that deadline, the NCSE processed all these applications as expeditiously as possible in order to allow schools and principals sufficient time to plan for the coming school year. The NCSE initially published details of the allocations for SNAs and resource teaching hours for the 2013/14 school year on Wednesday, 19 June 2013. While the extent of demand for resource teaching posts may have been known to my Department in advance of the announcement, the extent of SNA demand only became known just prior to the announcement. As in previous years, it was decided to simultaneously announce resource teaching allocations and SNA support allocations simultaneously. This could only be done once the full demand for all special education supports was known. In particular, this approach gives schools clarity on their supports for the coming year.

As the Deputy will be aware, there will not now be any reduction to resource teaching time for children on the level which applied last year. Full details of resource teaching and SNA allocations for all schools can be found on www.ncse.ie.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (315)

Michael Moynihan

Question:

315. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the proposed extension of a school (details supplied) in County Cork. [34192/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

In March 2012, the school referred to by the Deputy was allocated devolved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme for the provision of two Resource Rooms. In October 2012, the school was allocated additional funding for the provision of access ramps to the front entrance and play areas at the school.

In June 2013, the school again applied for additional funding on the basis that the post-tender costs exceeded the amount of grant allocated. Following a visit to the school by officials from the Building Unit of my Department and an examination of the tender documentation it emerged that the school had increased the scope of works from what was approved. The school authorities were advised that the application for additional funding was unsuccessful as the Department was satisfied that the grant provided was sufficient to provide the level of approved accommodation. The school authorities have been advised to reduce the scope of works to that approved by the Department.

The Deputy will appreciate that there are many competing demands on my Department's capital resources and in this context it must prioritise applications for the provision of much needed additional mainstream classroom accommodation.

School Accommodation

Questions (316, 317)

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

316. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the number of schools in County Cork that have benefited from additional accommodation approval in the past 12 months; the amount of money given by his Department to these schools to provide same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34196/13]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

317. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the number of schools in County Cork that have benefited from emergency works approval in the past 12 months; the amount of money given by his Department to these schools to provide same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34197/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 316 and 317 together.

The information requested by the Deputy is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie by clicking on "Schools and Colleges", then "Building Works" and selecting the relevant headings. The Deputy will appreciate that information on the levels of funding approved are commercially sensitive and cannot be released until the projects have been fully completed.

Schools Building Projects Application Numbers

Questions (318, 319)

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

318. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made on developing new schools in Cork city, Douglas and Carrigaline areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34198/13]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

319. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has information on the expected increased demand for primary and secondary school places in Cork city, Douglas and Carrigaline areas, over the next five to ten years; the measures being taken to meet this demand; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34199/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 318 and 319 together.

Three new schools are already planned to assist in meeting the need for extra pupil places in the areas to which the Deputy refers. In this regard, a new primary school will open in September 2013 in the Douglas-Rochestown area of Cork city under the patronage of Educate Together. In addition, two new Post-Primary schools are to open in the Carrigaline area. The first of these is a Gaelcholáiste that will commence operation in September 2014 under the patronage of the Cork Education and Training Board. The second is an English medium post primary school which is due to open in 2016. The application process for patronage of this second school is currently under way and the closing date for receipt of applications was 12 July 2013.

School Funding

Questions (320)

Finian McGrath

Question:

320. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position on extra funding in 2013 in respect of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 13 to deal with increased running costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34288/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The finances of recognised primary schools are a matter for the Boards of Management of these schools. Boards should budget in such a way as to enable them to meet their commitments and their expenditure should not exceed their income. The running costs of recognised primary schools are not budgeted for individually by the Department. It would not be feasible to grant aid over 3,300 schools in this way. The running costs of these schools are met by my Department's schemes of capitation and ancillary services grants. I have no plans to amend the present capitation funding arrangements.

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Questions (321, 322)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

321. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the annual cost of providing free school books for all children in the State. [34304/13]

Pearse Doherty

Question:

322. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current cost of the book rental scheme and the way it operates. [34305/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 321 and 322 together.

The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available to my Department; however, one estimate from publishers' sources suggests that the Irish school book market is worth approximately €60 million per annum.

At present, my Department provided approximately €15m in total to first and second level schools by way of book grants in 2012 and the same level of funding was provided in 2013.

As the Deputy may be aware I launched new "Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes in Schools" on 28 January last. These Guidelines provide practical advice to primary and post-primary schools on how rental schemes can be established and operated. The aim of the Guidelines is to help as many schools as possible to start such book rental programmes.

The publication of these Guidelines follows a survey of schools by the Department, and which I published in May 2012. This had a 99% response rate at primary level, and showed that 76% of primary schools operate a book rental scheme. At second level, the response rate was lower, at 44%. Of those which did respond, 88% of those in the VEC sector and 73% of those in the Community and Comprehensive sector operated a book rental scheme.

I believe these results show that we have a good foundation to build on across the country. I hope that schools that are not yet operating book rental schemes will be encouraged to use the Guidelines to introduce them. If they do, it will result in substantial savings for parents. Schools which already have rental schemes can save parents up to 80% of the cost of buying new books.

A special "Guide for Parents" was also published, to inform them of how the schemes operate and how parents can help schools to establish and run them. I have been very clear in my support for book rental schemes. All of us who are parents know how expensive textbooks can be and what a burden it places on already hard pressed families at the start of every school year.

I am pleased to see the high level of book rental schemes in operation at primary level and I believe that these Guidelines will encourage this practice across all schools in our education landscape.

I also published a Report on Textbook Rental Schemes in Schools and the Allocation of Textbook Grants by the Department of Education and Skills in May 2012. This report presented four policy options to encourage schools to establish textbook rental schemes. None of the options is ideal, each one involves a trade-off of advantages and disadvantages.

I will continue to monitor the number of schools operating book rental schemes, and if it proves necessary consider further steps to encourage schools to do so.

Speech and Language Therapy

Questions (323)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

323. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the significant delays in speech and language therapeutic input for children of schoolgoing age and that the Health Service Executive has stated these delays of one year and over will grow due to increasing demands and constraints on the service that waiting times of more than one year will remain for each subsequent block of therapy session required; and the provision he has made for these children when they inevitably require special needs assistance in class. [34346/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides an extensive range of supports for pupils with Specific Speech and Language Disorder (SSLD), including provision for the establishment of special classes for Specific Speech and Language Disorder in primary schools. Speech and Language Therapy services are provided to these classes by the Health Service Executive (HSE).

Pupils who are not enrolled in a special class for SSLD and who meet the criteria for Specific Speech and Language Disorder, as outlined in my Department's Circular 0038/2007, may qualify for additional teaching support where he/she is enrolled in mainstream school.

There are approximately 4,932 pupils at Primary level and 912 pupils at Post Primary level for whom resource teaching hours were allocated to schools to support pupils enrolled with SSLD for the current academic year. Pupils with mild speech and language difficulties may qualify for supplementary teaching support from within the school's general allocation of learning support/teaching support.

Pupils with SSLD who also have significant care needs may also qualify for access to Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. It is important to note that SNAs and teachers have separate yet complementary roles. The class teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in his/her class, including any pupil with a special educational need. In this task, the teacher may be supported by a learning support teacher and-or resource teacher. SNAs are allocated to schools to enable them to support pupils with disabilities who also have significant care needs.

Finally, I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of health supports, including Speech and Language Therapy services, is the responsibility of the Health Service Executive. I advise the Deputy to refer her question in this regard to my colleague, the Minister for Health, for his attention and reply.

Departmental Agencies Issues

Questions (324)

Andrew Doyle

Question:

324. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide, in tabular form, all appointments made to the National Council for Special Education consultative forum since March 2011; the tenure of each appointment; the rationale for the appointment of each person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34366/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that under Section 22 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act, 2004, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is required to appoint a Consultative Forum to consult on matters relating to the performance of its functions.

The Act requires that the NCSE consults with the Minister, parents associations, voluntary bodies, recognised trade unions, staff associations, the National Disability Authority (NDA), the Psychological Society of Ireland and other persons having a special interest in or knowledge relating to the education of children with disabilities. The NCSE is required to have regard to the desirability of having members of the Forum who themselves having special educational needs, their parents and representatives. I have requested the NCSE to provide the Deputy with details of the appointments made to the Forum since March 2011.

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Questions (325)

Áine Collins

Question:

325. Deputy Áine Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if resource hours will be reduced in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [34367/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of resource teaching support to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. All schools were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013-14 school year by 15 March 2013 and the NCSE has published details of Resource Teaching allocations for all schools on its website www.ncse.ie, based on the number of valid applications received. The NCSE has been authorised to restore the level of resource teaching allocations which can be provided for students with special educational needs to 2012-13 levels. It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of additional teaching support to best support the needs of identified pupils, in accordance with my Department's guidance. 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.

Education Schemes

Questions (326)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

326. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position on a review of July provision hours in respect of children (details supplied) in County Donegal; the reason these children are not being treated individually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34368/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that the July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe-profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based provision may be grant-aided.

The allocation of home based provision to siblings for July Provision is reflective of the school grouping principle. This is where one teacher is allocated to a class of six pupils at the appropriate educational level, primary or post primary. Accordingly it is considered appropriate, as in a school situation, that a tutor can provide tuition at the appropriate educational level to more than one sibling at that level simultaneously in the home.

However, in recognition of the differing needs of some siblings, separate allocations were considered on a case by case basis. Applications in this regard required supporting documentation including professional reports from a psychologist or a letter from the principal of the school detailing the existing arrangements currently in place for the respective children and providing reasons why they cannot be tutored together in the home.

An appeal regarding the joint allocation to the siblings to whom the Deputy refers was unsuccessful and the original decision was upheld.

Departmental Staff Recruitment

Questions (327)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

327. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person who is currently employed at executive officer level in an Irish university can transfer to a similar level in his Department. [34384/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Over the last number of years, my Department has been obliged under the Employment Control Framework (ECF) to significantly reduce its staffing numbers. In 2013 the Department will further reduce it's level of staffing in order to meet it's ECF target by the end of the year and it is anticipated that such reductions will continue to be required over the coming years.

My Department does not therefore have any fillable vacancies, nor do we anticipate having any in the medium term. If my Department did have a fillable vacancy with sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform to fill the post, we could seek to transfer an individual at the appropriate equivalent level, from the wider education sector's redeployment panel. I understand that there are currently no individuals at this or equivalent level working in the wider education sector who have been declared as surplus on the redeployment panel.

If the Deputy wishes to forward details of a particular case, I will ask my officials to look into the matter.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (328)

Jack Wall

Question:

328. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of school building projects, including emergency works, building extensions, prefab replacement and new-build projects, that have been announced since 1 January 2013, at primary, post-primary and third level, broken down by county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34387/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The information for primary and post primary schools requested by the Deputy is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie by clicking on "Schools and Colleges", then "Building Works" and selecting the relevant headings. There have been no announcements in relation to third level building projects since 1 January 2013.

Consultancy Contracts Issues

Questions (329)

Niall Collins

Question:

329. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide, in tabular form, the name, costs, date of commission, date or expected date of publication and name of the external consultant of all external reports commissioned by his Department since March 2011. [34401/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The information requested is being collated at present and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as it is available.

School Transport Provision

Questions (330)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

330. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if provision will be made in the forthcoming academic year to facilitate bus transport for post-primary students in Celbridge, County Kildare who are currently attending Leixlip Confey College, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34412/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Under the terms of the 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 the 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 are not attending their nearest education centre and are therefore not eligible for school transport.

Consideration cannot be given to the establishment of services for children who are not eligible for school transport.