Written Answers Nos. 81-88
81. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will give detailed consideration to the motion passed by a local authority (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42916/13]
View answerI 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 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. I wish to advise the Deputy that there has been no reduction to the number of SNA posts being provided for schools for the coming school year. This provision remains at 10,575 posts, which means that the same number of SNA posts are being made available this year as has been made available in recent years. In relation to the allocation of resource teaching support for schools, I wish to clarify that in June of this year I authorised the NCSE to maintain the level of resource teaching allocations to be provided for students with special educational needs for the current school year to the 2012/13 levels. There will therefore not be a reduction in resource teaching time for these pupils over the amount of support provided last year. Details of the SNA and resource teaching allocations which have been made to schools by the NCSE to date for the 2013/2014 school year are available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie, which provides details of the SNA and resource teaching allocations for each school on a school by school and per county basis. In order to meet any late demand for resource teaching support which may have arisen between 15th March, 2013 and the start of the school year, the NCSE requested all schools to submit outstanding applications for resource teaching support to the NCSE by 20th September, 2013. A small number of applications have also been received after 20th September, which are still under consideration. The NCSE intend to notify schools of revised resource teaching allocations in the coming weeks.
82. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of articles published, broken down by institution and year, for each institute of technology and university for the years 2011 and 2012, where each article is published in a journal published by Public Library of Science publishers and the fees paid for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42931/13]
View answer83. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of articles published, broken down by institution and year, for each institute of technology and university for the year 2011 and 2012, where each article is published in a journal whose publisher appears on Beall's list of predatory open access (details supplied); the fees paid for this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42932/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 82 and 83 together.
The information sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. Officials of my Department have asked the Higher Education Authority to check if the information is obtainable and any available information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
84. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if and when a higher education grant will be awarded in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42959/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland that, in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, documentation was received on 3rd and 25th September, 2013. The documentation is currently awaiting review and the student will be notified directly of the outcome.
85. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the impact the proposed cutbacks in primary teaching resources will have on outreach sessions for children of circus and fairground families. [42961/13]
View answer86. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that are being taken to ensure that children of circus and fairground families will receive improved secondary education supports. [42962/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 85 and 86 together.
The Circus & Fairground Service is a pilot initiative which provides primary school–age children with up to six hours tuition per week. The Service is delivered by qualified primary teachers retained by Education Centres throughout the country. The numbers of teachers retained to deliver the service has recently been reduced to reflect a decreased demand for the service - there are currently less than 10 children in receipt of tuition. Education Centres may also use teachers on stand-by to deliver the service where necessary to ensure a continuity of service. The Department of Education and Skills does not hold information on post-primary school age children of circus and fairground families and consequently cannot say whether they are in receipt of learning support for identified educational needs.
87. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of public servants in his Department who are being paid in excess of the Taoiseach's salary and in excess of the Government's pay cap; the annual cost of these excess payments over the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43394/13]
View answerThere are no officials at my Department on salaries that exceed the amount of the Taoiseach's salary or the Government's pay cap.
88. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total salaries and benefits paid to judges in each court; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42889/13]
View answerThe total salaries and annual expense allowances paid to members of the judiciary in each of the Supreme, High, Circuit and District Courts in the year 2012, and an estimate of the amounts payable for 2013 are set out at Appendix 1. Members of the judiciary may receive an annual expense allowance to cover expenses which are not dealt with under the normal claim and recoupment arrangements. The estimate for 2013 reflects the application of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2013 to the salaries of members of the judiciary, as well as appointments made to the judiciary during the year.
Judicial salaries and the annual expense allowance are payments made from the Central Fund. Details of any benefits, allowances and expenses paid from the Courts Service are a matter for the Minister for Justice & Equality.
Appendix I
Total amounts of judicial salaries and annual expense allowances paid/payable in each of the Courts
|
Court |
Judicial Salaries - 2012 |
Judicial Annual Expense Allowances - 2012 |
|
Supreme Court |
€1,747,150.42 |
€70,898.36 |
|
High Court |
€7,298,186.02 |
€319,329.16 |
|
Circuit Court |
€5,702,906.14 |
€124,575.17 |
|
District Court |
€8,371,508.35 |
€95,571.44 |
|
Court |
Judicial Salaries - 2013 Estimate |
Judicial Annual Expense Allowances – 2013 Estimate |
|
Supreme Court |
€1,724,805.24 |
€72,460.08 |
|
High Court |
€6,872,651.16 |
€315,201.21 |
|
Circuit Court |
€6,026,500.54 |
€134,210.96 |
|
District Court |
€8,112,333.13 |
€100,353.49 |
