Written Answers Nos. 86 - 95
86. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Skills if it is intended to reduce the number of teachers in a school (details supplied) and, if so, the reason for the reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43997/13]
View answer91. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department plans to withdraw a teacher from a school (details supplied) in County Cork at the end of this month; the reasons this change is proposed; if his attention has been drawn to the adverse consequences for pupils and staff or withdrawing a teacher during the school year; and if he is prepared to review this matter. [44044/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 86 and 91 together.
The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts to schools, which is available on the Department website, includes the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria, including developing grounds, to an independent Appeals Board.
The school referred to by the Deputy was granted a developing post on a provisional basis, pending confirmation of enrolments on 30th September 2013. The school did not reach the required enrolment to retain the post. The school have submitted an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board to retain this post. The appeal will be considered at the next meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board which will take place on 22 October and the school will be notified accordingly. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
87. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown per site of expenditure by his Department on purchasing school sites over the past five years; the measures his Department has taken to ensure the best value for money in school site purchasing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44018/13]
View answerAs requested by the Deputy I have attached details of school sites purchased over the past five years. I have also included details in relation to funding for site purchases, provided by my Department to the then Vocational Education Committees (now Education and Training Boards).
Price information regarding site acquisitions is commercially sensitive and the release of such information for 2012 and 2013 at this time would prejudice future and ongoing negotiations elsewhere in the State. Accordingly, I am not in a position to provide details for sites acquired in 2013 or to provide a list of payment amounts for sites in 2012.
As the Deputy will be aware land prices can vary depending on numerous factors, such as location, topography, proximity to other facilities and location of services. Even in similar locations, factors such as availability of services, site features and development costs makes it difficult to compare site prices on a straight line basis. Sites that may be superficially similar may have individual features which make one suitable for school development while another is not. I can confirm however that in general the asking price for land on the market has declined in line with overall property market trends, and that my Department officials apply due diligence to secure appropriate sites at competitive prices.
88. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills the average annual cost to his Department of educating a third level student to degree level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44028/13]
View answerThe estimated cost to the Exchequer for a degree course is €6,500 per student per year. As the Deputy will be aware students who qualify under my Department's free fees schemes are liable to pay the Student Contribution which currently stands at €2,500. The Contribution is paid by the Exchequer in respect of students who qualify under my Department's Student Grant Scheme (some 40%) and therefore, in such cases the estimated cost to my Department would increase to €9,000 per student per year.
89. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) will be able to access a school place to meet their special needs. [44029/13]
View answer95. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support a matter regarding a child with autism spectrum disorder (details supplied). [44080/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 95 together.
The child referred to by the Deputies is currently enrolled in a special school and from the details supplied is due to transition at the end of the current school year.The Deputies will be aware that one of the functions of the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is to provide support to schools, and parents/guardians of children with special educational needs. 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.
The role of the SENO in planning for the transition of children from one stage of schooling to another can include the provision of information to parents and or liaising between schools and parents. The NEPS psychologists can also be involved in supporting the transition of pupils with complex special needs. Information including general principles for planning for transitioning are also available on the NCSE website.
90. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the resource hours available to pupils with a rare syndrome called I.P. 36 Deletion, part of 1st Chromosome deleted and only 12 in the country in primary schools. [44039/13]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that in primary schools, additional teaching supports for pupils with special education needs are provided though two channels.
Under the terms of the General Allocation Model (GAM) of teaching supports, schools are resourced to cater for pupils whose educational psychological assessment places them in the high incidence, or less complex, disability category. All mainstream Primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the GAM to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs.
Seperately, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates additional resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. Schools were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013/14 school year by 15th 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.
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.
It is a matter for schools to monitor and utilise their allocation of additional teaching support, including support allocated under the GAM, 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.
92. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of Student Universal Support Ireland applicants still awaiting decisions for 2012-2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44057/13]
View answerI understand from Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that no applicant is awaiting a decision from SUSI on their grant application for 2012/13. All those who applied for a grant in 2012/13 have at this stage been either awarded, refused or had their applications cancelled, whether at the applicant's request (where not proceeding) or for failure to provide complete or sufficient documents. Applicants may seek to have the decision on their application reviewed on appeal. The appeals process is a separate statutory process that follows from the giving of a decision on an application by SUSI and separate statutory timeframes apply.
93. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of Student Universal Support Ireland new staff that have been taken on for 2012 and 2013 to work with SUSI what the positions were and where the jobs were advertised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44058/13]
View answerCity of Dublin Education and Training Board (CDETB) is the designated single awarding authority for new student grants in Ireland. SUSI was formally established in early 2012 as a new unit within CDETB and having a staff complement of 65 full time equivalents. This staff complement is variable during the year to match the flows of grant processing work. Staff were assigned to fill these posts in 2012 from four main sources: firstly by deployment of existing staff of CDETB, secondly through redeployment from he public service, thirdly via the temporary clerical panels operated by the Public Appointments Service through public advertising and via its website www.publicjobs.ie and fourthly through a contract with a service provider engaged to provide highly flexible insourced and outsourced staff and support services to SUSI. One post was filled by secondment from the civil service following the circulation by PAS of notices within the civil service.
Two new additional management posts were approved for SUSI in March 2013, one at principal officer level as Head of Operations and one at assistant principal level as Grants Processing Manager. Both posts were filled by the Public Appointments Service (PAS), initially through circulated notices within the civil and public service and subsequently by way of public competition advertised via its website www.publicjobs.ie.
Three further additional management posts at assistant principal level were approved for SUSI in May 2013. Following circulated notices within the civil and public service, these posts remain unfilled following the circulation by PAS of notices of redeployment or secondment opportunities within the civil and public service. As PAS were not in a position to run public competitions within the required timeframes, public competitions were organised for direct recruitment by CDETB. These posts were advertised on the website of CDETB and on the PAS website www.publicjobs.ie and in one national newspaper. 23 additional grants processing and assessing staff were also approved for SUSI in May 2013. These positions were at the clerical officer/grade 3 level and were taken on by way of short term contracts of seasonal employment via the temporary clerical panels operated by the Public Appointments Service through public advertising and via its website www.publicjobs.ie.
94. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when decisions will be made in relation to the patronage of eight new second level schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44067/13]
View answerThe application assessment process for the patronage of the new post-primary schools due to open in September 2015 and 2016 is currently underway. As part of this process, my Department will prepare a report for consideration by the New Schools Establishment Group who will submit a report to me for final consideration and decision. I expect to be in a position to announce my decision later this year.
