Written Answers Nos. 93-99
93. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will announce his decision on the patronage of the new English medium post-primary school due to open in 2016 in Stepaside; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49746/13]
View answerI expect to be in a position to announce the outcome of the patronage determination process for all new post-primary schools due to commence operation in 2015 and 2016 shortly. This includes patronage for the proposed new school for Ballinteer/Stepaside.
94. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the primary schools in County Westmeath that benefited from funding to the sum of €4,038 million in 2011, €1.542 million in 2012 and €1.7 million to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49786/13]
View answerThe following primary schools in County Westmeath benefited from capital funding in the period 1 April 2011 to end October 2013.
2013Mullingar Convert (JNR)Cornafulla NSSt Annes NSSt Peters NS (SNR)St FeichinsRochfortbridge Convent NSStreamstown Mixed NSBrideswell NSSn Deaghan O CeallaighKilcumeragh NSScoil Na nDunBl Oliver Plunkett NSCurraghmore NSSt Manchans NSSt Ciarans NSSonna NSScoil na Maighdine MhuireSt Baoithins NSSn Phoil NaofaSt Claires NSSt Marys SchoolNaomh Iosef NSArd Na gCraith NSScoil Mhuire LoughegarCoosan NSSt Hildas Special SchoolCholmain NaofaSt Etchens NSGaelscoil MullingarMullingar Educate TogetherSaplings Mullingar2012Cornafulla NSSN An ChuilSt Annes NSRochfortbridge Convent NS Streamstown Mixed NSBrideswell NSCamcloon NSSt Josephs NSSN Deaghan O CeallaighBaile Coireil NSScoil Na nDunClonmellon NSBl Oliver Plunkett NSRath EoghanCurraghmore NSSt Manchans NSSt Ciarans NSScoil Na Maighdine MhuireSt Baoithins NSSN Phoil NaofaNaomh Iosef NSAn Ghrianan NSScoil Mhuire LoughegarCoosan NSSt Brigids Special SchoolSaplings MullingarSt Etchens NSScoil Na gCeithre MaistriSt Marys NSMullingar Educate Together Gaelscoil Choillín
2011 As the Minor Works Grant issued November 2011, all primary schools in County Westmeath with full recognition benefitted from capital funding in 2011. The Minor Works Grant that issued in 2011 consisted of a basic school grant of €5,500 plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil.
95. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the post-primary schools in County Westmeath that benefited from funding to the sum of €3.26 million in 2011, €4.235 million in 2012 and €1.8 million to date in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49787/13]
View answerThe following post-primary schools in County Westmeath benefited from capital funding in the period 1 April 2011 to end October 2013.
2013Loreto College, MullingarWilson's Hospital MultyfarnhamConvent Secondary School, KilbegganSt Finians College MullingarSt Josephs Secondary School RochfordbridgeMullingar Community College2012St Aloysius College AthloneOur Ladys Bower AthloneConvent Secondary School, KilbegganSt Marys College, MullingarLoreto College, MullingarWilson's Hospital MultyfarnhamSt Josephs Secondary School RochfordbridgeColumba College Killucan Mullingar Community CollegeMoate Community School2011Colaiste Mhuire, AthloneSt Aloysius College AthloneSt Josephs College AthloneConvent Secondary School, KilbegganSt Marys College, MullingarSt Finians College MullingarLoreto College, MullingarWilson's Hospital MultyfarnhamSt Josephs Secondary School RochfordbridgeAthlone Community CollegeColumba College KillucanMullingar Community CollegeMoate Community School
96. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills if grant aid is available to a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath who has obtained a place at Bristol Academy of Music to study a degree course in music; and if any financial assistance may be given to the person for accommodation. [49788/13]
View answerUnder the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, approved course, previous academic attainment and means.
Under my Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution. An approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution.
Students who are attending undergraduate courses in an EU Member State, can apply for a maintenance grant in respect of an approved course which is being pursued in an approved institution. The student grant scheme does not extend to postgraduate courses pursued outside of Ireland.
The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application in relation to means, residency, nationality and previous academic attainment, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant. To determine eligibility, a student may submit a fully completed online grant application to www.susi.ie.
97. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will expedite and award a top-up student grant appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49809/13]
View answerThe decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority.
Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was ineligible for the special rate of maintenance grant as the social welfare payment has not been in payment for the required period as specified in the Student Grant Scheme.
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 Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from http://www.studentfinance.ie/downloads/1375344221/2013_SGAB_appeal_form.pdf.
98. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the incidence of both dyslexia and dyscalculia respectively in children of school-going age in the State; if his Department collects statistics on the number of dyscalculia diagnoses for children aged five to 18 years; the number of applications received by his Department for learning supports for pupils with dyscalculia; the number of same which have been granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49821/13]
View answer99. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the specific supports available from his Department to school children who have been diagnosed with dyscalculia; the training teachers receive, the teaching methodologies and so on to assist them in teaching children with dyscalculia; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49822/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 98 and 99 together.
I wish to advise the Deputy that all schools have been allocated additional teaching resources to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs, including Specific Learning Disability (SLD), of which dyslexia and dyscalculia are such Specific Learning Disability's.
All mainstream Primary schools have been allocated additional teaching resources under the General Allocation Model (GAM) to cater for children with high incidence special educational needs, including SLDs. It is a matter for individual schools to use their professional judgement to identify pupils who will receive this support and to use the resources available to the school to intervene at the appropriate level with such pupils. Schools are supported in this regard by the National Educational Psychological Services.
All Post Primary schools have also been allocated additional teaching resources for pupils with high incidence special educational needs, including SLDs. As the allocation of support for pupils with SLDs is managed locally by schools, my Department does not hold details of the number of students with dyslexia and dyscalculia receiving support locally, as schools are not required to apply directly to my Department for learning support for Specific Learning Disabilities such as dyslexia and dyscalculia.
I can advise, however, that the recently published National Council for Special Education (NCSE) report on Supporting Students Special Educational Needs in Schools sets out that 0.5% of the student population in Ireland is estimated to have a SLD.
I can also advise that my Department provides guidelines for schools in relation to the utilisation of additional teaching resources which have been allocated to them for pupils with high incidence special educational needs. These include Circular SpEd 02/05, Inclusion of Pupils with Special Educational Needs Post Primary Guidelines and the National Educational Psychological Services (NEPS) Continuum of Support Guidelines.
My Department provides funding for a number of special schools and special classes attached to mainstream primary schools which have been sanctioned to meet the needs of children with SLDs. There are 4 Special Schools and approximately 16 Special Classes attached to mainstream Primary schools catering for pupils with SLD.
Further resources are also provided to schools to support pupils with SLDs. Funding is provided for the purchase of specialised equipment such as computers and/or software to assist children with special educational needs, including children with SLDs, once relevant professionals recommend the equipment as being essential for the provision of education. Schools can apply to the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) directly for this support.
An information resource pack on dyslexia in CD-Rom, DVD and video format, has been developed by my Department in association with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland. This product has been made available to all primary and post-primary schools. The DVD and video provides support for parents of pupils with dyslexia while the CD-Rom assists teachers who are teaching children with dyslexia in the mainstream classroom.
Finally, I wish to explain that initial teacher education programmes address specific teacher training elements including literacy and numeracy, differentiation and Inclusive Education including Special Education. Additional support is provided for teachers with additional training needs in the area of dyslexia and dyscalculia by the Special Education Support Service (SESS). The SESS manages, co-ordinates and develops a range of supports in response to identified teacher training needs and aims to provide direct support to schools and individual teachers in as flexible a way as possible. The SESS provides fees' subsidies for online training courses in the area of Dyslexia as well as support for in-school seminars and attendance at relevant conferences and seminars. Supports in the area of Dyscalculia usually encompass support in the broader area of numeracy, assessment, mathematics and special educational needs rather than specifically in the area of dyscalculia.
