Written Answers Nos. 193-208
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Written Answers Nos. 193-208
193. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 283 of 5 November 2013, the position regarding an application for a special needs assistant in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52816/13]
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 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 15th March, 2013. The NCSE published details of all of their allocations for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013/2014 school year in June of this year. The NCSE has also now published details of the additional SNA allocations which have been made to schools since the initial allocations were made to schools in June. The NCSE published details of these revised allocations on 21st October, 2013. These details are now available on the NCSE website, www.ncse.ie, and detail the allocations made for each school on a per county basis.
The NCSE allocates a quantum of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support. The deployment of SNAs within schools is then a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. The level of support required by pupils with special educational needs may change from year to year, in line with their changing care needs including diminishing care needs as they mature and become more independent over time, for example. The NCSE takes these factors into account when allocating SNAs to schools. Schools can contact the NCSE if they have enrolled children who were not considered at the time that the revised SNA allocations were made to schools, or where they are seeking a revision to the quantum of SNA support which has been allocated to them. In general, a revision to SNA allocations will only be made in circumstances where schools have enrolled new pupils, or where schools can demonstrate that they do not have sufficient SNA posts to cater for the care needs of all of the qualifying children in their school. I understand from officials at my Department that a response will issue to the Deputy from the National Council for Special Education by the end of this week regarding the individual case referred to him in this question.
194. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of fee-paying schools here; and the number of fee-paying schools that offer the leaving certificate applied programme. [52845/13]
View answerThere are currently 55 fee charging second level schools. Returns submitted by these schools to the Department show that they have no students enrolled on the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme in the 2013/14 school year.
195. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of non fee-paying schools here; and the number of non fee-paying schools that offer the leaving certificate applied programme. [52846/13]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy for the school year 2013/14 is that there are 668 non fee paying post-primary schools. The number of these schools which offer the Leaving Certificate Applied is 270.
196. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of times a student may appeal a Student Universal Support Ireland decision; the steps in the appeals mechanism in total; the point at which an appeal may reach him or his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52858/13]
View answerThe right of Appeal and the Appeals process are set out in Sections 20, 21 and 25 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Articles 40 and 41 of the Student Grant Scheme 2013. There are two steps in the appeals mechanism. 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 Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from http://www.studentfinance.ie/downloads/1375344221/2013_SGAB_appeal_form.pdf. Officials in my Department have been informed by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the appeals procedure is detailed on www.susi.ie and the appeals option advised in writing to all applicants in receipt of both award and refusal letters. As the Deputy is aware there are a number of eligibility criteria that an applicant must meet to be considered for a student grant and therefore it is possible for an applicant to appeal on any or all of these grounds when they receive a SUSI decision. When an applicant appeals to SUSI on a particular eligibility grounds and that appeal is refused by SUSI the applicant then has recourse to the Student Grants Appeals Board. SUSI has also introduced an option to Request a Review of a grant decision without going through the formal appeals process and full details of this option are published on www.susi.ie. If the applicant is not happy with the outcome of the review he/she can then avail of the appeals process.
197. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he intends to review the special needs assistant contract scheme to ensure that all schools are compliant with his Department's circulars. [52872/13]
View answerThe contractual position in respect of SNAs is outlined in their contract of employment. Links to the SNA Contracts of Employment are as follows:Department of Education and Skills Circular SNA 12/05 (Post-Primary) http://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/sna12_05.pdf Department of Education and Skills Circular SNA 15/05 (Primary) http://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Popular-forms/SNA-15-05-Contract-Form.pdf. This contract of employment is augmented by all of the relevant Departmental Circulars governing Special Needs Assistants which detail the standardised terms and conditions of employment for SNAs. These Circulars are amended and new Circulars are issued by the Minister for Education and Skills from time to time. Furthermore, it should be noted that my Department has published a Value for Money (VFM) and Policy Analysis Review of the Special Needs Assistant scheme. This review is available on my Department's 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 and the purpose of the scheme is not always 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.
The National Council for Special Education recently published its report on Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools, which also recommended that my Department should clarify the role of the SNA, as recommended in the VFM report. It is my intention that a new Circular will be issued to schools in the near future which will provide further clarification for schools and parents with regard to the role of the SNA and the purpose of the SNA scheme.
198. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has agreed to the provision of additional accommodation for an ASD unit at a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52913/13]
View answerMy Department is in receipt of an application from the school, to which the Deputy refers, for additional accommodation to provide an ASD Unit. The application is currently being assessed and as part of that process my Department is in contact with the NCSE (National Council for Special Education) in the matter. When a final decision has been reached, my Department will be in direct contact with the school authorities concerned.
199. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if schools can amend admissions policies to prioritise children of a particular faith in instances where their applications for patronage stated they will embrace children of all faiths and none; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52923/13]
View answerIt is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a board of management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or, occasionally, on the basis of some other criterion. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. New schools are expected to formulate enrolment policies consistent with the criteria that applied with the award of patronage.
Where a school is awarded patronage it is expected to prioritise children from the area where the school is located on this basis. I would not expect to see any prioritisation for a particular faith group in the enrolment policy of such a school.
200. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of serving teachers on his Department's payroll; the number of retired teachers on his Department's payroll; the number of serving departmental staff to whom moneys due to be paid in September, October and November 2013 are still awaiting payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52928/13]
View answerMy Department is awaiting bank account details from a total of 5 people so that their salary/pension can issue to them. Bank details are awaited from 1 serving teacher, 3 personnel paid on the payroll for retired teachers and non teaching staff of Primary, Voluntary Secondary / Community and Comprehensive schools and their spouses and children and 1 serving staff member of my Department.
All Government Departments ceased to issue Payable Orders with effect from the 30th August 2013 under the Public Service Reform Plan. On receipt of the outstanding bank account details for each of the 5 people, my Department will immediately arrange to issue their salary/pension to them.
201. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of participants currently on Momentum. [52935/13]
View answerThis is a day to day operational matter for SOLAS who manage the Momentum programme. I understand that 5,637 participants started on the Momentum programme between 1 January and 31 October 2013.
202. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the last year in which his Department saw independent proof that Bus Éireann do not make a profit from school transport; the name of the independent body that produced this report; the year it was produced; if he will provide a copy of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52945/13]
View answerThe agreed document of 1975 provides the basis for payment to Bus Éireann in respect of the arrangements between my Department and Bus Éireann under which the school transport scheme operates. The Department receives a copy of the Statement of Account for School Transport, prepared by the CIE Group auditors, each year which confirms that, in the opinion of the auditors, the Statement of Account has been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the Summary of Accounting Arrangements relating to the Transport Scheme for Primary and Post-Primary School children dated 1 January 1975 and with the bases and assumptions disclosed therein. This Statement of Account is not required to contain any statement to the effect that Bus Éireann do not make a profit from school transport and the account is completed in all of the respects set out in the agreed document. Bus Éireann has confirmed to the Department that they do not make a profit on school transport and my Department accepts this confirmation. My Department has not commissioned a report in this regard.
203. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Education and Skills of the €7 million in capital funding recorded as not spent under the expenditure profile at end November in the most recent analysis of gross Voted expenditure Exchequer figures, the reason for the underspend; if he will provide a breakdown of the capital projects or outlays that have not commenced as yet, as per the profile; if any of the €107.2 million in total capital carryover in 2012 relates to his Department; the amount of same; if it has been spent; on what it has been spent; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52948/13]
View answerMy Department has a capital allocation of almost €433m for 2013 and at the beginning of the year profiled that allocation on the basis of expected expenditure likely to be incurred during each month of 2013. Due to a myriad of factors expenditure on a monthly basis is usually most unlikely to correspond exactly with the profiled amounts as positioned last January. The capital expenditure position at the end of November was €7m behind profile and this arose primarily on two subheads. The Higher Education Sector subhead was over €5m behind profile but will spend its full allocation by year-end. Expenditure on the schools subhead was almost €331m at the end of November and the very small variation from profile of €1.2m has no consequence for the school building programme. The remaining €0.8m relates to variations on other capital subheads. My Department carried over €19m from 2012 into 2013. €10m of the carryover related to schools capital and was expended in April 2013 on the large scale school projects underway at that time. €9m was in respect of the Higher Education Sector and was expended over the months April, May and June 2013 on claims in respect of Higher Education projects.
204. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason his Department does not always report allegations of criminality to An Garda Síochána in view of its grim record of funding industrial schools, work laundries and other institutions where paedophilia thrived in the past; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52968/13]
View answerThere is a rigorous and comprehensive system of reporting concerning incidents impinging on the health and well-being of children. While the primary statutory responsibility for child protection lies with the Health Service Executive, my Department's role is to provide guidance and support to schools in implementing child protection policy and to refer any allegations the Department receives to the appropriate authorities, the HSE and Garda, for investigation. If the Deputy is aware of circumstances in which my Department has failed to report such allegations, he should bring them to the attention of my Department.
205. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the situation where whole-school evaluation reports identify inadequacies in teaching and where the Department's inspectorate is not in a position to act on those findings for second level inspections; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53006/13]
View answerI am satisfied that robust external inspection arrangements are in place that predominantly focus on evaluating the quality of learning and teaching in schools. During all whole school evaluations, inspectors provide individual teacher feedback and whole-school feedback highlighting good practice and aspects of practice that require improvement. The reports arising from whole school inspections and subject inspections are published so that there is a clear record of the strengths of the school and the areas that require improvement.
To complement these evaluation models the Inspectorate conducts unannounced incidental inspections focussed also on evaluating the quality of teaching and learning in classrooms. Since the introduction of unannounced incidental inspections in November 2011 some 700 unannounced inspections have been conducted in post-primary schools. The inspectorate has also commenced specific follow-through evaluations where inspectors monitor the implementation by schools of recommendations from previous inspections and it is expected that these reports will also be published from 2014. The Inspectorate has been and continues to be engaged in an ongoing programme to review existing inspection models such as whole-school evaluation, and to develop and introduce new models of inspection and reporting on schools in line with section 13(8) of the Education Act, 1998. Responsibility for addressing shortcomings in learning and teaching in a school rests primarily with the school's board of management and its leadership team in the case of voluntary secondary and community and comprehensive schools and with the school leadership team and the relevant Education and Training Board in the case of schools run under the auspices of Education and Training Boards. This responsibility placed on schools to address any inadequacies in teaching is underpinned by the provisions of Section 24 of the Education Act and related circulars. Procedures for dealing with professional competence and disciplinary matters for teachers are in place for all schools. Under the penultimate stage of these formal procedures, boards of management are required to seek an independent evaluation of the work of a teacher where the board of school is dissatisfied with the professional standards of the teacher's work. The Inspectorate has responded to all such requests from boards of management and has conducted the requisite inspection visits and provided reports to the boards of management involved.
In the small number of schools where the Inspectorate has identified serious weaknesses in the quality of teaching and learning or in the leadership and management of schools, the Department has engaged with the patron, trustees or management of the school to ensure that the need for improvement and change is fully appreciated by the school and by those responsible for its management.
206. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form by county, the number of inspections carried out by the Chief Inspector in 2012; the number of inspections that were carried out as a result of a request from the building and planning units; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53009/13]
View answerThe inspectorate conducted a total of 2,146 inspection or advisory visits to primary and post-primary schools in 2012 (probationary teacher inspections not included). Details of the breakdown of these visits, by county, are provided in the table below.
Details of inspections conducted at the request of the planning and building unit in the period are not readily to hand but will be compiled and provided to the Deputy as soon as possible. It should be noted that when inspectors identify serious shortcomings in relation to school facilities in the course of their general inspection work these matters are raised with the school authorities and brought to the attention of the planning and building unit.
Table 1: Primary Inspection and Support Visits 2012
Primary School Inspection and Support visits – tabulated by County
|
2012 |
WSE and WSE-MLL |
Incidental Inspection |
ASD Evaluations |
Follow-through Inspection |
HSU Inspection |
Other |
SSE Support Visits |
Grand Total |
|
Carlow |
5 |
2 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
2 |
10 |
|
Cavan |
9 |
9 |
- |
4 |
- |
- |
10 |
32 |
|
Clare |
10 |
14 |
- |
5 |
- |
- |
28 |
57 |
|
Cork |
20 |
28 |
1 |
15 |
1 |
- |
29 |
94 |
|
Donegal |
18 |
14 |
- |
2 |
- |
1 |
17 |
52 |
|
Dublin |
27 |
46 |
4 |
15 |
4 |
- |
40 |
136 |
|
Galway |
20 |
19 |
1 |
3 |
- |
- |
37 |
80 |
|
Kerry |
12 |
10 |
- |
6 |
- |
- |
12 |
40 |
|
Kildare |
8 |
10 |
1 |
2 |
- |
- |
22 |
43 |
|
Kilkenny |
11 |
6 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
- |
9 |
32 |
|
Laois |
6 |
6 |
- |
2 |
- |
- |
1 |
15 |
|
Leitrim |
5 |
6 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
7 |
18 |
|
Limerick |
9 |
15 |
- |
3 |
1 |
- |
11 |
39 |
|
Longford |
3 |
7 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
10 |
|
|
Louth |
2 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
- |
- |
2 |
13 |
|
Mayo |
15 |
20 |
5 |
- |
- |
13 |
53 |
|
|
Meath |
7 |
25 |
1 |
5 |
- |
- |
25 |
63 |
|
Monaghan |
9 |
11 |
1 |
1 |
- |
9 |
31 |
|
|
Offaly |
7 |
7 |
- |
4 |
- |
- |
10 |
28 |
|
Roscommon |
10 |
13 |
- |
6 |
- |
- |
4 |
33 |
|
Sligo |
5 |
6 |
- |
2 |
- |
- |
6 |
19 |
|
Tipperary |
12 |
3 |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
32 |
49 |
|
Waterford |
7 |
14 |
- |
3 |
- |
- |
15 |
39 |
|
Westmeath |
11 |
13 |
1 |
5 |
- |
- |
18 |
48 |
|
Wexford |
4 |
9 |
- |
4 |
- |
- |
7 |
24 |
|
Wicklow |
10 |
7 |
- |
3 |
- |
- |
2 |
22 |
|
Grand Total |
262 |
326 |
13 |
100 |
10 |
1 |
368 |
1080 |
Table 2: Post-primary Inspection and Support Visits 2012
Post-primary School Inspection and Support visits – tabulated by County
|
2012 |
WSE and WSE-MLL |
Subject Inspection |
Incidental Inspection |
Follow-through Inspection |
Other Inspection |
SSE Support Visit |
Youthreach Centres |
Grand Total |
|
Carlow |
3 |
5 |
7 |
- |
- |
4 |
- |
19 |
|
Cavan |
2 |
3 |
5 |
1 |
- |
1 |
1 |
13 |
|
Clare |
1 |
8 |
10 |
3 |
- |
5 |
1 |
28 |
|
Cork |
11 |
47 |
53 |
15 |
- |
21 |
2 |
149 |
|
Donegal |
4 |
12 |
12 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
28 |
|
Dublin |
22 |
95 |
93 |
18 |
- |
44 |
2 |
274 |
|
Galway |
4 |
16 |
17 |
5 |
- |
10 |
- |
52 |
|
Kerry |
1 |
13 |
11 |
4 |
- |
11 |
- |
40 |
|
Kildare |
6 |
9 |
16 |
2 |
- |
9 |
- |
42 |
|
Kilkenny |
- |
14 |
10 |
1 |
- |
4 |
- |
29 |
|
Laois |
1 |
2 |
8 |
- |
- |
4 |
- |
15 |
|
Leitrim |
2 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
- |
- |
- |
8 |
|
Limerick |
2 |
23 |
11 |
1 |
- |
6 |
- |
43 |
|
Longford |
1 |
6 |
2 |
2 |
- |
3 |
- |
14 |
|
Louth |
1 |
9 |
10 |
2 |
- |
2 |
- |
24 |
|
Mayo |
5 |
12 |
7 |
3 |
- |
5 |
- |
32 |
|
Meath |
1 |
9 |
6 |
2 |
- |
3 |
1 |
22 |
|
Monaghan |
1 |
6 |
5 |
- |
- |
2 |
- |
14 |
|
Offaly |
1 |
8 |
3 |
2 |
- |
3 |
- |
17 |
|
Roscommon |
1 |
3 |
4 |
- |
- |
1 |
1 |
10 |
|
Sligo |
1 |
8 |
2 |
- |
- |
1 |
- |
12 |
|
Tipperary |
3 |
20 |
10 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
- |
40 |
|
Waterford |
3 |
21 |
7 |
4 |
- |
3 |
1 |
39 |
|
Westmeath |
3 |
7 |
8 |
3 |
- |
2 |
- |
23 |
|
Wexford |
1 |
17 |
12 |
4 |
- |
6 |
- |
40 |
|
Wicklow |
3 |
12 |
13 |
5 |
- |
6 |
- |
39 |
|
Grand Total |
84 |
389 |
343 |
79 |
2 |
160 |
9 |
1066 |
207. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a laser machine is not included in the official Department list of equipment; when he expects that a laser machine will be included on the official Department list; if a school can purchase a laser machine even though it is not on the list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [53043/13]
View answerThe Department considers that while it is important to display the principle of computer controlled equipment, this can be achieved using a wide range of tools and there are other pieces of equipment on the Department's equipment list that meet the same educational purpose allowing students to observe and use modern technology in the working of materials. Students are not disadvantaged by the absence of a laser cutter where other pieces of equipment demonstrate the principles involved. The equipment lists are reviewed regularly by the Department and other items of equipment may be considered for addition on an educational basis from time to time and in the context of the prevailing financial situation at the time. It is open to a school to purchase this equipment from its own resources. In considering this, schools should be mindful of the need to ensure that Health and Safety requirements are observed and appropriate training is provided to the personnel using the equipment.
208. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has been contacted by the patron regarding the reorganisation of four schools (details supplied) in Dublin 10. [53068/13]
View answerI can confirm that my Department has not received any proposals from the Patron in relation to the future accommodation arrangements for the four schools referred to by the Deputy. The initiative for any amalgamation or re-organisation may come from a variety of sources, such as parents, staff, Boards of Management and patron. Any such proposal to amalgamate schools must involve consultation with all of the relevant stakeholders and follow decisions taken at local level. The decision making authority for any amalgamation, including any appropriate arrangements, belongs to the Patron of a school subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills. I understand that as part of the process of proposed reorganisation, the Patron intends holding a ballot of parents/guardians in the four schools in January 2014 and if parents are in favour of co-education, any changes introduced would be on a phased basis. I understand also that the views of parents as expressed in the ballot will inform the decision of the Patron as to the future reorganisation of the schools in the Parish.
