Wednesday, 18 Dec 2013

Written Answers Nos. 106-114

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Questions (106)

Finian McGrath

Question:

106. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a Student Universal Support Ireland grant in respect of a person (details supplied). [54682/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter in the first instance for the awarding authority. 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 nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant. Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support that a letter issued to the student referred to by the Deputy on 10th December 2013 advising that his original application as an independent mature student had been cancelled (as he only became independent in December, 2012). For student grants purposes, a student may be assessed as an independent student if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved post leaving certificate course or an approved higher education course or of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1 October. Otherwise he/she would continue to be assessed on the basis of his/her parents' income. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to the appeals officer in SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form will be available on request from SUSI.

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Questions (107)

Martin Heydon

Question:

107. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school's eligibility for new funding announced in the budget towards the running of a book rental scheme; the way it will be administered; the options that exist to extend a current book scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54722/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware from Budget 2014 that additional funding has been provided which will involve an investment of €15m to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that do not currently operate them. The Department will provide €5m in seed capital per annum over a three year period to such schools. I want to achieve a position where every primary school has a book rental schemes in operation in the 2014/2015 school year. This scheme will be confined to primary schools that do not currently operate such a scheme. To extend it to all schools would mean that the funding available to each school would be diluted to such an extent as to have little impact. I wholeheartedly commend schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, that have established book rental schemes to date. However, I regret that they will not be eligible to apply for funding under this scheme. I can confirm to the Deputy that the Department will continue to provide a book grant to all primary schools. This grant, which provided €7m to primary schools in 2013, can be utilised for the purposes of updating or expanding a school's book rental scheme.

Ministerial Advisers Remuneration

Questions (108)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

108. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names and amount by which each programme manager-special adviser in his Department has exceeded the relevant pay guidelines as laid down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54749/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The information requested by the Deputy is contained in the following tabular statement. Mr. John Walshe and Ms. Deirdre Grant are paid within the approved Principal Officers' payscale as provided for in the guidelines for such appointments as published by the Department of Finance on the 24th, March 2011. As their income was greater than the minimum of the PO payscale prior to their appointment, officials at my Department wrote to the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform and requested sanction to place them on a point higher than the minimum of the scale. In accordance with obligations under the terms of the Ethics in Public Office Acts, copies of the appointees contracts of employment together with details of their qualifications were laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Ruairí Quinn, T.D. Minister for Education & Skills

Name	Grade	Start Date	End Date	Salary
John Walshe	Special Adviser	05/07/2011	Current	€87,258
Deirdre Grant	Special Adviser	05/07/2011	Current	€81,676

Freedom of Information Remit

Questions (109, 110, 111, 112)

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

109. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the anticipated benefits of removing the provisions for publication schemes as provided for in section 15 of the Freedom of Information Act; if the proposed section 8 of the Freedom of Information Bill 2013 provides an alternative to this provision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54797/13]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

110. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the way the Freedom of Information Bill 2013 will affect the proactive disclosure of information and publications schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54798/13]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

111. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the proactive disclosure of information, also referred to as publications schemes, under freedom of information provisions; the anticipated impact of the Freedom of Information Bill 2013 on proactive disclosure and publication schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54525/13]

Jerry Buttimer

Question:

112. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason behind replacing sections 15 and 16 of Freedom of Information Act, as amended, with a single section in the Freedom of Information Bill 2013, section 8; the expected benefits of making this change; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54531/13]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

I propose to take Questions Nos. 109 to 112, inclusive, together.

Section 8 of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Bill 2013 replaces Sections 15 and 16 of the existing 1997 Act and provides instead that each public body will publish a publication scheme instead of the Section 15 and 16 manuals. Given technological and ICT developments in the 15 years since FOI was first introduced, the migration of such information to websites and international best practice, these manuals are not considered an effective way of promoting the proactive publication of information into the public domain.

Guidance on the publication schemes will be provided under the Code of Practice on the implementation of the Act which I intend to bring to Government shortly. It is my intention that the publication schemes will provide for the publication of extensive information on the nature, role, responsibilities and activities of public bodies including the structure, classes of records held, rules relating to any schemes implemented, services provided and so on. This is intended to facilitate much more proactive publication of information by public bodies thus making official information more accessible outside of FOI on a routine basis. Greater publication of official data and information is also consistent with the Government’s commitment to participate in the multilateral Open Government Partnership. In that regard, the Deputy will recall my announcement of a major open data initiative at the Open Government Partnership summit in London last month.

The Deputy’s attention is also drawn to the fact that Section 8 of the new Bill provides that the information contained in the publication scheme will be reviewed at least on an annual basis and that, in the case of a person unable to access a website and who requests details of the nature of records held by a public body, details will be provided in written form.

Following a public consultation process on the draft Code, it is planned that the final Code of Practice, once approved by Government, will be introduced in tandem with the commencement of the reformed Freedom of Information legislation.

Flood Prevention Measures

Questions (113, 114)

Anne Ferris

Question:

113. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the target dates for inviting tenders, appointing a new contractor and recommencing the Bray flood defence works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54635/13]

Anne Ferris

Question:

114. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the interim measures planned to provide the maximum possible flood defences in Bray this winter; if this is to include the clearing of the great quantity of gravel and other debris that has accumulated in the part of the river known as the Slang and the removal of the obstacle caused by the temporary bridge structure at Rehill's Land; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [54636/13]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

I propose to take Questions Nos. 113 and 114 together.

I am advised that Bray Town Council is currently working actively on progressing the procurement arrangements for the outstanding works on the River Dargle flood relief scheme and the Council is aiming to be in a position to avail of the 2014 environmental window to the fullest extent possible for the carrying out of 'in-river' works. The opportunity of carrying out certain advance works prior to the placing of a main contract is also being investigated.

Maintenance and reinstatement works have been undertaken in recent days by Bray Town Council, including reinstatement of roads and footpaths, sealing small portions of walls and securing the fencing along the site. The removal of additional material at the Slang is not proposed until the 'in-river' season (May to September).

The OPW understands that engineering mitigation measures had been incorporated into the works already carried out to make allowance for the installation of the temporary bridge structure at the Slang/Rehill's Land, including the provision of a secondary flow channel and excavation of material at the south riverbank to widen the river channel.

I am advised that the works that have been constructed to date (including the construction of the culvert at Bray Bridge) will have a significant beneficial affect in alleviating flood risk. I would again reiterate that Bray Town Council and the OPW remain fully committed to completing the Bray flood relief scheme to provide the standard 1-in-100 year level of protection and every effort is being made to achieve this objective as soon as possible.