Wednesday, 22 Jan 2014

Written Answers Nos. 66-73

School Accommodation

Questions (66)

James Bannon

Question:

66. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review and reverse the decision not to assist a school under refurbishment (details supplied) in County Longford with sanction and funding for an additional two classrooms under the major capital works scheme rather than advising the board of management to go down the devolved grant route; if he will send an inspector from the building unit to assess the classroom situation at the building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3039/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is due for completion shortly. The proposal, at this late post-contract stage of the project, to add accommodation that equates to approximately 26% of the overall accommodation being provided opens up considerable contractual risk and associated cost.

The school authority has been informed that the devolved grant route is the more appropriate means of delivering the additional accommodation and this remains the position.

Questions Nos. 67 and 68 answered with Question No. 63.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (69)

Pat Breen

Question:

69. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 193 of 10 December 2013, the position of an application (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3078/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I can advise that the NCSE has confirmed that they have now written directly to the Deputy, on 20th January, 2014, regarding this matter and to advise that the pupil referred to by the Deputy has now been granted access to SNA support.

Pupil Data Collection

Questions (70)

Dominic Hannigan

Question:

70. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of mixed race children in Irish primary and secondary schools, in Irish reform schools and Irish industrial schools between the years of 1950 and 1980; the total number of children in each of these streams of the education provision in Ireland at the time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3084/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Department does not collect information on the race of pupils in education. The following is a link to the historical Annual Statistical Reports which show the number of pupils in Irish primary, secondary, reform and industrial schools in the 1900'shttp://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Statistical-Reports/

Weight of Schoolbags

Questions (71)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

71. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to implement the recommendations of the 1998 report of the working group on the weight of school bags, which include that no child should carry a school bag that weighs more than 10% of their body weight, that books should be for a single year and that more double classes should be introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3096/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department issued circulars to all primary and post-primary schools in 2005 to highlight the potential health hazard of overweight schoolbags and to outline a range of local measures that could be put in place to help alleviate the problem.

The circulars referred to the recommendations of the previously published report of the Working Group on the Weight of School Bags. This report acknowledged that many of the solutions belong at local school level and made various recommendations in this regard, such as optimum use of storage facilities, developing pupil organisation skills and timetabling. It is a matter for each individual school to determine which particular measures are most suited to its individual circumstances and to how the school concerned organises teaching and learning.

The circulars (PC 13/05 and M35/05) and the report of the Working Group on the Weight of School Bags are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie.

Question No. 72 answered with Question No. 58.

School Transport Eligibility

Questions (73)

James Bannon

Question:

73. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the decision not to fully assist a student (details supplied) with a travel pass to attend a school in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3107/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.

Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that the child in question is not attending his nearest education centre and is therefore not eligible for school transport. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis subject to a number of a conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and the payment of the annual charge. Only children who are eligible for school transport and who hold valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge.

In this regard, Bus Éireann has advised that there are seats available on a service to the school in question and the family should contact their local Bus Éireann office if they wish to avail of transport on a concessionary basis.