Wednesday, 29 Jan 2014

Written Answers Nos. 49-55

School Accommodation Provision

Questions (49)

Michael Creed

Question:

49. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current situation regarding the drawdown of funds allocated for provision of a resource room at a school (details supplied) in County Cork; if additional classroom accommodation will be required from next September in view of the level of enrolment at the end of September 2013; if the issues regarding disability access have been resolved and in view of the fact that the school currently has one prefabricated classroom if he is satisfied that the approach to the schools accommodation issues is the most cost effective way of addressing the matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4414/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department is in ongoing liaison with the school, referred to by the Deputy, in relation to its accommodation needs. In 2008, the school was offered the option of building or purchasing a mainstream classroom. The school choose the option of purchasing the classroom accommodation concerned.

Under the 2010 Summer Works scheme, the school received significant funding to address disabled access. In accordance with the scheme, responsibility for delivery of the works concerned was devolved to the school. In 2012, funding for the provision of additional Special Education Teaching accommodation was approved and further disabled access works were also approved. In that regard, the school has sought an increase in the scope of works and the level of accommodation approved. More recently the school has also applied to the Department for an additional mainstream classroom. My Department is assessing the applications concerned and will be in further contact with the school shortly.

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Questions (50, 62)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

50. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that school book rental schemes vary significantly in what they cover; textbooks-workbooks-stationery, the way he will ensure that additional funding for school book rental schemes is spent appropriately and lead to a system whereby standardised comprehensive school book rental schemes will be in operation in all primary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4457/14]

Billy Timmins

Question:

62. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will allocate a grant to a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4551/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 50 and 62 together.

I launched new "Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes in Schools" on the 28th January 2013. These Guidelines provide practical advice to primary and post-primary schools on how rental schemes can be established and operated. The aim of the Guidelines is to help as many schools as possible to start such book rental programmes. A special "Guide for Parents" was also published, to inform them of how the schemes operate and how parents can help schools to establish and run them. I have been very clear in my support for book rental schemes. All of us who are parents know how expensive textbooks can be and what a burden it places on already hard pressed families at the start of every school year. The Department will continue to provide a book grant as usual to all primary schools. This grant can be utilised for the purposes of updating or expanding a school's existing book rental scheme.

I want to commend all schools that have used it to help build up book rental schemes over the years. Their efforts mean that the high costs of school books are being significantly reduced for parents. At my request, the National Parents' Council surveyed the views of their members in relation to currently operating book rental schemes. Parents have reported that where book rental schemes operate, they are open to all parents in 95% of cases, and that the cost per child is under €40 per year in a considerable majority of schools. Perhaps most tellingly, the survey has found that 93% of parents believe that book rental schemes help with the costs of educating a child. Ensuring that book rental schemes are available to all parents must therefore clearly be our aim.

I understand that it feels unfair to those schools who have invested time and money to establish such schemes, that they now cannot benefit from the additional funding which was secured as part of the Budget. Of course it is unfair, but equally, the status quo was deeply unfair on many parents. The parents who had no access whatsoever to book rental schemes needed more support. With the limited funding available, I believe that targeting this funding - to make sure that every parent in Ireland has access to some level of a book rental scheme - was the greatest good that could be achieved. The Department is contacting primary schools that do not currently operate a book rental scheme to advise them of the application process.

Departmental Agencies Staff Remuneration

Questions (51)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

51. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current salary of the director of the Teaching Council. [4461/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Director of the Teaching Council was appointed for a 5 year term in 2012 following a publicly advertised competitive interview process. The sanctioned salary for the Post is in line with the civil service Principal Officer (Higher) Scale (€85,127 - €103,976). The current Director is on secondment to the Teaching Council from the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht. That Department continues to pay the salary linked to his substantive grade, which is civil service Director. The Teaching Council reimburses that Department in accordance with the approved level for the post of Director of the Teaching Council. Both the salary scale and the secondment arrangement are in accordance with the sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

Special Education Review

Questions (52)

Michael McGrath

Question:

52. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to hold a cross-sectoral forum involving his Department, the Health Service Executive and the National Council for Special Education regarding special education; if he will confirm details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4471/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that officials at my Department meet cross sectorally with officials from the Department of Health, the Health Service Executive, the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, and the National Council for Special Education, on a regular basis, in order to consider issues in relation to the provision of educational services for children with special educational needs. The purpose of such cross sectoral meetings is to enhance coordination and cooperation between the health and education sectors in planning for the education of children and related matters across a range of service areas.

School Transport Provision

Questions (53)

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Question:

53. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 258 of 16 January 2013, if he will name his officials and their respective responsibilities who assisted him in answering same; the reason they made the decision to withhold the information; the entity that was commercially sensitive information and the reason for same; if he considered the implication of the definition of corruption under the Prevention of Corruption Act 2010 where wrongly withholding information or making misleading statements is a crime and failing to report crime is also a criminal offence under section 19 of the Criminal Justice Act 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4520/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

As the Deputy is aware, Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the negotiation and awarding of school transport contracts to private operators. The question referred to by the Deputy related to the costs of engaging a private bus contractor for the provision of a specific service. Bus Éireann has advised my Department that it does not disclose tender pricing on the basis that such details constitute commercially sensitive information and this was the basis of my reply to the question.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (54)

Noel Coonan

Question:

54. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for building works in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; when he expects a decision to be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4521/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction of the project to which he refers commenced last July. Subject to no issues arising, it is envisaged that the project will be completed by the end of 2014.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (55)

Noel Coonan

Question:

55. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary that has applied for major capital funding; the timeframe for completion of works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4522/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to provide a new extension. The current status of all projects on the school building programme, including the school in question, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie. In view of the financial constraints imposed by the need, as outlined in the Five Year Plan, to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential school accommodation to meet demographic demand, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to indicate at this point when a major project for the school in question will be progressed.