Thursday, 6 Feb 2014

Written Answers Nos. 54-64

IBRC Liquidation

Questions (54)

Lucinda Creighton

Question:

54. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Finance further to Parliamentary Question No. 46 of 30 January 2014, if he is satisfied that no conflict of interest arises from the special liquidator KPMG managing the sales process of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation loan (details supplied) and selling it to Kennedy Wilson which in 2013 acquired the Opera Finance CMBS portfolio that included KPMG’s Dublin office in the portfolio; if around the time of the disposal of the hotel IBRC loans from the special liquidator KPMG to Kennedy Wilson, KPMG was also negotiating on its head offices at Stokes Place on St. Stephen’s Green that was part of the Opera Finance CMBS portfolio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6123/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

The Special Liquidators have a clear legal obligation to ensure that the best possible price is obtained for any loan or loan portfolio and have advised me that they are fully confident that they have delivered on this obligation and will continue to adhere to this obligation.  The Special Liquidators are clear that the specific sales process the Deputy is referring to was transparent and run in a consistent and professional way and have advised me that the loan that is referred to was sold to Kennedy Wilson as that party submitted the highest bid. This approach to bidder selection is consistent with the approach adopted in the sale processes for all loan or loan portfolios of IBRC (In Special Liquidation).

While I do not receive details regarding individual transactions from the Special Liquidators it has been confirmed to me by the Special Liquidators that no conflict of interest has arisen in relation to the sale of the assets of IBRC (In Special Liquidation). I am satisfied that the Special Liquidators are conducting the liquidation of IBRC in a manner which is consistent with the IBRC Act and the Ministerial Instructions.

IBRC Liquidation

Questions (55)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

55. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance the position regarding the breakdown of the liquidation costs of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6152/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

I have been advised by the Special Liquidators that, as is normal in the liquidations of companies, all costs, charges and expenses properly incurred by the Special Liquidators in relation to the winding up of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited (In Special Liquidation), including the Special Liquidators fees, will be paid out of the assets of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited (In Special Liquidation) in priority to all other claims. The Special Liquidators will comply with their reporting obligations and, as such, the liquidation accounts will be filed with the Companies Registration Office after two years of the signing of the Special Liquidation Order and annually thereafter. These accounts will detail the liquidation costs paid out of the assets of Irish Bank Resolution Corporation Limited (In Special Liquidation).

Fuel Rebate Scheme

Questions (56)

Terence Flanagan

Question:

56. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider having everyone pay the same price for diesel and then pay back through a rebate system for farmers and fishermen; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6160/14]

Written answers

Minister for Finance

I assume the Deputy's question relates to the differential mineral oil tax rates that apply to auto-diesel and marked gas oil. The question of introducing a rebate scheme for users of marked gas oil has been addressed in previous parliamentary debates.  I am advised by the Revenue Commissioners, who have responsibility for the collection of mineral oil tax and for tackling illicit trade in mineral oil products, that marked gas oil has a wide range of uses such as the propulsion of trains, the operation of agricultural, construction and industrial machinery, commercial sea-navigation (including fishing) and for commercial and home heating purposes.  Any change in the existing system would therefore impact across a wide range of users.

  A change to a rebate system would involve the establishment of an expensive repayments system.  This would give rise to significant costs and place an administrative burden on oil traders, users and the Revenue Commissioners.  It would also pose significant cash-flow costs for those currently using marked gas oil.  In addition, repayment schemes are vulnerable to abuse and the introduction of a wide-ranging scheme such as that proposed would not necessarily offer greater security against fraud than the current arrangements.  For these reasons, I am not proposing the introduction of a wide-ranging rebate system such as that proposed. Revenue recognises that the laundering of the marker from marked gas oil represents a significant threat to the exchequer and to the legitimate trade.  For this reason, Revenue has made action against this illegal activity one of its priorities and is implementing a comprehensive strategy to tackle the problem.  Revenue's strategy includes the following elements:

- The licensing regime for auto fuel traders was strengthened with effect from September 2011 to limit the ability of the fuel criminals to get laundered fuel onto the market;

- A new licensing regime was introduced for marked fuel traders in October 2012, which is designed to limit the ability of criminals to source marked fuel for laundering;

- New requirements in relation to fuel traders' records of stock movements and fuel deliveries were introduced to ensure data are available to assist in supply chain analysis;

- Following a significant investment in the required IT systems, new supply chain controls were introduced from January 2013. These controls require all licensed fuel traders, whether dealing in road fuel or marked fuel, to make monthly electronic returns to Revenue of their fuel transactions.  Revenue is using this data to identify suspicious or anomalous transactions and patterns of distribution that will support follow-up enforcement action where necessary;

- An intensified targeting, in co-operation with other law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border, of enforcement action against suspected fuel laundering operations; and

- Revenue and HM Revenue & Customs in the UK have been working together to identify a more effective marker for use in both jurisdictions and an announcement concerning a new marker is expected shortly.

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Questions (57, 58)

Brian Walsh

Question:

57. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if schools that have previously operated partial book-rental schemes due to the fact that insufficient resources were available to extend the scheme to the entire school will be precluded from receiving departmental assistance in delivering such a scheme in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5896/14]

Brian Walsh

Question:

58. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Galway will be eligible to receive funding for the establishment of a book rental scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5897/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 57 and 58 together. 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 is 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. The school referred to by the Deputy indicated in the Primary School Census 2013 that they currently operate a book rental/loan scheme and will not therefore qualify for funding.

School Staff

Questions (59)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

59. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills in relation to resource teachers who, as a direct consequence of reduction in funding, find that the schools in which they are employed are no longer in a position to continue their employment and are let go, if such persons may qualify and apply for redundancy payments as they have been forced out of employment through no fault of their own; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5898/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

There are standard redeployment arrangements in operation to deal with the redeployment of any surplus permanent and CID holding teachers. The redeployment of all surplus permanent and CID holding teachers is key to the Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers. The arrangements at primary level for panel access for fixed term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers for the 2014/15 school year are set out in Department Circular 0057/2013 which is available on the Department website. The supplementary panel set up in accordance with the arrangements set out in this circular will be used for appointments to full-time permanent posts in primary schools but only where those posts are not otherwise required to facilitate the redeployment of surplus permanent and CID holding teachers.

Where a resource teacher who is employed on a fixed term basis has their employment terminated in a redundancy situation as defined by the Redundancy Payments Acts, then they would be entitled to a redundancy payment.

Education and Training Boards Staff

Questions (60)

Brian Walsh

Question:

60. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the position of director of schools exists within the new system of education and training boards; and if his Department's approval is required for the creation of such a position. [5901/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

The Chief Executive of an Education and Training Board (ETB) has discretion in relation to the allocation of teaching posts and for the re-assignment of personnel for specific purposes, on a short-term basis, provided this does not exceed the overall allocation to the ETB. In the case of one ETB, the position of Director of Schools was established by the Chief Executive from within the allocation of teaching posts provided by the Department to the ETB. The Chief Executive has advised the Department that it is an interim arrangement and of the context in which it was made.

Education and Training Boards Staff

Questions (61)

Brian Walsh

Question:

61. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons employed by Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board; the positions held by each person; and the annual remuneration payable in respect of each position. [5902/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I understand that the Deputy is seeking information in relation to staff of Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (ETB) working in head office. My Department has requested the relevant the information from the ETB. I will arrange for a reply to issue to the Deputy once the information is received and has been collated.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (62)

Jim Daly

Question:

62. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm the current position of the process of replacing a number of prefab buildings with a permanent structure at a school in west Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5907/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

The school to which the Deputy refers has submitted an application to my Department for large scale capital funding for a replacement school. With the application the school submitted its own proposal and sketch scheme prepared by the schools appointed consultant. This proposal has been technically examined and deemed unfeasible for a number of reasons and this has been advised to the school. In that regard, the school has also been advised that 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 additional school places to meet demographic demand, the Department is not in a position to provide an indicative timeframe for progression of a major capital project at this time. In the meantime the school has been advised that should they wish to submit an application, my Department would be prepared to assess the schools immediate accommodation requirements.

Special Educational Needs Data

Questions (63)

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

Question:

63. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the services available for school children with autism and ASD in the south Kildare area, with particular reference to a school in County Kildare; the services provided by a company (details supplied); the median waiting time for initial assessment in south Kildare; the numbers waiting for initial assessment; his plans to address the duration of waiting times and the provision of services for children in south Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5941/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department's policy is focused on ensuring that all children, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. The policy is to provide for children with special educational needs, including autism, to be included in mainstream schools unless such a placement would not be in their best interests or the interests of the children with whom they are to be educated. Some children may be supported in a special class attached to a mainstream school. These students have the option, where appropriate, of full/partial integration and interaction with other pupils. Other children may have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school. The establishment of a network of autism-specific special classes in schools across the country has been a key educational priority in recent years. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. In Co. Kildare there are currently 36 autism specific classes in 18 Primary Schools including 5 in the school to which the Deputy refers. At post primary level, there are 9 ASD classes attached to 7 schools in the county. In addition to this my Department operates a Home Tuition scheme, the purpose of which is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school or for children with a special educational need who are awaiting an educational placement and also to provide early educational intervention for pre-school children with autism. Children with autism between the ages of 2.5 and 3 are eligible for home tuition. The home tuition continues from their 3rd birthday if no placement in a school based autism early intervention class is available for them. I wish to advise the Deputy that the provision of health services for school children with special education needs, including initial assessments and other services provided by the service provider to which he refers, are a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Health.

State Examinations

Questions (64)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

64. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a medical card will cover the cost of pre-junior or leaving certificate examinations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6008/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Mock examinations are not part of the State examinations system. The decision to organise and/or charge for mock examinations is made at school level. Mock examinations are not a requirement of my Department. Schools are provided with capitation and school services grants to meet their running costs. DEIS schools receive additional funds for targeted interventions to improve educational outcomes for students at risk. Schools are free to prioritise their use of these resources in accordance with the overall needs of the school. The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility only for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.