Written Answers Nos. 64-69
64. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if schools which, through their own endeavour, have already started a free book rental scheme for their students will be permitted to avail of his Department's funding for this same purpose when introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6974/14]
View answerThe 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.
65. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the eligibility for a higher education grant in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6986/14]
View answerThe decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter in the first instance for the awarding authority. Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the application of the student referred to by the Deputy was refused as the reckonable income exceeded the prescribed thresholds for the award of grant assistance. 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. 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 is available to download from http://www.studentfinance.ie/downloads/1375344221/2013_SGAB_appeal_form.pdf.
66. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an appeal in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6988/14]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. Staffing arrangements at primary level for the 2014/15 school year are set out in Circular 0007/2014 which is now available on the Department website. The staffing process also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. The appeals criteria include the provision whereby schools with high concentration of pupils requiring English as an additional language (EAL) can apply for additional temporary language support posts. Details of the criteria for appeal are contained in Circular 0007/2014. The Appeals Board meets three times per year. The next meeting of the Appeals Board will be held later in February 2014. An appeal application has been received from the school referred to by the Deputy and this will be considered by the Appeals Board at the February meeting. The school will be notified of the decision of the Appeal Board after that date. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
67. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list of bodies under the aegis of his Department in respect of Government policy for which he is responsible for answering parliamentary questions pursuant to Standing Order 34. [6999/14]
View answer68. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list of bodies to which he has the authority to appoint board members. [7014/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 67 and 68 together.
For the Deputy's information, the following table contains a list of the agencies under the aegis of my Department. I, as Minister, have the authority to appoint board members to these agencies. It should be noted that Board appointments, while made by me as Minister, are not in all cases made at my sole discretion. Individuals may be nominated for appointment by various organisations as specified in the relevant statute of the body concerned. The Deputy should further note that in making any direct Ministerial appointments, I am not necessarily confined to those who make such expressions of interest but will ensure that all of those appointed have the relevant skills and competencies for the positions.
List of state agencies under the aegis of the Department of Education and Skills as at November, 2013
|
Agency |
Website |
|
An Chomhairle um Oideachais Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) |
http://www.cogg.ie |
|
An tSeirbhís Oideachais Leanúnaigh agus Scileanna (SOLAS) |
http://www.solas.ie |
|
Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA) |
http://www.childabusecommission.ie/ |
|
Grangegorman Development Agency |
http://www.ggda.ie |
|
Higher Education Authority (HEA) |
http://www.hea.ie |
|
Irish Research Council |
http://www.ircset.ie/ |
|
Léargas - The Exchange Bureau |
http://www.leargas.ie |
|
National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE) |
http://www.ncge.ie |
|
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) |
http://www.ncca.ie |
|
National Council for Special Education (NCSE) |
http://www.ncse.ie |
|
Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) |
http://www.qqi.ie |
|
Residential Institution Redress Board (RIRB) |
http://www.rirb.ie |
|
Residential Institution Review Committee (RIRC) |
- |
|
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (RISF) |
http://www.caranua.ie |
|
Skillnets Ltd |
http://www.skillnets.ie |
|
State Examinations Commission (SEC) |
http://www.examinations.ie |
|
The Teaching Council |
http://www.teachingcouncil.ie |
69. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list of all specific new powers or functions conferred on local authorities by legislation under his area since June 2009 and a reference to the specific section or regulation in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7029/14]
View answerMy Department has enacted three pieces of legislation since June 2009 that provide for new powers or functions to be conferred on local authorities. They are:- The Education and Training Boards Act 2013, Section 30 of which confers on city and county councils the power to elect 12 members to each education and training board; - The Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012, Section 25 of which provides for the coordination, where appropriate, of the activities of local authorities (and other public bodies) with those of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (RISF) and for the appointment by local authorities of employees to act as liaison officers when requested to do so by the RISF; and - The Student Support Act 2011 which repealed the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts 1968-1992 and provided for a new statutory basis for the making of student grants by awarding authorities to enable eligible persons to attend certain courses of higher and further education. Awarding authority is defined within the Act to include a local authority. The Act provides for the functions of the awarding authority which include the powers to award and pay grants that existed under the repealed legislation for local authorities. Part 2 of the Act provides for some additional specific powers for an awarding authority in relation to the administration of the grants scheme including the power to carry out inquiries under the Act, the power to recover debt and to share data with a person listed in schedule 2 of the Act or a person prescribed pursuant to Section 28 of the Act for a 'relevant purpose'.
