Written Answers Nos. 95-107
95. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 287 of 5 November 2013, the number of children with autism between the ages of two and a half and four years receiving a home tuition grant for early intervention services in the years 2011, 2012 and 2013; and the amount spent on this specific scheme in each of those years. [10082/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the following are the numbers of children between the ages of 2.5 and 4 years who are/were in receipt of a home tuition grant during the school years 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14:
2010/2011 - 422, 108 of whom turned 5 during the course of the academic year2011/2012 - 513, 16 of whom turned 5 during the course of the academic year2012/2013 - 641, 41 of whom turned 5 during the course of the academic year2013/2014 to date - 382, 13 of whom have or will turn 5 during the course of the current academic year. Children aged 2.5 years and with a diagnosis are not eligible for enrolment in an early intervention class and will qualify for 10 hours tuition per week under the terms of the Home Tuition scheme should the parent wish to avail of it. The home tuition continues from their 3rd birthday if no placement in a school based autism early intervention class is available for them and the number of hours per week increased to 20. When a child with an autism diagnosis reaches 4 years of age they may be accommodated in a number of settings. In such circumstances, a school placement can be a place in a special school which enrols children with ASD; a place in a special class for children with ASD attached to a mainstream school; a place in an early intervention class for children with ASD or a place in a mainstream class in a mainstream school with resources if necessary. Where there is no suitable educational placement available for children with a diagnosis of autism, my Department will consider applications under the Home Tuition scheme, where the child can receive 20 hours home tuition which is funded by my Department. In terms of the amount spent on this aspect of the scheme, such figures are not available. My Department does not maintain separate figures for this particular age cohort in the context of the overall scheme.
96. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has reviewed recent correspondence from an organisation (details supplied); and if a reply will issue to the organisation to address the issues outlined in the correspondence. [10083/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that a response will issue shortly to the organisation in question. The Deputy may also wish to note that officials from my Department met with the Directors of the organisation and have previously addressed many of the issues raised in the correspondence to which he refers.
97. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline the impact junior certificate reform proposals will have on the staff of the State Examinations Commission in Athlone. [10097/14]
View answerThe reform of the Junior Cycle and the provision of a JCSA at the end of the three years will not have a significant impact on the role of the State Examinations Commission (SEC). New subject specifications are being phased in over several years from Sept 2014 with the first examination in English in 2017. The SEC will provide final examinations in English, Irish and Maths for the foreseeable future and will provide examinations in the existing junior cycle subjects until the new specifications are implemented. In addition the SEC will provide examination papers and marking schemes for the new specifications as they are introduced. Where any resources become available they will be required to assist with the introduction of new specifications at Leaving Certificate which will have new examination components e.g. practical examinations in the sciences etc. This will require significant involvement of the SEC. It is not intended that into the short to medium term that there will be any loss of jobs in the SEC. In fact the role of SEC will be central to all the reforms envisaged both at junior cycle and senior cycle.
98. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the services available in respect of a child (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10105/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for a continuum of special educational provision to be made available for children with special educational needs who are enrolled in school, so that regardless of the level of need of the child, educational provision can be made for them. My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools which have enrolled pupils with special educational needs in order to ensure that, wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education. These supports may include an allocation of additional resource teaching support and Special Needs Assistant (SNA) care supports, which may be allocated to schools by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) in respect of qualifying pupils. Parents can contact the NCSE for advise on supports which may be available.
In respect of children who cannot be accommodated in mainstream education, they may be enrolled in special classes or special schools where more intensive and supportive interventions are provided. The extent of supports required for any child in a particular class setting or school will depend on their disability categorisation and the extent of care needs that they may have. As such, schools have access to a full range of supports to facilitate the enrolment of pupils with special educational needs. The provision of health services for children with special educational needs, including initial assessments and therapeutic services, is a matter for the Health Service Executive and the Deputy may wish to direct queries in respect of these matters to that body.
99. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the intake of new students to a school (details supplied) Dublin 6 has been halved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10116/14]
View answerIt is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a matter for the schools themselves. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to publish its enrolment policy.
100. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will confirm that in view of the fact that the EU Commission is investigating the school transport contract for both state aid and procurement infringements, and in view of the fact that the Committee of Public Accounts is investigating payments to Bus Éireann from his Department, and in view of the fact that Bus Éireann is apparently itself investigating, the reason he still accepts Bus Éireann's assurances that everything is fine with the school transport arrangement. [10123/14]
View answerI am not aware of the investigations referred to by the Deputy. In relation to the European Commission, I am aware that the Commission commenced an investigation with regard to State aid to Bus Éireann and Dublin Bus in 2007. The State's response was coordinated by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and my Department supplied any information required by the Commission. A decision on the investigation is awaited.
I am also aware that Bus Éireann, as employer, has investigated allegations against individual employees.
101. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 232 of 4 February 2014, if he will consider including registration fees for third level institutions as a qualifying fee for tax relief under the current scheme. [10134/14]
View answerThe position is that the student services charge, often referred to as a registration charge, was replaced by the student contribution in 2011. Under the Finance Act 2013 qualifying fees in excess of €2,500, raising annually by €250 to €3,000 in 2015, are eligible for tax relief. This means that families with two or more siblings attending approved higher education institutions may qualify for tax relief on the student contribution.
102. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider promoting the use of a certain technology (details supplied) in schools; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that, unlike the leading competitor, this technology is compatible with all Microsoft applications, is much more useful for training, education and everyday purposes and is approximately half the price of the leading competitor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10138/14]
View answerAs Minister I do not endorse or promote any product for use in schools. Schools may decide which technology to use to support implementation of the curriculum. The Professional Development Service for Teachers (Technology in Education) is available to advise schools on how to integrate technology in teaching and learning.
103. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the phasing out of workbooks in primary schools; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that these workbooks are an unnecessary expense on hard pressed parents and that they are damaging to the writing dexterity of children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10142/14]
View answerI asked my Department to develop Guidelines for Developing Textbook Rental Schemes in schools because of my consciousness of the significant cost for parents of buying textbooks and workbooks.
These Guidelines outline a number of strategies to avoid the need for workbooks or to allow workbooks to be used from year to year. However, it is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school to decide on its own school policy in relation to the use or not of workbooks. The Inspectorate of my Department in its work with schools promotes active learning approaches rather than an over-reliance on textbooks and workbooks.
104. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of those schools due to lose a classroom teacher and of those schools that will not gain a classroom teacher subject to appeals for the 2014-15 school year as a consequence of the implementation of the final phase of budget 2012 increases in the pupil threshold for small primary schools. [10187/14]
View answer105. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of those schools due to lose a classroom teacher or not gain a classroom teacher for the 2014-15 school year as a consequence of the implementation of the final phase of budget 2012 increases in the pupil threshold for small primary schools that have lodged an appeal with his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10188/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 104 and 105 together.
I will arrange for the information sought by the Deputy to be forwarded directly to him.
106. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Skills if any financial assistance is available for mature students who are in receipt of jobseeker's payments, and are undertaking a part-time course in an approved institution in another EU country which is not available here, and due to commitments in Ireland are unable to move abroad and participate in the course on a full-time basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10197/14]
View answerUnder the Student Grant Scheme, an approved course is defined as a full-time undergraduate course of at least two years duration or a full-time postgraduate course of not less than one year duration pursued in an approved institution. In order to be considered for a grant a student is required, under Section 8 (1) (b) of the Student Support Act 2011, to be in attendance on a full-time basis. There are no plans at present to extend the scope of the student grant scheme to part-time courses, in the State or in another EU Member State. Tax relief is available for fees for part-time courses. Full details of this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners.
107. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the appointment of a building contractor and the expected start date for construction works on a new school building (details supplied) in County Dublin. [10220/14]
View answerResponsibility for the delivery of the school referred to by the Deputy has been devolved to the Office of Public Works (OPW).
Following a recent tender competition the OPW has issued a "Letter of Intent" to the apparently successful tenderer. Construction works will commence on site as quickly as possible.
