Written Answers Nos. 60-68
60. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has received the petition sent by the parents association of a school (details supplied) in County Louth regarding the lack of access of book rental schemes that are already operating to the Budget 2014 announced funding of €15 million for new book rental schemes; his response to this petition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14473/14]
View answerI wish to confirm that I have received the petition which was submitted by the parents association of the school referred to by the Deputy. 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 and I am aware of the difficulties faced by schools in relation to these schemes. 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 and I am not currently in a position to re-examine the scheme. 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 has contacted primary schools that do not currently operate a book rental scheme to advise them of the application process. Schools that indicated in the Primary School Census 2013 that they currently operate a book rental/loan scheme will not therefore qualify for funding.
61. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the CSPE subject for students due to start secondary school in 2014; if it will remain examinable in its current format or if changes are envisaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14509/14]
View answerA circular letter issued to post-primary schools earlier this month on the arrangements for the implementation of the Junior Cycle Student Award for the academic year 2014/ 2015. It clearly specifies what is required in relation to CSPE. If schools opt to offer their first year students entering post-primary school in September 2014 the existing syllabus in CSPE, then those CSPE students will present for certification in 2017, as per current practice. The terminal components of the CSPE examination for these students will be timetabled, set and marked by the State Examinations Commission in 2017. This will be the final year that the SEC will administer the CSPE examination. If schools choose to offer the new short course in CSPE, then the work of those students will be assessed by their teachers through school based assessment.
62. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if emergency funding will be made available to a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14521/14]
View answerAn application for funding under my Department's Emergency Scheme has been received from the School referred to by the Deputy and this application is currently being assessed. The School Authority will be notified of the outcome of this assessment as soon as possible.
63. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a site has been identified for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14525/14]
View answer64. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the new school for a school (details supplied) in County Cork is on schedule to be finished by September 2015 as promised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14526/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 63 and 64 together.
The school referred to by the Deputy was included on the list of projects, announced in March 2012, to commence construction in 2015/16. The Deputy may be aware that I signed a Memorandum of Understanding between my Department and the County and City Managers' Association (CCMA) in 2012. This Memorandum of Understanding fosters increased levels of cooperation and formalises the Local Authorities' part in identifying and securing sites for educational use. In that context, my Department is working in conjunction with Cork County Council towards securing as soon as possible a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. Whilst I can advise the Deputy that options are under consideration, due to the sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further information at this time. However, once the acquisition of a site is finalised, a design team for the project will be appointed with a view to its progression to tender and construction.
65. Deputy Paudie Coffey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update in respect of the legislative timeframe to allow for the establishment of the technological university for the south east region; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14532/14]
View answerI published the General Scheme of a Technological Universities Bill in January this year. The Scheme is currently undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny by the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection. I expect to receive their report by the end of April, at which time the Scheme will go to the Office of the Attorney General for legal drafting. It is my intention that the Bill will be enacted in 2015 to ensure that there is a legislative framework in place to allow for mergers and for the establishment of technological universities where merged institutes pass the quality and performance bar that has been clearly set out. A four stage process and criteria for becoming a technological university were published in 2012.
66. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the Down's Syndrome (Equality of Access) Bill; if barriers have emerged regarding its implementations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14544/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the Government did not oppose the Private Members Down Syndrome (Equality of Access) Bill 2013, at second stage. This Bill has been referred to the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection, where it can be considered in the context of forthcoming proposals to establish a new model for the allocation of resource teaching supports in mainstream schools. I wish to advise the Deputy also that the report published by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs recommended that under a proposed new allocation model, all children, including those with Down syndrome, should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category.
The NCSE also recommended that, in the short-term, pupils with Down syndrome in the Mild General Learning Disability category should continue to be supported by schools' Learning Support allocation in the same way as other pupils with a Mild GLD. An NCSE Working Group has been charged with developing proposals for a new allocation model. Any changes to the current allocation model will therefore be considered in the light of the recommendations of the report of this Group.
67. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to ensure books and educational materials are provided in accessible formats for students with Down's syndrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14549/14]
View answer68. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to ensure academic personal assistance programmes are provided in schools and universities for pupils with Down's syndrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14550/14]
View answer70. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures in place to ensure that the admissions process for schools and third level educational facilities does not discriminate against students with Down's syndrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14576/14]
View answer71. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the alternative forms of testing and evaluation in place in schools and third level educational facilities for students with Down's syndrome; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14577/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 67, 68, 70 and 71 together.
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department allocates significant resources to ensure that pupils with special educational needs, including pupils with Down syndrome, can participate fully in education.
Pupils with Down syndrome may receive additional teaching support in schools, either from a school's general allocation of Learning Support/ Resource Teaching, or from an allocation of additional Resource Teacher hours to the schools from the National Council for Special Education (NCSE). Pupils who have care needs may receive access to Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support in schools. Many children with Down syndrome have access to such SNA support. Other supports include provision for Assistive Technology support which can ensure that educational materials can be provided in accessible formats.
With regard to the admissions process to schools, on 25th March, the Government approved the drafting of the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2014. This new legislation aims to ensure that the enrolment process in all primary and post-primary schools is inclusive, transparent and fair. Among the provisions in the new Bill, will be a requirement for all schools to make an explicit statement in their admissions policy that they will not discriminate against an applicant for admission on the grounds of disability.
In relation to admission to higher education, the Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is a college and university admissions scheme which offers places at reduced points to school leavers with disabilities. Eighteen higher education institutions are currently participating in the scheme. For further information on DARE see also www.accesscollege.ie. To assist pupils to then attend third level education, core funding for access programmes for pupils with disabilities is allocated each year as part of the overall budget of each designated higher education institution. This funding supports the provision of dedicated staff, services and supports for students with disabilities.
Every further and higher education institution has at least one member of staff with responsibility for liaising with students with disabilities, as required by the Disability Act 2005. In addition, many institutions have a dedicated Disability Support Service with trained disability officers, learning support officers and other specialist staff. The Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) also provides additional funding to both further and higher education institutions for the provision of services and supports for full-time students with disabilities.
With regard to alternative forms of testing and evaluation, I wish to advise the Deputy that secondary school students with special needs may have special arrangements made for them while sitting State examinations such as the Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate. Candidates with disabilities, including Down syndrome, can apply through their school for reasonable accommodation during examinations. Details of the reasonable accommodations that can be made for pupils with special educational needs is available at www.examinations.ie. In relation to standardised testing, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment guidelines on "Assessment in the Primary School Curriculum – Guidelines for Schools" provides general guidance for schools including on using alternative tests in relation to the standardised testing of pupils in primary schools.
Finally, I wish to advise the Deputy that the recent NCSE report on Supporting Children with Special Educational Needs recommended that under a proposed new allocation model, all children, including those with Down syndrome, should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category. An NCSE Working Group has been charged with developing proposals for a new allocation model. Any changes to the current allocation model will therefore be considered in the light of the recommendations of the report of this Group.
