Wednesday, 9 Apr 2014

Written Answers Nos. 73-78

School Transport Provision

Questions (74)

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Question:

74. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will arrange to publish a route plan for all schools in County Roscommon as if all eligible pupils based on distance criteria would be catered for and separately regardless of distance and invite applications and provide a service over a two-year test period based on cost per pupil and see by way of a national test what the take-up of the service would be and calculate the impact on traffic, national savings for the economy to have school transport as opposed to private transport costs, travelling times and waiting times for the children based on increased number and more direct routes and less traffic and the cost per pupil; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16970/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

I have no plans to arrange the measures as described in the Deputy's question.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (75)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

75. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide details of the number of additional special needs assistants that have been provided to County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16974/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. The NCSE has published details of the allocations for SNA support that have been made to schools for the 2013/2014 school year. These details are available on the NCSE website, www.ncse.ie, and detail the allocations made for each school on a per county basis, including details of the SNA allocations made for schools in County Kerry. The NCSE allocates a quantum of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support. The deployment of SNAs within schools is then a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. Schools can contact the NCSE if they have enrolled children who were not considered at the time that the revised SNA allocations were made to schools, or where they are seeking a revision to the quantum of SNA support which has been allocated to them. In general, a revision to SNA allocations will only be made in circumstances where schools have enrolled new pupils, or where schools can demonstrate that they do not have sufficient SNA posts to cater for the care needs of all of the qualifying children in their school. The NCSE invited schools to make applications for SNA support for the coming 2014/15 school year by 26th March, 2014. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

Schools Refurbishment

Questions (76)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

76. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills to explain the position regarding funding in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16978/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I am pleased to advise the Deputy that the school to which he refers has been approved significant devolved funding for the provision of an on-suite mainstream classroom, special needs facilities and a Resource Room. In addition, funding has been approved to provide disabled access ramps at the front entrance and to the rear play area of the school in question.

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Questions (77)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

77. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the position regarding a summer works scheme in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16979/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that on 20th March last I announced that 386 schools have been approved funding under the Summer Works scheme to undertake school improvements. This first round of funding will allow schools to carry out small and medium scale building works across three categories of projects - Gas, Electrical and Mechanical. A second round of the scheme is expected to be announced in the coming weeks within the context of available funding and in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (59/2013) is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. This round will cover applications for improvement works yet to be assessed, including an application from the school to which the Deputy refers.

Education Expenditure

Questions (78)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

78. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with regard to the adequacy of resources available throughout the educational sector in the current year at primary, second, third and fourth levels, including the further education sector; if he expects to be in a position to keep the various issues under review with the objective of the alleviation of any unforeseen difficulties to meet targets; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16986/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

This Government has sought, against the continuing challenging economic backdrop, to protect education spending and maintain frontline education services as far as possible, including targeting support at schools in those areas with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. While dealing with the economic realities has required the implementation of some difficult savings measures in education, my Department is working to provide high levels of services across the education and skills sector, through efficient and effective use of the resources that have been allocated. Expenditure across my Department is the subject of regular review and reporting, with a view to ensuring both that it remains within the set allocation and that optimal use is made of resources. The gross expenditure allocation for my Department for 2014 is €7.857 billion in Voted current expenditure and €546 million in Voted capital expenditure. In addition, there is an allocation of €362 million for current expenditure under the National Training Fund. The current allocation equates to some 17% of total current spending in 2014, while the capital allocation equates to 16% of the overall capital provision. I am satisfied that through efficient and effective use of resources we can achieve much with this allocation.