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Tuesday, 15 Apr 2014

Written Answers Nos. 220 - 240

Educational Reform

Questions (220)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

220. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the advice he has sought from any statutory bodies on education reform or changes since coming to office; and the outstanding advice yet to be received. [17317/14]

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Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware, there is a range of statutory bodies that provide advice to me on relevant issues regarding education reform and changes. For example, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment advises on an ongoing basis on matters in relation to the curriculum for early childhood education, primary and post-primary schools and the assessment procedures employed in schools and examinations on subjects that are part of the curriculum.

The following are advices which have been sought from statutory bodies on education reform or changes and are awaited:

Advice on the future funding policy for higher education has been sought from the Higher Education Authority.

Advice on ensuring quality inputs to the system e.g. in relation to the supply of teachers and entry requirements to Initial Teacher Education has been sought from the Teaching Council.

Advice on the education of children with autism has been sought from the National Council for Special Education.

Higher Education Schemes

Questions (221)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

221. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a late application for the HEAR scheme will be accepted in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17336/14]

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Written answers

The Higher Education Access Route (HEAR) is a college and university admissions scheme which offers places on reduced points and extra college support to school leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The scheme is operated by a number of higher education institutions and not by my Department. Admissions to the institutions are regulated by the institutions themselves. The Deputy may wish to contact the Irish Universities Association in this instance. Further details in relation to the HEAR scheme are also available at www.accesscollege.ie.

Special Educational Needs Data

Questions (222)

Colm Keaveney

Question:

222. Deputy Colm Keaveney asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide, in tabular form, information for 2011, 2012 and 2013 and for each county within the State on the total number of whole-time equivalent special needs assistants; the total number of hours allocated to that national complement of whole-time equivalent positions; the total number of children allocated a special needs assistant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17338/14]

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Written answers

As I have advised the Deputy in recent responses, the previous Government capped the number of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts at 10,575 in December 2010. That cap remained in place until December 2013. In December 2013, this Government agreed to increase the cap on the number of SNA posts by 390 posts to 10,965 at the end of 2014. The total number of Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) SNA posts currently allocated by the NCSE is 10,656 posts. Over 23,000 children access SNA services. The total number of WTE SNA posts at the end of the 2011/12 school year was 10,320 with over 22,000 children accessing SNA services, and 10,487 WTE posts at the end of the 2012/13 school year with over 23,000 children accessing SNA services. A whole time equivalent SNA post equates to 32 hours per week. A breakdown of the number of SNA posts allocated to each school, on a per county basis, for the 2013/14 and 2012/13 school years is available at the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.

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.

Residential Institutions Redress Scheme

Questions (223)

Arthur Spring

Question:

223. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there have been cases appealed to the review committee taken under section 15(4) of the Residential Institutions Redress Act. [17347/14]

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Written answers

Section 15(4) of the Residential Institutions Redress Act, 2002 sets out the procedures to be followed by the Review Committee when dealing with reviews of decisions referred to it under section 13(9), i.e. decisions where the Redress Board decides that a person is not entitled to an award as they have not established all the matters specified in section 7(1) to its satisfaction.I understand from the Review Committee that over 200 reviews have been referred to it under section 13(9).

Departmental Legal Costs

Questions (224)

Niall Collins

Question:

224. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total legal costs incurred by his Department in 2011, 2012, 2013 and estimated in 2014. [17354/14]

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Written answers

The total legal costs incurred by my Department for legal services procured by it during the years in question are as follows:

2011 - €21,039.83

2012 - €1,414.50

2013 - €25,009.14

2014 - €475.00 (up to end of March 2014)

Public Relations Contracts Expenditure

Questions (225)

Niall Collins

Question:

225. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total external public relations costs incurred by his Department in 2011, 2012, 2013 and estimated in 2014. [17370/14]

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Written answers

My Department did not incur any expenditure on external public relations in 2011, 2012 or 2013. It is not possible to estimate future public relations expenditure as the need for PR services can arise at any time in the context of initiatives and policy decisions relating to education and skills programmes.

Education Grants

Questions (226)

Pat Deering

Question:

226. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is top up funding available for an Irish student (details supplied) who has won a scholarship in the University of Notre Dame to study for a one year master's degree. [17387/14]

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Written answers

Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners on www.revenue.ie. The student grant scheme does not extend to postgraduate courses pursued outside of the island of Ireland.

School Placement

Questions (227)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

227. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the current lack of secondary school places in the Castleknock-Carpenterstown area of Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17395/14]

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Written answers

Enrolments at post-primary level in the area referred to by the Deputy have been increasing in recent years and it is in that context that my Department established a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school for the area in 2009. There are now four post-primary schools in the feeder area. These schools can, between them, cater for over 600 first year pupils each year. The four schools enrolled 556 first year pupils in the 2013-14 academic year. Therefore, there is capacity for an additional 50 plus first-year pupils to be enrolled in the 2014/2015 academic year. Should further additional accommodation be required, it is open to the schools in question to apply to my Department for accommodation to meet these needs. In the meantime my Department continues to analyse demographic data on a nationwide basis to determine where further school accommodation might be needed. This analysis will include the Castleknock-Carpenterstown area.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (228, 236, 267)

Finian McGrath

Question:

228. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding project maths and dyslexic students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17429/14]

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Terence Flanagan

Question:

236. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if extra time will be provided for dyslexic children to sit project maths exams in the junior certificate 2014 (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17538/14]

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Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

267. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties experienced by some students as a result of the introduction of a new curriculum in maths for junior certificate students as part of project maths, particularly students with dyslexia; and the adaptations that are being made or may be made to the new curriculum in maths for students with dyslexia including the provision of additional time for students with dyslexia sitting the junior certificate exam in maths. [17965/14]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 228, 236 and 267 together.

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) operates a Scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE scheme). The scheme is designed to assist candidates with special needs at the certificate examinations. Within the context of the RACE scheme the term 'special need' applies to candidates who have a physical disability, including visual and hearing impairments, or a specific learning difficulty. Reasonable accommodations are intended to:

(a) to remove, as far as possible, the impact of the disability on the candidate's performance and thus enable the candidate to demonstrate his or her level of attainment and

(b) to ensure that, whilst giving candidates every opportunity to demonstrate their level of attainment, the special arrangements will not give the candidate an unfair advantage over other candidates in the same examination.

Reasonable accommodations are not intended to compensate for a possible lack of achievement arising from a disability nor to compensate for difficulties arising from a candidate's general intellectual functioning. Applications for reasonable accommodations are considered within a published framework of principles established by an Expert Advisory Group. The range of accommodations available to candidates with dyslexia include:

- The use of special examination centres

- Provision of readers for candidates who have reading difficulties

- Provision for scribes, tape-recorders, and the use of computer technology for candidates who have writing difficulties

- Exemption from the assessment of spelling and grammar in language subjects

You have raised a specific issue in relation to the provision of additional writing time for students with dyslexia sitting Project Maths given the language based format of the examination.

The position is that additional writing time is not an accommodation that can be sanctioned in its own right. Extra time is awarded to students for whom the use of a scribe has been sanctioned as there is a time needed for dictation and otherwise in dealing with the scribe. It is also granted to students who meet the eligibility criteria for the use of a tape recorder or other recording device or a word processor, etc, but who are unable to make use of these aides under examination conditions. For example, a student may be granted the use of a word processor because their writing speed is slow. However, their ability to type may also be impaired. In such a case the student would instead be allowed to avail of additional time (up to 10 minutes per hour) to complete their examination in writing. Additional time may also be approved in the case of a student who because of a visual difficulty has been granted access to modified examination papers.

It is also important to point out that the examinations in many subjects require candidates to be able to read questions with varying amounts of text. The revised syllabi in Mathematics, introduced under the government's Project Maths initiative, have an increased emphasis on developing students' abilities to use mathematics in contexts, to engage in concrete and abstract problem-solving activities, to develop and demonstrate a deeper understanding of mathematics, including the capacity to interpret and explain results. In order to adequately reflect these syllabus intentions, the examinations involve somewhat more reading and writing than the previous examinations, since setting problems in context in a written examination clearly requires text. While the ability to read quickly and accurately is not part of the test domain, the capacity to extract the relevant mathematical meaning from such text is. That is, it is explicitly one of the target skills being tested, in accordance with the syllabus. Despite the somewhat increased reading load, the mathematics examinations on the revised syllabus still involve a modest amount of reading in comparison to many other subjects on the curriculum. Likewise, although candidates in mathematics are now more frequently asked to give a reason or explanation for an answer, the amount of answering in text form required is also still modest in comparison to other subjects.

Adult Education

Questions (229)

Finian McGrath

Question:

229. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding unemployment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17434/14]

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Written answers

The upskilling of the labour force has been and continues to be a key priority for this Government. The proportion of those in the labour force with low skills has been reducing in recent years. Funding for further education and training including adult education is now being administered by SOLAS and programmes are being delivered through the Education and Training Boards. SOLAS has recently developed a five year strategy for further education and training which includes a strategy on literacy and numeracy provision.

The Strategy, which will be published shortly, aims to deliver a higher quality learning experience leading to better outcomes for all those who engage in further education and training, including adults with lower education levels. It presents a road map and overarching implementation plan to realise the vision of a world-class integrated system of further education and training in Ireland, which will support economic development and meet the needs of all learners, communities and employers who engage with further education and training. We must keep core skills such as literacy, numeracy and ICT skills to the fore in Further Education and Training. One of the five High Level Goals outlined in the Further Education and Training Strategy relates to Active Inclusion. The goal is that further education and training provision will effectively support the active inclusion of people of all abilities in society. This is also a critical stepping stone for many with low skills towards gaining employment.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (230)

Dessie Ellis

Question:

230. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the status of plans for the new building for a school (details supplied); and if he will confirm that building work will commence in 2014. [17440/14]

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Written answers

The major school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning and the Design Team are currently working on the completion of the Stage 2b submission. The project was included in the announcement of the 2014 specific school building programme. However, my Department was recently notified that the decision of An Bord Pleanála dated 20 November 2013 to grant planning permission for the major project for the school in question is now the subject of judicial proceedings in the High Court. My Department will monitor developments in regard to the judicial proceedings as they are progressed and will keep the school informed as to the further progression of the project in that context. In the meantime, the design team will continue work to complete stage 2(b) of the architectural planning process.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (231)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

231. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the proposed development at Tank Field (details supplied) in County Cork. [17491/14]

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Written answers

The school building project at the location referred to by the Deputy is being progressed. Officials in my Department are in ongoing contact with officials in Cork City Council in relation to the formal transfer of ownership of the relevant land to my Department.A compulsory purchase process has been initiated by Cork City Council in relation to a portion of the land necessary for traffic/road safety purposes under the grant of planning permission.

School Transport Provision

Questions (232)

Luke 'Ming' Flanagan

Question:

232. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 101 of 3 October 2013, when asked to explain return to risk, if he will confirm the date on which and the reasons for the decision; the reason he agreed to a return to risk element with Bus Éireann for the payment to Bus Éireann for the school transport services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17501/14]

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Written answers

There was no decision or agreement in relation to a return to risk element as a basis for the payment to Bus Éireann for school transport services.

State Examinations

Questions (233)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

233. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the remaining leaving certificate examinations that will see higher level maths attract an extra 25 points; and if this has not yet been determined, if it will attract the extra points in June 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively. [17504/14]

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Written answers

As the Deputy will be aware, CAO points are a matter for third level institutions. There have been concerns that students are not confident enough to study for higher level mathematics in the Leaving Certificate. To encourage more students to study and to then present for certification at the higher level, the third level institutions collectively decided to operate a bonus points scheme for Higher Level Mathematics for a four year trial period from 2012 to 2015 with a review in 2014.

The introduction of the new Leaving Certificate Project Maths syllabus, and also the provision of bonus points has resulted in an increase in participation. In 2011 some 15.8% of the Leaving Certificate candidates sat the higher level paper. This had risen to 25.6% in 2013. In all, this was a rise of 58% over 3 years. The number of students who have indicated that they wish to sit the higher level examination this summer has also risen. Some 17,181 students have indicated their intention to take higher level – up 70% on this time in 2011. Of course some students may reverse this decision but students' confidence in their ability to take higher level mathematics is rising. The target participation rate, as set out in my Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, is 30% by 2020. I believe that this is achievable.

The Irish Universities Association (IUA) is carrying out a review of the Bonus Points for Higher Level Leaving Certificate Mathematics, as was noted when they were introduced so that it will be possible to examine the potential of the scheme. Until the report of their review has been completed, it is not possible to state what the future of bonus points will be. It is expected that the IUA report will be available in the second half of this year.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (234)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

234. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to change the qualifying criteria for July provision to include children with Down's syndrome regardless of their IQ; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17520/14]

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Written answers

I wish to advise the Deputy that July Provision is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides July Provision for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based provision may be grant aided. It is not proposed at this time to extend the July Provision scheme to further disability categories.

The NCSE is currently preparing policy advice on the education of children with autism which will include a review of the July Provision programme. I expect that the final report, which is to be delivered at an unspecified date in the Spring of 2015, will consider the broadest possible range of views and provide recommendations which will assist the development of policy for future years.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (235)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

235. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether children with Down's syndrome should be entitled to special needs assistants in school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17522/14]

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Written answers

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. The policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs should be included in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational need require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available. Pupils who have care needs, including pupils with Down syndrome, may receive access to Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support in schools. Many children with Down syndrome have access to such SNA support.

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 criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014. The NCSE invited schools to make applications for SNA support for children who have assessed care needs for the coming 2014/15 school year by 26th March 2014, for their consideration. Details of the NCSE application criteria are available at www.ncse.ie.

Although the date for applications has passed, if the school wish to make an application for SNA support for a child who has assessed care needs, and has not done so to date, they should still submit an application for SNA support to the NCSE and this will be considered by the NCSE. 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.

Question No. 236 answered with Question No. 228.

School Accommodation

Questions (237)

Pat Breen

Question:

237. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on a project (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17561/14]

View answer

Written answers

I am please to advise the Deputy that the school to which he refers, has been approved devolved funding for the provision of an autism unit. A further request for capital funding to provide additional car parking spaces on the school site in question has also been submitted. Further information requested by my Department has been received and this is currently being assessed. A decision will be conveyed to the school authorities when this process has been finalised.

School Enrolments

Questions (238)

Clare Daly

Question:

238. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has approved an extra junior infant class for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin; if so, the number of places which will be available; and if the parents will be notified. [17582/14]

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Written answers

The position is that there are currently two schools in the area, referred to by the Deputy, that have either lost or are due to lose mainstream teaching posts. These schools therefore have spare capacity within their buildings and have expressed a willingness to accept an additional stream of Junior Infants each, to alleviate any pressure on places in the area which my Department has approved. This undertaking was given by these schools on 19 March last after contact with the Department. Prior to that date, children may have been refused a school place in the two schools in question but this should no longer be the case.

It is understood that parents have been advised of the additional classes approved, however, upon further contact with the two schools in question, my Department has been advised that each school has only received 2 to 3 enquiries from parents. In addition, the Department has sanctioned an additional class of junior infant places for a third school in the area in question for the 2014/15 school year to ease pressure for places. It is important that school size is monitored and that a balance is preserved among all schools in catchment areas to ensure that one school is not expanding at the expense or the viability of another school. This may sometimes result in children not being offered a place in their school of first choice.

Third Level Qualifications Recognition

Questions (239)

Gerry Adams

Question:

239. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the problem faced by Irish graduates who seek employment in the Middle East because the parchment issued on graduation only states that they have received a BSc and does not state the discipline-field of study; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that because of this omission the parchment, as it is written, is not recognised in any part of the Middle East meaning graduates are unable to secure employment, where available; his plans to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17618/14]

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Written answers

Universities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the Institutes of Technology Act 2006 respectively. The management of their academic affairs, including such matters as the parchments issued to graduates, are matters for the individual institutions concerned. Neither I nor my Department have any involvement in the formatting of parchments issued to graduates by third level institutions.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (240)

Damien English

Question:

240. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the provision of a site for a new school build (details supplied) in County Meath; the timeframe required to develop on this site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17620/14]

View answer

Written answers

My Department has requested the assistance of Meath County Council, under the Memorandum of Understanding, in relation to identifying and securing a suitable site for new school accommodation for the school to which the Deputy refers. Due to the sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to provide further information at this time.

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