Written Answers Nos. 164-182
164. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider reversing the decision to not make an access reader available to a special needs student who will sit the leaving certificate examination in the coming months (details supplied); the reason an access reader was not awarded in the first instance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19041/14]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading from their website: www.examinations.ie/candidates/reasonable accommodations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
165. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19058/14]
View answerA dedicated programme of guidance, training, education and enterprises supports, co-funded by the EU under the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund (EGF) for workers made redundant at the S R Technics aircraft maintenance facility in Dublin in 2009 was implemented between 25 March 2009 and 11 October 2011.
Under the EGF programme, a total of 769 redundant workers and apprentices benefited from a wide range of measures including occupational guidance, training, apprenticeship, second and third level education and start your own business enterprise supports.
Information on the training and other supports provided under the EGF programme are contained in the S R Technics EGF Final Report submitted by the Department to the European Commission. The report is publicly available along with related post-programme labour market outcome information at http://egf.ie/final-reports-for-completed-egf-programmes/. Alternatively this information can be made available in hard copy upon request. It should also be noted that, subject to their particular circumstances, the redundant workers in question may also have been eligible to avail of other training supports through mainstream provision or specific initiatives such as Springboard and the Labour Market Activation Fund. These types of supports were provided by or through a range of service providers such as FAS, VECs, third level institutions, Skillnets etc.
166. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to explain the reason a FÁS apprenticeship qualification is not recognised by certain organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19059/14]
View answerThe administration of the apprenticeship system is a matter for SOLAS. I understand that SOLAS has contacted the two companies referred to in this query and both organisations recognise the Advanced Certificate Craft Level 6, which is the qualification received on the successful completion of the apprenticeship programme. However I also understand that, according to records held by SOLAS, the individual involved has not fully completed his apprenticeship. The person in question should contact his local SOLAS Training Adviser for guidance on completing the final phase of his apprenticeship.
167. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a new €200 financial contribution to the post-leaving certificate programmes was introduced in the last budget; if his Department notified all participants of this extra cost; if there are exemptions or waivers for those who cannot afford to pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19066/14]
View answerBudget 2011 provided for the introduction of a €200 annual Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programme participant contribution. This was introduced at the start of the 2011/2012 academic year and the same charge has applied each year since then.
Full medical card holders (in their own right and their dependent children), those eligible under the student grant scheme and those in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) or Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) allowances are exempt from paying the contribution.
168. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when construction on a school (details supplied) in County Wexford will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19071/14]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers was announced to go to construction in 2014. The project is expected to proceed to tender stage shortly. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that construction will commence in late 2014.
169. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider amending the student grant criteria to ensure that cases (details supplied) do not arise in the future especially when they currently affect a small number of families; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19072/14]
View answerIn the case of a student whose parents are divorced, legally separated or it is established to the satisfaction of the awarding authority that they are separated, the reckonable income shall be that of the applicant and the parent with whom the applicant resides.
The income of a step-parent who is not a legal guardian is not included in determining reckonable income. Where the reckonable income does not include a long-term social welfare payment, as listed in the Student Grant Scheme, the special rate of grant is not payable.
I have no plans at present to change the criteria in relation to persons whose income is considered in determining reckonable income for student grant purposes.
170. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Wicklow and Greystones Educate Together primary schools will form part of the new Educate Together secondary school in Bray, County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19077/14]
View answer171. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will look at the situation of north Wicklow parents who campaigned for a long time for an Educate Together secondary school and who find themselves in a situation where a school has been allocated to another group of schools entirely, with Greystones and Wicklow Educate Together primary schools not included in the list of feeder schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19078/14]
View answer206. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the position regarding the catchment area of the proposed Educate Together secondary school in north Wicklow which is decided by his Department; whether the catchment area is described as a geographical area or specific primary schools that will feed into the secondary school; if the enrolment policy will decide who will get preference from those within the catchment area; if Wicklow Educate Together and Greystones Educate Together are not included in the catchment area then will they be excluded from entering the new north Wicklow Educate Together secondary school regardless of the enrolment policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19475/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 170, 171 and 206 together.
As the new post-primary school for North Wicklow is not opening until 2016, the enrolment policy for the school has not yet been put in place. Enrolment policies are a matter for a School's Board of Management in consultation with the Patron, which, in this case, is Educate Together. While it is intended that the school will be located in the North Wicklow area and priority in the school's enrolment policy will be required to be given to pupils from that school feeder area, the school will be a regional provider to meet parental demand for diversity of provision from a broader area and it would be expected that this will be reflected in the School's enrolment policy when this is decided and published by the Board of Management and Patron in due course.
172. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the measures he will put in place to provide for the transport of children to school in County Donegal by a company (details supplied) which has gone into liquidation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19095/14]
View answerBus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that arrangements to have replacement services in place for the resumption of school transport after the Easter school holidays on Monday 28th April 2014 were successfully implemented.
173. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans to ensure that costs to send a child to school are kept to a minimum (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19113/14]
View answerI support any measures that can be taken to ensure that the costs to send a child to school are kept to a minimum. Some of the measures I have taken in this regard relate to book rental schemes and school uniforms.
My Department's approach is to support and encourage all schools to have book rental schemes. In this regard, my Department will continue to provide a book grant, amounting to some €15m, as usual to all first and second level schools, and this grant can be utilised for the purposes of updating or expanding a school's existing book rental scheme. A sum of €5m has been made available this year to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that do not currently operate them. I recently announced that an additional €8.3m will be divided among all other primary schools that currently operate book rental schemes, in 2015 and 2016. It is my aim to ensure that every primary school in the country has a book rental scheme. I have already expressed my concern in relation to costs incurred by parents on school uniforms. This is a matter on which I believe schools must take account of the wishes of parents. The Deputy will be aware that I requested schools to ballot parents on school uniform policy. This move was aimed at giving parents a much greater say on what if any uniforms a school should have and in turn to tackle the high costs of some uniforms. One of the other costs for parents relates to voluntary contributions. My Department's policy is that voluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay. The manner in which contributions are sought and collected is a matter for each school management; however their collection should be such as not to create a situation where either parents or pupils could reasonably infer that the contributions take on a compulsory character.
174. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills to explain the position regarding integrating the community training centres into the education and training boards (details supplied) in respect of a person on the northside of Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19122/14]
View answer194. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out his views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding plans to integrate community training centres into education and training boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19291/14]
View answer205. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills to explain the position regarding integrating the community training centres into the education and training boards in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19439/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 174, 194 and 205 together.
Through a series of decisions the Government decided to replace 33 vocational education committees (VECs) with 16 new entities, to be known as education and training boards (ETBs), and to establish SOLAS to replace FÁS. The proposals in relation to SOLAS, as agreed by the Government, envisage a key role for the ETBs in relation to the future delivery of further education and training in an integrated manner. Significant developments have already taken place with the establishment of ETBs on 1 July 2013, and the establishment of SOLAS on 27 October 2013. 7 SOLAS training centres and their staff transferred to 4 ETBs on 1 January 2014. The second phase of transfer of 12 SOLAS training centres to a further 7 ETBs will take place on 1 July 2014. SOLAS and the ETBs have established a Transfer Implementation Group to ensure that there is a smooth transfer process. Community Training Centres (CTCs) are independent community-based organisations, each with its own board and governance structure. CTCs are managed locally and funded directly from SOLAS or ETBs. In the transfer of functions from SOLAS to ETBs, business continuity is paramount. My Department has no plans at present to alter existing arrangements in relation to CTCs and their work in meeting the training and employment needs of early school leavers, primarily aged between 16 and 21, in the community will continue. The Department is meeting with representatives from CTCs this week to brief them on the Programme of Reform for the sector.
175. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to explain the position regarding a school that had 85 pupils on its roll last September and consequently lost a class teacher because the school was one pupil short of the 86 needed for next September; the number of small schools country-wide that are in a similar position losing a teacher as they are one pupil short; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19142/14]
View answerThere were 5 primary schools which had an enrolment of 85 pupils on 30 September 2013. 3 of these schools submitted appeals to the Staffing Appeals Board to retain their existing staffing level for the 2014/15 school year on the basis of a projected enrolment of at least 86 pupils in September 2014. Each of these appeals was provisionally upheld by the Appeals Board and the 3 schools will not therefore be losing a teaching post subject to confirmation of their actual enrolments in September 2014. In relation to the 2 remaining schools, one has submitted an appeal to the next meeting of the Appeals Board in June. If the other school is projecting an enrolment of at least 86 pupils for September 2014 then it may also submit an appeal to the Appeals Board.
176. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the financial benefit to the State if there was a freeze on the pupil-teacher ratio for the 2014-15 year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19143/14]
View answerI assume the Deputy is referring to the implementation of the final phase of the Budget 2012 measure where there is a phased increase in the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools. The final phase of the budget measure is being implemented as part of the staffing arrangements for schools for the 2014/15 school year. The precise amount of savings that will arise from this phase of the budget measure will be known in the Autumn when the allocations process has fully completed and any appeals to the remaining meetings of the Staffing Appeals Board have been considered.
177. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the current maximum pupil-teacher ratio for small schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19144/14]
View answerThe staffing schedule used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on my Department's website. The staffing schedule operates on the basis of enrolment bands which specify the minimum and maximum number of pupils for the allocation of classroom teachers. The maximum number of pupils in the enrolment band for a 1-teacher school is 19 pupils, 55 pupils for a 2-teacher school and 85 pupils for a 3-teacher school. The staffing schedule sets out the lower thresholds which apply in the case of Deis Band 1 schools.
178. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 15 April 2014 if he will provide details of the person who specifically gave him the advice that enabled him to be satisfied regarding the way applied behaviour analysis is currently being implemented and operated in over 500 autism spectrum disorder units; if he will provide a copy of that written advice or, in the absence of providing this documentation with his reply, if it can be assumed that he has received no written advice on this specific issue over the past three years and that no documentation exists to support his views on this issue. [19154/14]
View answerI wish to again clarify for the Deputy, as outlined in the response to the parliamentary question to which he refers, that under the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory regulatory authority for the professional registration of teachers. The Council sets standards of entry to the profession and accredits initial teacher education programmes. I am satisfied that primary teachers are qualified to teach in a wide range of school environments including autism units. I added that the Special Education Support Service (SESS) provides evidence based support for teachers of pupils across a wide range of special educational needs including ASD having regard to best practice and that I am satisfied that the SESS are making appropriate provision to support teachers and schools in this area. The Deputy will be aware that my Department's inspectorate has a role in evaluating, advising and supporting all schools including those with autism classes. I reminded the Deputy previously that the SESS is a support service for teachers and is not involved in the supervision of the implementation of ABA. Finally, in previous responses there was no reference to specific written or oral advice on this matter. It cannot be assumed that no documentation exists on this issue. If the Deputy is seeking sight of a specific document, he should identify the document in question.
179. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 247 of 15 April 2014 if he will provide a date on which section 39 of the Teaching Council Act 2001 will be commenced; if he can confirm that this date has already been communicated to the Teaching Council; and if he accepts that until section 39 is commenced his Department is responsible for the quality and adequacy of the continuous professional development training being provided to teachers. [19155/14]
View answerThe Teaching Council is aware of my intention that Section 39 of the Teaching Council Act will be commenced as soon as practicable after Part 5 (Fitness to Teach) which is expected to be commenced later this year following its amendment. Full collaboration with the Teaching Council will continue regarding commencement and implementation of the Act. No definite date for the commencement of Section 39 has been set. It is my view that participation in CPD is part of a teacher's professional responsibility and teachers should avail of opportunities to engage in relevant CPD. There is a myriad of CPD possibilities available to teachers through HEIs, peer groups, online or private providers, self-directed learning and so on and many teachers opt to participate in these. My Department also provides comprehensive programmes of continuing professional development for teachers across a wide range of areas and will continue to quality assure this provision.
180. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 248 of 15 April 2014 in view of his confirmation that over 500 autism spectrum disorder units were opened without a single circular having been issued by his Department on the way to operate the ASD units and that the schools instead received the direct support of the NCSE/SENO or the inspectorate and the relevant NEPS psychologist, and in view of his direct responsibility for the inspectorate and NEPS, if he will provide copies of the documentation issued by NEPS and the inspectorate to these schools and the documentation received from the NCSE by his Department on the way to operate these units; and in the absence of forwarding this documentation with his reply, whether it can be assumed that no documentation exists and that all of the direct support for these schools was always only done verbally by NEPS, the inspectorate and the NCSE. [19157/14]
View answerThe NCSE local network of Special Educational Needs Organisers provide support to schools in relation to the establishment of special classes. SENOs may support schools by meeting with Principals to provide information on the resources and supports available for schools which may include, for example, access to specialist staff training. SENOS liaise with NEPs personnel at local level, where appropriate, to inform Principals. The NEPS service to all schools, including schools where there are ASD classes, is progressed through the Continuum of Support Guidelines which encompasses a graduated problem solving model of assessment and intervention. NEPS service is planned and delivered following planning meetings in schools where needs are prioritised. In addition to case work, NEPS supports schools in developing more systemic and preventative approaches to meeting the needs of pupils with SEN in line with priorities highlighted in the planning meetings. My Department's inspectorate has a role in evaluating, advising and supporting schools and the Deputy may be interested in their evaluation of educational provision for children with autism spectrum disorders which is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. The website also has details of general guidelines and circulars with regard to the Inclusion of Students with Special Educational Needs in our schools. It is not possible to say whether an individual school received documentation as part of the support and guidance provided by either NEPS or the Inspectorate when their ASD unit was opened. Also it cannot be assumed that no documentation exists.
181. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 249 of 15 April 2014 in view of the importance of the model A document in the Ó Cuanacháin High Court case, which lasted 68 days and whose judgment was delivered on 16 May 2007 in which model A was referred to over 100 times, and in view of the confirmation from him that responsibility for policy resides with the Minister of the Department, if he will provide details of the exact date of the decision by the then Minister that model A should become outdated; if he will provide a copy of the briefing note prepared for him at that time that formed the basis for that important decision or, in the absence of forwarding this documentation with his reply, whether it can be assumed that no documentation exists and that there is no written record of that ministerial decision. [19158/14]
View answerAs previously advised models responding to the differential needs of children with autism were developed over time as a result of engagement between administrative and professional staff from within and external to my Department. Subsequently it was recognised that the model concept was complex and multi-purpose. It was determined that parents of children with autism should have three distinct choices available to them; their child could either attend a mainstream class in their local school with additional supports as required, they could attend a special class in a mainstream school or they could attend a special school. However it's important to clarify that what was portrayed by the model concept was not disregarded, rather the scenarios described by the models were simplified. Elements of teaching frameworks, whole school training and the extended school year remain features of current provision. As the model terminology was primarily internal the discontinuation of its use did not require a Ministerial decision. In the course of the period of transfer from the Department to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which fully concluded in or around 2008, the language around models had fallen into disuse and was replaced by the type of correspondence between schools and the NCSE which is seen largely today.
182. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 249 of 15 April 2014 in view of the fact that model A stated the special needs assistants would also receive applied behaviour analysis training and in view of his reply that the discontinuation of the model concept in favour of the mainstream, special class and special school provision did not materially alter the provision being made for children with autism, if he will confirm that special needs assistants are currently not provided with the training in ABA as required under model A and that this change in approach from model A does materially alter the provision being made for children with autism. [19159/14]
View answerApplied Behavioural Analysis, or ABA, is one of the approaches used in special classes for children with autism. The use of ABA as part of the range of interventions is particularly useful for addressing behavioural issues. My Department supports the use of ABA and training is provided for teachers in its use. As previously advised my Department provides for a comprehensive system of continuing professional development (CPD) for teachers in the area of special educational needs including teachers of children with autism. The brief of the Special Education Support service (SESS) is to enhance the quality of learning and teaching of students with special educational needs through the provision of CPD and support for teachers in mainstream schools, primary and post-primary special schools, and special classes. The SESS also provides whole school training at the request of schools and this can include training for Special Needs Assistants.
