Written Answers Nos. 46 - 50
46. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reconsider a grant application for home tuition in respect of a student (details supplied) with a view to backdating the approval to the date the application was originally submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20391/14]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism. Retrospective funding is not a feature of the scheme and approval can only be given when the necessary documentation is submitted with the application form for processing by my officials. An appeal for retrospective funding in the case referred to by the Deputy was received in the Special Education Section of my Department on 28th April 2014. The appeal is currently under consideration and a response will issue to the parents concerned in due course.
47. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to section 11 of the Education and Training Board Act 2013, the way the five representatives will be elected to the education and training board; if there will be an opportunity for local community groups to seek representation on the boards; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20414/14]
View answerSection 30 (1) of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 provides for the composition of each Board, following the forthcoming local authority elections, as follows: 12 members elected by the relevant local authority or local authorities; 2 education and training board staff members elected by staff members; 2 members appointed by the Board from nominees of the National Parents' Council; 5 members appointed by the Board from bodies specified by the Minister which have a special interest in, or knowledge of, education.
I assume that the Deputy is referring to the last category of members. In that regard, in accordance with Section 30(11) (a) of the Act, I am required to specify at least one body from each of the following categories: (i) bodies representative of business, industry and employers; (ii) bodies representative of learners; (iii) bodies representative of persons engaged in the management of, or leadership in, recognised schools. A Board will be required to appoint at least one member from each of these categories and, of the 5 persons, at least two must be women and least two must be men. All must reside within the functional area of the Board. The 16 other members of the Board will make the appointments in accordance with these requirements. I am currently considering which bodies to specify in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Bodies will be required to have the capacity to nominate to all ETBs.
48. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the proposed changes to a programme (details supplied) in Tallaght, Dublin 24, which would cut student numbers by half; and if he will consult the local VEC with a view to changing this proposal which will have a very damaging effect on an area that has some of the highest rates of unemployment in the country. [20418/14]
View answerFollowing the amalgamation of the former Dublin and Dun Laoghaire Vocational Educational Committees (VECs), Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (ETB) has 510 approved VTOS places. Following the amalgamation and the taking on of responsibility for the former FÁS services, the ETB carried out a review of the provision of its Adult Education services. The ETB have informed my Department that during this review it became apparent that while the Tallaght area had 120 approved VTOS places, Balbriggan, a rapidly growing area with high unemployment, only had 20 approved places. The ETB then made the decision to increase the available places in Balbriggan by 20, bringing their allocation to 40 VTOS places, and to reduce by 20 the number of places in the Tallaght area, leaving them with 100 VTOS places. VTOS places are allocated to Education and Training Boards. Further distribution of these places to centres under their remit is a matter for each ETB.
49. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on redeploying teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20479/14]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary and post-primary schools, including redeployment arrangements, are published annually. The staffing and redeployment arrangements for the 2014/15 school year are available on the Department website. Teaching vacancies are filled in the first instance through the redeployment of surplus permanent teachers. The redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers is key to the Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers. Teaching resources are allocated to schools on a school year basis. The bulk of teaching posts in schools are allocated on a permanent basis. Unlike most other areas of the public service teaching vacancies continue to be filled in accordance with published Department criteria. The Government has prioritised, as best as possible, the filling of front-line posts in the Education sector within the constraints of the Employment Control Framework.
50. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of special needs assistants employed for 2013-14; the ceiling number of SNAs that may be employed within schools; the way this number is calculated; and the persons who calculate it. [20480/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that, in December 2013, this Government agreed to increase the cap on the number of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts available for allocation to schools by 390 posts to 10,965 at the end of 2014. These extra posts will ensure that the Government's policy of ensuring that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such 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 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 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. The total number of Whole Time Equivalent (WTE) SNA posts currently allocated by the NCSE is 10,656 posts. There is no ceiling or limit to the numbers of SNAs which can be employed in individual schools. The numbers employed in individual schools reflects the levels of care needs which have been identified by the NCSE. The overall number of SNAs available for allocation is determined by reference to the levels of care needs nationally which have been identified by the NCSE. The number is agreed between officials within my Department and officials of the Department for Public Expenditure and Reform in the context of the overall staff resources allocated to my Department under the employment control framework.
