Thursday, 29 May 2014

Written Answers Nos. 31-50

Student Grant Scheme Reform

Questions (31)

Denis Naughten

Question:

31. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to review the operation of the higher education grant scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23281/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Following a challenging first year of operation in 2012, SUSI improved its performance in 2013. An external review of SUSI's business processes was undertaken by Accenture in early 2013 to inform improvements in the system for the 2013/14 academic year. Many of the recommendations by the review have now been implemented. SUSI made significant improvements to its systems and procedures to streamline the grant application, processing and payment processes in 2013/14. Key among these changes were the information-sharing arrangements implemented with Government Departments and agencies to reduce the amount of documentation sought from applicants. Also, additional staff and management resources were approved for SUSI.

CDETB is focusing on continual improvement of service delivery, particularly in relation to processes and systems in operation. In this regard, SUSI is currently developing a programme of ongoing improvements to provide enhanced services to grant applicants for the coming academic year.

Special Educational Needs Expenditure

Questions (32)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

32. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he continues to be in a position to meet the educational requirements of children with special needs at primary and second level, with particular reference to the availability of special needs teachers, special needs assistants and adequate appropriate school places; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23363/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Expenditure supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs was some €1.3bn in 2013, which represents approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department. These resources have been protected, or in some areas have been increased in 2014, despite the ongoing severe financial position and a requirement to make expenditure savings across a range of areas. This year provision is being made for up to 10,965 Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) of whom 10,656 are currently in place, over 10,700 Learning Support and Resource Teachers currently in place, along with 740 Special Classes attached to mainstream schools.

More resources than ever before are being provided to ensure that the educational requirements of children with special needs can continue to be met at primary and second level and that as many children as possible can be educated with their peers in mainstream education.

International Students

Questions (33, 45, 50)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

33. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to ensure that international students left stranded as a result of the recent closure of a number of international language schools can continue their education and be recompensed for the cost of discontinued courses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23369/14]

Dara Calleary

Question:

45. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills his response to the closure of international language schools; the measures he is putting in place to address same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23378/14]

Timmy Dooley

Question:

50. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures he is putting in place following the closure of a number of international language schools; the way he plans to help the students affected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23384/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 33, 45 and 50 together.

The Minister for Education and Skills and the Minister for Justice and Equality have established a Task Force to urgently examine the issues raised by the closure of a number of private colleges. The Task Force is chaired by the two Departments and includes representatives from QQI, Enterprise Ireland and City of Dublin Education and Training Board as well as representatives of the private high-quality higher education and English language sectors and the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS). This Group is charged with assessing the scale of the issue and, in particular, the number of genuine students who have not yet been accommodated. It will also determine what capacity is available in the sector to make accommodation for students and will oversee a system that seeks to make such accommodation.

The co-chairs of the Task Force have been asked to make an interim report by this Friday.

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Questions (34, 38)

Dominic Hannigan

Question:

34. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there has been any further discussion in his Department regarding the possibility of opening up funding to two school book rental schemes (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23285/14]

Helen McEntee

Question:

38. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for Education and Skills in respect of schools that are already operating a book rental scheme (details supplied), if such schools will be given some financial support to maintain their schemes; if he will reconsider his decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23284/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 34 and 38 together.

In Budget 2013 funding of €5 million for three years was provided to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that did not operate such schemes. DEIS schools will receive €150 per child and non-DEIS schools will receive €100 per child in seed capital over the next two years to establish book rental schemes. This will cost approximately €6.7m.

I indicated that following allocation of the initial round of funding, I would re-examine the scheme to see if I could allocate funding to primary schools that already had such schemes. I am pleased to advise the Deputies that the balance of the funding, some €8.3m, will be divided among all primary schools that currently operate book rental schemes in 2015 and 2016. These schools are expected to receive €18 per pupil or €20 per pupil in DEIS schools over those two years. Every primary school will now benefit from the School Book Rental Scheme.

Disadvantaged Status

Questions (35)

Clare Daly

Question:

35. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way elements of the DEIS programme are being protected in view of the move of aspects of the programme to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. [23273/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Those elements of the DEIS programme being managed by the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) transferred to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs in May 2011. This included responsibility for the integrated services of Home School Community Liaison Scheme, the School Completion Programme as well as the statutory Educational Welfare Service. On 1st January, 2014 the NEWB was abolished and its statutory and administrative functions transferred to the Child and Family Agency.

My Departments liaises with the DCYA and the Child and Family Agency on an ongoing basis in relation to those elements of the DEIS programme.

School Enrolments

Questions (36)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

36. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the board of management of a school (details supplied), with the support of parents and staff, has decided to enrol a junior infants class for September 2014 in order to secure the long-term future of the school in a situation of falling numbers of pupils and the school being only allowed to take students at second class; if he is aware that this enrolment decision did not receive the permission of the trustees or the patron; if he will accept the right of parents to choose what school their child can attend; if he will provide the necessary support for the school to implement the new policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23276/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

I am aware of the proposal by the school referred to by the Deputy in April 2014 to change its status to a fully vertical boy's school i.e. junior infants to 6th class. However no formal proposal has been made to my Department.

The decision making authority for a change in school type belongs to the Patron of a school, subject to the approval of the Minister for Education and Skills. Accordingly, an application for a change of status must have Patron approval before it can be considered by the Department. On foot of a request for a meeting received by my Department in respect of the school concerned, my Department wrote to the Patron to ascertain his views in respect of the proposed change of status.

The Patron responded to my Department advising that the change of status proposed by the school concerned did not have Patron approval. I also understand that the Patron has communicated his decision in the matter to the Board of Management. In that context, the Department cannot further consider the matter and cannot agree a change of status that does not have Patron approval.

School Placement

Questions (37)

Clare Daly

Question:

37. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will meet with representatives of the parent body whose children urgently require a place to start school in Swords in September, where a school (details supplied) has been refused an extra class, even though many of these children have siblings in the school, and the alternative schools that start at the same time are a considerable distance away and have not, in any case, made offers of places. [23274/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

I am aware of the decision by the authorities of the school concerned to advise parents of the availability of a 7th stream of junior infant 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 of the viability of another school. This may sometimes result in children not being offered a place in their school of first choice.

There are currently two schools in the area with the same Patron as the school 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. This undertaking was given by these schools on 19th March last after contact with my 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. I do not consider that convening a meeting as proposed would be beneficial at this time.

Question No. 38 answered with Question No. 34.

School Enrolments

Questions (39)

John Halligan

Question:

39. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will be making a formal decision in relation to school enrolment policy; when we can expect to see legislative proposals; if he will be broadly following in the UK's footsteps by bringing enrolment policy in line with postcodes, now that we are to be allocated postcodes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23361/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

As the Deputy is aware, last September, I published a draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 as well as draft regulations for discussion ahead of enacting legislation. I have stated that my aim in bringing forward legislative proposals in relation to school admission is to improve the admissions process and to ensure that the way schools decide on applications is structured, fair and transparent. The framework also proposes a mechanism for ensuring that every child receives a school place. The draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 and draft regulations are published on my Department's website. The Government gave approval in March for drafting the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2014 and the General Scheme has since been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government for drafting.

In relation to the UK approach, it is assumed that the Deputy is referring to the availability in the UK of an online map facility which, upon entering a person's postcode, identifies the schools that include that particular postcode area within their catchment area. The Department understands that this facility simply provides information to parents and others about those schools which enrol children from a particular area but does not in itself guarantee a place or put any obligation on schools in relation to the use of catchment areas.

Regarding the use of catchment area as an oversubscription criteria, it should be noted that the approach in the draft regulations published alongside the Draft General Scheme was to specify certain oversubscription criteria which would not be permissible. Otherwise the draft regulations provide that schools would have discretion to determine their own oversubscription criteria, including whether to apply a catchment area.

Question No. 40 answered with Question No. 27.

Question No. 41 answered with Question No. 14.

Special Educational Needs Expenditure

Questions (42)

John Halligan

Question:

42. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he or his Department has plans to make additional funding available for psychological services and employment of special needs assistants within the system; his views on whether cutbacks to the services over the past few years have resulted in hundreds of students who are in desperate need of assistance failing to qualify for same; if he will acknowledge that in order to create a calm and productive educational environment for all students, those both with and without special needs requirements, it is vital that all students who require assistance are provided with same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23360/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Expenditure supporting pupils with Special Educational Needs was some €1.3bn in 2013, which represents approximately 15% of the entire budget of my Department. These resources have been protected, or in some areas have been increased in 2014, despite the ongoing severe financial position and a requirement to make expenditure savings across a range of areas. Any decisions on additional funding would be considered as part of the budgetary process.

The number of Special Needs Assistants available has been increased by 390 posts to 10,965 posts, of whom 10,656 are currently in place. Over 10,700 Learning Support and Resource Teachers are also currently in place, along with 740 Special Classes attached to mainstream schools. The National Educational Psychological Service currently employs 169 whole time equivalent educational psychologists which is the highest complement of staff employed in that service since its inception.

More resources than ever before are being provided to ensure the educational requirements of children with special needs can be met and that all children qualifying for support receive such support.

Question No. 43 answered with Question No. 15.

Education Policy

Questions (44)

Tom Barry

Question:

44. Deputy Tom Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if, under the upcoming European cohesion policy headline target for education, development and strategy to promote the EU flagship initiative, Youth on the Move, he has carried out actions to enhance the performance of our education system. [23283/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Youth on the Move is a package of policy initiatives on education and employment for young people in Europe. Launched in 2010, it is part of the Europe 2020 strategy for smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. Under the Europe 2020 strategy, Ireland has signed up to a national headline target to reduce early school leaving to 8%, and to increase the number of 30-34 year olds with tertiary education to 60% by 2020. Ireland provides annual updates to the European Commission on this target as part of the National Reform Programme (NRP) process. According to the latest data available, Ireland's early school leaving rate was 9.7% in 2012, down from 11.4% in 2010. The latest data also shows that Ireland's tertiary attainment rate for 30-34 year olds was 51.1% in 2012, up from 49.7% in 2011. These figures represent positive progress towards our EU 2020 target.

Question No. 45 answered with Question No. 33.

Question No. 46 answered with Question No. 14.

Question No. 47 answered with Question No. 27.

Question No. 48 answered with Question No. 14.

Question No. 49 answered with Question No. 27.

Question No. 50 answered with Question No. 33.