Written Answers Nos. 78-86
78. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason teachers working under the July provision are not paid until November; if any scheme is in place to give these teachers interim payments or if the July provision rules can be changed in order that teachers can be fully paid before the end of August; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27601/14]
View answerThe July Education Programme 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. The programme is also available for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where a school chooses not to extend their services for July, all eligible children will be granted home based July provision, on application. This year's common pay date of 6th November 2014 is well advertised prior to the start of the July Education Programme.
In 2013, 167 schools with 2,523 staff offered 2,791 children the July Education Programme in addition to 3,471 children who availed of the home based programme. The Deputy will appreciate therefore, that the major proportion of administrative work is devoted to processing these claims for payment. Staffing resources have been assigned to process payments as speedily as possible. The certainty granted to parents and tutors with a fixed payment date increases efficiency in this regard, as staff will be able to channel their efforts into processing payments rather that dealing with numerous queries on payment dates. This decision was made after consideration of available staffing resources within the Department and there are no plans to change from this arrangement.
79. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an emergency works scheme application in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27602/14]
View answerThe management authority of the school referred to by the Deputy has been allocated funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme to carry out Health and Safety works to windows in their school building. The school authority have been informed of this decision.
80. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5 that is losing another teacher this year, having lost one last year; the number of teachers this school is supposed to have based on current numbers; if the school was down a teacher last year and, if so, the reason; the number of special needs assistants the school will have this year; his views on the situation pertaining to a concerned parent who has two children in the school, one whose class is to be split due to the reduction in teacher numbers and whose access to an SNA will also most likely be reduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27621/14]
View answerThe key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements for the 2014/15 school year are set out in Circular 0007/2014 which is available on the Department's website. The staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level.
The staffing schedule includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. Details of the criteria for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule, Circular 0007/2014. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The school referred to by the Deputy did not lose a teacher in the current school year or in the previous school year. The school is due to have one classroom post suppressed in September 2014 due to a fall in enrolments. The school census returns indicated an enrolment on 30th September 2013 of 387 which allows for mainstream staffing of Principal and 14 classroom teachers for the 2014/15 school year.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support. Where children have significant care needs whereby they may need additional support to be able to attend school, the NCSE may make an allocation of SNA support to the school to assist that child.
The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.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 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. The NCSE will shortly advise all schools of their SNA allocations for the coming school year. 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.
81. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for a contract of indefinite duration for a teacher at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27625/14]
View answerThe decision on whether to issue a contract of Indefinite Duration (CID) to a teacher is one for their school as employer in the first instance. As part of the agreement between the education partners on the implementation of the Protection of Employees (Fixed Term Work) Act 2003 in the education sector, an adjudication system was established to facilitate resolution of disputes in relation to the awarding of CIDs. This system allows teachers who have been refused a CID, or who are unhappy with the hours of the CID where one is awarded, to submit an appeal to an independent Adjudicator for consideration.
The teacher referred to by the Deputy has submitted an appeal under this adjudication process and her appeal is currently being considered by the Adjudicator. When the Adjudicator issues a decision, this will be communicated to the teacher and school concerned.
82. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an appeal against the reduction of teacher numbers at a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27626/14]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2014/2015 school year is set out in the Staffing Schedule (Circular 0007/2014) which is available on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the 30 September 2013. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. The appeal criteria are published in Circular 0007/2014.The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal under Criterion E - Small Schools to the June, 2014 meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The appeal was refused by the Appeals Board on the basis that the grounds of the appeal did not warrant the allocation of an additional post under Circular 0007/2014. The school was notified accordingly.
The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final.
83. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the ALBA course in All Hallows College, a BA in personal and professional development, is closing to new entrants; if he is working with other third level institutions to ensure that such a course is available elsewhere in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27635/14]
View answer89. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that the students currently enrolled on the adult learning BA course in All Hallows College will be able to complete their BA degrees following the recent announcement that the college is to close; if he will ensure that the ALBA course is continued in another college such as DCU in view of its unique structure and in particular its success with persons who have been out of education for a long time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27720/14]
View answer90. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that students who had planned to progress from the ALBA course to the masters programme in All Hallows College will be accommodated elsewhere on a similar fee level in view of the fact that the fees in All Hallows College have been far lower and more affordable than elsewhere and that many of the current ALBA students will be unable to afford higher fees for an alternative masters programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27722/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 83, 89 and 90 together.
All Hallows College is a private college and is not an approved institution under the Higher Education Authority (HEA). It does not receive core funding, however, my Department provides grant in lieu of tuition fee funding to the College in respect of three approved undergraduate courses. This funding amounted to some €436,000 for the 2013/14 academic year. The ALBA programme referred to by the Deputy is a part-time course and is therefore not an approved course for free fees funding. My Department does not have a role in the placement of students in any third level institution and decisions regarding courses to be run are matters for individual institutions as autonomous bodies. I welcome the fact that the college has stated that it intends to wind down in a phased basis in order to facilitate as much as possible the completion of current students' studies.
84. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the towns and areas that were surveyed regarding divestment of patronage of local schools; the number of persons surveyed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27638/14]
View answerThe full Report on the surveys to which the Deputy refers is published on my Department's website. The link to the Report is http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Policy-Reports/Report-on-the-surveys-regarding-parental-preferences-on-primary-school-patronage.pdf. This Report outlines in detail the answers to the questions raised by the Deputy.
85. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills where special needs assistants are being made redundant in a school, whether the years of service in situations where they worked as SNAs in two separate schools that were ultimately amalgamated will include the years when they worked in the previous schools or whether these years are lost; whether they will be entitled to having years of service counted only in respect of the period after the amalgamation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27668/14]
View answerSpecial Need Assistants (SNA) resources are allocated by the National Council for Special Education to primary and second level schools. Where the allocation of resources to a school is reduced an SNA employed by the managerial authority of the school is entitled to apply for redundancy provided that they have been employed in the same school for a minimum of one year.
In 2013 a scheme was introduced whereby an SNA had the option of remaining on a panel for a year while seeking new employment. Where an SNA is appointed to a new post from the panel, service from the previous employment will be counted for redundancy purposes should a further redundancy situation arise. The time limit for inclusion on the panel was extended to two years in 2014. Where schools amalgamate and SNAs transfer to and continue to work in the amalgamated school, service in both schools is counted as continuous service for redundancy purposes.
86. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will introduce an appeals process to be adjudicated upon on an individual basis for primary schools adversely affected by the 2010 changes to school bus catchment areas; if this process will give particular consideration to isolated rural schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27685/14]
View answerChanges to the Primary School Transport Scheme, including the 'Closed School Rule (CSR)', were announced in Budget 2011 and derived from recommendations in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme. From the commencement of the 2011/12 school year the distance eligibility criterion of 3.2 kilometres was applied to all children travelling under the primary school transport scheme, including those travelling under the CSR.
The second element of the change which took effect from the commencement of the 2012/13 school year applied only in the case of children commencing their primary education from that date. This second element restricted eligibility for school transport to those children who meet the distance eligibility criterion and are travelling to their nearest school. Children who were eligible for school transport prior to the introduction of these changes and who are availing of school transport services, will retain their eligibility for the duration of their primary education cycle provided there is no change in their current circumstances. The terms of the Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis and I am satisfied with the current policy and criteria for determining eligibility.
