Ciara Conway
Question:532. Deputy Ciara Conway asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to increase the number of new schools being built; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37001/14]
View answerSchools Building Projects Administration
Questions (532)
Written answers
Generally, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The Department's Five Year Construction Plan is focused on meeting those demographic needs and sets out the school projects that are planned to proceed to construction over the duration of the Plan. My Department will also consider applications from schools for funding for additional classrooms where an immediate enrolment need is arising.
As part of the Five Year School Plan, some 40 new schools are to be established across the country to cater for increasing demographics. Many of these schools have already commenced operation and the remainder will commence operation between now and 2016.
My Department is currently analysing demographic data on a nationwide basis to determine where additional school accommodation might be needed from 2015 onwards and to ensure that this is provided in a timely manner.
School Accommodation
Questions (533)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:533. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 463 of 23 September 2014, the date on which she expects the primary school in Craddockstown to be in an actual school rather than prefabs; the stage the process of moving the school out of prefabs is at; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37031/14]
View answerWritten answers
In view of the financial constraints imposed by the need to deliver on the Five Year Plan, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to provide an indicative timeframe for the provision of a permanent building for the school referred to by the Deputy. As I advised the Deputy in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 463 on 23 September, my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. This can necessitate the use of temporary accommodation, as in the case of this school, until my Department is in a position to provide a permanent building. My Department will however continue to liaise with the school authorities regarding their long term accommodation needs.
Special Educational Needs Staffing
Questions (534)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:534. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants who have been made redundant in each year since 2008; the number of special needs assistants employed during each of those years; the number of children each of those SNAs was working with; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37087/14]
View answerWritten answers
I wish to advise the Deputy that 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 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. A school by school breakdown of current SNA allocations for the 2014/15 school year is available at www.ncse.ie.
It should be noted that where individual SNAs are made redundant due to the fact that some schools may have received a reduced SNA allocation because a pupil with special needs has left the school, or because pupils have declining care needs as they grow older, this should not be represented as a cut. Where such posts are freed up they are then allocated to other schools who may have enrolled new pupils with special educational care needs. Most redundancies or reductions in SNA support are balanced by new allocations elsewhere. Details on the number of SNAs who received a redundancy payment for the years 2008 to date is contained in the following table. These figures include both full redundancy payments and compensation for loss of hours ('partial redundancies').
The specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to the number of SNAs employed from 2008 to present is set out in the following table.
I will arrange for the question to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy in respect of information regarding the number of pupils supported by SNAs from 2008 onward.
Part A: Number of Special Needs Assistants as provided by the NCSE
|
End Calendar Year |
Number of Special Needs Assistants 2008 - 2014 |
|
2008 |
10,442 |
|
2009 |
10,342 |
|
2010 |
10,543 |
|
2011 |
10,117 |
|
2012 |
10390 |
|
2013 |
10,585 |
|
Sept 2014 |
Allocation being finalised |
Part B: Number of Special Needs Assistants who received a redundancy payment
|
Year |
Number of SNAs who received a redundancy payment |
|
2008 |
261 |
|
2009 |
304 |
|
2010 |
419 |
|
2011 |
620 |
|
2012 |
1,252 |
|
2013 |
634 |
|
2014 to date |
233 |
School Transport Provision
Questions (535, 536)
James Bannon
Question:535. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the provision that will be made for the students (details supplied) in County Longford who have not yet been provided with transport to their designated secondary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37089/14]
View answerJames Bannon
Question:536. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will sanction an additional bus transport service for persons (details supplied) in County Longford not provided with secondary school transport to their designated school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37090/14]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 535 and 536 together.
The closing date for receipt of applications for school transport was 25 April 2014; the closing date for receipt of payments or submission of Medical Card details was 25 July 2014 and this was subsequently extended to 1 August.
It is understood that these children were late applying/and or making payment for the 2014/2015 school year. However, I have asked Bus Éireann to verify the factual position in relation to the children in question. I will then contact the Deputy directly to outline the position on this matter. I would stress the importance of families ensuring that their applications and payments for school transport are submitted in a timely manner, before the appropriate closing dates.
School Curriculum
Questions (537)
Terence Flanagan
Question:537. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration has been given to introducing a driver's education class to the secondary school curriculum, particularly to be taught in transition year, similar to classes offered in US high schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37118/14]
View answerWritten answers
A Road Safety programme for Transition Year has been available to schools since September 2008. It was developed by the Road Safety Authority in collaboration with my Department, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment and the Professional Development Service for Teachers. The programme features inputs from agencies such as the ambulance service, fire service and An Garda Síochána, as well as providing for visiting speakers, trips out of school, projects and case studies. The programme provides for an introduction to road safety for pedestrians, cyclists, motorcyclists and motorists, and covers such issues as seatbelts and airbags, driver fatigue, drink/drug driving, enforcement, basic first aid at road crashes, emergency services and rehabilitation. The programme is also supported by digital resources, including DVD support and access to international websites on road safety issues. Relevant Driver Theory Test learning is included at the end of each module. The programme does not include driving lessons. Under the revised Junior Cycle framework, schools will need to ensure that their students cover 24 Statements of Learning. One of the Statements of Learning is that the student should "take action to safeguard and promote their wellbeing and that of others". It is a matter for schools to determine how this might be implemented. It is, for example, open to schools to develop short courses at local level addressing this Statement of Learning including, should they so wish, curricular activities in relation to road safety. My Department will continue to work with the Road Safety Authority to strengthen the role of schools in promoting road safety even further.
Special Educational Needs Service Provision
Questions (538)
Bernard Durkan
Question:538. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a special needs assistant will be provided in the case of a child (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37125/14]
View answerWritten answers
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 enrolled in the school. 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. It is important to note that each school's allocation of SNA support can change from year to year and may be increased or decreased as students who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. New students with care needs may, or may not, enrol to replace students who have left, for example, or SNA allocations may be decreased where a child's care needs have diminished over time. There is always a significant churn of posts within the system.
The NCSE has allocated over 10,900 Special Needs Assistant (SNA) posts to schools to support students with special needs for the 2014/2015 school year. A school by school breakdown of SNA allocations for 2014/15 school year is available at www.ncse.ie. However, the SNA allocation process is still ongoing. Should a school wish to make an application for additional SNA support for a child who was not previously considered for SNA support or who is due to enrol to a school, they may do so to 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.
Proposed Legislation
Questions (539)
Finian McGrath
Question:539. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the implementation of the Equality of Access (Down's syndrome) Bill; if she will provide for the recent improvements for all pupils with Down's syndrome in our national schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37127/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy will be aware that the Equality of Access (Down's syndrome) Bill has been referred to the Oireachtas Committee on Education and Social Protection, where it can be considered in the context of forthcoming proposals to establish a new model for the allocation of resource teaching supports in mainstream schools.
I wish to advise the Deputy that all children with Down Syndrome will have access to resource teaching support for the coming year, either through a schools General Allocation Model, if the child has Mild General Learning Difficulties, or via an allocation made to school by the National Council for Special Education, if the child is in the low incidence special educational needs range, as defined by my Departments Circular 02/05.
The NCSE report on Supporting Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools has now been published and is available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie. The report recommends that under the new resource allocation model proposed by the NCSE in its report, children should be allocated additional resources in line with their level of need, rather than by disability category.
The NCSE report states that the NCSE is confident that the introduction of a new allocation model will overcome the difficulty posed by all children with Mild General Learning Disabilities, including children with Down syndrome, who have additional difficulties and who can be supported according to their level of need and in line with their learning plan process.
In the meantime, schools are reminded that they can differentiate the level of learning support granted to ensure that available resources are used to support children in line with their needs.
School Transport Provision
Questions (540)
Seán Kyne
Question:540. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has received correspondence from the Galway section of the schools transport section of Bus Éireann relating to problems being experienced in the Oranmore area whereby children are consistently late for schools because of the addition of a new school and the effect this has had on the old school transport timetable which has not been updated to reflect the additional numbers; if on receipt of such correspondence she will provide the necessary direction to Bus Éireann to immediately reconfigure the services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37152/14]
View answerWritten answers
Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the timetabling and scheduling of services. Officials in my Department are aware of the issues outlined by the Deputy and have requested that Bus Éireann address the timetabling issues as a matter of urgency.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (541)
Barry Cowen
Question:541. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a timeframe for the completion of stage 2A design in respect of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and when the much needed building development programme will conclude. [37161/14]
View answerWritten answers
The project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2A (Developed Sketch Design Stage) of Architectural Planning. My officials have recently written to the Board of Management and their Design Team authorising the project to complete Stage 2A and to propose a date for the Stage 2A Stakeholders meeting. Following this meeting, and subject to no issues arising, the project will then be authorised to proceed to Stage 2B which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was not possible to include this project in the 5 year construction programme announced in March 2012. School building projects, including the project for this school, which have been initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to my Department in the future.
School Accommodation
Questions (542)
Barry Cowen
Question:542. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to develop a Gaelcholaiste in Dublin 15 to service the needs of west Dublin and east Meath. [37162/14]
View answerWritten answers
My Department is currently analysing demographic data on a nationwide basis to determine where additional school accommodation might be needed from 2015 onwards. The areas to which the Deputy refers will be examined as part of this process at both primary and post-primary level. As part of the arrangements for establishing new post-primary schools, an initial decision is made by my Department, before seeking applications for patronage, on whether the schools will operate through the medium of Irish or English. This will apply for all new post-primary schools being established into the future.
The Deputy will be aware that my Department's current five-year construction plan is focused on meeting demographic demands to ensure that every child will have access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to accommodate increasing pupil numbers.
The establishment of any new school is, therefore, considered in the context of the overall need for additional school places to meet future demographic demands and new schools are advanced in line with an objective process and criteria for determining patronage and language medium of instruction.
In this regard, two new post-primary schools opened in Dublin 15 this September and each will cater for 1,000 pupils when fully developed.
Minor Works Scheme Applications
Questions (543)
Stephen Donnelly
Question:543. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the minor works grant for the school year 2014-15 will be granted; if she will provide details on the research her Department has undertaken on the effect of the funding cut on schools; if her Department has made any recommendations to schools as to the way they should handle the shortfall in funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37166/14]
View answerWritten answers
Circular Letter 0062/2013 which was published as the Minor Works Grant for the school year 2013/2014 issued last November states "the grant will only be paid in future years as funding permits". The focus under the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Programme 2012-2016 is on meeting the demand for additional school places. Consequently, there is no funding provided at this time in the 2014 capital allocation for the payment of a Minor Works Grant. Funds transferred to schools under the Minor Works Grant must be spent on the physical infrastructure of the school or on items of furniture and equipment for educational use including IT related equipment. As the Minor Works Grant may not be used for items of a non-capital nature, it has no role to play in the day-to-day running costs of a primary school such as the payment of electricity and telephone accounts, the purchase of fuel and other current expenses. I am aware that whenever my Department is in a position to issue a Minor Works Grant (to all primary schools with permanent recognition) that it is welcomed by school communities and management bodies as a valuable contribution towards the cost of maintaining school infrastructure.
Student Grant Scheme Eligibility
Questions (544)
Brendan Griffin
Question:544. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a student (details supplied) in County Kerry is entitled to a student field trip grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37169/14]
View answerWritten answers
Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was awarded a Postgraduate Fee Contribution of €2,000 in respect of attendance on a Postgraduate Diploma in Primary Education in Mary Immaculate College. As this award type does not contain a provision for field trip expenses the student is not eligible for same.
Legislative Programme
Questions (545)
Finian McGrath
Question:545. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the proposed admissions Bill plans to remove educational choice (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37179/14]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy will be aware, the Government gave approval in March of this year for drafting the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2014. The General Scheme has since been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government for drafting. Drafting of the Bill is currently underway. The objective of the Admissions to School Bill is to provide an over-arching framework to ensure that how schools decide on who is enrolled and who is refused a place in schools is more structured, fair and transparent. A key objective in designing the framework is to create greater confidence for parents that the admission criteria laid down by schools are legitimate, reasonable and fair.
Departmental Agencies
Questions (546)
Seán Kyne
Question:546. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide in tabular form all of the State agencies, bodies, organisations and working groups under her Department's remit; the core duties and functions of same; the number of staff at same; the budget of each for 2013 and proposed budget for 2014; the date of establishment of the agencies or organisations; and the legislation, primary or otherwise, from which they derive their powers. [37203/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Information is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
Construction Regulations
Questions (547)
Ciaran Cannon
Question:547. Deputy Ciarán Cannon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to support Irish steel fabrication companies in meeting the requirements of the Construction Products Regulation I.S. EN 1090-1:2009 and covering some of the very significant cost of implementing this regulation; if his attention has been drawn to the serious potential for job losses in companies that do not have the resources to comply with the regulation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36449/14]
View answerWritten answers
My Department has been working with a broad range of stakeholders to ensure the industry was aware of, and prepared for, the implementation of the Construction Products Regulation in Ireland. I also understand that a significant number of steel fabricators operating in the State have already established the systems necessary to comply with their obligations under the Construction Products Regulation and, more specifically, the requirements of I.S. EN 1090-1.
Local Enterprise Offices have been established within each local authority and can offer a wide range of experience, skills and services to provide assistance in establishing or growing a business in Ireland. The Local Enterprise Offices are committed to delivering an enhanced and more integrated support service for micro and small business and may be in a position to provide support to structural steel fabricators on how they can achieve compliance with the requirements of I.S. EN 1090-1.
Under the Construction Products Regulation, which came into full effect across the EU on 1 July 2013, all construction products covered by a harmonised European standard require a Declaration of Performance and must be CE marked before such products can be placed on the market. There are more than 420 harmonised standards relating to construction products.
The European Commission gave industry an additional 12 month period, until 1 July 201 4, for the introduction of the requirements of the Construction Products Regulation applied to steel fabricators c overed by I.S. EN 1090-1. This was in recognition of the fact that a large number of small steelwork fabricators would benefit from extra time to adapt and prepare.
I would urge all structural steel fabricators who have not done so already to make the arrangements necessary to comply with their obligations under both the Construction Products Regulation and I.S. EN 1090-1 at the earliest possible opportunity.
My Department will continue, of course, to work with all stakeholders to support and facilitate the implementation of the Construction Products Regulation in Ireland.
Housing Issues
Questions (548)
Thomas P. Broughan
Question:548. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 1575 of 17 September 2014, if he will provide details on the membership of the housing supply co-ordination task force for Dublin, including the number of members of the task force and the agencies they represent; the number of times the task force will meet on an annual basis. [36469/14]
View answerWritten answers
The Dublin Housing Supply Task Force has 11 members. It is chaired by the Chief Executive of South Dublin County Council, and consists of:
- 1 representative of my Department;
- the Director of Service for Planning from each of the four Dublin local authorities;
- 1 representative from the Department of Finance;
- 1 representative from the Housing Agency;
- 1 representative from Irish Water;
- 1 representative from the National Transport Authority; and
- 1 representative from the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA).
The Task Force meets approximately every two months in progressing its work under Action 2 of the Government's Construction 2020 – A Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector.
Environmental Policy
Questions (549)
Olivia Mitchell
Question:549. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider legislation similar to that in the United Kingdom limiting the height of trees in small suburban gardens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36474/14]
View answerWritten answers
There is currently a civil remedy available concerning branches or roots of neighbouring trees encroaching on one's property. I will, however, give consideration to the proposal concerned with regard to trees acutely impacting on neighbouring properties in the context of the forthcoming review of legislation in this area within my Department. The UK model is one legislative option in this regard and will be taken into account in that context.