Wednesday, 22 Oct 2014

Written Answers Nos. 191-7

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Questions (191)

Finian McGrath

Question:

191. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding a new model for schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40684/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published its Report on a Proposed New Model for Allocating Teachers for Students with Special Educational Needs on 18 June 2014. The NCSE, consulted widely with education partners, representatives of the disability sector, stakeholders and parent representative groups, during the course of the development of this policy advice.The report recommends that a new allocation model should be developed, based on a schools educational profile, while providing a baseline allocation to every mainstream school to support inclusion. Following the publication of these reports, my Department advised that it would commence the process of gathering information which would be required to develop the proposed new model, to allow its impact to be assessed, and to assess if, and from when, the model could be implemented. Part of this process involves the collection of information in relation to the social context of schools.The working group report recommended that a school's social context should be used because it can contribute strongly to the level of learning needs that students have. The report considered that, on the basis of available research evidence, the use of a school's social context is valid in developing an educational profile, as socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with the incidence of certain types of special educational needs, including low achievement in academic learning and emotional or behavioural disorders. The report also noted that a school within a disadvantaged social context may have a higher share of students presenting with emotional or behavioural disorders. While some of these needs are likely to be reflected in low test scores, others may not, as students with relatively high levels of educational achievement can have emotional and behavioural disorders. My Department therefore, in conjunction with the NCSE, asked the Educational Research Centre (ERC) to conduct a survey of schools to assist the development of an educational profile.

Though recognising that all schools would not be able to have specific detail regarding all of the questions asked in relation to their pupil populations, schools were asked to provide their best possible estimates in relation to the questions being asked in the survey, in order to ensure that as accurate as possible a social context allocation component of any revised allocation model could be developed for each school. The data which schools were requested to return as part of the survey was non-personal, anonymised data and, schools were not asked to return data in relation to the social circumstances of individual pupils.Schools were also advised that the ERC had put in place a dedicated phone help line in order to provide assistance and support to schools in completing the questionnaire. I understand that many schools used this help line to gain assistance in completing the questionnaire.Whereas I understand that the return of this survey has caused extra work and some difficulties for some schools, I am confident that having up to date social context data will be highly beneficial to my Department and the NCSE in developing proposals for a new profiled allocation model for schools.I also wish to advise the Deputy that following publication of the working group report, my Department invited education partners, stakeholders, and parent representative groups to make written submissions in relation to the NCSE report. 26 written submissions have been received to date, from interested parties. My Department also held a number of consultation meetings on 1 and 3 October last with stakeholders, education partners, and parent representative groups. Consultation has been a key feature of the development of this policy advice to date and I can confirm that consultation will continue to take place at each stage of the development of proposals for any new model.

School Transport Provision

Questions (192)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

192. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school transport in view of the recent expansion of Solas, ETB, Momentum courses here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40685/14]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

A primary objective of the School Transport Scheme is to support the transport to and from school of children who would have difficulty travelling for reasons of distance to their nearest school if transport is not supported and to date this has been the sole focus of that scheme.While I recognise the need for flexibility in the use of transportation, this is a complex matter and a number of critical factors must be borne in mind. In the first instance school transport vehicles are routed and timetabled to coincide with school opening and closing times and existing contract arrangements with private sector providers are framed along these lines.A further significant factor to be considered in examining the integration of school transport services is child protection. I am sure the Deputy will appreciate that the opening up of school transport services to adults could have potential risks if this were to be implemented. The issue of integrated rural transport provision is being looked at closely by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and in that context the National Transport Authority has conducted some trials in this area. I consider this is the most appropriate way of advancing this agenda and dealing with the type of issues I have outlined.

Special Educational Needs Data

Questions (193, 194)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

193. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of pupils who are attending each autistic spectrum disorder unit in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40703/14]

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

194. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to increase the size of the autistic spectrum disorder unit in a school (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40704/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 and 194 together.The Deputy will be aware that the establishment of a network of autism-specific special classes in schools across the country to cater for children with autism has been a key educational priority in recent years. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.I have arranged for the matters raised in relation to the school and county referred to by the Deputy to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.

Irish Water Staff

Questions (195)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

195. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of engineers employed by Irish Water; of those, the number who work from home; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40489/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels. Staffing arrangements within Irish Water are an operational matter for the company and one in which I have no function. I understand from information supplied to my Department by Irish Water that they are currently working on updating their skills register. Irish Water has confirmed that as at 1 June 2014 there were 151 qualified engineers employed by Irish Water though not all are working in engineering roles. While a number of staff are field based and working from regional offices, there are no staff working from home.

Irish Water Administration

Questions (196, 197)

Barry Cowen

Question:

196. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide in tabular form the total number of Irish Water application packs received by Irish Water to date broken down by county; the estimated compliance rate in each county; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40499/14]

Michael McGrath

Question:

197. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of Irish Water application packs which were issued; the number that have been returned to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40500/14]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I propose to take Questions Nos. 196 and 197 together.

Since 1 January 2014, Irish Water has statutory responsibility for all aspects of water services planning, delivery and operation at national, regional and local levels.

Over the last number of weeks, Irish Water has been sending application packs to approximately 2 million households. The administration and operation of this application process is an operational matter for Irish Water and one in which I have no function. I understand that Irish Water expects that about 750,000 responses will be back by end week, and the bulk of these will be customers.

Irish Water has established a dedicated team to deal with representations and queries from public representatives. They may be contacted via email at [e-mail] or by telephone on 1890 278 278.