Written Answers Nos. 202 to 210
202. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that due to an extensive waiting list, the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind is no longer accepting applications for assistance dogs for children with autism; if her Department will provide funding to the association, as it has in the past, to enable it to re-open this vital service. [43651/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides annual funding to the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind (IGDB) for the provision of its Child Mobility Programme. This grant provides for the services of a Mobility Officer employed by the IGDB who provides mobility training to visually impaired children. My Department also provided once-off grant-aid to the IGDB for the operation of its Assistance Dogs Programme for Families of Children with Autism in the past. While the beneficial nature of the programme is acknowledged, this is considered to be primarily a home-based family support programme, as opposed to a specific educational intervention. As my Department's obligation is to prioritise all aspects of educational funding within the context of current financial constraints, it is not possible to provide funding for this programme at this time. I understand that the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind also receives significant funding from the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive, who are the main State funding bodies for the services provided by this group.
203. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 171 of 8 October 2014, the progress that has been made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43669/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the conveyancing process for the site to which she refers is proceeding satisfactorily and my officials are working to ensure that the process is completed as soon as possible. Officials from my Department will be in contact with the relevant school authorities to inform them when the acquisition has been completed and in relation to the progression of the building project.
204. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 215 of 6 November 2014, if she will detail the person who was the independent external chairperson; if she will confirm whether this was a remunerated position; the way that person was appointed; if she will provide an estimated deadline for when the referred considerations will have been finalised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43678/14]
View answerThe steering committee for the value for money review of small primary schools was chaired by Mr William Soffe. He was selected from the panel of nominated retired senior officials who had indicated they would be willing to act as chairpersons for individual reviews under the Value for Money and Policy Review intiative. The panel is operated by officials in the Department of Public and Expenditure and Reform. Mr Soffe was paid the standard fee applicable at the time for chairing a Value for Money Review, namely €1,800 gross. I am not in a position to state when the Government will conclude its consideration of the report.
205. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills the options open to parents of children who are diagnosed with certain conditions that would entitle them to resource hours after the recent National Council for Special Education deadline has passed; the number of such cases that have been submitted by local special education support services and are awaiting sanction after the recent deadline; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43696/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that all schools were asked to apply to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) for resource teaching support for the 2014/15 school year by 26 March 2014. The NCSE published details of all of their allocations for resource teaching support for the 2014/15 school year in June 2014. In order to meet any late demand for resource teaching support arising between the time that the initial allocation was made and the start of the school year, the NCSE requested all schools to submit outstanding applications to the NCSE by 22nd September, 2014. The NCSE published details of a second round of additional resource teaching allocations which have been made to schools on 13th October 2014. These details are available on the NCSE website, www.ncse.ie. Following this second round of resource teaching allocations, the allocation process for the 2014/15 school year has effectively concluded, other than in relation to a small number of emergency cases, or where schools do not have any resource teaching allocation. In other instances schools, should provide support for pupils with newly diagnosed conditions from within their overall resource teaching and learning support allocations, pending notification to schools regarding the 2015/16 allocation process. As the second part of the Deputy's question, regarding the number of applications submitted to the NCSE subsequent to the September deadline, is an operational matter for the NCSE, I have arranged to have this part of the Deputy's question referred to the NCSE for consideration and direct reply to the Deputy.
206. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 211 of 6 November 2014, the compensation that was paid by her Department in reaching the deal with the owner; the conditions that were put into the agreement to ensure that the building will be restored to its original state; the condition that was put into the agreement to ensure that there will be interaction between the local authority and the owner to ensure the completion of the works; the responsibility the local authority has in regard to this decision of her Department; if there has been any agreement between her Department and the local authority regarding the actual agreement and the extent the local authority has in regard to it; the location the agreement between the Department and the owner may be inspected or obtained; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43737/14]
View answerAs previously advised in a reply to the Deputy in March and November 2014, prior to the surrender of the lease which was in place and following discussions between officials of my Department and representatives of the owners of the property to which he refers, an agreement was reached in December 2013 to surrender the building to the owners of the property. This agreement provided that the owners of the building undertook to restore the premises to the satisfaction and requirements of the local authority. The Deputy will appreciate that the sum paid to and the agreement with the property owners is commercially sensitive and in the circumstances I am not in a position to disclose this information. The sum paid at the time of surrender of the lease reflected my obligations under the lease, subsequent to the extensive damage caused by the fire. In January 2014, the local authority was notified that the Department had signed the formal agreement to surrender the property to the landlord as well as the fact that the landlord had given an undertaking to restore the property to the satisfaction and requirements of the local authority. Statutory responsibility for the enforcement of the planning and other relevant legislation with regard to works to this property falls within the remit of the local authority.
207. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a breakdown of the proposed Local Government Fund distribution in 2015. [43620/14]
View answerIncome from Motor Tax currently accrues to the Local Government Fund. The Fund has historically provided local authorities with finance for funding some of their day-to-day activities, including elements of water services costs, through General Purpose Grant allocations; for non-national roads; and funding for certain local government initiatives. As a result of the introduction of Local Property Tax in 2013 and the establishment of Irish Water, the local government funding model has changed considerably in 2014. The following table shows the change in Local Government Fund income and expenditure from 2013 to 2014.
Income
|
€m |
2013 |
*2014 |
|
Motor Tax (net) |
1,135.5 |
1,160.0 |
|
Exchequer Contribution |
0 |
0 |
|
Household Charge |
23.1 |
0 |
|
Local Property Tax |
0 |
550.0 |
|
Interest |
0.2 |
0.2 |
|
Total |
1,158.8 |
1,710.2 |
*Estimate for 2014
Expenditure
|
€m |
2013 |
*2014 |
|
General Purpose Grants |
640.9 |
282.0 |
|
Road and Public Transport Payments |
408.0 |
363.9 |
|
Payment to Exchequer |
100.0 |
600.0 |
|
Water - Irish Water Subvention/Local Authorities |
0 |
486.5 |
|
Other Miscellaneous |
58.4 |
46.5 |
|
Total |
1,207.3 |
1,778.9 |
*Estimate for 2014
Overall decisions in relation to Local Government Fund income and expenditure for 2015 are expected to be finalised in the context of the Revised Estimates process for next year.
208. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason there is no ministerial policy to ensure that patients in receipt of home dialysis are to be supported for the extra water costs that will be incurred when water charges are introduced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43627/14]
View answerI refer to the reply to Question No. 156 of 12 November 2014 which sets out the position in this matter.
209. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his policy regarding housing (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43494/14]
View answerUnder the provisions of Part V of the Planning and Development Act 2000 (as amended), all planning authorities are required to include a Housing Strategy as an integral part of their statutory development plan. The purpose of the Housing Strategy is to ensure that a sufficient supply of housing is on stream to meet the needs in the relevant authority's area taking account of tenure choice, housing type, affordability, and also, social integration. The statutory development plan for each planning authority in Dublin includes such a housing strategy, with such strategies being reviewed every six years as part of the Development Plan cycle. The requirement for authorities to prepare a Housing Strategy on this basis will continue in the new iteration of Part V to be introduced in the forthcoming Planning Bill.
210. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has any control over a standing charge being levied by a company (details supplied) even if a person does not put out a bin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43503/14]
View answerCharges applied by waste management companies are a matter between those companies and their customers, subject to compliance with all applicable environmental and other relevant legislation.
