Thursday, 4 Dec 2014

Written Answers Nos. 170-176

School Accommodation

Questions (170)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

170. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the concerns and frustrations of parents in Maynooth, County Kildare, whose children find themselves unable to obtain a place in Maynooth post-primary schools notwithstanding protracted deliberation surrounding the setting up of two separate schools on the same site when the parents' choice was a single school entity operating on a senior and junior cycle basis that would have eliminated the possibility of any such issues; if the situation may be re-examined as a matter of urgency with a view to resolution; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46646/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, many representations have been received, and much consideration has been given to this matter. As previously outlined, for compelling educational reasons and to safeguard the integrity of the patronage determination process, both the new post-primary school for Maynooth, which opened in September this year to meet demographic need, and the existing post-primary school will operate as fully –vertical post-primary schools delivering both the junior and senior cycle. There is no change to this position. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. Both schools operate under the patronage of the Kildare & Wicklow Education and Training Board, which has appointed a single Governing Authority to guarantee to Parents/Guardians and Students a fair and equitable enrolment policy for both schools and to ensure that the overall management of the campus will be as cohesive and effective as possible.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (171)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

171. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will facilitate an arrangement to facilitate the admission to a Maynooth post-primary school of the three children of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare, all of whom have special needs and who have been refused admission due to the admissions structure; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46651/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils' not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a place for every applicant, a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory, and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Under section 15(2)(d) of the Education Act, 1998, each school is legally obliged to disclose its enrolment policy and to ensure that, as regards that policy, principles of equality and the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents' choice are respected. Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department or, in the case of an Education and Training Board (ETB) school, to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student, or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld. The Educational Welfare Service (EWS) of the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS may be able to offer assistance and advice on securing a school placement within the pupil's home area. The contact details for the EWS is Educational Welfare Services, Block 3, South Dublin County Council, Tallaght, Dublin 24, Phone [phone]. My Department provides for a range of placement options for pupils with special educational needs in order to ensure that all pupils can receive a school placement. Many pupils with special educational needs will be able to attend a local mainstream school whereas, for pupils who have needs which require more specialist interventions, special class and special school placements are provided for. In addition, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) can assist parents to identify appropriate educational placements for children with special educational needs. Parents may contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs and to seek assistance in identifying placement options, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

The NCSE also recently published a Guide for Parents and Guardians of Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs on Choosing a School. This guide is also available at www.ncse.ie. As the Deputy is aware, the Government gave approval in March of this year for drafting the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2014, and drafting by the Attorney General is currently under way. The aim of 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.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (172)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

172. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if extra special needs teaching hours may be facilitated in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46662/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that all schools receive an allocation of additional teaching resources to support children who have mild general learning difficulties or learning support needs under the General Allocation Model in primary schools, or through Learning Support and Resource Teaching allocations at post primary schools. Schools are given guidance on how to identify pupils for learning support in my Departments Circulars 02/05 and 70/2014. In addition, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) allocates additional resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special need, as defined by my Department's Circular Sp Ed 02/05. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. It is a matter for schools to then monitor and utilise their allocation of additional teaching support to best support the needs of identified pupils, in accordance with my Department's guidance. The teaching time afforded to each individual pupil is decided and managed by schools, taking into account each child's individual learning needs. Schools have capacity to allocate resource teaching or learning support hours to pupils who have additional learning needs arising from medical conditions, from within their General Allocation Model hours. A parent who feels that their child requires additional learning support in school should raise this matter directly with their school Principal in the first instance, or with the Board of Management of the school.

Student Grant Scheme Appeals

Questions (173)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

173. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if eligibility for a higher education grant may be reviewed in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Carlow in view of the fact that their application for naturalisation is pending; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46665/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2013 provides for the review of eligibility for the award of grant assistance in the event of changes of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. This means that where a student acquires Irish citizenship by naturalisation, or is granted permission to remain, provided for in the Act or Regulations, during the course of their studies, he/she may apply to SUSI to have his/her application re-assessed. The link for requesting a review of the application of the student referred to by the Deputy is http://www.susi.ie/QuickLinks/Appealing-your-grant-decision.aspx.

Any award the applicant may be eligible for as a result of a change in her immigration status will take effect from the date on which the change occurs, i.e. the date the student attends her naturalisation ceremony.

Summer Works Scheme Eligibility

Questions (174)

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

174. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the summer works scheme and funding allocated for forthcoming applications. [46686/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Over 1,600 applications were received under the 2014 Summer Works Scheme. In total, the spending of more than €70 million on the 2014 Summer Works Scheme has been approved to allow over 770 schools undertake improvement works. I wish to advise the Deputy that in view of the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential school accommodation, it is not possible for me to advance with a new summer works programme in 2015. In that regard, I also wish to advise the Deputy, however, that provision has been made in the 2015 allocation, on foot of the budget, for the carryover costs of the improvement works already approved in 2014.

Commensurate with the level of funding set aside for the Scheme, applications were assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the Circular accompanying the Scheme. Unfortunately, due to the scale of demand for funding under the Scheme, it was not possible to grant aid all applications. However, in accordance with the Scheme's Circular, these applications will be retained and will be prioritised for consideration in the future, subject to availability of funding.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (175)

Brendan Smith

Question:

175. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a proposed building project in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Cavan; when this project will proceed to the next stage; the likely timeframe for construction; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46705/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Major School Building Project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning. The Stage 2b Detailed Design Submission has been approved by my Department. 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 the project referred to by the Deputy in the five year construction programme. School building projects, including the project referred to by the Deputy, which have been initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme continue to be progressed to final planning stages of architectural planning in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to my Department in the future. The project for the school referred to by the Deputy remains available to be considered for progression in that context.

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Questions (176)

Frank Feighan

Question:

176. Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the Student Universal Support Ireland application (details supplied) is assessed on the basis of gross income. [46706/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The assessment of means under my Department's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point, eliminating any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions. The means test arrangements of the student grant scheme are applied nationally. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants, gross income is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded. The eligibility of an applicant, or the level of the grant awarded, may be re-assessed by the awarding authority in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year. I have no plans at present to depart from the above practice in respect of the determination of income.