Written Answers Nos. 239-249
239. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to continue the overseas graduate programme which was operated by FÁS; if analysis of the programme was undertaken; if so, if the outcomes were published; if graduates who availed of the scheme have been contacted to assess their view or value to them of the scheme; the reason it was discontinued; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5340/15]
View answerThe FÁS Overseas Graduate Programme (OGP), which began in 1983, placed newly qualifying graduates with honours degrees in Business, Engineering or the Sciences, into full-time employment with companies in Japan and China. The overarching aim of the Programme was to increase the number of Irish qualifying graduates with top quality international experience in their chosen discipline, thereby enhancing the capability of Ireland to trade internationally.
Officials in the then Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment carried out a review of the programme in early 2010. At that time, the core remit of FÁS was to focus its training and employment programmes on those cohorts who were most likely to remain unemployed. Following the review, it was decided that this programme did not fit with that core remit and that it would be inappropriate for FÁS to retain responsibility for its management and the programme was closed down. At that time Enterprise Ireland managed a comparable overseas programme, aimed at graduates in almost identical disciplines. The overarching objective of the Enterprise Ireland's International Graduate Programme is the provision of in-depth international marketing experience to graduates to ensure that they can contribute to the success of emerging Irish companies in rapidly changing international business environments. I understand that this programme is still being managed by Enterprise Ireland.
240. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of funding for school sports programmes (details supplied) in Dublin 17; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5192/15]
View answerThe works referred to by the Deputy are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme, the purpose of which is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to facilitate schools carrying out small and medium scale building works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings.
Under the scheme, responsibility for identifying and prioritising the most urgently required project rests with the school authority. In that regard, while the school referred to did not apply for the works concerned under the 2014 scheme, it will be open to the school, if it so decides, to make an application under a future summer works scheme.
241. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements in place with regard to shared services in the Institute of Technology Tallaght, particularly with regard to shared library services with other institutes of technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5206/15]
View answerIncreased collaboration between the libraries at the Institute of Technology Blanchardstown, Institute of Technology Tallaght and Dublin Institute of Technology has delivered a real practical benefit for all students and staff at the 3 Institutes. Students and staff from any one of the Institutes can visit any of the libraries at the other two Institutes with a minimum of fuss - by simply showing their 'home ' ID card. No letter of introduction or other ID is required. All students and staff can use the study spaces and print materials at any of the libraries for reference purposes. Whilst there, they may also access online library journals and databases at their 'home' library by using the Eduroam service on their own mobile device, laptop, mobile phone etc. For more information see http://www.heanet.ie/eduroam and detailed instructions at each of the Institutes. It is expected that additional benefits will follow as further collaboration develops.
The Institute of Technology Partner Libraries Reader card (plus home Institute student/staff ID) facilitates reader access at any of the Partner institutions. More information on accessing other libraries http://millennium.it-tallaght.ie/screens/otherlibraries_access.html#.VNDiqWisUuc
242. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of survivors who have accessed Caranua to date in 2015; the length of time their funding will remain; the length of time Caranua will remain in place as an organisation; the outcome for Caranua when the fund has been exhausted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5212/15]
View answerCaranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. To date a total of €81.44 million, including €80.06m in contributions and €1.382m in associated interest has been lodged to the special Investment Account managed by the National Treasury Management Agency for the Fund.
I understand that by 31st December 2014, Caranua had made payments of some €9m to 1,062 applicants of the total number of 3,829 applications received. The 2012 Act does not include provisions for the winding-up of the body. While it is envisaged that it will be dissolved when the moneys at its disposal are expended, the precise timing cannot be predicted and accordingly it was deemed preferable to introduce amending primary legislation to dissolve the body in due course and not anticipate in advance how long it will have to do its work.
243. Deputy Michael P. Kitt asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the proposed new model, effective from September 2015, for the allocation of resource hours in schools; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that the Irish National Teachers Organisation has stated these proposals will affect every child within the school environment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5221/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that, the National Council for Special Education published its Report on a Proposed New Model for Allocating Teachers for Students with Special Educational Needs on 18th June 2014.
This Report was prepared by a Working Group, appointed by the NCSE and Chaired by Mr Eamon Stack, which included representatives from disability organisations and also parent representative bodies.
An extensive consultation process was undertaken by the Working Group with stakeholders to inform the development of its report. Consultation meetings were held with the Health Service Executive, teachers, principals, union officials, parents, school management bodies, National Educational Psychological Services, advocacy groups, the Inspectorate, and Special Educational Needs Organisers.
Subsequent to the publication of the NCSE working group report, my Department invited education partners, stakeholders, and parent representative groups to make written submissions in relation to the NCSE report. 29 such written submissions have been received to date, including a submission from the Irish National Teachers Organisation.
In October last year, officials at my Department held consultations with primary and post primary management bodies, teacher organisations, groups representing those with disabilities and parents' representatives. Officials again met with representatives from these groups on 20th, 22nd and 30th of January last in order to further consult with these bodies.
A decision has not been taken on the commencement date for the proposed new model. I can confirm that officials have advised all stakeholders that there will be ongoing consultation with them as the work on the development of the model progresses.
244. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide data in respect of schools (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5248/15]
View answerThe number of pupils enrolled in individual schools is provided in the National School Annual Census. Results from the Census for the current school year (2014/2015) are being finalised at present. Publication of a provisional list of schools and their enrolments will be on my Department's website by the end of March and the finalised list will be available by July. The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools are published annually on the Department's 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 previous 30 September. The staffing process also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board.
Preparation for the staffing and redeployment process for the 2015/16 school year is currently underway in my Department. The staffing arrangements for schools for the 2015/16 school year, including the appeals process, will be published in the coming weeks. The information requested by the Deputy in relation to the 2014/15 school year is included in the following table.
Schools in Co. Kerry that lost a mainstream teaching post in the 2014/15 school year due to Budget 2012 measures
|
School Name and Address |
|
Lauragh National School, Killarney, Co Kerry |
|
S N An Leana Mhóir, Béal Atha Longphoirt, Via Listowel, Co Chiarraí |
|
Naomh Charthaigh, Boys National School, Castleisland, Co Kerry |
245. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of Article 42.1 of the Constitution only allowing for parents to avail of exclusive religious schools where such schools are exclusively privately funded according to their means with no State funding, the reason her Department allows schools in receipt of State funding to exclude children on religious grounds. [5255/15]
View answerArticle 42 of the Constitution provides for the right of parents to choose the form of education they provide or to have provided to their children. Primary legislation gives effect to this right and includes the Education Act 1998 and the Education (Welfare) Act 2000.
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.
This Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. Parents have the right to choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available 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. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
Existing equality legislation, which outlaws discrimination in relation to the admission of a student, makes provision for exemptions to apply in the case of single sex schools and in the case of schools where the objective is to provide education in an environment that promotes certain religious values. The Equality legislation provides that any school that has this objective may, where it has more applicants than places available, admit a student of a particular religious denomination in preference to other students. The legislation also provides that a school whose objective is to provide education in an environment that promotes certain religious values can refuse to admit a student who is not of that religion only where the school proves that this refusal is essential to maintain the ethos of the school.
It is my firm view that all schools should be inclusive. It is with this spirit of inclusiveness that the proposed Admission to Schools Bill is designed. Drafting of the Bill is currently at an advanced stage and the Bill is on the Government legislative programme for publication early in the Spring/Summer session.
The draft Bill does not propose changes to the existing equality legislation. The draft Bill, while including provision for single sex schools and denominational schools to reflect in their admission policy the exemptions applicable to such schools under equality legislation, will provide for schools to explicitly state in the school's admission policy that it will not discriminate against an applicant for admission on the grounds of disability, special educational needs, sexual orientation, family status, membership of the traveller community, race, civil status, gender or religion. The draft Bill will also provide for schools to publish an enrolment policy which will include details of the school's arrangements for students who do not want to attend religious instruction.
The Bill and its associated regulations should see improved access to schools for all pupils and ensure there is consistency, fairness and transparency in the admissions policies of schools and in the service they provide to parents.
246. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the location occupied by a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, but which will be vacant in September this year, as a site which could be developed for special needs educational service education in the area. [5315/15]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the project for the school referred to is currently at Stage 3 (Tender Stage). Upon completion of the new school building for the school in question, the school will vacate its current accommodation. My Department is currently reviewing the options with regard to the future use of the accommodation concerned.
247. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for remedial works to be carried out at a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5332/15]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for funding under my Department's 2014 Summer Works Scheme for the partial replacement of windows.
As the Deputy is aware funding in excess of €70m was approved to allow over 770 schools to undertake improvement works for applications received under categories 1 to 6, which cover gas works, electrical works, mechanical works, toilet facilities and roof works.
Schools which applied under categories 7 to 10 including the school in question were advised that their applications would be retained for prioritisation if funding for further summer works projects could be secured for 2015. The feasibility of making further funding available to facilitate the consideration of these applications is currently being considered.
248. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the stage of 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. [5346/15]
View answerThe project to provide permanent accommodation for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently at Stage 2a (Developed Design) of the architectural planning process. When that stage is complete, and subject to no other issues arising, the project will progress to Stage 2b (Detailed Design) which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification 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 referred to by the Deputy, 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.
249. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine the proposed amalgamation of schools (details supplied) in County Kerry as a matter of urgency due to these schools' continuous endeavours for same; and if she will expedite the necessary funding for refurbishment of the school which is required to ensure the amalgamation will proceed for September 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [5358/15]
View answerAn application in relation to the proposed amalgamation of schools referred to by the Deputy has recently being received by my Department. This proposal is currently under consideration and officials from my Department will be in contact with the Management Authority of the schools concerned shortly.
