Wednesday, 18 Feb 2015

Written Answers Nos. 201-207

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (201)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

201. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the proposed building project for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 13; if her Department has signed off on the designs for the building project; if the school-vocational education committee have been provided permission to commence the process of securing statutory permissions including planning permission; when the project will be given approval to move to the next stage; when building work is likely to commence on the project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7337/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2A of Architectural Planning. The Patron Body and their Design Team are finalising the Stage 2A report for presentation to my Department.

Upon completion of this presentation and submission of the report, subject to no issues arising, this project will be authorised to proceed to Stage 2B - Detailed Design Stage which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and the preparation of tender documents.

Due to competing demands on the 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 were previously 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 the Department in the future.

Special Educational Needs Staff

Questions (202)

Seamus Kirk

Question:

202. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to cut special needs assistants in schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7354/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Budget 2015 included an increase in spending on education for the first time in recent years, amounting to additional funding of €60m during 2015.

This funding will be used to provide 1,700 additional teachers and SNAs for our schools, as well as to fund prioritised reforms, such as implementation of the literacy and numeracy strategy, reform of junior cycle, and the introduction of education focussed pre-school inspections.

This Government has been resolutely committed to protecting, and where possible, increasing, the level of investment being made to support children with special educational needs at a time when there has been a requirement to make expenditure reductions across a range of areas. It is an area of spending which has been prioritised above most other areas by this Government, despite the enormous pressures on all areas of public spending.

Some €1.37 billion will be spent in support of children with Special Educational Needs this year, which represents approximately 15% of my Department's budget.

There has been no reduction in the overall number of Special Needs Assistant or resource teaching/learning support posts being provided for schools.

On the contrary, 365 new Special Needs Assistant posts and 480 new resource teaching posts have been provided to support children with special educational needs in schools in 2015, bringing the total number of SNAs available for allocation in 2015 to 11,330 posts and the total number of resource teaching posts to 6,705.

Over 11,000 resource and learning support teaching posts are now available. This is the highest level of SNA and resource teaching allocations that we have ever had, and will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs.

Special Educational Needs Staff

Questions (203)

Seamus Kirk

Question:

203. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown of the number of special needs assistants employed from 2011 to 2014, on a county basis. [7355/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The information requested by the Deputy on the number of special needs assistants employed in schools on a county basis is not readily available.

The number of Special Needs Assistants employed nationally from 2011 to 2014 is available in the attached document. The details for each year are the December figures for the year in question. The primary schools information is inclusive of the special schools details.

SNAs are recruited specifically to assist in the care of pupils with disabilities in an educational context. The class teacher is responsible for educating all pupils in their class, including any pupil with a special educational need. In this task, the teacher may be supported by a learning support teacher and/or resource teacher. As a result, the allocation of SNAs in each school can alter from year to year. Some schools may receive an increased allocation, while others may experience a reduction because the allocation of supports are provided in line with the needs of individual schools.

The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating special needs resources to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The NCSE will continue to support schools, parents, children and teachers and special needs assistants will continue to be deployed to schools to meet children's needs in line with my Department's policy.

Number of Special Needs Assistants

Year	Number of Special Needs Assistants in Primary schools	Number of Special Needs Assistants in Post Primary Schools, including ETBs.
2011	8,102	1,952
2012	8,297	2,029
2013	8,420	2,103
2014	8,708	2,195

Schools Refurbishment

Questions (204)

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

204. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason her Department has failed to allocate funding for the refurbishment of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry, to facilitate the amalgamation of schools; if she will confirm that the funding will be provided, in order that the amalgamation can be finalised for September 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7372/15]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

An 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. Officials from my Department have been in contact with the Patron's Office and the Management Authority of the schools concerned to request further information in respect of the proposal. Once this information is received, my Department will be in a position to consider the proposal further.

Wind Energy Guidelines

Questions (205)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

205. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if his Department has specific guidelines for local authorities as to the distance that wind turbine developments must be from schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7322/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

The 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines provide guidance to planning authorities, which they must have regard to when considering planning applications for proposed wind energy developments.

While the guidelines do not specifically refer to schools, they suggest that a minimum 500 metre setback distance between the nearest turbine and any noise sensitive property should be applied, which would include schools. It is a matter for the relevant planning authority to determine the appropriate setback distance, when considering individual planning applications for wind energy developments.

My Department is currently conducting a targeted review of the 2006 Guidelines focusing on noise, setback and shadow flicker. Following an extensive public consultation, it is intended that revisions to the Wind Energy Development Guidelines will be finalised as soon as possible.

Tenant Purchase Scheme Administration

Questions (206)

Derek Nolan

Question:

206. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will re-introduce a tenant purchase scheme for local authority tenants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7264/15]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government

Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014 provides for a new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines. The Government's Social Housing Strategy 2020 includes a commitment to introduce the new scheme by the second quarter of this year. Full details of the scheme will be set out in regulations that I will make in advance of its introduction.

Departmental Communications

Questions (207)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

207. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is implementing a plain English policy, as outlined by the National Adult Literacy Agency, in his Department's communications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7282/15]

Written answers

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government

I am aware of, and support, the excellent work being done by the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA) in the promotion of plain English. My Department has, in the past, received support from NALA in plain English editing on various documents. In addition, writing in plain English is a core element of a series of training courses currently underway in my Department.

A Style Guideline for communications is currently being developed by my Department which will provide guidance to improve the presentation of our information and make it more accessible to everyone. A core principle of the guidelines is that all documents should be written in plain English in accordance with guidelines provided by NALA.