Written Answers Nos. 240-249
240. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the new system of allocating resource hours, making it an equitable system for children with Down's syndrome, will be introduced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9752/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that I recently announced I am not proposing to change the way teachers are allocated to schools to support children with Special Educational Needs for the coming school year.
In taking this decision, I have been guided by the advice of the NCSE Working Group report, which recommended sufficient time be allowed for consultation before the new model is implemented.
Through consultations, there was a broad welcome for the proposed new model from Parents, disability groups, schools and stakeholders. However, there has not been sufficient time to address all of the concerns which have been raised in advance of the 2015 school year.
In particular, a robust mechanism for identifying children with complex special educational needs has yet to be finalised.
Work will continue to develop the proposed model and to address concerns identified through consultation.
I have asked my Department to design a pilot of the new model, while consultations will also continue to take place regarding this matter.
Under the existing allocation system, all pupils with Down's syndrome, including pupils with mild general learning difficulties, are entitled to receive additional teaching support.
Support is provided from a school's General Allocation Model (GAM) hours, or from an allocation of additional resource teacher hours allocated to schools by the NCSE.
In the current school year my Department has allocated approximately 4950 learning support/resource teachers through general allocation, while the NCSE has allocated over 6,200 resource teachers.
I am aware, however, that some parents, and Down's syndrome representative organisations, have concerns that the existing system does not give them certainty as to the support that their children will receive under the GAM, as these hours are distributed locally by schools.
I recently met with Down's Syndrome Ireland, and some parents of children with Down's syndrome to discuss their concerns in this regard. I will be meeting with more parents this week.
I will consider and review the issues which have been raised and will keep the House informed of my developing views on this matter.
241. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding financial assistance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9790/15]
View answerFurther to my response to question no. 2756/15 of 20th January 2015 the Deputy will be aware that, in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution focused consultative approach to maximise positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.
This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.
I have made enquiries into this case, the subject of the Deputies question, and am informed that school authorities have made no approach to the assigned NEPS psychologist in respect of this pupil but are currently reviewing his educational needs. The NEPS psychologist is aware of this situation and is available to advise and assist the school as appropriate. I would advise that pupil's parents continue their dialogue with the schools authorities in this matter.
242. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine correspondence (details supplied) in respect of exceptional circumstances; if she will ensure the full complement of teachers is retained, to continue the quality of education in this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9794/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department 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 arrangements also include an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final.
The staffing arrangements for the 2015/2016 school year are set out in Circular 0005/2015 which is available on the Department website.
243. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to serious health and safety concerns that exist due to lack of appropriate parking space at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; the measures her Department has to help to alleviate this matter; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9810/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving any correspondence relating to the matter in question.
In general, individual school authorities are responsible, in the first instance, for ensuring the safety and welfare of children and others in their care. In the case of some existing schools, the provision of adequate on-site parking may be compromised by site issues.
I also wish to advise the Deputy that the issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools, such as road signage, traffic calming measures, parking etc, is a matter that should be raised in the first instance with the relevant Local Authority.
244. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the discussions that have taken place regarding seaweed rights in view of the recent public discussion in respect of these rights, public ownership of the seabed and licensing for the harvesting of seaweed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9724/15]
View answerMy Department has received advice from the Office of the Attorney General on the interaction of the Foreshore Act 1933 and any folio or other rights that might exist and is at present considering the implications of that advice.
I recently met a delegation of seaweed harvesters to discuss their concerns around seaweed harvesting generally. My Department will continue to engage with all key stakeholders, including the seaweed processing industry and seaweed harvesters, with a view to understanding all of the issues arising from the various perspectives.
245. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the chief executive officer of the Meath local enterprise office will be replaced. [9796/15]
View answerUnder section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible.
My Department works closely with Meath County Council in relation to staffing requirements and on 27 January 2015 my Department approved the post of Head of Enterprise. The Public Appointments Service is currently running a competition to recruit Heads of Enterprise for Local Enterprise Offices in a number of local authorities including Meath.
246. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the exemption from litter fines for election advertising, under sections 19 and 21 of the Litter Pollution Act 1997, as amended, covers advertising promoting a registered party but not containing the name of a candidate. [9654/15]
View answerThe primary purpose of the Litter Pollution Acts 1997 to 2009 is not to prescribe the content and format of election related public advertising material, but to limit the creation of litter.
It is a requirement under section 19(1) of the Litter Pollution Acts, as amended by the Protection of the Environment Act 2003, that all forms of posters carry the name and address of the promoter or person on whose behalf the election posters have been issued. The Litter Pollution Acts are silent, however, on the specific issue raised by the Deputy.
In general, however, planning permission is required for the erection of election posters, unless specifically exempted. Part 2 of Schedule 2 (Class 14) of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001-2013 provides that the erection of election posters is exempted development, subject to certain conditions and limitations and the general restrictions on exemptions provided for in article 9 of the Regulations. Any queries in this regard should be directed to the relevant local planning authority who can advise on the matter of whether such posters would qualify under exempted development. It is a matter for each registered individual or party to satisfy themselves that they are fully compliant with the relevant legislation.
247. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the percentage of income being spent on housing costs he regards as affordable; his views on the steps the Government is taking to ensure availability of affordable housing for all households; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9655/15]
View answerAs a general guide housing costs can be considered to be affordable where the payments do not, over the course of a year, exceed 35 per cent of a person's annual net income. This benchmark was used in previous affordable housing schemes and is consistent with international comparators. However, affordability for a person or household is very dependent on their individual personal circumstances.
The State provides a wide range of supports to assist households in meeting their housing need ranging from income support and rent supplement, provided through the Department of Social Protection, to social housing supports provided by my Department, local authorities and approved housing bodies.
A key issue in the housing market in Ireland is under-supply and in response to the challenges facing the construction sector and, in particular, both the private and public housing sectors, the Government published Construction 2020 – a Strategy for a Renewed Construction Sector in May 2014. My Department is the lead Department for a range of actions in Construction 2020 relating to housing and planning, including the preparation and implementation of a Social Housing Strategy.
Addressing the supply shortfall in housing will take time, but there are already positive indications. For example, new house completions in 2014 amounted to 11,016 units nationally, up 33% on the 2013 figure. Similarly, in the third quarter of 2014 planning permissions were granted for 2,144 dwelling units, compared with 1,409 units for the same period in 2013 - an increase of 52%.
Social housing is a key priority for the Government, evidenced by the additional €2.2 billion in funding announced for social housing in Budget 2015 and the publication of the Social Housing Strategy 2020 in November 2014. The Strategy builds on the provisions contained in Budget 2015 and sets out clear, measurable actions and targets to increase the supply of social housing, reform delivery arrangements and meet the housing needs of all households on the housing list. Importantly, the Strategy restores the State to a central role in the provision of social housing.
The total targeted provision of over 110,000 social housing units, through the delivery of 35,000 new social housing units and meeting the housing needs of some 75,000 households through the Housing Assistance Payment and Rental Accommodation Scheme, will address the needs of the 90,000 households on the housing waiting list in full, with flexibility to meet potential future demand. In committing to provide these 35,000 new social housing units, at a projected cost of €3.8 billion, the strategy marks a fresh start for social housing in Ireland.
248. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the Commission for Energy Regulation permitting Irish Water to increase water charges after 2019 if revenue is less than Irish Water expects and that Irish Water may retain profits for an extended period without passing these on to consumers through reduced bills; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9657/15]
View answerThe Water Services (No. 2) Act 2013 provided for the transfer of responsibility for the provision of public water services from the local authorities to Irish Water. The Act provides that Irish Water shall charge each customer for the provision of services provided by it in accordance with a water charges plan to be approved by the Commission for Energy Regulation (CER). A new water charging regime was announced by the Government on 19 November 2014. The Water Services Act 2014 provides that the capped annual charges will be €160 for single adult households and €260 for all other households until the end of 2018. The 2014 Act also provides that a capped charge may also be set for 2019 onwards.
The CER has a statutory responsibility for ensuring that the interests of customers of Irish Water are protected. This will be central to the CER’s review of all costs and revenues of Irish Water in the context of the approval of water charges and the overall allowed revenue for Irish Water in future regulatory cycles.
249. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has concerns regarding the possible influence the high proportion of Teachtaí Dála who are landlords or have other property interests or both, as detailed in the latest Register of Members’ Interests, may have had in the past or may have in the future on housing policy. [9658/15]
View answerAll persons who are Oireachtas members (including office holders) must furnish, on an annual basis, a statement of interests, to the Standards in Public Office Commission.
I have no concerns regarding TDs who are landlords and/or have other property interests influencing housing policy.
