Written Answers Nos. 223 - 231
223. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans, through Ireland's participation on the United Nations Human Rights Council, to seek accountability for potential war crimes committed by all participants in the conflict between Israeli and Palestinian factions in summer 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11000/15]
View answerAny breaches of international law committed during the 2014 Gaza conflict should be investigated.
In July last year, the UN Human Rights Council, meeting in a special session, established a Commission of Inquiry on the 2014 Gaza Conflict. As I have previously stated, Ireland fully supports this Commission in fulfilling its mandate.
On Monday of this week, the Commissioners requested a deferral of the presentation of their report to the Human Rights Council, which had been due on 23 March, until June 2015. The Commissioners said in their statement: ‘these are complex issues – weighing the facts and considering the legal questions that arise is something that should not be rushed under any circumstances’.
I look forward to reading the report of the Commission whenever it is published and to considering how best we can respond to any findings it makes.
224. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the criteria used to decide on the recent reductions in Irish Aid funding for Irish non-governmental organisations; the criteria used in respect of the Irish Aid budget for the European Development Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11016/15]
View answer225. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if the greater demands on the Irish Aid budget for emergencies such as the Ebola crisis, the ongoing Syrian crisis and the growing number of natural disasters are impacting on the level of funding made to Irish NGOs; if there is a specific arrangement with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in regard to the provision of additional funding when such crises happen and Irish Aid wishes to assist in the international response to such humanitarian disasters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11017/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 224 and 225 together.
Over the past four years, the Government has stabilised Ireland’s aid budget and, for this year, has provided a total of just over €600 million for Official Development Assistance (ODA). This represents the first small increase in overall ODA in six years. Of this, €476 million is administered under Vote 27 of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, which manages the Irish Aid programme. In deciding on the allocation of the budget, some small reductions were necessary across budget lines, because of prioritisation of commitments, the scale of humanitarian crises across the world and the rise in Ireland’s assessed contribution to the European Development Fund (EDF). These are all areas which are funded annually under Vote 27 in line with standard budgetary procedures.
European Union Member States’ contributions to the EDF are on an assessed basis. Ireland’s contribution key under the 11th EDF is set at 0.94% of the total funds comprising the EDF, and accordingly we will make a total contribution of €32.76 million to the Fund in 2015, an increase of some €9 million on our contribution in 2014. Decisions on the allocation of EDF funds are made by an EDF Committee of representatives of all EU Member States, including Ireland.
Ireland is recognised internationally for its support for the NGO sector, and consistently channels the largest proportion of our ODA through NGOs of any major donor. Around one third of the Irish Aid budget is channelled through NGOs, for humanitarian and development programs and projects. The Programme Grant scheme for our largest NGO partners constitutes the main individual funding stream, which supports long term development work. The budget for the Programme Grant is €61.34 million in 2015, a reduction of 2.28% on 2014. This is in line with budgetary reductions across the Irish Aid programme, including in our key partner countries.
The past year has witnessed a serious deterioration in the global humanitarian situation as a result of conflicts in the Middle East and Africa and the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. The needs are set to increase in 2015, with the situation becoming more complex and posing different demands.
Included in Ireland’s overall ODA budget is a specific provision to enable Irish Aid to respond to emergencies and natural disasters when they arise. We have increased this dedicated Emergency Humanitarian Assistance budget line from €57.5 million in 2014 to €58.5 million in 2015. In addition, last year, there was an increase in the humanitarian funding made available by Irish Aid to Irish NGOs from €16 million in 2013 to €23 million in 2014. We provide humanitarian funding to trusted NGO partners here in Ireland, as well as to key UN partners and the Red Cross/Red Crescent, agencies capable of delivering assistance to large numbers of beneficiaries. We will continue to work with and support these trusted partners throughout 2015.
Ireland’s overseas development programme has benefited significantly from our NGO partners’ commitment to helping poor and vulnerable communities. The OECD Development Assistance Committee’s positive peer review of the effectiveness of the programme last year gave strong recognition to Ireland’s NGO partnerships. The peer review also recognised the Government’s strategic management of the aid budget during challenging economic times.
226. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on using the transition year in post-primary schools for the delivery of FETAC level 5 care of the older person course on an optional basis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10757/15]
View answerTransition Year is intended to act as an educational bridge between junior and senior cycles. Its objective is to broaden the students' experience of second level education by providing them with a variety of opportunities, both academic and practical.
The precise content of any transition year programme is decided by each school. Their programmes typically include elements designed to provide students with opportunities to experience new ways of learning, to enhance their skills for further studies, for work and for life. This is achieved by providing students with access to work experience - some of which may be in an elder care environment, if chosen by a student, to project work, enterprise education and interventions such as Young Social Innovators.
Schools are entitled to include modules appropriate to the needs and interests of their students and related to the resources available to them, including a variety of work experience opportunities.
227. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the insurance, security, permission, and other issues which need to be considered if primary schools are to be used on a widespread basis to provide after school child care; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10760/15]
View answerThe vast majority of primary school buildings are in private ownership and I fully acknowledge the need for Trustees and Boards to prioritise the interests of the principal school users and to protect their own interests. Guidance on the sharing of school facilities was set out in Departmental circular 16/05 to all Boards of Management.
These guidelines specify that the Trustees and Boards would need to ensure that, inter alia:1. There is a licence agreement between the Board and the group using the school premises
2. The agreement with users of school facilities should be underwritten by a contract. This contract should be reviewed regularly
3. Any agreement should be in conformity with the lease for the building.
4. There is an arrangement in place to cover additional costs for insurance, heating, lighting, cleaning and maintenance of the areas used by the groups
5. All external groups using the school have public liability cover and adequate insurance. Insurance certificates should be presented to the Board of Management annually.
6. Health and safety issues are addressed
7. Child Protection Guidelines are followed.
228. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is no late application process under the disability access route to education scheme (details supplied). [10780/15]
View answerThe Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is a college and university admissions scheme which offers places on reduced points to school leavers with disabilities.
The scheme is operated by a number of higher education institutions and not by my Department. Admissions to the institutions are regulated by the institutions themselves.
The Deputy may wish to contact the Irish Universities Association in this instance. Further details in relation to the DARE scheme are also available at www.accesscollege.ie.
229. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for a student grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Offaly and when that person will receive a decision. [10818/15]
View answerAs part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated e-mail and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making enquiries about their grant applications.
This service complements the established channels provided by SUSI which include online application tracking, a dedicated website, a telephone helpdesk, email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
Enquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. SUSI is responding to email queries within a matter of days.
230. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary that has applied for major capital funding; the timeframe for completion of works; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10849/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the school to which he refers has made an application to my Department for large scale capital funding for an extension.
The current status of all projects on the school building programme, including the school in question, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
In view of the financial constraints imposed by the need, as outlined in the Five Year Plan, to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential additional school places to meet demographic demand, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to indicate at this point when a major project for the school will be progressed.
However, it is open to the school, should additional teaching posts be allocated, to apply to my Department for additional accommodation to meet its immediate accommodation needs.
In recent years, my Department has provided funding of just over €56,500 to the school to undertake various improvement works, including asbestos removal, mechanical upgrade, new boiler, upgrade of the heating system and roof works.
231. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in approving a special needs assistant for a school (details supplied) in County Roscommon; her views that it is acceptable that the entire school has been disrupted to accommodate the pupil in question since the beginning of the school year; when a decision will be made on this application; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [10871/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. Where children have significant care needs to the extent that they need additional support to be able to attend school, the NCSE may make an allocation of SNA support to the school to assist that child.
The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. The criteria by which SNA support is allocated to pupils is set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014.
Details of the SNA allocations which have been made to each school for 2014/15 are available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. All schools have been asked to apply to the NCSE for SNA support for the 2015/16 school year by 18 March, 2015. The NCSE will consider all applications for SNA support which have been made by schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy. Allocations for SNA support will then be made to qualifying schools. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Schools who wish to appeal the level of SNA allocation which has been made to them may do so via the appeals process which is set out at www.ncse.ie. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
