Written Answers Nos. 560-578
560. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the degree to which humanitarian aid continues to be made available in the regions throughout the globe currently most affected by conflict; if adequate steps have been taken to ensure the availability of aid and / or the establishment of safe havens for civilians; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15690/15]
View answerThe core objective of Ireland’s humanitarian aid is to save lives and rebuild livelihoods in the aftermath of natural and man-made disasters, including in regions affected by conflict. Ireland's response is underpinned by a strong commitment to international humanitarian law and the provision of aid that is based on the humanitarian principles of independence, neutrality, impartiality and humanity. The international community is currently challenged by an unprecedented scale of humanitarian need globally, driven by conflict, chronic instability and economic and environmental shocks. Ireland’s Official Development Assistance budget includes a specific provision to enable Irish Aid to respond to humanitarian emergencies and natural disasters. We have increased this dedicated humanitarian assistance budget line from €57.5 million in 2014 to €58.5 million in 2015.
Ireland’s humanitarian programme is implemented through valued partners, including NGOs, UN Agencies, the Red Cross Movement and other international organisations. These partners have the experience and capacity to deliver assistance to the most vulnerable in times of crisis and stress.
Last month Ireland pledged further funding of €12 million to help meet the urgent needs of those affected by the Syria conflict in 2015. This will bring the total value of the Government’s response to the crisis in Syria to over €41 million. Ireland has responded to the plight of the victims of the Syrian conflict with a significant amount of humanitarian assistance for a country of our size. We are also responding to the humanitarian situation in Northern Nigeria, where conflict has displaced civilian populations and has affected neighbouring countries, Chad and Cameroon. We will continue to respond to the effects of conflict in other regions, including South Sudan and Central African Republic.
At a global level, Ireland is a major supporter of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). The ICRC has a permanent mandate under the Geneva Conventions to take impartial action for prisoners, the wounded and sick, and civilians affected by conflict. It is often the best placed to provide assistance in conflict situations and where other organisations cannot operate. In recent years, Ireland’s core support for ICRC has helped the agency to provide life-saving assistance in conflict situations such as Somalia, Afghanistan, Central African Republic, Syria and South Sudan. Last year, Ireland provided over €9 million to the ICRC to support its global operations in conflict contexts and we intend to maintain this level of support in 2015.
561. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which aid, medical supplies and personnel continue to be made available to those countries most affected by Ebola, with particular reference to the necessity to take adequate steps to minimise the possibility of recurrences; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15691/15]
View answerThrough the work on the ground of our Embassy in Sierra Leone and our significant financial support, and the work of a range of Irish NGOs, Ireland has played a leading role in the international response to the Ebola crisis. These efforts are finally showing progress as transmission rates start to decline. The EU and its Member States have so far committed over €1.2 billion to the Ebola response. In 2014, Ireland provided over €18 million, directly and through NGOs, to the most affected countries. This included some €10 million through our annual development programmes in our partner countries - Sierra Leone and Liberia – which have a particular focus on strengthening the national health systems. We provided over €5.6 million specifically for Ebola treatment facilities and for work on contact-tracing, community mobilisation and child nutrition programmes, among other activities.
The very serious wider implications of the Ebola outbreak in West Africa were the subject of a high-level international conference on Ebola in Brussels on 3 March which I attended. A secondary crisis is emerging due to the impact on food security, nutrition, employment and economic growth as normal agricultural and market activities have been disrupted. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone will need ongoing support and assistance from the international community in order to rebuild their economies and their health systems. This will be a strong focus of our bilateral programmes in Sierra Leone and Liberia in 2015 and beyond.
The unprecedented outbreak of Ebola in West Africa last year exposed a lack of preparedness on the part of the countries directly affected, and the international community, to cope with an epidemic of this magnitude and its far-reaching consequences. Among the initiatives underway to avoid a recurrence are the resolution agreed at a special session of the World Health Organization’s Executive Board in January, which formally initiated an urgent lessons learned process aimed at being able to respond with greater speed and effectiveness in future to health crises such as an Ebola outbreak.
562. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which European Union enlargement continues to progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15692/15]
View answerIreland is a long-standing supporter of the Enlargement process, which is widely seen as one of the most successful foreign policy initiatives of the European Union. Although no country is expected to join the European Union in the immediate future, we believe that it is important to actively engage with our European partners and with candidate countries to advance the accession process. Enlargement is a conditional process: prospective member states must implement reforms in order to make progress on their respective EU paths and the European Commission continues to work actively to support them in this task. The European Council has granted Candidate Status to six countries - Turkey, Iceland, Montenegro, Serbia, Macedonia and Albania. In addition, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Kosovo are potential candidate countries.
Turkey was granted Candidate status by the European Council in December 1999 and the European Council agreed to begin accession negotiations in December 2004. Fourteen out of thirty-five Chapters have been opened for negotiation, of which one has been provisionally closed.
Accession negotiations with Iceland remain suspended following a decision of the Icelandic Government in early 2013.
The European Union began accession negotiations with Montenegro in June 2012 and eighteen negotiating Chapters are now open, of which two have been provisionally closed.
Serbia began accession negotiations in January 2014 and the screening process was concluded on 24 March 2015. Next steps include action plans to be prepared by the Serbian Government before any chapters are formally opened. The normalisation of relations between Serbia and Kosovo will be important in this context.
The European Union granted Macedonia Candidate Status in 2005 but the opening of accession negotiations was delayed, pending a resolution of the name dispute with Greece.
Albania was granted Candidate Status in June 2014. Ireland supported this step as a signal of positive encouragement to the Albanian Government, and the region as a whole, to maintain the reform momentum. Before negotiations can be opened, Albania will need to demonstrate additional progress on a number of key priorities: continuing public administration reform, intensifying anti-corruption efforts and reinforcing freedom of expression.
Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet formally applied for EU membership and thus remains a potential candidate country. In December 2014, Member States agreed on a ‘renewed approach’ towards Bosnia, which undertook to activate the country’s Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) when Bosnia’s political leaders agreed on a Written Commitment outlining socio-economic, judicial and institutional reforms. In February 2015, Bosnia’s Parliament endorsed this Written Commitment, which is to be implemented by Bosnia’s new government.
Kosovo has continued negotiations with the European Commission on a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), the first step on the EU accession path. The SAA was initialled in July 2014 and future steps will be discussed in the coming months.
Ireland looks forward to working with each country as they make progress on their respective paths to EU membership.
563. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which victims of the conflict in Syria or other locations throughout the Middle East continue to be displaced; if it has been found possible to put in place supportive humanitarian structures to address the situation. [15693/15]
View answerThe conflict in Syria is entering its fifth year. More than 220,000 people have been killed, and some 7.6 million have been displaced within Syria, with almost 4 million more as refugees in neighbouring countries. This rate of displacement has accelerated over the last year. There are 1.7 million refugees in Turkey, nearly 1.2 million in Lebanon, 628,000 in Jordan and 247,000 in Iraq, with others also in North Africa. This poses a particular strain for Jordan and Lebanon, small countries where refugees are now a huge percentage of the population. Within just seven years, Syria has moved from being the world’s second-largest refugee-hosting country, to being the largest refugee-producing country. Elsewhere in the Middle East, conflict has also driven people from their homes. In Iraq, following the three major ISIS offensives in 2014, the humanitarian situation remains precarious for almost 2.7 million internally displaced Iraqis and over 247,000 Syrian refugees. Some of these Syrian refugees are now suffering secondary displacement, having had to leave the places where they originally sought safety after fleeing Syria. The situation in Yemen is also extremely worrying, with hundreds killed in the current outbreak of fighting. Already, before the current upsurge in violence, there were 15.9 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. More than 100,000 people have been displaced since the airstrikes began on 26 March, and the fighting there is continuing, prolonging the suffering of hundreds of thousands of innocent Yemenis.
There are some 5 million Palestine refugees across the region in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, West Bank and the Gaza Strip who continue to rely on the UN for basic services. Of particular concern are the estimated 100,000 people who remain internally displaced following the conflict in Gaza last year.
The UN has overall responsibility for coordination of the humanitarian response in such emergencies, and has established Humanitarian Coordinators in all of these situations in order to ensure that international humanitarian aid is directed to those who need it most. Ireland strongly supports the UN in this role.
Ireland has contributed to alleviating the suffering caused in all of these crises. Most notably, in Syria, Irish Aid’s humanitarian assistance will reach €41 million by the end of 2015, by which time we will have fulfilled the pledge made at the UN pledging conference on Syria in Kuwait last month. Ireland has also contributed €500,000 to support the UN’s work in Yemen this year, and provided the same amount last year. In Iraq, Ireland provided over €1 million in support of humanitarian aid in 2014. We provide €4 million annually to UNRWA, the UN agency responsible for providing basic services to Palestine refugees across the region. In addition we have so far provided €1.5 million to the agency for its response to the Gaza crisis.
However, international humanitarian support does not go far enough in providing solutions for those displaced by conflict from their homes. Political solutions are required, in order to ensure that people throughout the Middle East can resume their lives, and build their futures and those of their children in peace and security. With our EU partners and at the UN, Ireland will continue to support all efforts for a peaceful solution to the interlinked conflicts across the region.
565. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which various aid programmes continue to target the areas of most need, worldwide; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15696/15]
View answerI am acutely aware of the need to ensure that Ireland’s development assistance is appropriately targeted so that it makes a real difference in the lives of some of the world’s poorest people. Ireland’s official aid programme, Irish Aid, has always had a strong focus on the fight to end extreme poverty, and this commitment is central to our international development cooperation policy “One World One Future”. In this policy, the Government commits to very regular assessment of our efforts in developing countries to ensure that we are delivering the most effective results for those experiencing greater degrees of hunger, fragility and instability, because of conflict, disaster or the harmful effects of climate change. Ireland directs the greater part of its assistance to some of the poorest countries in the world. Approximately 80% of Ireland’s bilateral assistance goes to Least Developed and Low Income countries and to Africa. Sub-Saharan Africa remains our priority region of focus. The selection and continued engagement in key partner countries is shaped by a number of key decision-making factors including the level of poverty, fragility and inequality in the country.
Programmes funded with this development assistance are designed and monitored to ensure that our support is appropriately targeted and reaches the intended beneficiaries. They are appraised by the Department using clear criteria, including quality of intended impact, sustainability, and cost effectiveness. Programmes are subject to regular internal and external monitoring and are evaluated and audited by independent experts, as well as by my Department’s Evaluation and Audit Unit.
Robust accountability systems in partner countries are essential to ensuring that development assistance is appropriately targeted to reach the poorest and most vulnerable beneficiaries. Ireland strongly supports the strengthening of these systems. Our own management and oversight systems are regularly under review to ensure that Irish development funding continues to be provided to those most in need, and that we meet the highest standards of accountability.
We continue to work through a variety of bilateral and other aid delivery channels in partnership with national authorities, local communities, NGOs, and key multilateral partners such as the United Nations. This mix of aid channels globally and in our partner countries ensures that, despite the changing and sometimes challenging contexts where we have to work, we make the utmost effort to target our aid towards the very poorest.
Our aid programme is recognised internationally as one of the most effective in this regard. The OECD Peer Review of the programme last year noted that our international development policy provides a sound rationale and basis for making decisions on where to focus Ireland’s official development assistance. It stated that the policy and our related strategies help ensure that Irish aid targets poor people and gets assistance to where it is most needed.
566. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which he and his European Union colleagues continue to focus on various locations worldwide, where basic human rights are being eroded persistently; if action will be taken to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15697/15]
View answerThe promotion and protection of human rights is a central objective of Ireland’s foreign policy. In the Government’s recent review of foreign policy, The Global Island: Ireland’s Foreign Policy for a Changing World, we re-affirmed our commitment to the universality, indivisibility and interrelatedness of all human rights, to accountability for human rights violations and abuses, and to the protection of those who are most vulnerable and marginalised. Together with our EU partners, Ireland closely monitors the human rights situations in many countries throughout the world. We do this on the basis of information obtained from a variety of sources including both official channels and non-governmental/civil society organisations. Where and when the situation warrants, we make known our concerns about human rights violations to the Governments in question. We do this bilaterally, through the EU or via the positions we take at the UN General Assembly and in the UN Human Rights Council. We support the use of the full UN human rights machinery in responding to human rights abuses. This includes support for the role of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the UN Human Rights Treaty Monitoring Bodies, the Special Procedure Mandate Holders and for the convening, where appropriate, of Special Sessions of the UN Human Rights Council. The EU regularly makes statements at these bodies on the human rights situations in individual countries and Ireland is fully associated with these statements. The EU also introduces or supports resolutions dealing with specific countries.
Since March 2006, when the UN Human Rights Council was formed, Ireland has engaged proactively with the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) mechanism initiated by the Council. The UPR mechanism allows for the review of the domestic human rights records of all 193 UN Member States approximately every four and a half years, based on human rights obligations under UN human rights and other instruments. Any UN Member State can take part in the interactive dialogue (i.e. the actual examination of the State under review) and submit written questions in advance. Ireland was itself examined under the UPR process on 6 October 2011.
The process enables UN Member States to raise issues, some of which would have been identified by members of the public and civil society, and to make recommendations about the protection and promotion of human rights in the State concerned. Ireland has engaged fully with the UPR process and welcomes the open and constructive dialogue associated with it. We have also made numerous interventions during the UPR examination of other states, raising issues of concern such as gender-based violence, freedom of expression, religious freedom, freedom of assembly, and the protection of human rights defenders within the State under review.
The EU has adopted Common Positions on certain countries, which attach priority to promoting human rights, democracy, good governance and the rule of law. In addition, the EU conducts human rights dialogues with a number of countries and also raises human rights concerns as part of political dialogue meetings. In June 2012 the EU adopted a Strategic Framework and Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy.
Ireland and its EU partners have been strong and consistent supporters of the International Criminal Court, recognising it as an essential means of combating impunity for the most serious violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. The Court’s Prosecutor has opened investigations into a number of country situations and we will continue to monitor this work closely.
Ireland has also consistently taken the lead in negotiating resolutions at the United Nations General Assembly and in the Human Rights Council, of which we are a member for the period 2013 to 2015, on the promotion and protection of human rights defenders, as well as on the implementation of EU Guidelines in relation to human rights defenders in third countries, the aim being to ensure that the latter can operate in an environment free from hindrance and insecurity.
The promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms has always been a cornerstone of Ireland’s aid programme. Ireland’s new policy on international development, ‘One World One Future’, reaffirms the centrality of human rights to Ireland’s foreign policy and aid programme, and commits to ensuring that human rights principles and standards are promoted, protected and integrated in all of our development efforts. The Government’s development cooperation programme, Irish Aid, addresses the root causes of poverty and exclusion by focussing on the most vulnerable and promoting their participation, representation, and the means to realise their rights. This includes investing in the improvement and expansion of essential services, and support to organisations that promote human rights, governance, and democracy in developing countries, including civil society and the UN office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. Mindful that the risk of human rights violations is greater where political, economic and administrative systems are weak, Irish Aid promotes access to justice and supports the strengthening of government institutions, parliaments, and independent media, and national human rights institutions.
The Government will continue to avail of all the above-mentioned mechanisms and instruments with a view to highlighting violations of human rights and furthering their protection.
567. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the measures the Foreign Affairs Council has agreed to combat terrorism outside the European Union's borders; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15796/15]
View answer568. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the extent to which the Justice and Home Affairs Council co-ordinates policy on terrorism; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15797/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 567 and 568 together.
The issue of how best to respond to the threat posed by terrorism has been high on the EU agenda in recent months. Foreign Ministers have focused in particular on the contribution that the EU can make through its external action to the wider international effort to prevent and counter terrorism.
Counter-terrorism was most recently discussed by Foreign Affairs Council on 19 January and 9 February 2015. The February Council called for comprehensive action against terrorism in full compliance with international law, fundamental values and international human rights standards. It decided to step up, as a matter of urgency, external action on countering terrorism and to this end it agreed detailed conclusions under five headings. These headings concerned: strengthening partnerships with key countries, supporting capacity building, countering radicalisation and violent extremism, promoting international cooperation and addressing underlying factors and ongoing crises.
Discussions by Foreign Ministers on external measures are complemented by those of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers on internal EU security. The issue has featured regularly on the agenda of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers. Following their meeting in Riga on 29 and 30 January, JHA Ministers issued a joint statement with wide ranging conclusions on measures to prevent and combat terrorism.
The need for coordination between the work of Foreign Ministers and Justice and Home Affairs Ministers is particularly important, especially when it comes to the threat posed by international terrorism and returning foreign terrorist fighters. The crucial importance of joint efforts was explicitly recognised in the Riga Statement.
The informal European Council on 12 February took account of the discussions and conclusions of the February FAC and the Riga statement. In their statement, EU Heads of State and Government set out a range of priorities to guide further work by both Council formations. These priorities were set out under three headings: ensuring the security of citizens, preventing radicalisation and safeguarding values, and cooperating with our international partners.
An extraordinary joint meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council and the Justice and Home Affairs Council took place on 20 April 2015 to discuss migration against the recent tragic events in the Mediterranean. The Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald TD, and I attended. The root causes of the instability which contribute to migratory pressures, including conflict and terrorism, were addressed in our discussions.
569. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will outline Ireland's approach to the eastern neighbourhood, and if this has changed following developments in Ukraine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15798/15]
View answerIreland’s approach to Europe’s eastern neighbourhood is based on the Eastern Partnership (EaP) which was launched in 2009 to provide a coherent framework for EU co-operation with six countries of Eastern Europe and the South Caucasus – Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. The forthcoming EaP Summit in Riga, on 21 and 22 May, was discussed at a meeting of EU Foreign Ministers with the six Eastern Partners in Luxembourg yesterday. The Riga Summit will provide an opportunity to reflect on the progress of the Eastern Partnership, bearing in mind particularly the situation in Ukraine. The Riga Summit will also confirm the high importance which the EU, its Member States and the six partner countries attach to the Partnership. The Summit should set the course for the Partnership for next two years. The situation in Ukraine has deteriorated rapidly during the past 12 months. The EU is closely following developments in eastern Ukraine and has been to the forefront of international efforts to resolve the conflict peacefully. It is also helping Ukraine to implement a much needed programme of political and economic reforms aimed at strengthening the country’s democratic institutions and modernising its economy. In the last year, the EU has channelled almost €6 billion to Ukraine in the form of macro financial assistance, grant aid and support from European financial institutions.
In that context, Ireland hopes the Summit will convey a message that the aim of the Eastern Partnership is to build a common area of shared democracy, prosperity, stability and increased cooperation. The Partnership is not directed against anyone and Ireland hopes that the Riga Summit will be an opportunity to help rebuild trust and confidence on our continent.
An important focus of the Riga Summit will be progress, with the assistance of the EU, on the implementation of Association Agreements (AA) concluded between the EU and Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine in 2013. The Deputy will recall our very useful discussion of these Agreements which this House subsequently approved by large majority.
I am happy to confirm that last week Ireland formally completed its ratification of these Agreements which are, in large measure, already being applied provisionally by the three countries concerned. However, in response to a Ukrainian request arising from its concerns about the impact of an immediate application of the Agreement’s Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Area (DCFTA), the European Commission agreed to delay its provisional application to Ukraine until 1 January 2016. In the meantime, the EU will continue the application of autonomous trade measures for the benefit of Ukraine.
The Riga Summit will also consider progress on the EU’s relations with those partner countries that chose not to conclude Association Agreements - Armenia, Azerbaijan - and developments in the EU’s critical engagement with Belarus.
570. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade what Ireland's policy priorities are in its engagement with the United Nations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15799/15]
View answerThis year marks the 60th Anniversary of Ireland’s membership of the United Nations. UN membership and a commitment to multilateralism is central to Irish foreign policy. The principles and values enshrined in the UN Charter are principles and values that Ireland holds dear. In line with our commitment to providing leadership at the UN, Ireland will seek election to the Security Council in June 2020. Ireland’s key strategic priorities in its engagement with the United Nations are outlined in the recently published foreign policy document The Global Island. Ireland will remain a key contributor to UN and UN-mandated peacekeeping operations and will continue to contribute to developing UN policies and structures to enable it to more effectively maintain international peace and security. Ireland will contribute to the UN Review of Peace Operations this year and will continue to support and advance the doctrine of the Responsibility to Protect
Ireland will continue to play a leadership role on disarmament and will renew efforts to protect and strengthen the Treaty on the Non-proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. We will also continue to promote the conventions dealing with chemical and biological weapons and support the implementation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions and the Arms Trade Treaty.
On Security Council reform, Ireland consistently advocates for a more representative, efficient and transparent Security Council, through our membership of the Accountability, Coherence and Transparency grouping and through support for the Intergovernmental Negotiations on Security Council Reform
Ireland will promote the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women Peace and Security, in particular the participation of women in peace building, and efforts to counter gender-based violence.
The commitment of Ireland to the promotion and protection of human rights is a foreign policy priority for the Government. Ireland’s term of office as a member of the UN Human Rights Council will conclude at the end of 2015. In this remaining period and beyond, we will continue to pursue our national initiatives on civil society space and preventable mortality and morbidity in children under five, and to promote our human rights priorities which include freedom of expression both online and offline, freedom of religion and belief, Human Rights Defenders, the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex (LGBTI) individuals, gender equality, rights of the child and the right to education.
Ireland is co-facilitating intergovernmental negotiations at the United Nations to agree a framework for global development to succeed the Millennium Development Goals beyond 2015. Ireland’s key priorities for the post-2015 Development Agenda have been the fight to end hunger and under nutrition, gender equality and women’s empowerment, good governance and rule of law. We have advocated for strong goals and targets in each of these key areas.
Finally, Ireland will continue to seek efficient and effective management of the UN and its financial resources in the pursuit of these priorities.
571. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will provide, in tabular form, the number of retired public service pensions in payment, in each year, from 2008 to 2014, under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16054/15]
View answerWith regard to the staff of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the calculation and payment of superannuation benefits is a matter for the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. Staff of the former Agency for Personal Service Overseas (APSO) were integrated into the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in 2003. Two former APSO staff and a spouse of a deceased APSO staff member are in receipt of public sector pensions paid by my Department.
572. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny is being asked to pay for school transport; and if the case will be examined as the household income is illness benefit and the transport cost is causing hardship. [15290/15]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is not attending her nearest post primary school and is therefore not eligible for school transport; only children who are eligible for school transport and who hold a valid Medical Card (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge. While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, eligibility for school transport at post primary level is to the nearest education centre/school.
573. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will investigate and clarify the issues raised in correspondence by a survivor of institutional abuse (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15152/15]
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. The determination of criteria and the processing of individual applications are matters for Caranua itself and my officials have requested Caranua to examine the issues raised in the correspondence and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
574. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps her Department is taking to increase the capacity in the Edenderry area, County Offaly for students requiring places in autism spectrum disorder units in mainstream secondary education in September 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15171/15]
View answerMy Department's policies focus on ensuring that all children can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. A range of placement options for pupils with special educational needs is provided, 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. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. Details of the number of special classes in each county are available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie. The NCSE is also currently considering applications by schools to establish new special classes for the coming 2015/16 school year. I have arranged for the Deputy's request for specific detail on provision in Co. Offaly to be forwarded to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply.
575. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; the total amount of funding which has been allocated to the school for completion of permanent facilities and replacement of existing prefabricated units; the details of the services and facilities which are to be put in place; the amount of expected funding required for the work; when work is expected to commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15172/15]
View answerI am pleased to advise the Deputy that a Major Capital Project in respect of the school to which he refers is being progressed into the architectural planning process. The proposed project will include the complete replacement of prefabs with permanent classrooms in addition to a significantly enhanced level of permanent specialist and ancillary accommodation. As the proposed works have not proceeded to the tender and construction stage, it is not possible to provide information on the level of grant aid applicable. The school in question is one of a number of schools which it was not possible to include in the 5 Year construction programme. However the school project will be progressed to the final planning stages so that it will be well placed for consideration in the context of future construction programmes.
576. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans regarding the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004; the sections of the Act which have been implemented fully, and those sections which require further work and funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15241/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that a number of sections of the EPSEN Act have been commenced, including those establishing the National Council for Special Education and those promoting an inclusive approach to education of children. The Sections of the EPSEN Act which have not been implemented are those which would have conferred a statutory entitlement to an educational assessment for all children with special educational needs, consequent development of a statutory individual educational plan (IEP)and an independent appeals process. In light of the very difficult economic situation and the significant costs involved in fully implementing the EPSEN Act, the previous Government deferred the full implementation of Act. At present, all schools are encouraged to use Education Plans. The Departmental Inspectorates' advice is that the majority of schools are now using some form of individual education planning for children with special needs.In line with Circular 30/2014 schools are required to put in place a Personal Pupil Plan including a care plan for all pupils availing of SNA support. While awaiting the full implementation of the EPSEN Act, the NCSE has published a number of policy advice papers which make recommendations aimed at developing a better or more effective alternative to the current resource allocation model, and which aims to move the system towards ultimate implementation of the EPSEN Act. These reports include the NCSE policy advice on Support Students with Special Educational Needs in Schools (2013) and The Report of the Working Group on a Proposed New Model for Allocating Teaching Resources for pupils with Special Educational Needs (2014). It is therefore intended to bring into effect many of the good ideas contained in the EPSEN Act, on a non-statutory basis initially, through policy developments across a range of areas, in conjunction with NCSE policy advice.
577. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, by county, the number of schools that have applied for additional funding due to the extra costs associated with the new building regulations that were introduced, in view of the fact that the original awards were not sufficient; the extra funding, in tabular form, that has been sought by each school individually; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15245/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy in respect of applications for design team fee adjustments is not readily available. However, from the information that is readily available, the following table indicates, by county, the additional design team fee payments made in 2014 and to date in 2015 arising from the introduction of the Building Control (Amendment) Regulations BC(A)R 2014. In terms of the number of school building projects affected it is safe to say that all projects where the design team was appointed prior to 2014 are affected to a greater or lesser extent and that additional costs will arise in virtually every case. General details in respect of the current status of all major school building projects is available on my Departments website and is updated monthly. Requests for fee adjustments by individual consultants engaged as part of the design team on a school building project may vary significantly from project to project depending on the scale and complexity of the project, the characteristics of the site and the materials and methods of construction proposed, the number of site visits required and the distance to site from the consultants place of work. Information in relation to fee adjustment requests would also be commercially sensitive as my Department is engaged in ongoing negotiations with individual design team members in respect of fee claims arising from the additional services required under BC(A)R 2014. Guidance for members of the RIAI and the ACEI on the factors to consider when calculating a fee adjustment request for a school building project are available on those bodies websites. In general, the Department would expect fee adjustment requests to reflect the advice given in those guidance notes.
However, the Department will assess each individual request on its specific merits and circumstances and in accordance with the conditions of engagement and the existing fee structure tendered by the individual consultant at time of appointment.
However, from analysis of a representative sample of fee adjustment requests, the indication is that fee adjustments for a full design team may vary from approximately 10 per cent to 30 per cent depending on the above mentioned factors. Currently, all tender competitions for appointment of design teams require tenderers to include for the provision of services to meet the requirements of BC(A)R 2014 as an inherent part of their fee proposals.
|
County |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Cavan |
€0.00 |
€3,867.12 |
|
Cork |
€0.00 |
€6,624.84 |
|
Dublin |
€19,266.61 |
€46,714.71 |
|
Galway |
€0.00 |
€16,453.27 |
|
Kerry |
€0.00 |
€2,767.50 |
|
KIldare |
€19,730.14 |
€3,506.97 |
|
Louth |
€8,647.28 |
€0.00 |
|
Meath |
€11,980.01 |
€5,993.71 |
|
Offaly |
€23,811.90 |
€9,292.05 |
|
Tipperary |
€23,281.13 |
€9,457.16 |
|
Westmeath |
€0.00 |
€22,772.93 |
|
Wexford |
€16,897.66 |
€27,289.92 |
|
Wicklow |
€13,854.23 |
€18,588.89 |
|
Total |
€137,468.96 |
€173,329.07 |
578. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a grant awarded for building additional accommodation in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Limerick; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15270/15]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that additional funding has been approved.
