Written Answers Nos. 144-151
144. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Health if he will examine and expedite an application for a medical card in the case of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry, in view of the fact that the person is a student with an extreme medical condition, for which all relevant information has been submitted, and given that a medical card is a necessity due to the person's ongoing condition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16162/15]
View answerThe Health Service Executive has been asked to examine this matter and to reply to the Deputy as soon as possible.
The Health Service Executive operates the General Medical Services scheme, which includes medical cards and GP visit cards, under the Health Act 1970, as amended. It has established a dedicated contact service for members of the Oireachtas specifically for queries relating to medical cards and GP visit cards, which the Deputy may wish to use for an earlier response. Contact information has issued to Oireachtas members.
If the Deputy has not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days, please contact my Private Office who will follow up the matter with them.
145. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will clarify his earlier replies to parliamentary questions (details supplied) regarding the landing of an EC-130H aircraft at Shannon Airport in February 2015. [16109/15]
View answer146. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the way in which sanction was given to the EC-130H that landed at Shannon Airport on February 2015 to overfly Irish airspace or land in view of the fact that it is an airborne weapons system and that he indicated that landing-overflight permission is not granted for military aircraft that are armed. [16110/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 145 and 146 together.
As the Deputy will be aware, permission for foreign military aircraft to land at Irish airports is subject to compliance with strict conditions, including that the aircraft are unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives, do not engage in intelligence gathering and do not form part of military exercises or operations.
In my replies to previous Questions from the Deputy, I set out details of the information provided to my Department by the United States Embassy regarding the landing of this aircraft at Shannon Airport on 28 February. I noted in particular that the Embassy had provided assurances concerning compliance with the conditions which I have outlined, including that the aircraft was unarmed.
In relation to the intention to land, as I set out in previous replies, a request for permission for a C130 aircraft to land had been received and approved by my Department. I explained that the aircraft that landed was in fact an EC130H, which is a variant of the C130. The Embassy confirmed to my officials that the aircraft planned to land at Shannon on 28 February prior to developing technical difficulties. The letter to which the Deputy refers also confirms that the aircraft, which it describes as a C130, had filed to land at Shannon.
Furthermore, my previous replies and the letter to which the Deputy refers, both highlight the fact that an emergency landing had been declared by the aircraft and that the emergency had arisen due to engine trouble.
My previous replies have stated that my Department was informed by the US Embassy that the declaration had been made on landing. I also stated that the procedures for notification of emergencies are a matter for the aviation authorities.
As stated in my replies, I instructed that my officials pursue the matter with the US Embassy. The Embassy has confirmed to my officials the details set out in my replies. Department officials have reminded the Embassy of the importance of providing the Department with correct and timely information in relation to future requests.
147. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to initiate a full investigation into the nature and extent of the use by military aircraft of the United States of America of Shannon Airport since 2002 and to suspend all landing rights for such aircraft pending the outcome of the investigation. [16111/15]
View answerSuccessive Governments have made overflight and landing facilities available at Shannon Airport to the United States for over 50 years. This period covers many crises and military confrontations and we have never withdrawn or suspended those facilities at any stage during that period.
Permission for foreign military aircraft to land at Irish airports is granted subject to strict conditions. These conditions apply equally to all countries seeking permission from my Department for the landing of their military aircraft at Irish airports. There are currently no plans to curtail or to stop the movement of foreign military aircraft through Irish airports which takes place in accordance with these strict conditions. Arrangements regarding these requests will continue to be reviewed on an ongoing basis by my Department.
The regulation of civil aircraft is a matter for my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport.
148. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; the funding that has been grant-aided to this school; the further funding that has been sought by the school; and if this will be grant-aided. [16003/15]
View answerIn February, 2014 the school referred to by the Deputy was sanctioned a devolved grant under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide 3 new mainstream classrooms and an assisted user's toilet.
As a contract to have these works carried out has not been awarded, the amount of funding provided is commercially sensitive and cannot be disclosed yet. An application for additional funding has been received and is currently being assessed and the school authority will be notified of the outcome as soon as the assessment is completed.
149. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who has been excluded from school since October 2014 and has not received any form of education since then. [16021/15]
View answer150. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason no alternative schooling or form of education has been provided in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who has been without any formal education since being expelled from school. [16022/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 149 and 150 together.
The Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (EWS) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. My officials understand from the EWS that they are liaising with the family in question and that they have outlined the educational options available to them.
151. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedure in place to ensure a child who has been excluded from school can continue to be educated. [16023/15]
View answerThe Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (EWS) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS may be able to offer assistance and advice on securing a school placement within the pupil's area. The contact details for the EWS is Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency, Floors 2-5 Brunel Building, Heuston South Quarter, Dublin 8, phone number 01-7718500.
The Deputy will be aware that the selection and enrolment of pupils in schools is the responsibility of the authorities of the individual school. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not have a place for every applicant, 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.
Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act, 1998, each school is legally obliged to disclose its enrolment policy and to ensure that as regards that policy that principles of equality and the right of parents to send their children to a school of the parents choice are respected.
Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld. Application forms for taking a section 29 appeal are available on my Departments website at the following link: http://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/Appeal-against-Permanent-Exclusion-Suspension-or-Refusal-to-Enrol/Section-29-Appeals-Application-Form.doc, or by contacting Section 29 Administration Unit, Friars Mill Road, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, phone 0761 108588.
My Department operates a number of home tuition schemes for children without a school place. Home tuition is intended as an interim provision only for children for whom a placement is not available and should not be regarded as an optional alternative to a place in school.
One such scheme is for children who do not have a school place and are without the offer of a school place and for whom a school place is being actively sought. This scheme requires a section of the application form to be completed by an Educational Welfare Officer (EWO) who is an officer of the EWS of the Child and Family Agency, to confirm that the child is without a school place. Application forms for this scheme are available from the EWO.
