Written Answers Nos. 393-410
393. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on correspondence (details supplied) regarding Educate Together schools in Dublin 13; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16701/15]
View answerOn Thursday the 5th of February last I announced that seven new primary schools are to be established in the next two years to meet demographic demands. My announcement did not include a new primary school for the Dublin 13 area.
My Department is currently carrying out a nationwide demographic exercise to determine where additional post-primary school places might be needed from 2017 onwards. This includes an examination of the Dublin 13 area. On foot of this review, arrangements will be made to provide additional post-primary accommodation where this is needed.
If and when it is determined that new schools are needed and these have been announced, a patronage determination process then follows to establish who will run the schools. It will be open to Educate Together to apply for patronage of those schools if it so wishes.
394. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide capital funding to Mary Immaculate College, County Limerick, for the upgrading and development of library services at the college to provide equal learning opportunities to students at the college as are available to other third level students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16710/15]
View answerThe needs of the College will be considered in the context of budgetary resources and having regard to competing demands.
395. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an amalgamation application (details supplied) in County Kerry will be granted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16739/15]
View answerThe two schools referred to by the Deputy and their Patron have been in on-going contact with my Department in respect of the proposed amalgamation.
In relation to accommodation issues raised by the schools concerned to facilitate the proposed amalgamation, the scope of works constitutes a major capital project. As you will appreciate, 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 school accommodation to meet demographic demand, it is not possible to indicate when a major project for an amalgamated school could be progressed.
In that regard, further clarification was recently sought from the schools Patron in respect of the proposed scope of works. Once a response has been received the matter will be considered further.
396. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if temporary accommodation will be made available to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry during a construction phase; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16740/15]
View answerI am pleased to advise the Deputy that the school referred to was approved funding on a devolved basis, earlier this month, for the provision of accommodation for an ASD Unit and a resource teaching room.
The school in question subsequently reverted to my Department in relation to the schools interim temporary accommodation requirements pending the delivery of the new school extension.
I understand that my Department has been in direct contact with the school concerned in respect of their request and a final decision will issue to the school authorities shortly.
397. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will initiate the Trinity early screening test in reading and writing for dyslexic students in view of the fact that this test is designed to help teachers identify five and six year olds who may experience literacy difficulties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16762/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that a consortium led by Blackrock Education Centre with funding from my Department has developed a screening and diagnostic test to identify possible reading difficulties in young children. This test can assist in identifying children who have not reached the developmental levels of their peers across a range of areas.
A working group has been established to develop guidance material for teachers on the use of the test with particular regard to context, purpose, interpretation and reporting of results and the approach to any follow up action that may be required. The working group is expected to complete its work shortly.
398. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the publication of the Economic and Social Research Institute, ESRI, report Learning from the Evaluation of Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, if a school (details supplied) in County Mayo will now be included in this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16765/15]
View answer399. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the publication of the Economic and Social Research Institute report Learning from the Evaluation of Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, if a school (details supplied) in County Mayo will now be included in this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16766/15]
View answer400. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the publication of the Economic and Social Research Institute report Learning from the Evaluation of Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools, if a school (details supplied) in County Mayo will now be included in this scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16767/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 398 to 400, inclusive, together.
I welcome the publication of the ESRI report "Learning from the Evaluation of DEIS" which was commissioned by my Department. It consolidates the findings from the evaluations of DEIS that have taken place to date and I see it as the starting point for a new discussion on the future of the programme.
I have commenced a consultation process with education partners to inform the development of appropriate measures to combat educational disadvantage.
The outcome of this process will form part of an overall proposal for the delivery of future interventions to tackle educational disadvantage. While this process is underway, there will be no changes to current policy as regards additionally to the DEIS programme.
401. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will arrange for a reply to correspondence submitted to her Department in April 2014. [16768/15]
View answerI will arrange for the reply sought by the Deputy to be forwarded directly to him. The 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.
At primary level the staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location. The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. The primary staffing schedule currently operates on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 28 pupils, with lower thresholds for DEIS Band 1 schools.
My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.
The Government's approach to restoring the economy has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth over a sustained period that will enable us to move to a point where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about further improvement in PTR, class size and support for classroom teachers.
The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.
402. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in advancing an application for a new school in order to meet the long-term accommodation needs of a school (details supplied) in County Donegal in view of the fact that to date the number of junior infants enrolled for September 2015 is 35% greater than in September 2014; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16774/15]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, a building project for the school referred to, is currently being progressed within my Department's architectural planning process.
Planning Permission has been granted by Donegal County Council and the project has been authorised to advance directly to Stage 2a Developed Design. I understand that the Design Team are currently working on updating site surveys and investigations in accordance with planning conditions and in preparation for the Project Stage 2a Stakeholder Meeting.
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 is being progressed to the final planning stages so that it will be well placed for further progression in anticipation of further funds being available to the Department.
403. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount of funding provided by her Department to Donegal Education and Training Board in 2012 to 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16775/15]
View answer404. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding provided by her Department to Donegal Education and Training Board in 2012 to 2015 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16776/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 403 and 404 together.
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to details of funding to Donegal ETB, formerly known as Donegal VEC, in 2012 to 2015 is not readily available. I have asked my officials to compile this information and to forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
405. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the concerns of students at a college (details supplied) in County Limerick and arrange for the extending of its library, in view of the severe overcrowding experienced by the student body. [16796/15]
View answerThe needs of the College to which the Deputy refers will be considered in the context of budgetary resources and having regard to competing demands.
406. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps being taken to provide capital funding to Mary Immaculate College, County Limerick, to allow the necessary extension to the current library to proceed in order to facilitate the significant increase in students at this expanding college and in order to provide equal learning opportunities for courses that are available to other third level students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [16808/15]
View answerThe needs of the College will be considered in the context of budgetary resources and having regard to competing demands.
407. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the implications for serving and retired public servants under the aegis of her Department of the single euro payments area clearing and settlement system being closed on 1 May 2015; if arrangements are being made to ensure that persons receive their entitlements on the due date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17192/15]
View answerTeachers and Retired personnel whose salaries and pensions are paid directly by my Department are paid on a fortnightly basis with salaries/pensions lodged to individual accounts on a Thursday.
Therefore, the closure of the Single European Payments Area settlement system on Friday 1st May 2015 has no implications for these individuals.
Education Training Boards (ETBs) employ and pay their own staff and, accordingly, my Department does not have readily available to it details of any particular payroll arrangements in place in the individual ETBs to take account of this closure.
408. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in view of the recent raid on a puppy farm in Myshal, County Carlow, which saw around 350 dogs removed, if data on puppy farms and dog breeding establishments are collated on a central database; the number of puppy farms registered here; the total overall capacity of breeding bitches; and if all puppy farms have been inspected annually. [16464/15]
View answer410. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a complete list of the names and addresses of all of Ireland's registered puppy farms, as well as the related numbers of breeding bitches and puppies; and if, in view of the animal cruelty involved, he will consider banning puppy farming in the Republic. [16927/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 408 and 410 together.
The regulation of each dog breeding establishment is a matter for the local authority in whose functional area the establishment is located.
The local authority must maintain for public inspection a register of dog breeding establishments in its functional area, which must include the name and address of the applicant seeking entry onto the register, the address of the dog breeding establishment and the maximum number of breeding bitches that may be kept at the dog breeding establishment or premises. There is no requirement to provide information on the number of puppies.
Data provided by local authorities in relation to certain of their dog control functions, including the number of dog breeding establishments registered by them since 2012, is available on my Department’s website at http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/DogControl/. I have no information on the frequency of inspections of dog breeding establishments by local authorities.
Guidelines on welfare standards for dog breeding establishments, issued by my Department on commencement of the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010, are available on my Department’s website at http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/LocalGovernment/DogControl/FileDownLoad,29096,en.doc. Local authorities may appoint authorised persons to, inter alia, inspect premises to monitor these standards, and in the case of significant deviation from the standards provided for in the Dog Breeding Establishment Act 2010, to issue an improvement notice. In the event that a serious and immediate threat exists to public health or animal health and welfare, a closure notice may be issued by the local authority. Operators of dog breeding establishments may appeal an improvement or closure notice to the District Court. I have no plans to ban the operation of dog breeding establishments.
More generally, the enforcement of welfare standards regarding all animals is a matter for the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 2013.
409. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the extent to which he has examined the regulations appertaining to wind farms; if he expects to announce any changes in such regulations in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16753/15]
View answer420. Deputy Helen McEntee asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the revised wind energy guidelines will be published. [16414/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 409 and 420 together.
I refer to the reply to Question No. 670 of 21 April 2015, which sets out the position on this matter.
