Written Answers Nos. 553-71
553. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 1248 of 17 September 2014, the position regarding a superannuation pension, in view of correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24881/15]
View answerThe correspondence to which the Deputy refers relates to a representation made to me in regard to pension entitlement. This issue was previously appealed to me and a determination was made under the process known as the Internal Dispute Resolution Procedure (IDR). A determination issued to the person concerned, in accordance with the appeal process (IDR) on 16 December 2013.
There is no further appeal process available for the applicant to me or to my Department. In accordance with the Pensions Ombudsman Regulations, 2003 (S.I. No. 397/2003) the determination is not binding upon any person unless, upon or after the making of the determination, the person assents, in writing, to be bound by it. The applicant can check whether or not the complaint or dispute is one in respect of which the Pensions Ombudsman has jurisdiction to investigate under section 131 of the Pensions Act 1990 (No. 25 of 1990).
554. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the recruitment moratorium regarding lecturers in design history and-or visual culture at each university and each institute of technology; the number of lecturing posts in design history and-or visual culture that are to be advertised in universities and institutes of technology in 2015; the number that have been advertised to date in 2015; the number of positions advertised, or to be advertised, at each university and each institute of technology, that are whole-time permanent; the number that are fractional posts; the number that are specified purpose posts; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24887/15]
View answerUniversities and institutes of technology, as autonomous institutions under the terms of the Universities Act 1997 and the Institutes of Technology Acts respectively, are responsible for the day to day management of their own affairs, including matters relating to the recruitment of staff. Therefore the advertising of specific posts, and the nature of those posts, are matters for the institutes themselves and, for that reason, neither my Department nor the Higher Education Authority holds the specific information requested by the Deputy.
With regard to the Deputy's reference to a "recruit moratorium" relating to lecturers in design history and/or visual culture, there is no such moratorium in place in the higher education sector. However, universities and institutes of technology are required to comply with employment ceilings set for the sector under the Employment Control Framework.
555. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding matters raised in correspondence in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 12 who is encountering difficulties in relation to fees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24945/15]
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 email 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 compliments 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 are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
556. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to the re-instatement of a secondary school teacher at a school (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24947/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools are published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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 school referred to by the Deputy had an enrolment of 3 pupils on 30th September 2014. The school is projecting an enrolment of 8 pupils for this coming September.The staffing arrangements for the 2015/16 school year provides improvement to the staffing levels of small schools. Improved appointment and retention thresholds for isolated one-teacher schools have been introduced for the 2015/16 school year. Where previously this school would have required an enrolment of 20 pupils in order to appoint a second teacher, this has now been reduced to 15 pupils.
An appeals process is available to small schools in the event that they can show that their projected enrolments are sufficient to allow them to retain their classroom teacher in the longer term. Circular 0005/2015 provides the criteria under which schools can make an appeal. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
557. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of teachers in the primary school sector who are teaching in a multi-grade setting and who are teaching classes containing three grades; four grades; and more than five grades. [24961/15]
View answerThe data requested by the Deputy are not available.
558. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the poor state of computers at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 11; and the action she is taking to ensure that all students, under the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools scheme, who need access to up-to-date computer hardware, have this access. [24971/15]
View answerMy Department has recently disseminated €7m in grants to 450 post primary schools for the purchase of computers for use in Design and Communication Graphics (DCG). My Department has also made arrangements for the purchase and provision of CAD Software for Schools.
There is an appeals process in place for schools who are unhappy with their allocation under the scheme. Appeals must be received by 30th September 2015 in writing to the ICT Policy Unit of my Department. An appeal has been received from St Kevins and this will be considered along with other appeals after the closing date. Decisions will then be communicated to the schools concerned.
559. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, by county, a breakdown of the cost of running the National Educational Psychological Service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24986/15]
View answer560. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a breakdown, by hours, of the schools that the National Educational Psychological Service partakes in, and the costs of this, in counties Louth and Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24987/15]
View answer561. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of assessments that were made by the National Educational Psychological Service in counties Louth and Meath, for the years 2011 to 2014, inclusive, and to date in 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [24988/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 559 to 561, inclusive, together.
I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides an educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases receive assessment services through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Under this scheme schools can have a student assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
In common with many other educational 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 consultative approach to maximize 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.
NEPS psychologists also provide a range of advisory and training services to teachers supporting the educational, social and emotional development of pupils at a whole-school, class and individual level. Additionally, NEPS psychologists process applications for all post-primary schools nationally on behalf of the State Examinations Commission (SEC) for students with Specific Learning Disabilities for Reasonable Accommodations in the Leaving Certificate examination and provide support, upon request, to schools experiencing critical incidents.
NEPS Psychologists are allocated schools based on a weighting process which takes into account school size, type, DEIS status, gender mix, geographical spread and the presence of special units and classes.
NEPS Psychologists hold planning meetings with their assigned schools at the commencement of each academic year to discuss and agree the schools' priority needs and their particular programme of service for the year and this will vary to a degree according to the order and complexity of those needs. Service delivery to schools, as described above may be, according to the dictates of staff maternity or sick leave for example, a mixture of NEPS staff support and SCPA.
Furthermore NEPS is regionally structured with 22 offices nationally serving the needs of schools in their respective catchment areas which can and do commonly cross county boundaries. Staff in these offices may also aggregate service across a cluster of schools (for training programmes) and so it is unfeasible to disaggregate overall service in terms of cost or time-input by school or county nor does NEPS attempt to do so.
I attach for the Deputy's information therefore, at Appendix A, an estimated cost by county of the overall NEPS service based on the weighting process, described above, and applied to the cost of the service in 2014 (the most recent complete year of operation) - some €17.036m which includes all the pay and non-pay (support) charge. In relation to NEPS time in-put into Louth and Meath schools the cumulative weighting scores by county for 2013/14 are provided for the Deputy's information.
I also attach at Appendix B a breakdown of assessments provided to pupils in Louth and Meath schools for the past five academic years, whether directly administered by NEPS psychologists or by SCPA panellists.
My Department remains committed to the maintenance of the NEPs service to schools and I can inform the Deputy that current NEPS psychologist staffing numbers stand at 183 (172 w.t.e.), including 5 temporary posts, the highest level since the establishment of the Service in 1999. Furthermore the process of engaging three additional psychologists is nearing completion.
Appendix A
Breakdown of NEPS Service by County 2013/14
|
- |
Number of Pupils In Schools receiving service |
Cumulative School Weighting Points |
Cost by County |
|
Carlow |
12,253 |
21,785 |
€249,806 |
|
Cavan |
14,114 |
26,652 |
€305,613 |
|
Clare |
21,826 |
41,539 |
€476,329 |
|
Cork |
96,537 |
159,210 |
€1,825,663 |
|
Donegal |
31,364 |
64,388 |
€738,341 |
|
Dublin |
195,269 |
351,244 |
€4,027,711 |
|
Galway |
45,470 |
86,242 |
€988,931 |
|
Kerry |
25,952 |
45,860 |
€525,871 |
|
Kildare |
44,115 |
71,951 |
€825,057 |
|
Kilkenny |
16,828 |
29,766 |
€341,325 |
|
Laois |
15,462 |
27,480 |
€315,117 |
|
Leitrim |
5,966 |
11,222 |
€128,687 |
|
Limerick |
35,910 |
61,252 |
€702,371 |
|
Longford |
8,485 |
16,351 |
€187,492 |
|
Louth |
26,700 |
48,228 |
€553,032 |
|
Mayo |
24,448 |
47,590 |
€545,713 |
|
Meath |
37,188 |
60,785 |
€697,018 |
|
Monaghan |
12,502 |
22,136 |
€253,829 |
|
Offaly |
14,971 |
27,554 |
€315,962 |
|
Roscommon |
10,274 |
22,155 |
€254,049 |
|
Sligo |
11,458 |
21,532 |
€246,909 |
|
Tipperary NR |
14,158 |
24,039 |
€275,653 |
|
Tipperary SR |
16,512 |
28,915 |
€331,569 |
|
Waterford |
22,924 |
39,699 |
€455,232 |
|
Westmeath |
18,665 |
32,029 |
€367,274 |
|
Wexford |
29,157 |
53,953 |
€618,675 |
|
Wicklow |
26,259 |
42,165 |
€483,505 |
|
Total |
834,767 |
1,485,720 |
€17,036,736 |
Notes: 10,000 School Weighting Points are the equivalent of 1 w.t.e. NEPs psychologist providing some 180 days service p.a. to their assigned schools
Appendix B
Number of Educational Psychological Assessments delivered by academic year to students in Primary and Post-Primary schools in Counties Louth and Meath
|
- |
2010-11 |
2011-12 |
2012-13 |
2013-14 |
2014-15 |
|
Louth |
318 |
304 |
317 |
310 |
244 |
|
Meath |
423 |
403 |
383 |
393 |
310 |
Notes: (1) Count includes assessments delivered by NEPS assigned psychologists and SCPA scheme. (2) 2014-15 values are incomplete and will not be finalised until late Summer 2015.
562. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on issues raised by a school (details supplied) in County Cork, following a recent meeting; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25002/15]
View answerIn April 2014 the school referred to by the Deputy was sanctioned a devolved grant under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide two mainstream classrooms and three resource rooms.
The school authority have recently submitted a request for additional funding and this request is currently being considered and the school authorities will be notified of the outcome as quickly as possible.
563. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the circumstances under which a 19 year old third level education student, who is living away from the family home, can be regarded as independent of the student's parents for the purposes of the means assessment for Student Universal Support Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25015/15]
View answerFor student grants purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students.
A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he or she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous October. Otherwise he or she would continue to be assessed on the basis of parental income.
Only in exceptional cases, where compelling evidence of estrangement from parents/guardians is provided, can candidates who are under 23 be assessed without reference to their parents/guardians income or address.
564. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the way moneys received from the national lottery fund in 2013 were spent on each project to which they were directed, including projects that were part-funded and wholly-funded from the fund; if she will indicate, for each such part-funded project, where the balance of funding was sourced; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25025/15]
View answer565. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the amount of money that was received by his Department from the national lottery fund in each of the years 2009 to 2014 and in 2015 to date; if she will provide a detailed breakdown indicating the way this money was spent, or otherwise directed, for each of these years; if any moneys are held in reserve arising from funds received over this period or before; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25041/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 564 and 565 together.
Annually the Revised Estimates Volume (REV) published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform provides details of Programmes part-financed by the National Lottery and disbursed by relevant Government Departments and Offices. The Revised Estimates Volume provides these details at Vote subhead level and identifies the aggregate amount of National Lottery funding towards the programmes in question, together with the amount of Exchequer funding which is required to support these programmes. For example the 2015 REV identifies that estimated total expenditure in 2014 of €410 million will be financed by €200 million from the National Lottery, the remainder will be funded by the Exchequer. (Reference page 224 of the 2015 REV). No National Lottery moneys have been allocated to my Department in 2015.
All expenditure incurred from the Education and Skills Vote – Vote 26 is funded by the Exchequer, in regard to the programmes identified in the REV no monies are paid directly to my Department from the National Lottery.
I include details of the expenditure disbursed for the past six calendar years (2009-2014) in the following tables:
NATIONAL LOTTERY FUNDING DISBURSED FROM VOTE 26- EDUCATION AND SKILLS -2009 TO 2014
In the years 2009 to 2011 National Lottery Funding was used to part-fund expenditure from discrete subheads to support expenditure on Adult Education Organisations and Cultural Activities as described in the tables below. In the years 2012 to 2014 National Lottery funding was used to part-fund Cultural Activities. In the year 2014, a once off allocation of €5 million, was used to fund book rental schemes. The discrete subheads used to fund the Organisations as well as the recipients are described in the following tables.
|
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Recipients of Funding from National Lottery |
- |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 (Provisional) |
|
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
||||||
|
Book Rental Scheme A10.1.1 - Once off Funding |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
4,996 |
|||||
|
Cultural Activities Subhead B.14 from 2009-2012 and Subhead B13 w.e.f 2013) |
207 |
196 |
187 |
146 |
133 |
132 |
|||||
|
Adult Education Organisations (Subhead B1 to 2012) |
941 |
864 |
854 |
- |
- |
- |
|||||
|
Total National Lottery Funding |
1,148 |
1,060 |
1,041 |
146 |
133 |
5,128 |
|||||
|
Recipients of Grants from Subhead A10.1.1 -Book Rental Scheme(1) |
Sum Disbursed - 2014( Prov) |
||||||||||
|
Name of Recipients |
€000 |
||||||||||
|
DEIS schools committed to establishing book rental schemes |
4,996 |
||||||||||
|
Total |
4,996 |
1. The €5m allocated to the establishment of Book Rental Schemes in 2014 was funded on a once off basis from the sale of the National Lottery Licence. Budget 2014 provided for funding of €5 million for three years 2014,2015 and 2016. The funding for the Book Rental
2. Scheme in 2015 and 2016 is supported by the Exchequer.
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Sum Disbursed - 2009 |
Sum Disbursed - 2010 |
Sum Disbursed - 2011 |
Sum Disbursed - 2012 |
Sum Disbursed - 2013 |
Sum Disbursed - 2014( Prov) |
|
Name of Recipients |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|||||
|
Foras Éireann |
11,400 |
11,000 |
10,500 |
10,000 |
- |
- |
|||||
|
National Youth Orchestra of Ireland |
114,000 |
108,000 |
103,000 |
100,000 |
98,000 |
97,000 |
|||||
|
Artane School of Music |
41,000 |
38,500 |
36,700 |
36,000 |
35,000 |
34,500 |
|||||
|
Feis Maitiu |
41,000 |
38,500 |
36,700 |
- |
- |
- |
|||||
|
Total |
207,400 |
196,000 |
186,900 |
146,000 |
133,000 |
131,500 |
3. Recipients of Grants from Subhead B.1 - Adult Education Organisations(1)
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Sum Disbursed - 2009 |
Sum Disbursed - 2010 |
Sum Disbursed - 2011 |
Sum Disbursed - 2012 |
Sum Disbursed - 2013 |
Sum Disbursed - 2014( Prov) |
|
Name of Recipients |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
€000 |
|||||
|
Aontas |
477,000 |
440,000 |
435,000 |
- |
- |
- |
|||||
|
National Adult Literacy Agency |
333,000 |
302,000 |
298,000 |
- |
- |
- |
|||||
|
Peoples College |
108,000 |
99,000 |
98,000 |
- |
- |
- |
|||||
|
Irish Countrywomen's Association |
23,000 |
23,000 |
23,000 |
- |
- |
- |
|||||
|
Total |
941,000 |
864,000 |
854,000 |
- |
- |
- |
1. With effect from 1 January 2012 funding for Further Education was consolidated under one subhead in the Department of Education and Skills Vote. Funding for Adult Education previously funded under Subhead B1 was subsumed into the new consolidated Further Education Subhead G.8. This new expanded subhead was not designated with National Lottery funding status so funding for Adult Education from National Lottery sources ceased with effect from 31 December 2011.
N.B. The data supplied in regard to 2014 is provisional pending the finalisation of the annual Vote audit in 2015.
566. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when she expects the entitlements in respect of a special needs assistant to be decided, and the school notified in the case of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 1, with particular reference to the forthcoming academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25071/15]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs.
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.
The deployment of SNAs within schools is then 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.
The NCSE invited schools to make applications for SNA support for children who have assessed care needs for the coming 2015/16 school year by 18th March 2015, for their consideration. The NCSE are currently considering all of the applications for support which have been received, including those which have been received after the 18th March, and will advise schools of the outcome of their applications ahead of the new school year.
All schools have the contact details of their local SENO, while 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.
567. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on files dealing with child protection concerns and allegations reported to the Health Service Executive which are held in schools by designated liaison persons; if she will ensure that all such files are inspected by the inspectorate of her Department during whole-school evaluations and random inspections to ensure the actions recorded in such files are in accordance with Children First guidelines and written school policies; if she will ensure that the outcomes of these inspections form part of the whole-school evaluation report in the same way as all other areas of school policy and work; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25103/15]
View answerThe primary statutory responsibility for child protection lies with the Child and Family Agency, TUSLA. The role of my Department is to provide guidance and support to schools in implementing child protection policy and to refer any allegations received to the appropriate authorities for investigation. My Department has issued Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-primary Schools to all schools. The procedures are based on Children First and they make very clear the reporting and investigation mechanisms to be followed in cases of suspected child abuse wherever they occur. The procedures set out the oversight arrangements required at Board of Management level; the designated liaison person is required to include a report to each meeting of the board on the number of cases which have arisen since its last meeting and the Board of Management must review the school's implementation of the procedures on an annual basis. The Department has also stated clearly to TUSLA that if the agency is of the view that a school is not cooperating fully with any TUSLA investigation, then TUSLA may contact the Department and assistance will be provided to resolve the issue. Compliance with the Child Protection Procedures is assessed during whole-school evaluations by the Department's Inspectorate. School management are required to complete a standardised child protection school self-report form and inspectors also make at least three confirmatory checks of the school's compliance with specific requirements of the Child Protection Procedures. Inspectors include a statement about the school's compliance with the requirement of the procedures in every whole-school evaluation report. (A copy of the standardised school self-report form is attached for the Deputy's information).
Inspectorate monitoring does not include cases of individual concerns re children; inspectors do not examine individual case files about pupils, mindful of the guidance in Children First regarding the confidential nature of individual records. It is not the role of the Inspectorate to make judgements regarding any individual case or concern or to enquire into the details of any case: that is the role of TUSLA and An Garda Síochána.
CHILD PROTECTION INFORMATION
School Self-Report Form
This form should be completed by the School Principal and signed by the Principal and the Chairperson of the Board of Management.
Name of School:
With regard to your school, please insert a tick (ü) in the appropriate box across from each of the following statements.
|
No. |
Statement |
YES Please tick(ü) |
NO Please tick(ü) |
|
1.a |
The Board of Management has formally adopted a child protection policy in accordance with the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools |
||
|
1.b |
Date on which the board formally adopted the policy |
||
|
2.a |
As part of the school’s child protection policy, the Board of Management has formally adopted, without modification, the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. |
||
|
2.b |
Date on which the board formally adopted the policy |
||
|
3. |
The school’s child protection policy has been brought to the attention of management, school staff (including all new and temporary staff) and parents. |
||
|
4. |
A copy of the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools is available to all staff (including all new staff). |
||
|
5. |
Management has ensured that all school personnel have been made aware of their responsibilities under the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools |
||
|
6.a |
A designated liaison person (DLP) has been appointed in line with requirements of Children First (Department of Health and Children, 2004). |
||
|
6.b |
Name of designated liaison person |
||
|
6.c |
The name of the DLP is displayed in a prominent position near the main entrance to the school. |
||
|
7. |
A deputy designated liaison person has been appointed in line with requirements of Children First (Department of Health and Children, 2004). |
||
|
7.b |
Name of deputy designated liaison person
|
||
|
8. |
The school’s child protection policy is reviewed annually in accordance with the checklist appended to the Child Protection Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools. |
||
|
9. |
Provision has been made for the delivery of the full Stay Safe programme / SPHE curriculum and for RSE. |
|
- |
Signed |
Date |
|
School Principal: |
||
|
Chairperson, Board of Management |
568. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the name of the organisation that was awarded the tender to design, build, provide and service the new information technology system for school transport that was advertised on eTenders in 2011-2012. [25143/15]
View answer569. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of information technology services which were advertised for tender for a new information technology system for school transport; the total costs for those services to date; if she will provide a copy of the contract award notice; and if she will confirm the date that the provision of those services was completed. [25144/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 568 and 569 together.
Bus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department has advised that Trapeze (UK) Limited was awarded the tender for the IT system for school transport.The estimated cost of IT services which were advertised for tender was some €1.3 million of which €985,000 including VAT has been expended to date.
The provision of these services is being delivered to Bus Éireann in several separate releases and while the date of the final release is yet to be confirmed, it is anticipated that this will take place towards the end of 2015 or early 2016.
Bus Éireann will forward a copy of the Contract Award Notice directly to the Deputy.
570. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the provision that exists for international election observers to observe elections here; if he will facilitate such observations for the forthcoming election to Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24670/15]
View answerWhile there is no formal or statutory provision in place for international representatives to observe proceedings at elections or referendums in Ireland, applications for observer status are considered on request by the Franchise Section of my Department, through which such applications are generally channelled. Every effort is made to facilitate such requests with the cooperation of constituency returning officers, and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, where necessary.
571. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to establish a system for recycling gas appliances, similar to the waste electrical or electronic equipment provisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24747/15]
View answerThere are no proposals to establish a gas appliances recycling system. It should however be noted that gas appliances which are dependent on electric currents or electromagnetic fields in order to work properly come under the scope of the European Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2014 which aim to reduce the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment that ends up in landfill. These Regulations transpose the requirements of the re-cast WEEE Directive 2012/19/EU which came into effect on 14 February 2014. Unlike typical waste gas cookers or boilers which are more easily recycled, WEEE is a complex mixture of materials and components that because of their hazardous content and, if not properly managed, can cause major environmental and health problems. Moreover, the production of modern electronics requires the use of scarce and expensive resources. To improve the environmental management of WEEE and to contribute to a circular economy and enhance resource efficiency enhanced collection, treatment and recycling of electronics at the end of their life is essential.
