Written Answers Nos. 219-228
219. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedures involved if a board of management wish to let rooms in an existing primary school for the purposes of providing a preschool and after-school service; if such a service would have to be put out to tender; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25246/15]
View answerIn general it is a matter for the relevant property owner and school authorities to determine how school facilities are used, subject to the terms of any existing lease on the property. The day to day management of school buildings is carried out at local level. It should also be noted that the vast majority of primary school buildings in the country are in private ownership. The Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure 2011 states that the use of school premises during the school day, for purposes other than regular school business must have prior approval from my Department.
School Authorities must also comply with relevant statutory obligations.
In general it is open to local communities to liaise directly with schools regarding the potential use of school facilities after school hours. My Department issued a Circular to primary schools in 2005 (Circular Letter Prim 16/05) that was intended to encourage Trustees and Boards of Management to consider, where appropriate, the sharing of school facilities with the local community. However, the Circular recognised that the decision ultimately lies with the relevant Board or Trustees and that the first priority at all times should be the interest of the school, its teachers and pupils. Any private or community crèche, whether located in a primary school or elsewhere, must be registered with the Child and Family Agency and compliant with the 2006 Child Care (Pre-School Services) (No 2) Regulations. These Regulations come under the auspices of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs as will the eventual Regulation of out of school or school aged childcare.
220. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna an bhfuil sé i gceist aici an dara múinteoir ranga a cheadú d’aon bhunscoil ar oileán a bhfuil ochtar scoláirí ag freastal uirthi mura mbíonn an líon leanaí ann a theastaíonn chun go mbeadh an dara hoide i scoil ar oileán; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [25251/15]
View answerTá na socruithe foirnithe do bhunscoileanna don scoilbhliain 2015/16 leagtha amach i gCiorclán na Roinne 0005/2015 atá le fáil ar shuíomh idirlín mo Roinne.
Leagtar amach sa chiorclán na feabhsúcháin ar an sceideal foirnithe do scoileanna beaga sa scoilbhliain 2015/16. Is iad na feabhsúcháin seo ná tairseacha feabhsaithe coinneála don 2ú, don 3ú agus don 4ú múinteoir rangsheomra agus, ina theannta sin, na tairseacha feabhsaithe ceapacháin agus coinneála do scoileanna aon oide amháin atá scartha amach ó scoileanna eile.
Aithnítear ach go háirithe leis na feabhsúcháin seo na dúshláin atá roimh scoileanna an-bheaga atá achar níos mó ná 8km ón scoil den chineál céanna is gaire dóibh.
Soláthrófar slándáil leis an bpacáiste beart seo do phobail tuaithe maidir le todhchaí a gcuid scoileanna beaga, agus aitheantas tugtha don fheidhm riachtanach a bhíonn ag scoileanna beaga, go háirithe i bpobail atá scartha amach leo féin.
Níl aon athruithe eile á ndéanamh agam ar na socruithe foirnithe do bhunscoileanna sa scoilbhliain 2015/16 ach na feabhsúcháin seo amháin ar an Sceideal Foirnithe do scoileanna beaga.
221. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cad iad na bunscoileanna ar oileáin nach bhfuil ceangailte leis an mórthír le droichead; cén oileán atá i gceist le gach scoil acu sin; cad é an líon scoláirí a bhí ag freastal ar gach scoil acu sin i mí Mheán Fómhair seo caite agus cad é an líon múinteoirí ranga a bhí i ngach scoil acu sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [25252/15]
View answerTá an t-eolas atá á lorg ar fáil ar an tábla ceangailte.
|
Uimh. Rolla |
Ainm na Scoile |
Daltaí |
Múinteorí Ranga |
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14065H |
SHERKIN ISLAND N S, BALTIMORE, CO CORK |
4 |
1 |
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14303U |
S N CLEIRE, OILEAN CHLEIRE, AN SCIOBAIRIN, CO CHORCAI |
15 |
2 |
|
19525R |
MHICHIL NAOFA, BALLINAKILLA, BERE ISLAND, BANTRY, CO CORK |
19 |
2 |
|
05164I |
SCOIL NAOMH CHOLMCILLE, OILEAN THORAI, AN BHUN BHIG, CO DHUN NA NGALL |
10 |
1 |
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15955W |
SN ARAINN MHOR I, ARAINN MOR, CO DHUN NA NGALL |
31 |
2 |
|
16384K |
SN ARAINN MHOR II, ARAINN MOR, CO DHUN NA NGALL |
12 |
1 |
|
12339I |
S N INIS MEADHOIN, ARAINN, CO. NA GAILLIMHE |
3 |
1 |
|
13927H |
INISHBOFIN N S, INISBOFIN, CO GALWAY |
12 |
2 |
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17289V |
S N CAOMHAIN, INIS OIRTHIR, ARAINN, GAILLIMH |
18 |
2 |
|
17456O |
S N RONAIN, ARAINN, CO NA GAILLAIMHE |
34 |
2 |
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20210W |
S N EOIN POL II, INIS MOR, ARAINN, CO NA GAILLIMHE |
20 |
2 |
|
13174H |
ST COLUMBAS N.S., INISTURK, CO GALWAY |
2 |
1 |
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13311O |
ST PATRICKS NS, CLARE ISLAND, WESTPORT, CO MAYO |
22 |
2 |
222. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna an bhfuil sé i gceist an dara hoide a cheapadh ar Scoil Naisiúnta Inis Meáin i mí Mheán Fómhair seo chugainn ó tharlóidh go mbeidh ochtar scoláirí sa scoil sa bhFómhar; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [25253/15]
View answerFoilsítear na critéir a úsáidtear chun múinteoirí a leithdháileadh ar bhunscoileanna ar shuíomh idirlín na Roinne Oideachais agus Scileanna gach bliain. Is é an príomhchritéar lena gcinntear an leibhéal acmhainní foirnithe a sholáthraítear ag leibhéal na scoile aonair ná an sceideal foirnithe don scoilbhliain chuí agus an líon daltaí ar an rolla ar an 30 Meán Fómhair roimhe sin.
Bhí 3 dhalta ar an rolla sa scoil dá dtagraíonn an Teachta ar an 30 Meán Fómhair 2014. Tá rollachán de 8 ndalta réamh-mheasta ag an scoil do mhí Mheán Fómhair seo chugainn.
Cuirtear feabhas ar leibhéil foirnithe sna scoileanna beaga leis na socruithe foirne don scoilbhliain 2015/16. Tá tairseacha feabhsaithe ceapacháin agus coinneála tugtha isteach don scoilbhliain 2015/16 do scoileanna aon oide amháin atá scartha amach ó scoileanna eile. Áit a mbeadh líon de 20 dalta ar an rolla ag teastáil ón scoil seo chun go gceapfaí an dara oide, anois tá sé seo laghdaithe go 15 dhalta.
Tá próiseas achomhairc ar fáil do scoileanna beaga sa chás go mbíonn siad in ann a léiriú gur leor a rollacháin réamh-mheasta chun ligean dóibh a múinteoir rangsheomra a choinneáil sa bhfadtéarma. Cuirtear in iúl na critéir faoina féidir le scoileanna achomharc a dhéanamh i gCiorclán 0005/2015. Feidhmíonn an Bord Achomharc go neamhspleách ar an Roinn agus ní bhíonn dul thar a bhreith.
223. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén uair atá sé i gceist aici cóiríocht bhuan a cheadú do Ghaelscoil Riada agus don Ghaelscoil i mBaile Átha an Rí; cén dul chun cinn atá déanta maidir leis an dá thogra seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [25254/15]
View answerTá oifigigh de chuid mo Roinne ag obair go dlúth faoi láthair le hoifigigh de chuid Chomhairle Contae na Gaillimhe maidir le suíomhanna cuí a fháil chun éascú le soláthar lín áirithe tionscadal tógála scoile sa cheantar dá dtagraíonn an Teachta. Táthar ag cur an phróisis fála seo chun cinn i gcónaí. Cuirfear soláthar buanchóiríochta scoile do na scoileanna dá dtagraíonn an Teachta chun cinn go dtí an próiseas pleanála ailtireachta a luaithe a bheidh na ceisteanna maidir le fáil na suíomhanna réitithe.
224. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider removing a qualifying condition that applicants must have lived here for three out of the past five years for returning emigrants who meet the habitual residence condition under social welfare which qualifies them for jobseeker's allowance and back to education, as it is clearly a contradiction of their residency status by two Departments. [25311/15]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the Exchequer funds tuition fees costs in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study under my Department's Free Fees Initiative. The main conditions of the scheme are that students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. There are no plans to amend the residency requirement of the Free Fees Initiative at present.
It should be noted that in the case of students who do not meet the residency clause, higher education institutions have been requested to charge the more moderate EU fee to EU/EEA/Swiss nationals who have completed at least five academic years of study (Primary or Post-Primary level) in the EU/EEA or Switzerland.
225. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Mayo in order that a connecting corridor may be provided in the school, considering that children must exit the school to attend the learning support and resource teacher; that they must also do so to access the classrooms at the bottom end of the school; and if the funding will be provided to ensure the safe access and egress to both employees, pupils, and others using this place of work. [25314/15]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application to my Department for a link corridor.
Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, imposed by the need to prioritise the available funding for the provision of essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic requirements, my Department advised the school that it was not in a position to provide the funding sought.
In recent days, the school has provided additional information to my Department in support of its application. This will now be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority shortly.
226. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on an application from a school (details supplied) in County Carlow for the construction of two new classrooms, a two-classroom autism spectrum disorder unit and an integrated school hall; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25317/15]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for capital funding for the provision of additional school accommodation. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority shortly.
227. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on an application for funding for the construction of an assembly hall in a school (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [25318/15]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for a P.E. Hall. I wish to advise the Deputy that due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential classroom accommodation, it is not possible at this point to provide an indicative timeframe for the provision of a PE hall.The Deputy will be aware that my Department recently provided grant aid of €1.2m to the school for mainstream and special needs accommodation and I understand that this building project was completed last November.
