Written Answers Nos. 773-786
773. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application by a person (details supplied) in County Louth under the free school transport scheme; when a decision is expected; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28548/15]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme, a child with special educational needs is eligible for transport if s/he is attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet the child's special educational needs under my Department's criteria.
Children who are eligible for school transport, under the terms of this scheme, are exempt from paying an annual charge.
The National Council for Special Education through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENOs) acts in an advisory role to my Department on the suitability of placements for children with special educational needs.
In this case, it has been reported that the school the child in question is attending is not the nearest school resourced to meet his educational needs and therefore he is not eligible for school transport to this school.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only, subject to a number of terms and conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and the payment of the annual charge.
In this regard, the family should liaise with the local Bus Éireann office at 042.6825999.
774. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of the review of the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools scheme; the number and identity of stakeholders consulted in 2015 to date, and to be consulted; if the special conditions disadvantage in rural areas will be considered in the review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28568/15]
View answerThe process I have recently commenced to renew the DEIS programme involves a number of strands including:- a consultation process with education partners, which commenced in April with a closing date of 22nd May 2015, to inform development of appropriate interventions to tackle educational disadvantage; - the establishment of an inter-Departmental Group to ensure a joined-up approach to future delivery of services in the DEIS programme; - the establishment of a Technical Group to develop criteria for a new identification process for which schools should participate in the DEIS programme; - the establishment of a DEIS Advisory Group within my Department.
As part of the first strand I sought written submissions from approximately twenty education partners such as the Teaching Unions, Management Bodies, the National Parents Council and the Community and Voluntary Pillar. Submissions from these stakeholders received by my Department will be considered as part of an overall review process to be undertaken over the course of the 2015/16 school year and which will consider issues pertaining to educational disadvantage in all areas, including rural areas. Further consultations with stakeholders will take place over the course of the review as required.
775. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is in receipt of correspondence from a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28569/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is 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. 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. Details of the appeal criteria are set out in the published staffing arrangements, Circular 0005/2015 which is on the website.
The Primary Staffing Appeals Board meets three times per year. The Board will meet again in October, 2015. The closing date for receipt of applications to this meeting will be published on the Department website in due course. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
776. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of a difficulty between the Institute of Technology in Dundalk in County Louth and the Central Applications Office, relating to the recognising of A levels from potential students in Northern Ireland; her views that this difficultly is restricting the capacity of the Institute in attracting students from the affected counties; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28570/15]
View answerI understand that the institutes of technology and the universities are looking at their entry criteria for students presenting with A-Levels into their institutions. I fully support the promotion of better cross border flows of students in this regard. However, the entry requirements for third level education courses are determined by individual higher education institutions. The Central Applications Office (CAO) administer the processing of applications on behalf of the higher education institutions and my Department does not have any role or function in relation to this.
777. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary school pupils who are homeless from schools in the Dublin 24 area. [28584/15]
View answer778. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondary school pupils who are homeless in schools in the Dublin 24 area. [28585/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 777 and 778 together.
My Department does not collect data from schools in relation to students who are homeless. Statutory powers in relation to the educational welfare of all children, including those who are homeless, are contained in the Education Welfare Act 2000 which comes within the policy remit of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.
779. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide details of the remote area grant scheme available for school transport where there is no bus provided; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28606/15]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme, a child who is eligible for school transport but for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant (RAG) towards the cost of private transport arrangements. The RAG is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kilometres or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point.
This grant is payable annually at a fixed daily rate, regardless of the number of children from the same family that may be travelling to a particular school.
More detailed information on the Remote Area Grant is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie.
780. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter regarding a primary school (details supplied) in Dublin 5; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28607/15]
View answerGiven that the issues raised are a matter for other Cabinet colleagues, I am not in a position to supply the information requested by the Deputy.
The school meals programme comes under the policy remit of my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Social Protection.
The provision of Mental Health Services to children is a matter for the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. I would however like to inform the Deputy that my Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health and to supporting those with the broad range of problems, behavioural, emotional and social who might be considered within the broad term of mental health difficulties.
The processes span the curriculum in schools, whole-school ethos, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, student support and pastoral care and the provision of professional development for teachers. It also involves other supports such as educational psychological services and guidance and counselling services, and the interface with other agencies, both nationally and locally. Schools also engage in a wide range of sport and cultural co-curricular activities which provide an important opportunity for students to experience success and personal growth.
Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory part of the curriculum in primary schools and in junior cycle since 2003 and is designed to promote positive mental health. It is supported by comprehensive teacher guidelines and curriculum support services which provide training and advice for schools and a resource directory. My Department has also issued guidelines to schools on the development of whole-school policies in areas such as anti-bullying, relationship and sexuality education, substance misuse, managing critical incidents, whole-school guidance planning etc. which are also important in promoting positive mental health.
The Deputy may also be aware that I and my colleague, Minister of State Kathleen Lynch, launched "Well-being in primary schools - Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion" on 29th January 2015. The 'Well-Being in Post-Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention' were published by my Department in 2013. Both guidelines provide practical guidance to schools on how they can promote mental health and well-being in an integrated whole school way.
In 2011 responsibility for the School Completion Programme (SCP) transferred to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. Since January 2014 the School Completion Programme has been administered by TUSLA on behalf of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs (DCYA).
My Department continues to work with other Government Departments in relation to the delivery of services to children in schools.
781. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will respond to the concerns raised by parents and students regarding the difficulty level of the ordinary level project mathematics leaving certificate paper; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28609/15]
View answerI am aware that concerns have been raised by students about the content of the ordinary level Leaving Certificate Mathematics paper 1. I have asked the State Examinations Commission to bring these concerns to the attention of the Chief Examiner for the examination. Commentary and correspondence on the examination from teachers, professional bodies and other interested parties is considered by the Chief Examiner in developing the draft marking scheme.
The State Examinations Commission has assured me that, as is normal practice, prior to finalising the marking scheme, it will initially apply the draft marking scheme to a random sample of scripts so as to test the effectiveness of the examination paper and the scheme in setting and maintaining standards year on year. The outcomes of the random sampling will be analysed and if the outcomes indicate that the paper and/or the marking scheme is too hard or too easy the marking scheme will be adjusted to take account of this. This will ensure consistency in the marking of the examination and fairness to all candidates.
I can assure the Deputy that there is no intention to set an examination paper that is not suitable to the mathematics curriculum which ordinary level students have studied. The paper is devised specifically for the needs of ordinary level students and reflects the content in the ordinary level syllabus.
782. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that a long-running school transport scheme (details supplied) in County Cork is supported into the future; her views that the unique history of the school should be acknowledged in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28643/15]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, is required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
Bus Éireann has advised that, to date, the number of applicants for school transport for the 2015/16 school year has fallen below the minimum number required to retain the existing service.
Families of eligible children, for whom there is no school transport service available, are eligible for the remote area grant towards the cost of making private transport arrangements.The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
783. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that a school bus route that has been in operation for a number of years in an area (details supplied) in County Laois will continue to serve students who are in this area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28675/15]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
Bus Éireann has advised that the number of eligible applicants, for the service in question, had fallen below the minimum number required by the closing date for applications in April. However, they have received a number of late applications and provided these applicants complete the payment process for tickets the service will be retained.
784. Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the development plans for the new Cloonakilla school in Bealnamulla in County Roscommon; when construction work on this school is likely to commence; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28685/15]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy, is currently completing the advanced stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents. All relevant statutory approvals have been obtained.
The Stage 2b submission was reviewed by my Department and the Design Team has been requested to submit final confirmations that it is satisfied that the Tender Documents are complete, correct and in compliance with Department and Building Control (Amendment) Regulations. Following the submission of the confirmations, officials from my Department will contact the Design Team and the School Authorities with regard to the authorisation of the project to progress to tender and construction.
The project is included in my Department's five year building programme to proceed to Tender and Construction in 2015. However, until the project completes the tender stage it is not possible to give a more indicative date for the commencement of the construction stage.
785. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address a matter (details supplied) regarding a Student Universal Support Ireland grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28686/15]
View answer812. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views, in light of the significant change to net pay with the specific introduction of pension contributions, that the gross pay of public servants is still used to determine qualification for a third-level grant for the child of a public servant, and whether this fact has been factored into the determination of the financial thresholds for qualification; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28983/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 785 and 812 together.
The rates of grant and the income thresholds for the Student Grant Scheme are announced annually as part of the Budget. No changes to the rates or thresholds were included in Budget 2015.
The means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally. In the case of both employed and self-employed applicants, gross income, before deduction of income tax or universal social charge, is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded. Therefore, all income is assessed from the same starting point, eliminating any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions. Contributions to pension schemes and pension or retirement products, within the limits allowed by the Revenue Commissioners, are deducted in determining the reckonable income of an applicant as set out in the Student Grant Scheme 2015.
786. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the waiting time nationally and in County Mayo to have a child assessed for entitlement to a special needs assistant at school; the length of time it takes thereafter for an assistant to be provided for the benefit of the school child; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [28689/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the 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 Circular sets out the role of medical/other professional reports and recommendations by medical/other professionals in the context of consideration of applications for SNA support by the NCSE. The Circular explains that, while professional reports provide valuable assistance to education providers in identifying a diagnosis or identifying appropriate interventions, responsibility for deciding on the quantum of educational supports and resources to be allocated to schools to support pupils with special educational needs resides with the NCSE through the SENO.
Professional reports are provided to the NCSE as part of the application process through multiple channels including my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS), Department of Health/HSE practitioners as well as private practitioners. As SNAs are allocated on the basis of meeting the qualifying criteria, which includes provision of professional reports, it is not possible to state whether or if there are waiting lists for such assessments.
However, should the parents of the child, the subject of this question, have specific concerns about his/her educational progress I would advise in the first instance that they speak to the Principal of the school with a view to raising these concerns with the school's assigned NEPS psychologist.
All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2015/16 school year by 18th March 2015. The NCSE also continued to accept applications after this date in recognition that enrolments may not have been completed or where assessments were not completed. The NCSE has now published details of SNA allocations for schools for September 2015 on its website. The NCSE will have some capacity to consider applications from schools throughout the school year for new assessments of disability, new entrants, or emergency or late applications, in accordance with the terms of the SNA scheme.
All schools have the contact details of their local SENO. 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.
