Written Answers Nos. 817-833
817. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29068/15]
View answerThe building project referred to by the Deputy is currently completing tender stage and is expected to shortly commence construction.
818. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29069/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that officials in my Department have been working with officials from Meath County Council in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable permanent site for the school to which he refers. Subsequent to appraisal of options, a suitable site option has been identified and is being progressed. Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to comment further at this time.
I can, however, assure the Deputy that the acquisition of a new site for the school is a priority for my Department.
819. Deputy Dominic Hannigan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school building project (details supplied) in County Meath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29070/15]
View answerThe building project to which the Deputy refers is currently under construction. It is anticipated that the project will be completed in the second quarter of 2016 at which stage it will be handed over to the school authorities.
820. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue to this Deputy regarding correspondence (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29099/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has written to the school in question relating to the matter raised and a response is awaited. A reply to the Deputy's correspondence will issue when a response has been received and considered.
821. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the additional accommodation needs and improvements that have been identified for a school (details supplied) in County Galway; if she is aware of the increases in enrolment that are forecast; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29100/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provided grant aid to the school in question in 2011 for a mainstream classroom. My Department was not in a position to provide grant for ancillary accommodation as part of the project due to the necessity to focus investment on providing essential classroom accommodation. This continues to be the Department's priority. It is open to the school to submit an application for funding to meet an immediate accommodation requirement because of increased enrolments and where an additional teacher is being appointed. The relevant application form may be accessed on my Department's website at www.education.ie
822. Deputy Michael P. Kitt asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current position regarding the provision of a new school (details supplied) in County Galway. [29105/15]
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 has been reviewed by my Department and the Design Team have been requested to submit final confirmations that they are satisfied that the Tender Documents are complete, correct and in compliance with Department and Building Control (Amendment) Regulations. It is not possible to progress all projects within my Department's building programme to construction concurrently, due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget. However, school building projects, including this project, which have not been included in the five year construction programme but which have been previously initiated will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to my Department in the future.
823. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current position regarding the construction of a new building for a school (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29106/15]
View answerThe Major Building Project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The school's Design Team are currently working on Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which involves obtaining planning permission, fire certificate and disability access certificate and the completion of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured. A Brief Change Request Submission was recently received by my Department from the school and their Design Team and is currently under review. My Department will revert to the school and Design Team once the review is completed. It is not possible to progress all projects within my Department's building programme to construction concurrently, due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget. However, school building projects, including this project, which have not been included in the five year construction programme but which have been previously initiated, will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to my Department in the future.
824. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools, by county, operating the book rental scheme; the number in total; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29116/15]
View answerMy Department gathers information from schools as to whether they operate book rental schemes. The most recent figures available at primary level indicate that 94% of primary schools operate a book rental scheme. The most recent figures available at second level indicate that 68% of second level schools operate book rental schemes. A breakdown by county of these schools, as requested by the Deputy, is not readily available. My officials are currently compiling this information and it will be forwarded to the Deputy in due course.
827. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the latest discussions between her Department's forward planning section and the Catholic school bodies regarding areas where patronage may be divested to new patrons; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29153/15]
View answer828. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has identified the next areas that will be discussed with the Catholic management bodies for school patronage divestment in each of the years 2016 to 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29154/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 827 and 828 together.
Four new multi-denominational primary schools are expected to open in September 2015 under the patronage divestment process. Three of these schools will operate under the patronage of Educate Together. The fourth school will be a Gaelscoil operating under the patronage of An Foras Patrúnachta. This development will bring to nine the number of new schools opened under the patronage divesting process to date.
My Department will continue to work intensively with the main Catholic Patrons in the other areas to advance alternative Patron choices in those areas for 2016 and beyond.
829. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that have changed patronage since 2011; the location of these schools; the new patron in each of the new schools; the length of time it took from when a change of patron was first discussed to when the final change over took place; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29155/15]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that actual changes of patronage for existing schools are relatively rare. Under the patronage divestment process, what is more usually involved is the reorganisation of existing schools which can free up provision to facilitate the opening of a new school under alternative patronage, either in an existing or an alternative school premises.
There are two cases of actual changes of patronage for existing schools since 2011. In 2011, with the death of the Earl of Dunraven, patronage of St Nicholas Church of Ireland School, Adare, Co. Limerick passed to the Countess of Dunraven and Mount Earl, Geraldine Dunraven. In 2014, patronage of Newtownwhite National School, in Ballina, Co. Mayo, was divested to "Educate Together" from the Church of Ireland Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry. The divested school is now known as "Newtownwhite Educate Together NS".
Nine schools have opened under the patronage divesting process to date. In 2013, an Educate Together school opened in temporary premises in Dublin 2 and then moved to a former Edmund Rice School building in Basin Lane, Dublin 8 in September 2014.
Also in 2014, four schools commenced operation under the patronage of Educate Together. These schools are located in Trim, Co. Meath, Tramore, Co. Waterford, Malahide/Portmarnock, Co. Dublin and Newtownwhite, County Mayo. The latter resulted from the transfer of patronage from the Church of Ireland, as mentioned above.
Four new multi-denominational primary schools are expected to open in September 2015 under the patronage divestment process. The first three of these schools will operate under the patronage of Educate Together in Tuam, Co. Galway, Castlebar, Co. Mayo and New Ross, Co. Wexford. The fourth school will be a Gaelscoil operating under the patronage of An Foras Patrúnachta and will be located in Birr, Co. Offaly.
This process has been under way since the publication of the "Report on the surveys regarding parental preferences on primary school patronage" in April 2013.
830. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has been in contact with any section of the United Nations regarding school patronage issues; if so, the level of this contact; the section of her Department dealing with school patronage issues with international bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29156/15]
View answerIn the course of Ireland's appearances at UN treaty monitoring bodies in Geneva, questions from the Committees on school patronage issues were answered by the Irish delegation. In answering the questions, the delegation outlined the work on the implementation of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector and how this is providing greater diversity of patronage and choice for parents.
831. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria for new school patrons to apply to be on the possible school patron list; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29157/15]
View answerThe recognition of a patron is linked to the establishment of a school. My Department identifies the requirement to establish new schools based on demographic requirements. When my Department identifies the requirement for a new school in an area, the requirement is publicised and applications are invited from prospective patron bodies. A prospective patron body does not have to be on a list of recognised patrons to apply for patronage of a school. A prospective patron needs to have sufficient structure, continuity and reliability to conduct the responsible functions of patron, such as:
- appointment of the board of management
- suspension, if necessary, of the board of management
- responsibility for the school's characteristic spirit, for which the board of
management is accountable to the patron
- ultimate responsibility/liability for industrial relations
- responsibility for school property (and insurance)
- financial matters — annual budgets and reports
- decisions on school status, such as extension, amalgamation, closure
- the responsibilities agreed in the covenant with the Minister for Education and Skills.
A prospective patron needs to be able to demonstrate that it is capable of conducting the patron responsibilities in an ongoing way. For a group that is not a statutory body and wishes to be established as patron of a school, the group needs to establish itself as a corporate entity or as some other acceptable legal entity. In this process the group should articulate its educational philosophy and educational objectives in the memorandum and articles of association. The group should name three members as directors/trustees. The prospective patron should have charitable status.
Existing or prospective patrons may apply for patronage of any new school. A major criterion for the selection of a patron body is the extent to which it can demonstrate that a school under its patronage would extend or strengthen diversity of provision in the area, having regard to the views of parents.
A patron body must also satisfy my Department's requirements for establishing a new school set out in the document "New Arrangements for Patronage of New Schools" on my Department's website – see link hereunder: http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Establishing-a-New-School/New-Primary-Schools/Invitation-for-applications-for-patronage-of-new-Primary-Schools-to-start-September-2015.pdf.
832. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department will next publish a school patronage update such as the July 2014 update; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29158/15]
View answerThe report to which the Deputy refers outlined the significant work that had been undertaken in relation to the implementation of the recommendations of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector.
I have no immediate plans to publish a further standalone document in this regard. However, the annual report of my Department, as well as reports on the implementation of commitments in the Programme for Government, will provide updates on the ongoing implementation of the recommendations of the Forum report.
833. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the eligibility criteria for the school transport scheme, the reason a person (details supplied) has been denied a free place on the bus to a school as a medical card holder; if a concessionary place is available to the person, given that the school is closer to the family home than another school is, and that the person's sibling lives in the same house and can avail of this service to the school with a medical card; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29160/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that from the commencement of the 2012/13 school year, school transport eligibility for post primary children is being determined by reference to the distance they reside from their nearest post-primary education centre having regard to ethos and language.
Children who were eligible for school transport prior to the introduction of the above change will retain their transport eligibility for the duration of their post primary education cycle provided there is no change to their current circumstances. These children are exempt from paying the annual charge if they hold a valid medical card (GMS Scheme).
All new applicants including siblings of these children will have their eligibility determined by reference to the distance they reside from their nearest post primary centre or school.
In this regard, distance eligibility for school transport is determined by measuring the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the nearest education centre or school.
The child in question is not attending his nearest school and is therefore not eligible for school transport. Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of conditions including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge.
The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
