Written Answers Nos. 253-264
253. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide in tabular form a breakdown of the number of consultants with contract types A, B, B* and C for each year since 2009; and the numbers of applications to change contract types. [29561/15]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
254. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Health if he will provide a breakdown by contract type offered, that is, A, B, B* and C, of all the consultant posts that are currently open for recruitment. [29562/15]
View answerI have asked the HSE to respond to the Deputy directly on the matter. If you have not received a reply from the HSE within 15 working days please contact my Private Office and they will follow up the matter with them.
255. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if post offices and their staff have been formally briefed on the recent changes in certain protocols for documentation required for passports, following the changes introduced recently; the person responsible for briefing post offices and their staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29471/15]
View answerPassport Express is the primary service for obtaining a passport within the State. It is delivered by the Department’s Passport Service in partnership with An Post. Its popularity is reflected by the fact that over 90% of all passport applications in the State are made through this service.
An Post, through its approximately 900 offices, brings Passport Express to local communities throughout the country by providing a premium, next-day secure postal service for:
(i) the delivery of passport applications at the front end of the passport process; and
(ii) the collection of personalised passports when the passport entitlement and production processes have been completed.
Responsibility for implementing the Passport Act remains the sole preserve of the Passport Service. An Post staff do not examine or check the compliance of any application that is lodged with them.
A new step by step guide to completing your passport application form was rolled out in recent weeks. Additionally information in regard to passport entitlement is available through our website www.dfa.ie/passport.
256. Deputy Gabrielle McFadden asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if there is a need to have a payment details section on an Irish passport application form, when the payment for a passport is made at a local post office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29472/15]
View answerCurrently there is only one passport application form for use within the state – APS1. While over 90% of all passport applications in the State are made through the Passport Express service there are still a significant number of citizens who use other means of applying. For these applications the payment section on the form is still required.
257. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the efforts he has made in relation to a person (details supplied) who is facing a 12-year prison sentence in the Philippines, without a fair trial; the consular services that are available to the person; the representations his Department has made in relation to corrupt practices in the judicial system in the Philippines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29381/15]
View answerMy Department is aware of this case and has provided consular assistance to the citizen and their family since July 2013.
The Embassy of Ireland in Singapore, which is accredited to the Philippines, as well as the Honorary Consulate General in Manila have provided ongoing assistance to this citizen, including providing a list of lawyers; making representations to the prison service on the citizen's welfare after the person was detained; and facilitating the safe retrieval of personal belongings after the person's release on bail.
The Embassy has made representations in relation to this case to the Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila and has requested information on the timeframe for the appeals process.
It is important to bear in mind the role of the Irish Government where citizens are imprisoned abroad. When an Irish citizen is charged with an offence under the laws of a foreign country, it is the foreign laws that apply and it is the relevant foreign court that decides matters such as bail and release. It is not possible for the Irish Government to intervene directly in matters before foreign courts.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade will continue to provide appropriate consular assistance to the citizen and their family.
258. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Gnóthaí Eachtracha agus Trádála an bhfuil cás Ghaza tógtha aige sna Náisiúin Aontaithe agus san AE; cén toradh a bhí ar a achainíocha; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [29460/15]
View answerGné lárnach is ea Gaza den choinbhleacht sa Mheánoirthear agus de Phróiseas na Síochána, agus baineann fadhbanna agus ábhair cúraim ar leith leis as féin freisin. Tá iarracht chomhsheasmhach déanta ag Éirinn ar leibhéal an AE fanacht dírithe ar cheist Ghaza, agus tá béim leagtha aici air go mbeidh coinbhleacht as an nua ag tarlú ansin go dtí go mbeidh réiteach faighte orthu siúd. Le himeachtaí an tsamhraidh seo caite, léiríodh go tragóideach go bhfuil sé sin amhlaidh.
D'eisigh an Chomhairle Eorpach agus an Chomhairle Gnóthaí Eachtracha araon Conclúidí a bhaineann go sonrach le Gaza i mí Lúnasa 2014. Sna Conclúidí de chuid na Comhairle Gnóthaí Eachtracha i mí na Samhna 2014 faoi Phróiseas na Síochána sa Mheánoirthear, pléadh go substainteach le Gaza chomh maith.
Ar leibhéal na Náisiún Aontaithe, foilsíodh tuarascáil an Choimisiúin Fiosrúcháin a bhunaigh Comhairle na Náisiún Aontaithe um Chearta an Duine faoi imeachtaí an tsamhraidh seo caite i mí an Mheithimh. Le linn díospóireachta sa Chomhairle um Chearta an Duine, chuir Éire fáilte roimh an tuarascáil agus thacaigh sí léi. Ar an 3 Iúil, vótáil Éire agus gach ball de chuid an AE den Chomhairle um Chearta an Duine ar son Rúin ar an tuarascáil a bhí curtha faoi bhráid ag toscaireacht na Palaistíne, agus glacadh an Rún sin le tromlach mór.
Ina theannta sin, d'fhreastail líon mór tíortha idirnáisiúnta ar an gComhdháil faoi Atógáil Ghaza a tionóladh i gCaireo i nDeireadh Fómhair 2014, lena n-áirítear beagnach gach Ballstát de chuid an AE. D'fhreastail mé féin uirthi mar ionadaí na hÉireann, agus gheall mé €2.5 milliún breise i gcomhair riachtanais láithreacha agus athshlánú ar bhonn níos fadtéarmaí i nGaza, anuas ar €500,000 i gcistiú faoisimh éigeandála a bhí tugtha againn cheana féin i rith na coinbhleachta.
259. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which it is expected that the skills available through those on the live register may be matched to the skill requirements of the workplace, in respect of both the indigenous and the Foreign Direct Investment sectors, in the short to medium term; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29285/15]
View answerMy Department has a number of strategies and initiatives in place to ensure that education and training meets the skills requirements of the workplace. SOLAS, with the assistance of relevant experts such as the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), employers and local and national organisations, have published a five year strategy for the further education and training sector which provides us with a strategic roadmap for this crucial element of the education and training system. The strategy includes a vision of a flexible, quality-driven, labour market-relevant, integrated and responsive sector that supports learner progression, transitions into employment and personal development. The higher education system is also going through a process of transformation through structural change arising from the Higher Education Strategy.
The Expert Group on Future Skills Needs (EGFSN), which is funded by my Department, advises the Government on current and future skills needs of the economy. It has a central role in ensuring that labour market needs for skilled workers are anticipated and met. The expert group's membership is broad and specifically includes representation from enterprise. Its research provides an input to the development of course curricula and informs the selection of new targeted programmes designed to tackle the skills shortages in particular elements of the economy, such as Momentum, Springboard and the ICT skills conversion programme.
As part of the Action Plan for Jobs 2015, my Department has committed to review the National Skills Strategy. The review will provide an opportunity to determine the volume, type and mix of skills required to meet the Government's goal of full employment by 2018 and the challenges to be addressed to achieve this.
Direct engagement between employers and education and training providers is also critical to ensuring that programmes are aligned to changing skills needs. As well as the actions that are being implemented across the education and training system as part of the Further Education and Training and Higher Education reform programmes to enhance links with enterprise and prepare learners for the different roles they will have over their working lives work is also underway in the context of the Skills Strategy review to develop the regional and national infrastructure for engagement between education providers, employers and other enterprise stakeholders, in communicating and addressing skills needs.
SOLAS also has statutory responsibility for the Apprenticeship system in Ireland. The Apprenticeship system is employer led and the number of craft apprentices registered with SOLAS is determined by individual employers recruiting potential apprentices within a broad range of occupational sectors.
At the end of 2014, apprentice registrations to the existing 27 trades were up 40% on the same point in 2013. The trend is continuing this year and the most recent apprenticeship forecasts anticipate that these growth trends will continue generally until 2018.
It should also be noted that as part of the Government's Action Plan for Jobs initiative in 2013, an independent group was established to carry out a review of the Irish Apprenticeship system to determine whether the current model should be retained, adapted or replaced. The subsequent report of the Review Group made a wide number of recommendations regarding the reform of existing apprenticeships and the extension of the apprenticeship model into new enterprise areas. An Apprenticeship Implementation Plan was published in June 2014 in that regard.
A new industry-led Apprenticeship Council was appointed in November 2014 and is made up of a wide variety of stakeholders. In January 2015, the Apprenticeship Council formally invited proposals for new apprenticeship programmes from consortia of enterprise, professional bodies and education and training providers.
Over 80 separate proposals were received in response to the call for proposals. They have been assessed by the Apprenticeship Council against a range of sustainability and deliverability criteria and I have recently received the Council's report with recommendations on proposals that should be developed into apprenticeships. I am currently considering the recommendations with a view to progressing a number of proposals to the development stage.
260. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will re-evaluate the Special Needs Assistant allocation that has been provided to a school (details supplied) in County Cork, as part of the roll-out of two further classrooms, to bring the school into operation in its new premises; if she will increase the allocation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29244/15]
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.
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 has confirmed to my Department that the SNA allocation for the school in question for the 2015/16 school year provides a sufficient level of support to cater for the care needs of all qualifying children in the context of the applications received for 2015/16.
Details of the manner in which a school or parent may appeal the level of SNA or resource teaching allocation which has been made to support a child in school, to the NCSE, is set out at www.ncse.ie.
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.
261. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on plans for a new school at Harcourt Terrace in Dublin 2; the size of the school that will be located there; when a patron will be appointed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29246/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that an architectural design competition was announced in June 2014 to develop a primary school building at Harcourt Terrace. The submission deadline for shortlisted entrants for the second stage of the design competition, organised on behalf of the Department by the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland, is 17th July. It is expected that the winner of the design competition for a 24 classroom school with special needs unit will be announced in early autumn.
In due course, my Department will run an open patronage determination process to determine who will operate the school. It will be open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply under this process.
262. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Skills when she expects work to commence on the new primary school on Haddington Road in Dublin 4; if she will provide an update on the project; the number of classrooms that will be accommodated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29247/15]
View answerTenders for the new primary school on Haddington Road were received by the Design Team on the 8th July 2015. The Design Team are currently preparing a Tender Report for submission to my Department. Subject to no issues arising the project will then progress to construction. The brief for the project is to provide a new 24 classroom school.
263. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Skills when she expects work to commence on the new primary school at Griffith Barracks in Dublin 8; if she will provide an update on the project; the number of classrooms that will be accommodated; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29248/15]
View answerThe delivery of a new 16 classroom school building for Griffith Barracks Multi-Denominational School has been devolved to the Office of Public Works (OPW).
At the end of June, approval was given to the OPW to proceed to tender for the new school building. The outcome of the tender process will determine when works will commence on site.
264. Deputy Ruairí Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the amount invested in each school in the Dublin 2, 4, 6, 6W, and 8 areas since 2011, for new or refurbished classrooms, extensions, new buildings or other building works; her plans for further investment in schools in these areas; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [29249/15]
View answerWhile it is not possible to provide details of capital funding issued to schools within a county, overall details on a county basis are available as well as details in respect of individual schools on receipt of school names and roll numbers.
Capital funding issued to schools in Dublin for the years 2011 to date in 2015 are as follows:
PRIMARY: 2011 - €81.337m; 2012 - €60.620m; 2013 - €53.670m; 2014 - €74.755m; to end June 2015 - €22.988m.
POST-PRIMARY: 2011 - €39.596m; 2012 - €21.129m; 2013 - €32.741m; 2014 - €48.265m; to end June 2015 - €19.730m.
I would further advise the Deputy that information on the Large Scale Projects Programme, the Additional Accommodation Scheme, the Prefab Replacement Initiative, the Summer Works Scheme and the Emergency Works Scheme is available on my Department's website.
