Written Answers Nos. 198-206
198. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will use any discretionary measures available to her regarding an application for a student grant by a person (details supplied) to award the special rate, considering the exceptional circumstances in the student's family; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35083/15]
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 inquiries 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.
Inquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. SUSI is responding to email queries within a matter of days.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
199. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which any particular deficiency has been identified regarding the number of apprentices available for location throughout the public and private sectors; the extent to which particular sectors of industry have been identified as being particularly deficient in this regard; the provisions being made to address these issues; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35096/15]
View answerIn the existing apprenticeship trades, apprentices are taken on by approved employers and the State provides off the job training according to the curriculum for the trade. The scheme is essentially demand led and employers will recruit apprentices according to their overall current and projected levels of activity.
Following its open call for proposals, the Apprenticeship Council is working with proposers to develop new apprenticeships. While there was very significant interest in the development of new apprenticeships as evidenced by the receipt of 86 separate proposals, apprenticeship is an employer-led scheme and it is a matter for groups of employers to decide if an apprenticeship is the best means of meeting the skills demand in their sectors.
200. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the provision of extra accommodation required at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; when the necessary work will begin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35121/15]
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 accommodation.
The application is currently being considered and my Department will be in direct contact with the school authorities concerned as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.
201. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on an application for grant aid for major capital works for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35143/15]
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 accommodation.
The application is currently being considered and my Department will be in direct contact with the school authorities concerned as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.
202. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional post-primary school teachers who will be required in each year from September 2016 to September 2021 to maintain the current pupil-teacher ratio; the costs associated with this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35166/15]
View answerTeacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.
The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.
The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to schools at primary and post-primary level, including teacher numbers. The most recent published information including the post primary PTR 14:2, relates to the 2014/15 school year.
One of my main priorities for any additional resources for the foreseeable future will be to cater for the continuing increase in demographics at all levels in the education system. We have a growing population of young people in this country and despite the difficult financial circumstances we face as a country, we prioritised education so that the number of teachers we have in the system has also grown in order to protect pupil teacher ratios. There were 2,300 more teachers employed in schools around the country in the last two school years. This is a very significant investment at a time of scarce resources. At post primary level pupil numbers are projected to increase by an estimated 41,000 by 2021. Based on the published PTR this would require of the order of circa 450 teaching posts per annum in the period to 2021. The current average cost of a teaching post at post primary level is €63,000 per annum.
203. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the Student Supports Service is insisting upon a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath being assessed upon her parents income in terms of assessing eligibility for a higher education grant, given that this person is clearly independent; if the grant will be issued to this person without delay to enable her to pursue the final year of her degree qualification; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35175/15]
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. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
204. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will resist proposals by the European Commission in the review of the national emission ceiling directive currently taking place to introduce methane reduction targets that could impinge on Irish agriculture, as methane emissions are already covered under the European Union's climate policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35072/15]
View answerMethane is a greenhouse gas which is a cause of climate change and a source of air pollution which impacts on health and the environment, including crop productivity. Although predominantly produced by agricultural activity, other sectors, for example, waste management, also produce significant amounts of methane.
While the original European Commission proposal included methane among the pollutants to be addressed by the new NEC Directive, the current European Council Presidency proposal does not now include methane.
Ireland is committed to addressing both climate change and the health and environment all impacts of air pollution from a range of sources. As such, I am broadly supportive of the establishment of ambitious targets for the pollutants relevant to the negotiations on reform of the NEC Directive and EU climate policy. It is important, however, that such targets are realistic and can be cost effectively delivered. In this context, my Department is in on-going contact with both the European Commission and the relevant Government Departments, including the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, in relation to specific targets for pollutants emanating from agriculture.
205. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government If Ireland will inform the European Commission that it intends to go genetically modified organisms free; the reason for the decision of the Government in this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35079/15]
View answerIn terms of the issue raised regarding whether Ireland intends to go GMO free and whether we intend to inform the EU Commission of same, it is important to note that, in going GM free, there are several issues that warrant serious and detailed consideration.
In terms of cultivation, it is important to note that currently there is no commercial cultivation of Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) crops in Ireland. There is currently only one GMO crop cultivated in Europe (GM maize – MON 810). However, this product is not suitable or relevant to Irish agricultural conditions. Therefore, at this juncture, it was considered unnecessary to restrict cultivation, where no such cultivation could take place; as such, we have not notified the Commission of any intention to restrict or prohibit GMO cultivation. It should however be noted that Ireland can still exercise the right to opt out of GMO cultivation with supporting reasons, even where specific crops have been approved by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA ). Any such decision would need to take account of several factors including those relevant to the agriculture sector itself and the scientific evidence provided by the European Food Safety Authority in approving the products in question, as well as the potential socio-economic impacts.
In terms of GM food and feed, it is important to note that the animal feed sector in Ireland is reliant on imports of GM protein sources such as soya bean and maize products from North and South America. At present, as there are no alternative sources of non-GM protein, we therefore need to be cognisant of the implications for Irish farmers who may not have access to imported protein, if Ireland were to consider implementing a GMO free policy. The Ministers for Health (in relation to food) and Agriculture, Food and the Marine (regarding animal feed) have supported votes to authorise the placing on the market of such materials for food and feed use (but not for cultivation) on the basis of the scientific recommendations from EFSA and the Food Safety Authority of Ireland.
Furthermore, in terms of considering any question of going GMO free, consideration would need to be given to the implications for research and development on both the medical and veterinary sectors, where contained use of GMOs are an important element. Ireland currently has a significant number of such R&D activities under way, which are licensed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
As responsibility for GMO policy and regulation in Ireland rests across a range of Government Departments and Agencies, there is continuing discussion and consideration of issues relating to GMO cultivation, food and feed and its contained use in terms of developments arising at the EU level and specifically where any revised legislation might have practical or legal implications for Ireland.
206. Deputy Olivia Mitchell asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when he will introduce the regulations, as stipulated in Part 3 of the Housing (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34984/15]
View answerThe necessary Regulations, for the new scheme for the tenant purchase of existing local authority houses along incremental purchase lines are at an advanced stage and are expected to be finalised and signed by end October.
