Written Answers Nos. 153-158
153. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of deaf children in primary and post primary education who are availing of the sound field classroom technology; the budget her Department offers in support of installing this technology; if she will consider increasing the grant to schools that cannot afford to install this technology; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36802/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for an extensive range of supports to assist pupils who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. In line with my Department's policy that children with special educational needs access appropriate education intervention in mainstream settings where possible, many Deaf or Hard of Hearing pupils are integrated into mainstream classes at primary and post-primary level with additional supports such as additional resource teaching and Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. Other children who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing may attend special schools or classes, which have lower pupil teacher ratios.
In order to support the education of pupils who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing, grant-aid is also provided to schools towards the provision of specialist equipment including Soundfield systems and Radio Aids. The criteria for allocation of support under the Assistive Technology scheme is set out in my Department's Circular 10/2013.
Once equipment has been purchased, my Department refunds school authorities in accordance with the sanction provided. I understand that, in general, costs associated with installation of Soundfield systems are incorporated into the purchase price.
I can confirm that 257 applications were approved by my Department in 2014 in respect of Soundfield systems and radio aid equipment for pupils who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing.
154. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the status of a project (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36805/15]
View answerMy Department has not received a formal application for an increase in the allocation for the Sports Hall at the school to which the Deputy refers. It is open to the school to apply for an increase, however, this will impact on the delivery of the approved project.
155. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 391 of 13 October 2015, the reason a student (details supplied) in County Clare, who applied through the common application system, was refused eligibility for transport to the school in County Limerick which the student is attending, given that all of the student's neighbours attending the same school were successful in their applications for school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36815/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware of the operation of a Common Application System (CAS) between the post-primary schools in the Limerick area.
In supporting the CAS, children who reside in the Limerick area are eligible for school transport where their nearest post primary school is included in the CAS, they have enrolled through the CAS and they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from their school of attendance.
The child in question is not eligible for school transport as his nearest post primary school is not included in the CAS.
As has happened in this case, children who are incorrectly categorised as eligible for school transport, are allowed retain their eligibility for the remainder of the school year in which the error is discovered. Thereafter, the terms of the scheme will be applied.
156. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, under the new budget, the vehicle registration tax for commercial vehicles registered between now and 1 January 2016 will be pro-rated for the new lower rate for the 2016 portion of the tax. [36670/15]
View answerI assume the Question is referring to motor tax, as there were no changes to Vehicle Registration Tax announced in Budget 2016.
The changes to rates in motor tax will take effect for discs taken out with a commencement of 1 January 2016 or thereafter. Where tax is due for renewal prior to that date, owners of commercial vehicles will pay at the current rates. It should be noted that such owners have the option of taxing for three or six months, as well as annually.
157. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to outline in tabular form the funding that has been provided to west Wicklow in the past three years to deal with structural inequalities and spatial disadvantage. [36692/15]
View answer158. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the inequalities in County Wicklow relating to service provision for dealing with spatial disadvantage, deprivation and social exclusion, particularly in the east of the county; and the measures being put in place to enable communities and young persons to access the services they need. [36693/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 157 and 158 together.
I assume the Questions refer to my Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) and the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP). The LCDP was implemented until March 2015 pending the roll out of SICAP in April 2015.
The objective of SICAP is to reduce poverty, promote social inclusion and equality through local, regional and national engagement and collaboration. SICAP is being overseen and managed by the Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) in each Local Authority area. The programme’s target groups are children and families from disadvantaged areas, lone parents, new communities (including refugees and asylum seekers), people living in disadvantaged communities, people with disabilities, Roma, the unemployed (including those not on the Live Register), Travellers, young unemployed people from disadvantaged areas and young people (aged 15-24) who are not in employment, education or training (NEETs).
SICAP is one of my Department’s key priorities and is operating for a 9 month period for 2015, with funding of €28 million. This includes an allocation of €2 million under the European Structural Funds (ESF) Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020 and €2 million under the Youth Employment Initiative.
The amount of SICAP funding for the Wicklow area was calculated using the Resource Allocation Model (RAM). The RAM underpinned by the Pobal/HAASE Deprivation Index, which is used in relation to allocations, allows funds to be allocated in a manner which means that a disadvantaged person in any area of the country will have equality of resources available to their areas to support their needs.
In relation to the Deputy’s query regarding funding that has been provided to Wicklow, including West Wicklow over the last three years, LCDP allocations are set out in the table below.
|
Allocation |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 Jan to March |
|
Bray Partnership |
943,239 |
839,483 |
818,496 |
191,323 |
|
County Wicklow Community Partnership |
628,695 |
584,686 |
584,686 |
136,670 |
It should be noted that under SICAP, Wicklow’s Local Community Development Committee has been allocated €972,584 in 2015 to support the community services which the Deputy refers to.
In addition to the funding above the LEADER elements of the Rural Development Programme for 2014-2020 will provide €6.3 million for the Wicklow sub-regional area. There is a specific focus on social inclusion under LEADER for the 2014-2020 programme period and LEADER local action groups are currently working on local development strategies that will identify, in a community led way, the priorities for the funding over the next number of years.
