Written Answers Nos. 330-342
330. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the Victory Centre on Firhouse Road in Dublin 24 was rejected as a possible site or sites for two new patronage schools in this general locality; and the specific unsuitability reasons for the site. [36912/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that officials in my Department were made aware of the property in question as a possible site location.
The property was not considered a viable option as it was subject to ongoing litigation proceedings at the time and in addition it was not considered suitable from a technical perspective.
331. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision made by Student Universal Support Ireland and the student grants appeal board will be revised for a person (details supplied) in County Clare; the options available to the person; her plans to review the conditions of student grant legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36914/15]
View answerI understand that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy an appeal was considered by the independent Student Grants Appeals Board on 13th October 2015 and the Board's decision issued directly to the appellant. The student was advised of her options in the decision letter. The options are that she may appeal to the High Court on a point of law under Section 21(6) of the Student Support Act 2011 and under the Ombudsman Acts 1980 to 2012. The Ombudsman can examine a complaint from the student if she feels she has been unfairly treated in her dealings with SUSI or the Appeals Board.
I have no plans at present to change the arrangements in place.
332. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether an additional classroom is needed for a secondary school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36950/15]
View answer336. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 224 of 1 October 2015, if additional classroom accommodation will be provided at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36983/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 332 and 336 together.
I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has recently made an application to my Department for capital funding for the provision of additional accommodation. The application is currently being considered and further information has been requested from the above mentioned school. Once this information has been received my Department will convey a decision to the school authorities concerned as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.
333. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department will process an application for free secondary school transport to Castleisland Community School for a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36963/15]
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 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has established that the older sibling of the child referred to by the Deputy was in fact incorrectly assessed as eligible for school transport. Children who are incorrectly categorized 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.
Bus Éireann has advised that the child referred to by the Deputy is ineligible for school transport and may only avail of school transport on a concessionary basis subject to the terms of such transport including the payment of the charge.
The terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
334. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the teacher retention and appointment thresholds for two-teacher, three-teacher and four-teacher schools for the 2016-17 academic year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36965/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that I have made provision in Budget 2016 for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools next year. These posts will provide for an improvement in the staffing schedules at primary and post primary levels, enhance the leadership and management roles of deputy principals at post-primary level by reducing their teaching time, an improvement to the scheme of release time for principal teachers at primary level and additional resource posts to meet special education needs.At primary level there will be a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule to be implemented for the 2016/17 school year. The improved staffing schedule for the 2016/17 school year, which includes the retention thresholds for 2, 3 and 4 teacher schools is available on the Department website.
The staffing arrangements for all schools for the 2016/17 school year will be published early in 2016.
335. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a liaison person from her Department on an issue in County Kerry (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36967/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas as required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.
SENOs engage with schools annually in order to plan for, and to open, new special classes each year, in order to ensure there are sufficient special class placements available at primary and post primary school level to meet demand in a given area.
All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents are encouraged to liaise with the local SENO to discuss placement options for their child.
The NCSE will continue to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in particular areas and has capacity to open such new special classes where necessary.
Parents can choose to enrol children with autism in an early intervention class from the age of three and where such a placement is not available home tuition is approved. Children with autism over the age of four may also be eligible for home tuition if a school placement is not available for them.
My officials have been advised by the NCSE that there are currently 5 ASD special classes at post primary level in Co. Kerry. Details of all of the special classes for children with special educational needs which are attached to mainstream schools are published each year on the NCSE website at www.ncse.ie.
The NCSE are available to liaise with local schools in the context of the establishment of special class provision in Co Kerry.
337. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to equalise the pay gap for newly qualified teachers to ensure that they are not receiving 34% less than other teachers with equal experience; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37023/15]
View answerSince the beginning of the financial crisis, there has been a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure. The previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable of all new entrants to public service recruitment grades (including teachers) by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011 and required that such new entrants would start on the first point of the applicable salary scale.
Subsequently, following the public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments, the Government decided to withdraw or modify allowances for new beneficiary public servants with effect from 1 February 2012. Under this decision, certain allowances were withdrawn for new beneficiary teachers, including qualification allowances. However, the Government partially compensated for this by deciding that new entrant teachers would henceforth commence on a new salary scale which had a starting point higher than the starting point of the old scale.
These measures were implemented at time of very difficult financial and budgetary circumstances for the State.
Alleviation of the salary imbalance between those who entered the public service since 2011 and those who entered before that date began under the Haddington Road Agreement. Improved pay scales for post-1 January 2011 and post-1 February 2012 entrants to teaching were agreed and implemented under the terms of that Agreement. In addition, allowances payable to post-1 January 2011 entrants and such allowances as remain payable to post-1 February 2012 entrants were restored to pre-2011 levels. The Lansdowne Road Agreement will, through salary increases and a reduction in the Pension-Related Deduction, begin the process of restoring the reductions to public service pay which were implemented over recent years. The issue of equalised pay scales was not one which could be resolved in the discussions which lead to the Agreement. However, the flat-rate increases contained in the Agreement will be proportionately more favourable to new entrants to teaching (who are lower on the pay scale) than to longer serving teachers.
338. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a specific policy on the withdrawal of school bus services for schoolchildren travelling from Johnstown Bridge in County Kildare; if she is aware of the impact of the non-provision of a school bus service on safety for children, traffic, expenditure and time spent commuting to the nearest school bus service; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37024/15]
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 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has advised that under the terms of the Scheme children residing in the Johnstown Bridge area have transport eligibility to Longwood Post Primary Centre but are choosing to attend Kilcock Post Primary Centre. These children travel to Enfield to avail of concessionary transport to Kilcock Post Primary Centre.
School transport on a concessionary basis is subject to a number of terms and conditions including that there are spare seats available on an existing school bus service and on payment of the annual charge. Routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis.
The terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme are available on the Departments website at www.education.ie.
339. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policy decisions that were taken regarding the reduction in the provision of school bus transport where families were reliant on services; if she is aware that children have been refused concessionary transport and transport on a school bus where they were a free travel card holder; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37025/15]
View answerThe purpose of the School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of the Scheme, children are eligible for school transport where they are attending their nearest school and meet the requisite distance.
School transport services, routes, pick-up points, vehicle size etc. are designed around the eligible children presenting for school transport.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may avail of school transport on a concessionary basis only subject to a number of terms and conditions which are outlined in the scheme. Included in these terms are: there is spare capacity on the service; routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis; no additional State cost will be incurred; the appropriate annual charge is paid; Medical Card waiver is not applicable.
The availability of concessionary transport may vary from year to year, is not available on public scheduled services, and cannot be guaranteed for the duration of a child's education cycle. The terms of the School Transport Scheme are available on the Departments website at www.education.ie.
340. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding for the completion of building works for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [37036/15]
View answerThe Major Building Project referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced Stage of Architectural Planning, Stage 2(b) which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certificate, Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured and the Design team have recently completed tender documents. The Department is awaiting correspondence from the Board of Management and their Design Team in order to approve Stage 2b.
School building projects, including the project in question, which have not been included in the current Five Year programme, will continue to be progressed to the final planning stages and are available to be considered in the context of the new 6 Year Construction Plan that I intend to announce in the coming weeks.
341. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the ancillary services grant for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare where there is a shortfall of funding; the alternative forms of funding available for this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37054/15]
View answerMy Department provides capitation funding to all recognised primary schools. The amount of grant paid to an individual primary school for capitation and ancillary services is determined by the school's enrolment, subject to a minimum grant for both capitation and ancillary services in respect of schools with enrolments up to 60, and a maximum ancillary services grant in the case of schools with enrolments of 500 or more. I have no plans to change these arrangements. In 2015 the capitation grant is €170 per pupil, and the Ancillary Services Grant is €147 per pupil. The Deputy may wish to note that Circular 40/2009 clarifies issues relating to the allocation of funding for primary schools. The circular states that capitation funding provided for general running costs and funding provided for caretaking and secretarial services may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities. It should also be noted that the Minor Works Grant is being paid to all primary schools before the end of 2015. This grant will enable minor works to be carried out at school level and should help schools to reduce their maintenance costs and therefore ease some of their budgetary pressures.
342. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding is available for students who were in receipt of student grants until they progressed to a postgraduate course; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37057/15]
View answerDue to economic circumstances, a number of difficult expenditure reduction measures were taken in recent budgets. A decision in Budget 2012 has meant that new students entering postgraduate courses from the 2012/13 academic year onwards are not entitled to maintenance payments under the Student Grant Scheme, but may qualify in some circumstances for limited fee support.
Those who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme are eligible to have their post-graduate tuition fees paid up to the maximum fee limit of €6,270.
Alternatively, a postgraduate student may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the cost of their fees. The income threshold for this payment is €31,500 for the 2015/16 academic year, increasing relative to the number of family dependents.
Tax relief is available on postgraduate tuition fees. Details in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners.
