Written Answers Nos. 949-968
949. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills given the requirement for further education teachers to have teaching qualifications to teach in a further education college, if she will revise the Student Universal Support Ireland grant rules on progression to cater for students undertaking courses at level 8, for the purposes of becoming further education teachers, when they have a level 9 qualification. [37616/15]
View answerTo satisfy the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course.
The objective of this policy is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. Given the level of demand on the student grant budget from first time students and students that are progressing with their studies to a higher level, there are no plans at present to change the arrangements in place.
In the situation referred to by the Deputy, a student who already holds a level 9 qualification and intends to pursue a course at level 8, which is at a lower level, is not considered to be in progression and cannot be considered for funding.
However, tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education including approved undergraduate and postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries.
950. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that all contractors working on a school in County Tipperary (details supplied) have been paid for the work they completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37625/15]
View answerA building project is a complex arrangement of contractual relationships between the client, the main contractor, specialist sub-contractors, domestic sub-contractors, suppliers of materials, suppliers of plant etc. In general all sub-contractors employed on education sector building projects are employed directly by the Main Contractor or indirectly by the Main Contractor through other sub-contractors. It is a matter for all sub-contractors to agree terms and conditions and a schedule of payments with the Main Contractor as their direct employer.
The Board of Management is the Client/Employer under the Contract for the particular project to which the Deputy refers. While my Department is the funding authority for the project, it is not a party to the Contract and, as such, my Department has had no direct dealings with the Contractor regarding this particular project.
951. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Question No. 656 of 6 October 2015 regarding accountability and transparency in further education grading procedures, if she will note that the policies and guidelines available on the Quality and Qualifications Ireland website at www.qqi.ie make no provision for further-education students to receive an explanation of the reasons they have been awarded a particular overall grade on coursework they have submitted, in contrast to policies and guidelines governing higher education students, for whom such a provision does exist, as published on the this website in 'Assessment and Standards, Revised 2013' by the Higher Education and Training Awards Council. [37647/15]
View answerAs outlined to the Deputy in response to Parliamentary Question No. 656 of 6th October 2015, providers of QQI validated education and training programmes are required to establish procedures which are fair and consistent for the assessment of enrolled learners.
While the current guidelines and regulations in respect of Further Education and Training (FET) programmes contain provisions in relation to learner feedback, it is QQI's intention to strengthen these provisions when introducing new FET guidelines and regulations.
The preparation of these guidelines is at a preliminary stage and stakeholder consultation will be sought prior to their adoption.
952. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine and allow a grant appeal from a student (details supplied) in County Kerry as all the relevant documentation has been submitted; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37648/15]
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.
953. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Skills if home tuition can be provided for a child (details supplied) in Dublin 11 who has autism and is awaiting the outcome of a section 29 appeal, which could take some time, as the child has already been absent from school for several months. [37654/15]
View answerMy Department has received a section 29 appeal in respect of the child referred to by the Deputy. In accordance with the time frame set out in the Education Act 1998, all appeals must be dealt with within a period of 30 days from the date of the receipt of the appeal. This appeal will initially move to the facilitation stage.
At the current time no application in respect of Home Tuition has been received in respect of this child by my Department. Application forms for Home Tuition can be obtained from the local Educational Welfare Officer (EWO). The contact details for the EWO can be obtained from Educational Welfare Services, Tusla - Child and Family Agency, Floors 2-5, Brunel Building, Heuston South Quarter, Dublin 8, phone 01-7718500.
954. Deputy Noel Coonan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a staffing appeal and DEIS status for a school (details supplied) in County Tipperary; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37655/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2015/2016 school year is set out in Circular 0005/2015, which is available on my Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the 30 September 2014. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for consideration by the Appeals Board at the March 2015 meeting. The Appeals Board determined that the appeal did not satisfy all of the published criteria as set out in Circular 0005/2015. The school has been notified in this regard. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
As the Deputy is aware, I have recently commenced a process to renew the DEIS programme. The review process is being undertaken over the course of the current school year and will consider all issues pertaining to educational disadvantage. Pending the outcome of this review I will not be making any changes to the current DEIS programme, including the additionally of further schools.
955. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills for an update on the provision of school transport for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37712/15]
View answerBus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme has advised that the school transport service referred to by the Deputy was not operating under my Department's School Transport Scheme.
Families who wish to apply for school transport under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme can do so at www.buseireann.ie.
956. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse a decision to suppress a post at a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if not, the reason; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37751/15]
View answerDepartment of Education and Skills Circular 0005/2015 sets out the criteria for the allocation of teaching posts to primary schools for the 2015/2016 school year. The circular includes the provision whereby schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds, using projected enrolment for the following September, in this case September 2015.For the Deputy's information, the school to which he refers is located in Co. Waterford.
The school was approved for 1 permanent developing school post for the current school year, subject to achieving projected enrolments on 30 September 2015. Actual pupil numbers on 30 September 2015 did not meet the projected enrolment provided by the school.
The school submitted an appeal to the October 2015 meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Following additional information received from the school, the Appeals Board has given provisional sanction for the developing post to be retained pending confirmation of enrolment by 31 December 2015. The school has been notified of this decision.
The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
957. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse a decision to suppress a temporary EAL post in a school (details supplied) in County Waterford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37752/15]
View answer958. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills why a temporary EAL post in a school (details supplied) in County Waterford has had suppressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37753/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 957 and 958 together.
The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The staffing arrangements and appeals process for the 2015/16 school year are set out in Circular 0005/2015 which is on the Department's website.
The staffing appeal process at primary level includes the provision whereby schools with a high concentration of pupils requiring English as an additional language (EAL) can apply for additional temporary language support posts. These EAL allocations are made on the basis of appeals by schools to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board, using projected enrolment for the following September.
The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an appeal under the EAL criterion to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board. The Board upheld the appeal subject to the school achieving its projected enrolments on 30 September 2015.
As the projected enrolment was subsequently not achieved, the temporary EAL post was withdrawn. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
959. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the progress on a new building for a primary school (details supplied) in County Dublin; the reason for the delay in sanctioning the move to the new building, as the school was originally advised of this in 2005; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37754/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department remains committed to providing permanent accommodation for the school in question. It is my Department's intention that this school will relocate to the premises currently occupied by the other school referenced by the Deputy upon construction of a new school for the latter. The school building project for this school is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2(b). All statutory applications have been granted and the design team are in the process of completing stage 2(b) tender documentation. Once the Stage 2b Tender documentation is submitted, my Department will carry out its review and subject to no further issues arising the project will then progress to tender and construction stages.
960. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide temporary prefabricated accommodation on the second level school site in Kingswood Heights in Dublin 24; if any consultation has taken place with the local community in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37756/15]
View answerThe major building project for this school is currently at an advanced stage of Architectural Planning - Stage 2b (Detailed Design) which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert, Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents.
This project is included on the current 5 year construction programme announced in 2012. It is listed on the programme to proceed to tender and construction in 2015/16.
I wish to advise the Deputy that it is the intention of both my Department and Dún Laoghaire ETB to open the school in temporary accommodation in September 2016 and the ETB has recently erected signs on the site fence advising of same. The ETB has advised that they will hold an information meeting with local residents/parents in mid-November to promote this new School.
961. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reconsider her Department's decision to refuse an appeal of a student grant by a person (details supplied), given that the person should be considered as being a second-chance student; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37762/15]
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.
962. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the provisions in place for 12 to 16-year old children who are expelled from school in County Wicklow (details supplied); and the funding allocated to the west Wicklow region in this regard over the past three years. [37765/15]
View answerThe Educational Welfare Service (EWS) of Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS may be able to offer assistance and advice on securing a school placement within the pupil's area. The contact details for the EWS are Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency, Floors 2-5 Brunel Building, Heuston South quarter, Dublin 8 phone 01 7718500.
As the Deputy may be aware, responsibility for school attendance and educational welfare falls within the remit of my colleague the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs. My Department is not aware of the issues referred to by the Deputy.
In respect of the issue of expulsion from school, Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Education and Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year.
My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a pupil, except in the case of an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 being upheld.
963. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on correspondence regarding the appointment of an additional administrative deputy principal for a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; if she will engage directly with the board of management of this school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37772/15]
View answerThe criteria for the appointment of an administrative deputy principal to a school, which are enrolment related, are set out in Appendix B of Circular, 0005/2015 Staffing Arrangements in Primary Schools for the 2015/16 school year and is available on the Department website. The school referred to by the Deputy has one administrative deputy principal post. The current staffing arrangements at primary level do not include the allocation of more than one administrative deputy principal to a primary school.
Economic constraints and the moratorium on recruitment albeit alleviated to some extent for schools, have presented challenges within the education sector. They also provide an opportunity to review the role of the principal so that our principals are leaders of learning, and to reconfigure the middle management structure to support principals in their role, ensuring ownership of responsibility rather than tasks, thereby building expertise and supporting a career path within the profession.
The Department, in consultation with the representative management bodies has commenced an exploration of the opportunities to support and thereby advance our understanding of the needs of school leaders and how they might be addressed.
964. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for a reduction in the allocation of home-school liaison to a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; the steps the school may take to seek a review; if the arrangements currently in place regarding the allocation of home school liaison for this school and neighbouring schools needs to be reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37787/15]
View answerThe Deputy may be aware that Home School Liaison (HSCL) sharing and clustering arrangements for participating schools are reviewed from time to time by Tusla, the agency responsible for the management of the HSCL Scheme in conjunction with my Department. It was considered that a review of this HSCL cluster was required in order to ensure an equitable level of HSCL service for both schools for the 2015/16 school year. The review took into account the enrolment in both schools, the level of need in both schools and the existing level of HSCL provision.
As with all HSCL cluster arrangements, the current sharing arrangement for the HSCL post in this school is kept under review by my Department, and by Tusla which has administrative responsibility for the HSCL service.
965. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will allocate resource teaching hours to a student (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37798/15]
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.
All schools were asked to apply for Resource Teaching and 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 Resource Teaching and SNA allocations for schools for September 2015 on its website at www.ncse.ie.
I understand that the pupil referred to in this question transferred from a school where teaching and SNA support had previously been in place and enrolled to a new school on 14th September, 2015.
The NCSE has advised that it received an application from the new school for SNA support for the pupil on 22nd September. The NCSE has also advised that it recently allocated this school additional resource teaching and SNA support to cater for this pupil's needs.
The deployment of SNA support and organisation of resource teaching support within schools is a matter for individual schools to manage, taking into account each child's individual needs.
Parents who have concerns regarding the manner in which the resources or facilities which have been provided to support their child's education are being applied in school should, in the first instance, raise this matter directly with their school Principal or the Board of Management of the school.
Finally I wish to explain that, for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, have been unable to attend school for a period, my Department may provide a compensatory educational service through the Home Tuition scheme. In this regard, Home Tuition has been sanctioned for the child referred to by the Deputy, taking into account the significant level of previous absences from school.
966. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to increase the number of autism spectrum disorder classes in Cork, given that there are currently only five schools with such classes to cater for autistic pupils and the demand for places far exceeds availability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37815/15]
View answerThe policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs, including children with autism, should be included where possible and appropriate in mainstream placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational need require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available.
The 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 establish such new special classes where necessary subject to the willingness of schools to open classes.
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 124 ASD special classes at primary and post primary level in Co. Cork. This includes 24 early intervention classes, 66 classes at primary level and 34 autism classes at post primary level. Each special class for autism has a 6:1 pupil teacher ratio.
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.
967. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a school bus ticket for a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37847/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware, from my previous reply, that a replacement ticket was issued to this family.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that the child in question is currently availing of a school transport service.
968. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to roll out the use of electronic tablets by all school children in an effort to reduce the stress and negative health effects experienced by students as a result of their having to carry heavy schoolbags; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37863/15]
View answerThe decision to use tablet devices is a matter for the Board of Management of each school. Where the introduction of new technology is planned, it is advisable that there should be consultation with members of the school community including parents. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Management before a decision is made.
An advice sheet on the adoption of tablets in schools is available on the PDST-Technology in Education (PDST-TIE) website. This advice sheet covers areas such as what tablets can offer a school, educational considerations, purchasing considerations and software.
The new Digital Strategy for Schools, which I launched on the 7th October, sets out an ambitious Five Year Plan to further embed ICT in teaching, learning and assessment and responds to the challenges associated with new technologies. As part of this Strategy my Department will:
- Provide advice on ICT equipment and digital learning tools that are best-suited to support learning and teaching in schools.
- Develop guidance for schools that wish to develop BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) approaches and exploit other emerging technologies. These will be supported by best practice videos, case-studies and advice on devices.
