Written Answers Nos. 505-527
505. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will request the City of Dublin Education and Training Board to meet representatives of the Target project in Donaghmede in Dublin 13 to discuss the restoration of a dedicated literacy co-ordinator; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43812/15]
View answerThis is an operational matter for the City of Dublin Education and Training Board. I understand that CDETB will be contacting the group in question to arrange a meeting.
506. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding provided to primary and post-primary schools for capital works, by county, from March 2011 to date; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43824/15]
View answerThe capital funding that issued over the period 2011 to date on a county basis is provided to the Deputy in the following table. The funding in respect of the primary and post-primary sectors is presented separately.
|
County |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Total Primary Capital |
289,425,884 |
204,427,959 |
234,189,853 |
276,941,634 |
243,757,971 |
|
Carlow |
6,335,933 |
7,671,516 |
6,779,416 |
2,559,141 |
2,391,366 |
|
Cavan |
3,823,077 |
2,302,538 |
3,702,844 |
4,546,822 |
4,407,736 |
|
Clare |
3,410,891 |
3,120,761 |
8,857,067 |
4,149,970 |
2,496,210 |
|
Cork |
24,756,719 |
23,778,375 |
31,136,800 |
37,447,841 |
19,555,367 |
|
Donegal |
7,554,715 |
8,078,672 |
6,374,112 |
4,828,346 |
6,028,845 |
|
Dublin |
81,336,973 |
60,619,640 |
53,669,631 |
74,756,240 |
62,040,825 |
|
Galway |
12,600,679 |
8,449,613 |
12,587,090 |
13,692,834 |
10,662,217 |
|
Kerry |
9,679,948 |
5,979,392 |
3,910,003 |
6,826,319 |
8,388,024 |
|
Kildare |
26,166,168 |
10,873,603 |
9,068,890 |
19,310,953 |
18,455,720 |
|
Kilkenny |
4,228,505 |
1,188,281 |
4,771,503 |
5,570,539 |
2,393,239 |
|
Laois |
6,449,748 |
6,144,631 |
12,110,869 |
2,764,193 |
4,975,008 |
|
Leitrim |
1,296,961 |
349,394 |
435,266 |
597,544 |
620,756 |
|
Limerick |
11,613,802 |
4,021,955 |
5,389,619 |
10,894,306 |
8,734,919 |
|
Longford |
1,747,642 |
631,410 |
2,871,632 |
4,447,488 |
4,265,079 |
|
Louth |
15,674,365 |
9,044,282 |
6,861,708 |
4,640,756 |
10,025,694 |
|
Mayo |
7,428,810 |
4,555,214 |
3,805,247 |
3,012,739 |
4,176,383 |
|
Meath |
16,164,114 |
10,125,249 |
23,311,792 |
20,410,773 |
17,068,566 |
|
Monaghan |
3,798,130 |
6,710,601 |
2,321,177 |
3,085,482 |
3,742,265 |
|
Offaly |
5,454,955 |
4,572,444 |
2,828,985 |
8,821,408 |
6,454,999 |
|
Roscommon |
2,174,704 |
972,585 |
1,305,402 |
1,957,614 |
1,285,173 |
|
Sligo |
2,541,051 |
3,510,567 |
3,350,827 |
1,991,444 |
2,023,066 |
|
Tipperary |
7,319,568 |
3,566,783 |
4,625,364 |
6,668,422 |
5,371,036 |
|
Waterford |
6,949,972 |
1,851,291 |
4,000,580 |
12,342,575 |
10,634,076 |
|
Westmeath |
4,757,621 |
1,536,748 |
2,608,001 |
6,470,703 |
6,948,826 |
|
Wexford |
6,585,824 |
9,811,776 |
7,532,124 |
8,365,398 |
10,974,468 |
|
Wicklow |
8,326,091 |
3,277,403 |
9,671,162 |
6,226,957 |
9,295,850 |
|
Not Categorised |
1,248,917 |
1,683,234 |
302,741 |
554,826 |
342,260 |
|
County |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Total Post Primary Capital |
165,648,043 |
142,450,255 |
127,184,365 |
161,484,670 |
220,030,219 |
|
Carlow |
971,361 |
1,551,135 |
1,776,735 |
5,186,547 |
5,224,942 |
|
Cavan |
5,814,219 |
6,502,514 |
895,501 |
2,371,474 |
2,535,847 |
|
Clare |
1,357,874 |
355,623 |
108,610 |
622,991 |
1,108,996 |
|
Cork |
6,437,607 |
7,049,387 |
14,233,430 |
16,217,651 |
34,782,579 |
|
Donegal |
6,338,434 |
1,998,270 |
894,225 |
2,007,778 |
5,372,518 |
|
Dublin |
39,596,362 |
21,128,936 |
32,740,788 |
48,265,397 |
48,389,715 |
|
Galway |
4,467,845 |
5,233,110 |
13,992,356 |
11,599,073 |
17,237,124 |
|
Kerry |
3,010,711 |
5,703,622 |
1,126,734 |
5,866,677 |
9,679,283 |
|
Kildare |
25,231,433 |
2,259,867 |
4,529,178 |
12,449,133 |
3,672,386 |
|
Kilkenny |
2,379,392 |
3,222,198 |
6,219,054 |
1,526,462 |
5,991,664 |
|
Laois |
2,247,981 |
164,704 |
237,041 |
412,044 |
497,527 |
|
Leitrim |
671,382 |
98,252 |
969,996 |
735,172 |
249,682 |
|
Limerick |
4,570,533 |
5,293,675 |
7,302,636 |
1,835,053 |
2,444,132 |
|
Longford |
880,295 |
602,165 |
459,209 |
448,370 |
1,639,184 |
|
Louth |
4,143,951 |
6,958,746 |
5,410,173 |
11,099,570 |
12,602,278 |
|
Mayo |
2,267,621 |
1,214,490 |
2,465,840 |
6,410,674 |
4,349,089 |
|
Meath |
5,809,983 |
9,797,573 |
17,947,022 |
3,661,478 |
11,758,125 |
|
Monaghan |
2,802,799 |
27,599,800 |
967,642 |
2,282,543 |
4,113,444 |
|
Offaly |
7,079,857 |
1,086,412 |
718,415 |
2,742,759 |
5,143,841 |
|
Roscommon |
1,776,072 |
921,915 |
144,702 |
456,007 |
804,291 |
|
Sligo |
3,240,497 |
7,479,291 |
1,392,697 |
786,333 |
1,182,423 |
|
Tipperary |
7,783,492 |
15,044,581 |
5,926,169 |
6,444,628 |
7,342,559 |
|
Waterford |
6,551,599 |
2,168,196 |
600,010 |
1,429,390 |
1,011,191 |
|
Westmeath |
3,360,418 |
4,234,853 |
1,899,603 |
1,367,215 |
1,328,309 |
|
Wexford |
9,718,661 |
1,576,682 |
1,180,453 |
3,359,497 |
5,674,333 |
|
Wicklow |
5,829,339 |
2,138,399 |
2,346,304 |
8,008,136 |
24,495,854 |
|
Not Categorised |
1,308,324 |
1,065,859 |
699,841 |
3,892,616 |
1,398,904 |
507. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if additional capacity will be provided at a school (details supplied) in County Galway to cater for the many students who wish to enrol there from September 2016, especially as it is planned to commence a new school building in 2018; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43837/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is working closely with Galway County Council to acquire a permanent site for the school to which the Deputy refers. Recent correspondence received by the Department from the Board of Management with regard to the project is currently under consideration. Matters will be kept under review with a view to the progressing of the building project as soon as possible. I also wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has recently been in contact with the school in question in relation to its accommodation needs. As my Department is satisfied that there are sufficient school places in the area in question to cater for the overall pupil demand, the school was advised that my Department was not in a position to provide further additional accommodation.
508. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the recently announced proposals regarding new apprenticeships by the Apprenticeship Council will be operational; if and when there will be a further announcement regarding other apprenticeships; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41420/15]
View answerThe Apprenticeship Council is currently engaging with the consortia advancing the 25 new apprenticeships on the detail of their project plans for the development stage. The Council will be approving a number of the plans in January, which will include delivery timeframes. The Council will work with consortia to commence enrolments on as many of the new apprenticeships as possible in 2016. There are no immediate plans for an announcement on further apprenticeships but the Council will be engaging with the submitters of Category 2 and 3 proposals to advise on how their proposals can be further advanced.
509. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the replacement of 58 prefabrications by a school building in Croom in County Limerick, the cost to her Department and to Limerick and Clare Education and Training Boards for the purchase of the site in 2009, and the moneys her Department and Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board have paid to consultants in relation to all planning applications for the site, to date. [43890/15]
View answerThe delivery of a new school building in Croom has been devolved to Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB) under a Service Level Agreement. Full planning permission was granted by Limerick County Council in April 2014 but was subsequently refused following an appeal to An Bord Pleanála. LCETB are working closely with the Local Authority with a view to submitting a new planning application shortly. The purchase price of the 22 acre site was €2.087m and in addition, the total costs incurred to date for the complete design of the school up to and including approved Stage 2a inclusive of professional fees, site surveys, statutory fees, specialist reports, and planning applications is €416,688.00.
510. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education and Skills if grant aid or funding is available for the purchase and erection of security fencing around a school and for the purchase of additional land adjacent to a school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43905/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that applications for funding for fencing works are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme (SWS). In that regard, the Deputy may be aware that applications for the 2016 and 2017 SWS closed on 2nd December last. In addition, primary schools may prioritise improvement works to school buildings and grounds, including fencing, using their Minor Works grant which all primary schools received last month. In the case of sites, I wish to advise the Deputy that there is no specific grant scheme for the purchase of sites or site extensions. In general, the acquisition of a site is a matter for the Patron. However, in cases where new schools are required to meet demographic demand, the purchase of a site by my Department would be considered as part of the overall project.
511. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that an apprentice attending a Forás Áiseanna Saothair course is required to pay €1,000 to Cork Institute of Technology (details supplied) for a nine-week period to complete phase 4 training for the trade of motor mechanic and that this fee was not in existence when this apprentice initially began the course; if this fee will be reversed given the person's low income while on an apprentice scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43910/15]
View answerAn Annual Student Contribution is levied on students attending Institutes of Technology. This contribution has been levied by Institutes of Technology in respect of apprentices since 2004, with FÁS/SOLAS paying 70% of the contribution and apprentices themselves paying the remainder. As part of Budget 2014, SOLAS ceased making this payment and the apprentices pay the Annual Student Contribution themselves. Apprentices pay the same rate of contribution as students but this is apportioned for the time they spend in the Institutes.
Unlike students, apprentices are paid a training allowance by SOLAS for phases of their training spent in Institutes of Technology. This allowance is equivalent to the wages they receive from their employers for on the job phases.
512. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the expert group's report on the future of higher education funding in Ireland will be published; if the continued funding for the National University of Ireland Maynooth to ensure staffing levels will increase in line with plans to expand the student population and resources; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43919/15]
View answerIn light of continued pressures on the higher education system, former Minister Quinn established an expert group to examine future funding of higher education under the independent chairmanship of Peter Cassells. The objective is to identify a range of approaches that, combined, will achieve a sustainable funding base to address the continual expansion of the sector while protecting the quality of education. I understand that the Group is in the final stages of its deliberations and I expect to receive its report shortly.The position in relation to the funding of higher education institutions, such as the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, is that my Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates the funding to Universities via a Recurrent Grant Allocation Model on the basis of student numbers in each institution and it is then a matter for the individual institution as to how that funding is allocated internally.
513. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary level and secondary level students in Dublin north-east and Dublin north-west inner city seeking special needs assessments by school in tabular form, and the number of these assessments completed and the allocation of resources as a result of submitted needs assessments by school. [43920/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that additional resources are provided to pupils/students with particular special educational needs based on the submission of supporting documentation and assessment reports from a number of sources. These include assessment reports not only from staff from my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) but also from a range of professional staff within the HSE (Clinical Psychologists, Occupational/Speech Therapists, Psychiatrists, etc) and their private sector counterparts. Application for resources in support of individual pupils are submitted by school authorities to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) using the assessment reports furnished by the forgoing agencies as support the application.
My Department's NEPS service provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
NEPS does not keep waiting lists for assessments of children but in common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution oriented consultative approach to maximise positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention. This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological assessment and/or intervention. When a NEPS psychologist becomes involved with an individual pupil it is for the purposes of identifying that pupil's special educational needs and the appropriate interventions to be put in place to meet those needs. These interventions commonly have relevance to the work of the existing class teacher, learning support staff, the provision of advice on alternative placement, as well as the provision of additional Resource Teaching or SNA support.
While NEPS maintains a client database of its involvement with individual students this structure was developed to track the history of NEPS involvement with the student during the course of their school careers, it was not designed to record their eligibility for additional resources. Individual school authorities are responsible for and retain records of the range of applications to NCSE for such additional resources. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating Resource Teaching Support and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special educational needs.The NCSE has published details of all of the allocations which have been made to primary and post primary schools for the 2015/16 school year, including schools in Dublin North East Inner City and Dublin North West Inner City, on its website www.ncse.ie.
514. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has reviewed the adequacy of places in south Dublin city, particularly in Dublin 4, 6 and 14, for junior infants for the 2016-2017 school year, if she is aware of the large waiting lists in the schools in these areas for children living in the various school catchments, the steps she will take to address this impending crisis; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43932/15]
View answerMy Department has recently completed demographic analyses at primary and post-primary level, using the Department's Geographical Information System, to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and local authorities, in addition to information from the Department's own databases. The outcome of these demographic analyses was that on 17 November last I announced the establishment of 4 new primary schools and 9 new post-primary schools to open in 2017 and 2018, including a new primary school which will open in September 2018 to serve the Dublin South City Centre area. In addition, the new primary school to serve the Goatstown Stillorgan area, which I announced in February this year and which will open in September 2016, will provide additional capacity. As part of my Department's School Capital Investment Programme, a number of building projects in the areas referred to by the Deputy are being progressed, including St Mary's and St Brigid's Primary School, Haddington Road, St Mary's National School, Donnybrook and Shellybanks Educate Together National School, which will also provide for increased capacity in the area.
My Department will keep the demographic data for the area under ongoing review, taking into account updated enrolment data and the impact of ongoing and planned expansion of capacity. It is open to a school, should additional teaching posts be allocated, to apply to my Department for additional accommodation to meet any immediate accommodation needs.
515. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills why a new school name and roll number were issued (details supplied), given the detrimental effect on the support provided to children attending the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43933/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the school to which he refers is a new school established in September 2011 as a result of an amalgamation of two schools. The amalgamation was initiated by the school authorities in question and was the subject of local consultation and agreement. In the case of an amalgamation, the schools amalgamating are closed to form a new school having a new roll number and a new school name. In the case of the school referred to, the school authority advised the Department of the proposed name.
516. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the advice given to schools regarding the retention of delivering equality of opportunities in schools status prior to their amalgamation, if it was explained that the amalgamation would result in the loss of this status, resulting in pupils coming from nine national schools with this status attending a secondary school (details supplied) without this status; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43935/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Minister that proposals for school amalgamations are a matter for the Patron/Trustees of the schools in question and are subject to approval by the Minister for Education and Skills. Schools proposing to amalgamate are invited to meet with relevant sections of my Department to inform their decision-making process. In accordance with the approach adopted for amalgamations involving DEIS and non-DEIS schools, additional non-teaching resources are provided in respect of eligible pupils from the former DEIS school by way of continued support for the targeted cohort of pupils as a transitional measure.
In the case of a post primary school, these supports continue to be provided for 6 years following the amalgamation. In the case of the school in question, the DEIS supports provided are scheduled to continue until the end of the 2016/17 school year. As the Minister will be aware, a review of the DEIS Programme which will inform future policy in relation to educational disadvantage is currently being undertaken by my Department.
While this process is underway, I do not intend to make any changes to the current programme.
517. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide the governance manual for primary schools 2015 to 2019; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43936/15]
View answerThe Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2015-2019 is published on my Department's website at www.education.ie. In addition 10 copies of the manual are being distributed to each primary school. Each person appointed to the new Boards of Management should receive a manual with the remaining two copies to be provided to the Parents' Association. Schools that have yet to receive their manuals will do so in the coming days.
518. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills for a copy of the consultation paper regarding education on religion, belief and ethics in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43937/15]
View answerThe paper to which the Deputy refers was launched last month and is available on the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment's website at:http://www.ncca.ie/en/Curriculum_and_Assessment/Early_Childhood_and_Primary_Education/Primary-Education/Primary_Developments/ERB-and-E/Developments/Consultation/Consultation.html.The consultation process is part of the ongoing implementation of the recommendations of the Report of the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. The outcome of the process will inform the development of a programme in Education about Religions and Beliefs (ERB) and Ethics in primary schools.
519. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when schools will be notified if their applications have been successful under the summer works programme 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43938/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications will be assessed on a top down basis in accordance with the prioritisation criteria outlined in the governing Circular Letter for the Scheme. This Circular Letter (0055/2015), is available on my Department's website www.education.ie. It is my intention to publish a list of successful applicants at the end of February/early March 2016.
520. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will expedite a clinical and educational assessment for a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43949/15]
View answerI have made enquiries with my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) in relation to the child referred to in the Deputy's question and can inform him the she was the subject of an educational assessment by the NEPS psychologist assigned to her school earlier this year. The resulting assessment report, its findings and the psychologist's recommendations for action in relation to the child's support in school have been forwarded to and discussed with both parents and school authorities. This process of support is being actioned at school level and is subject of ongoing review by the NEPS psychologist in relation to the interventions put in place. I am also informed that the child in question is the subject of referral to HSE clinical services which fall within the province of my colleague the Minister for Health to whom the Deputy might direct his enquiries in this connection.
521. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied) in County Longford to a decision on an application for a grant by Student Universal Support Ireland; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [43950/15]
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. Staff in 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 within the required timeframe.
522. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will introduce a fee waiver for independently managed community education providers for Quality and Qualifications Ireland re-engagement. [43954/15]
View answer523. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills why organisations already accredited by the four bodies that are being amalgamated into Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI, are being asked to apply for accreditation with QQI, thereby having to pay an additional fee, and if she will waive this fee. [43955/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 523 together. Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) was established on 6th November 2012 by the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012 through an amalgamation of four predecessor agencies - the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC), the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC), the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI) and the Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB).The charging of fees to providers is enabled by the 2012 Act and is integrally linked with how QQI is implementing its quality assurance and quality improvement role. The policy informing QQI's application of fees was subject to extensive consultation and provides that fees will be comprehensive, coherent and reflect the amount and complexity of the work undertaken by QQI. Fees had always been applied to providers in the higher education and training sector and QQI introduced fees for providers in the further education and training sector, thereby applying its policies equitably. In 2013 QQI published its policy for re-engagement with all education and training providers that had a quality assurance agreement with a predecessor agency. Accreditation, including that provided by some of the predecessor agencies, is, by its nature, time-limited and subject to renewal. It is not a permanent status attributed to a provider. Re-engagement with such 'legacy' providers involves agreeing revised quality assurance procedures in accordance with specified requirements set down in the 2012 Act and in QQI policy. The one-off re-engagement fee to be applied to legacy providers seeking to re-engage with QQI has yet to be determined. Regarding providers in the Community and Voluntary Sector specifically referred to by the Deputy, it was agreed at a meeting hosted by my Department in December 2014 that 2015 would be a lead-in time for the re-engagement process and that the issue of fees for community and voluntary providers would not arise until 2016. QQI established a Joint QQI /Community and Voluntary Working Group, which is facilitated by an independent facilitator with extensive experience in the community voluntary sector. The working group has met on 5 occasions this year, with a further meeting scheduled this month. The working group also jointly hosted a consultative event on QQI's quality assurance guidelines and criteria relevant to this sector on 30th June 2015. Through these initiatives, QQI and the community and voluntary sector are engaging on a range of operational, developmental and strategic matters in the specific context of quality assurance and re-engagement. The work of the group will assist QQI in clarifying its operational requirements for future re-engagement with community and voluntary sector organisations.
524. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2015 will be brought before the Houses of the Oireachtas. [43956/15]
View answerI published the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill in early April of this year. The Bill is on the Government's legislative programme for enactment in this session. The Bill provides an over-arching framework to ensure that how schools decide on who is enrolled and who is refused a place in schools is more structured, fair and transparent.
525. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills why the resource hours of a person (details supplied) were withdrawn at the start of this school year and if these will be re-instated for the coming school year. [43957/15]
View answer526. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills why a person with multiple special needs (details supplied) in Dublin 22 was not allocated a special needs assistant at the start of this school year and if she will consider providing this allocation to the person for the coming school year. [43958/15]
View answer527. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the process by which persons with multiple diagnoses are assessed for resource hours or special needs assistants and if a person with the following diagnoses (details supplied) in Dublin 22 will be allocated resource hours or a special needs assistant on the grounds of the multiple diagnosis. [43959/15]
View answer533. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an appeal by a person (details supplied) in Dublin 22 against the withdrawal of resource hours for the current school year and why the original deciding officer is overseeing the appeal despite this being in contravention of the National Council for Special Education rules. [44031/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 525 to 527, inclusive, and 533 together. I 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. The criteria in relation to the allocation of resource teaching hours to support pupils with special educational needs in primary schools is sent out in my Departments Circular SP ED 02/05.
It is important to note that each school's allocation of SNA support can change from year to year and may be increased or decreased as students who qualify for SNA support enrol or leave a school. New students with care needs may, or may not, enrol to replace students who have left, for example, or SNA allocations may be decreased where a child's care needs have diminished over time. The deployment of SNAs within schools is then a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. In relation to resource teaching support, resource teaching support is provided for pupils with special educational needs in primary schools, either through the schools General Allocation Model, or through an additional allocation to the school by the NCSE to support a low incidence special educational need, as set out in Sp Ed 02/05. All schools were asked to apply for SNA and Resource Teaching 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 allocations made to schools for the 2015/16 school year on its website. 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. As these questions relate to an allocation for an individual child, and also to the manner in which the NCSE has operated its appeal process, I will arrange to have these matters referred to the NCSE for their attention and direct reply to the Deputy.
