Written Answers Nos. 788 - 799
788. Deputy Paul J. Connaughton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a start date will be announced for the construction of a school (details supplied) in County Galway as legal issues have now been resolved and a preferred bidder has been identified; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46925/15]
View answer823. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the start date for a school build (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1463/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 788 and 823 together.
The legal issues which arose as part of the conveyancing process have been resolved and the acquisition of the site is currently being finalised. A preferred bidder has been identified and it is anticipated that the appointment of the Contractor can be progressed when the site acquisition process is complete.
789. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that the Teaching Council had compelled persons to pay registration fees before the commencement of section 30 of the Teaching Council Act; if she has sought clarity from the Teaching Council on the matter; and if this practice is permissible. [46939/15]
View answerSince 2006, under the Teaching Council Act, the Teaching Council is the independent self regulator of the teaching profession in Ireland. In accordance with Section 23 of that Act, the Council charges a fee for registration.
The fee for renewal of registration, which was already low in comparison with that for registration as a member of other professions, was reduced to €65 per annum from 1 January 2013. It has since remained at that level.
If a person received registration as a teacher with the Teaching Council the issue of refund of the fee would not arise.
790. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will support a person (details supplied) in County Dublin with a disability; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46944/15]
View answer791. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills to address a matter in 2016 to assist students with a disability (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46945/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 790 and 791 together.
I wish to advise the Deputy that Special Schools funded by my Department are intended to cater for children and young persons with special educational needs until the end of the school year in which they reach the age of 18.
At that point, the Department of Health/Health Service Executive assumes direct responsibility for young adults with special educational needs who are over 18 years. Special Schools may make an application to my Department to retain pupils over the age of 18 who are pursuing courses leading to accreditation at level 3 or above of the National Qualifications Framework; for one additional year, in order to complete these courses.
Schools are expected to liaise with the health authorities during the final year of a young person's attendance in school to ensure the young person's successful transition to adult services by the time s/he reaches age 18. However, my Department may also provide sanction to special schools, subject to application, to retain a pupil for one additional year beyond the age of 18 to facilitate the transition of a pupil to adult services.
The Deputy will be aware that students with a special educational need, including those with Down syndrome, have a range of options available to them in the higher and further education sectors. Some students choose to participate in educational programmes through further adult educational programmes or in adult settings.
While the Department of Health and Children/Health Service Executive assumes direct responsibility for young adults with special educational needs who are over 18 years, my Department may allocate funding towards an educational component of such provision.
This is generally transacted through the co-operation hours scheme operated by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) where the local service provider makes application to the relevant ETB for tuition hours. Funding is also provided to the National Learning Network for this purpose.
Young adults with disabilities are eligible to access Specialist Training Provision for persons with a disability organised through the ETB Sector who contract with Specialist Training Providers nationwide to deliver training to people with disabilities who require more intensive support than would be available in non-specialist training provision. A range of specialist courses is available at two levels of training, Introductory Skills Training (IST) and Skill Specific Training (SST) and includes in-centre, employer based and blended learning approaches to accommodate learners' training needs. These training courses lead to awards at levels 3-5 on the National Framework of Qualifications. Entry to specialist training is open to all persons with disabilities over 16 years of age.
Specialist training offers additional supports to learners, including individualised training and progression plans, literacy and numeracy support, longer training duration, adapted equipment, transport arrangements, enhanced programme content and lower trainer/learner ratio.
The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) scheme also provides a third level admissions scheme for school leavers who have a disability or specific learning difficulty. Students who are considered to be DARE eligible may secure a college.
The main support for students with disabilities in higher and further education is provided by the Fund for Students with Disabilities, which is available to any full-time student in HE or FE with a verifiable disability.
In relation to higher education options for persons with intellectual disabilities, courses are provided for people with intellectual disabilities in the following higher education institutions: Trinity College Dublin, University College Cork, Mary Immaculate College, Limerick, St. Angela's College, Sligo, Dundalk Institute of Technology, Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology, Tralee. Course details are available on the websites of the relevant institutions.
792. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to change the current system governing the provision of additional teaching hours to children, such as cystic fibrosis sufferers, who require home tuition teaching hours due to absence from school, given the difficulties that the system is causing for a parent (details supplied) who must source a teacher, keep note of teaching hours and claim from her Department; her views on this matter in general and in this specific case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1004/16]
View answerMy Department administers a Home Tuition Scheme which provides a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons including chronic illness such as Cystic Fibrosis, are absent for a significant proportion of the school year and where the degree of absence is such that without supplementary instruction the pupil is unlikely to be able to perform academically at the level appropriate to his/her level of ability. Circular 038/2015 sets out the current terms and conditions underpinning the Home Tuition Scheme.
As tuition takes place outside the usual school structure it is important that home tutors are qualified to provide an educational programme. In line with the terms of the scheme, parents/guardians must recruit a teacher who is qualified to teach in the sector concerned and who is registered with the Teaching Council of Ireland, similar to the requirement for teachers in schools.
Whilst my Department recognises that securing a fully qualified teacher may prove difficult for parents, and where all efforts have failed to secure the services of a teacher qualified to teach in the sector concerned, the Department may consider the engagement of a person who is registered with the Teaching Council and has a primary degree (minimum Level 7 on the National Framework of Qualifications) in the relevant area, e.g. Psychology.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the child in question was in receipt of Home Tuition for the period October 2013 to May 2014. There is no record of any subsequent application for Home Tuition being submitted to my Department.
The Home Tuition scheme is an important support provided for children who for reasons including significant illness are unable to attend their school for prolonged periods. As such I have no plans to change the current scheme.
793. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) in County Kerry for funding; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1005/16]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted two applications to my Department for capital funding for additional school accommodation. The applications are currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority shortly.
794. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a refusal of a Student Universal Support Ireland grant to students (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1006/16]
View answerAssessment of means under my Department 's student grant scheme is based on gross income from all sources of the applicant and his/her parent(s)/legal guardian, where applicable, with certain social welfare and health service executive payments being exempt.
It is necessary, therefore, that information regarding all income, including that from after school/weekend employment, is accounted for when completing the grant application form. However, in the assessment of means, allowance is made for "holiday earnings" on the part of the applicant and accordingly a deduction is allowed for reasonable holiday earnings i.e. income earned by the applicant from employment outside of term time but within the reference period. A maximum deduction of €3,809 may be applied to student earnings outside of term time but within the reference period.
I have no plans to change the current arrangements.
795. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a Student Universal Support Ireland grant received by a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1029/16]
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.
Inquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. Staff in SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
796. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for an emergency grant from a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; if she will sanction this necessary grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1044/16]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers applied for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme (EWG) for the removal and replacement of a boundary fence.
As the scope of works is outside the terms of this scheme, the application cannot be considered for funding. To be eligible for EWG funding, the works must be sudden, unforeseen and, if not addressed, would cause the school to close. The Board of Management was advised accordingly.
The school submitted an appeal outlining damage which occurred as a result of weather conditions. The Principal was advised that this is a matter for the school's Insurance Company.
797. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question Number 573 of 17 December 2015, the cost of reducing the average class size, that is, the number of students divided by the number of class teachers at primary level as opposed to the pupil-teacher ratio, to the European average of 21 pupils per teacher. [1051/16]
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. At primary level there will be a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule to be implemented for the 2016/17 school year. This will see the primary staffing schedule operate on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils. Lower thresholds apply for DEIS Band 1 schools. The improved staffing schedule is currently available on the Department website.
Each one point adjustment to the current 28:1 schedule at primary level is estimated to cost of the order of 250 posts (estimated €15m full year cost, €5m first year cost).
The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to schools at primary and post-primary level. The most recent published information for primary schools, relates to the 2014/15 school year. The average class size in that year was 24.9.
798. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will take steps to ensure that a construction company which has a number of school building contracts (details supplied) will ensure all subcontractors it employs pay all outstanding unpaid wages. [1078/16]
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 specific issue outlined in the details provided by the Deputy involves a contractual matter between two private companies. As such my Department has no authority to intervene in this matter.
You will be aware of the commitment in the Programme for Government 2011-2016 to "introduce new legislation to protect all small building subcontractors that have been denied payments from bigger companies". In this regard the Construction Contracts Act 2013 is intended to provide statutory arrangements for payments under construction contracts. The Act, when commenced, will then provide certain protections for companies and individuals, including sub-contractors, engaged in construction related activities who enter into construction contracts covered by the Act. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is the lead Department in respect of this legislation.
799. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of implementing the recommendation on page 12 of the 20 year strategy on the Irish language 2010-30 on offering partial immersion programmes to all children in schools, in particular, the cost of upskilling and professional development of teachers to teach additional subjects in the Irish language. [1080/16]
View answerA new more mainstreamed approach, to that set out in the 20 Year Strategy on the Irish language, is being adopted by the Department in relation to language teaching and the embedding of language skills in our primary schools. In fact, a new language curriculum has been prepared by the NCCA for junior infants to second classes. It will include both English and Irish. It will be introduced to these primary pupils from next September. Its introduction will be accompanied by Continuing Professional Development , provided by the Department's PDST team. There are no specific professional development costs attached to the development of this material.
Guidance on the use of CLIL will be one of the areas in which Support Material for teachers, developed by the NCCA, will be provided to. The Support Material includes practical advice, illustrated with videos and photos, to inform the teaching of oral language, reading and writing in the school's first and second languages.
