Written Answers Nos. 815-829
815. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the details of the agreement she has reached with a developer to provide a sports hall for a secondary school (details supplied) in Dublin; if she will indicate the size of this hall and the facilities it will provide; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1297/16]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware officials from my Department are engaged in discussions with Castlethorn Construction with a view to ensuring that the sports facilities, for the school referred to by the Deputy, are delivered.
Officials in my Department received a proposal from Castlethorn Construction which would possibly facilitate the delivery of the community facilities.
The proposal was assessed by my Department and my officials have reverted to Castlethorn Construction regarding this. Discussions are ongoing in this regard.
816. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when she will supply further information to Cork County Council to allow for a planning application for a school (details supplied) in County Cork to be progressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1310/16]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the response to the further information request on the school building project in question has been submitted to Cork County Council and the decision to grant permission is awaited.
817. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the annual spend on Irish medium classroom materials. [1313/16]
View answerMy Department does not collect statistics on the expenditure on all class room materials. I can confirm that my department provides funding to An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) for the preparation of materials for the teaching of Irish in Gaeltacht and Irish medium schools. Over the last couple of years this has averaged circa €665,000 annually.
818. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the status of a new building for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; when construction will commence and be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1351/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the project for the school referred to is included in the 6 Year Construction Programme that I announced on 17th November last, and is listed to proceed to tender and construction in the period 2019-21.
My Department will be in contact with the school authorities in the near future regarding the progression of the school project.
819. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the changes that have been made to eligibility criteria and the allocation model for the language support programme since 2010. [1357/16]
View answerTeacher allocations are approved annually in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The level of extra teaching support provided in respect of language support to schools is determined by the numbers of eligible pupils enrolled and the associated levels of those pupils' language proficiency.
New arrangements (rule based allocations and an appeal process) were put in place in recent years for the allocation of language support to schools. Prior to the 2012/2013 school year, these posts were allocated on a temporary basis by way of applications by individual schools.
Reforms introduced in the 2012/13 school year created a single simplified allocation process for both learning and language support. At primary level, learning/language support hours are allocated on the basis of mainstream classroom teaching posts in the school. At post-primary level, learning/language support is allocated on the basis of pupil numbers. Schools have autonomy to deploy this resource between learning support and language support depending on the specific needs of the school.
The revised arrangements also provided for additional permanent teaching posts to be given to schools with high concentration of pupils that require language support. Further additional temporary language support posts are provided on the basis of appeals to the Staffing Appeal Boards. The appeal criteria are set out in the published staffing arrangements.
820. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the discussions her Department has had with suppliers or service contractors to her Department or to agencies of her Department to ensure that employees of such suppliers and contractors are paid the living wage of €11.50 per hour; the cost of implementing this wage for these employees; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1370/16]
View answerFor the Deputy's information, the Living Wage is a voluntary societal initiative centred on the social, business and economic case to ensure that, wherever it can be afforded, employers will pay a rate of pay that provides an income that is sufficient to meet an individual's basic needs, such as housing, food, clothing, transport and healthcare. The Living Wage is voluntary and has no legislative basis and is therefore not a statutory entitlement and cannot be imposed on suppliers or contractors.
It differs from the National Minimum Wage which is a statutory entitlement and has a legislative basis. The Low Pay Commission was established to annually assess the appropriate level of the National Minimum Wage. The national minimum hourly rate of pay increased on January 1st 2016 following Government acceptance of the Low Pay Commission recommendation of July 2015.
Separately, wage rates and other conditions of employment are provided for in Employment Regulation Orders for the Contract Cleaning and Security sectors.
822. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Skills why a substantive reply has not issued to this Deputy on a case acknowledged by a Minister of State (details supplied) on 8 September 2015. [1416/16]
View answerGiven the increase in the School Transport Section workload at the commencement of a new school year combined with the routine administrative work in relation to school transport provision generally, regrettably, it was not feasible to deal with the increased volume of representations in a more timely manner.
In relation to the query raised by the Deputy, I can advise that under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 km from and are attending their education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has advised that the child in question is not eligible for school transport as he is not attending his nearest school; he is currently availing of a school transport service on a concessionary basis. School transport on concessionary basis is subject to a number of terms and conditions including that 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.
Parents are responsible for ensuring that children are brought safely to and collected safely from designated pick up and set down points.
The terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme which are available on my Department's website at www.education.ie are applied equitably on a national basis.
824. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Education and Skills to supply the opening date of a school (details supplied) in County Louth; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1470/16]
View answerMy Department understands that the primary school in County Louth referred to by the Deputy opened in 1899.
825. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a school (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive approval in writing for a two-classroom autism unit. [1478/16]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has made an application to my Department for capital funding for the provision of a two classroom autism unit.
To assist the assessment of the application a technical site visit will be undertaken by officials from my Department. In that regard my Department will be in contact with the school authorities shortly regarding the appropriate arrangements for the visit.
826. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the qualifications required for teaching home economics at secondary school level; the institutions persons can attend to gain these qualifications; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1562/16]
View answerIn accordance with the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is the statutory body for the regulation of the teaching profession, including the recognition of teaching qualifications and the registration of teachers.
In order to be entered onto the Council's Register of Teachers on the basis of qualifications in post-primary teaching, applicants must comply with the requirements as set out in Regulation Four of The Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2009.
The Bachelor of Education (Home Economics), provided by St. Angela's College Sligo, is approved by the Teaching Council for registration under Regulation 4 (Post-primary) for the subject of Home Economics. St Angela's is the only higher education institute in the State currently providing an initial teacher education programme which is approved for the subject of Home Economics.
827. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline her views on special speed limits in the vicinity of schools and primary schools in particular; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1570/16]
View answerThe issue of road safety measures outside the vested site areas of schools on public roads, such as speed limits, is a matter for the relevant Local Authority.
Local Authorities have the power to decide on road safety measures outside schools to ensure the protection and safety of school children. My Department has no function in this matter.
828. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will exempt a charitable organisation (details supplied) from motor tax given the service it is supplying to the Health Service Executive. [46551/15]
View answer829. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will exempt the blood bikes Ireland scheme from motor taxation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [46873/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 828 and 829 together.
I refer to the reply to Question No. 209 of 26 November, 2015, which sets out the position in the matter.
