Written Answers Nos. 140-145
140. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Dinny McGinley den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén uair a chuirfear tús le foirgneamh úr a chur ar fáil i nGaelscoil na gCeithre Máistrí, Dún na nGall; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [2372/16]
View answerMar is eol don Teachta, tá an tionscadal maidir le foirgneamh nua scoile a chur ar fáil, don scoil dá dtagraítear, san áireamh sa Chlár Tógála 6 Bliana a d'fhógair mé ar 17ú Samhain seo caite, agus tá sé liostaithe le dul ar aghaidh chun tairisceana agus tógála sa tréimhse 2019-21. Beidh mo Roinn i dteagmháil le húdaráis na scoile sa todhchaí luath maidir leis an tionscadal scoile a chur chun cinn go dtí an próiseas pleanála ailtireachta.
141. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider the needs of schools, such as a school (details supplied) in Dublin 12 for a grant for minor works, for a caretaker or for both, given these schools are old and in need of greater repairs and maintenance than more modern schools. [2373/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question has submitted an application for funding for toilet improvement works under the current Summer Works Scheme. Commensurate with the level of funding available for the Summer Works Scheme, applications including that from the school referred to by the Deputy 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.
My Department has no application from the school in question in respect of any additional accommodation. The school received the Minor Works Grant for 2015/2016 which issued last November and this grant has been issued since 1997 to primary schools with the exception of the 2012/2013 school year. The rates of the grant which are unchanged since 2006 are a basic grant of €5,500 plus a per pupil rate of €18.50.
I can inform the Deputy that in 2015 a total of 80% of the capital outturn on the school sector was expended on the provision of permanent school places to accommodate the growing school population. The balance was expended on the Summer Works Scheme, Emergency Works, the Minor Works Grant, furniture and equipment provision and other smaller programmes. As the increase in the school population will continue for a number of years, expenditure on the provision of sufficient school places remains the significant feature in the allocation of the capital budget for the school sector.
142. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware that a school (details supplied) in Dublin 12 faces the possibility of losing a teacher in September 2016; the steps she is taking to prevent this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2374/16]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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 schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. Details of the appeals criteria are set out in the published staffing arrangements. The 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. 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.
The staffing and redeployment arrangements for all schools for the 2016/17 school year will be published shortly. The final staffing position for 2016/17 for all schools will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and any appeals to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board will have been considered.
143. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the primary schools and post-primary schools in County Wexford which have received additional accommodation, new buildings or new schools, in tabular form. [2376/16]
View answerOver the period 2011 to 2015 the following large scale projects were constructed in County Wexford: NEW SCHOOLS 17913Q Scoil Naomh Mhuire, Barntown.
20057R Gaelscoil Inis Córthaidh, Enniscorthy.
76127D Gorey Community College, Gorey. LARGE SCALE EXTENSIONS 17017L Scoil Naomh Phádraig, Crossabeg.
20165U Gaelscoil Moshíológ, Gorey.
71630K Vocational College, Enniscorthy.
All projects approved for County Wexford under the devolved Additional Accommodation Scheme and the Prefab Replacement Scheme are listed on my Department's website.
144. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the approval of an extension for a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny. [2377/16]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for additional school accommodation. The application will be considered and a decision conveyed to the school authority when this process has been completed.
145. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will urgently examine submissions by a school (details supplied) in County Kerry under the emergency works application and the additional school accommodation application as a child born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus has enrolled in the school for September 2016 and requires wheelchair access and due to the increased numbers of special needs children, an additional class room is urgently needed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2389/16]
View answerI can confirm that applications for capital funding for additional accommodation has been received from the school, referred to by the Deputy. The school authority has been requested to submit revised proposals and costings for the minimum works necessary to enable the pupil, in question, enroll. As soon as this information is received and considered, the school authority will be informed of the outcome.
