Written Answers Nos. 721-34
721. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 673 of 6 April 2016, the year in which her Department performed the analysis regarding the need for a seventh junior infants class in a school (details supplied) in County Dublin and concluded that there was spare capacity available in other schools of the same ethos serving the same area. [7017/16]
View answer722. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 673 of 6 April 2016, if she has completed an analysis of the capacity available and the demand for places in schools of the same ethos in the same area for the school year beginning in September 2016; and the results of both analyses, including the number of spare places available in each school for which the last estimated numbers are acceptable if concrete numbers are unavailable. [7018/16]
View answer723. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 673 of 6 April 2016, when she will make a decision on the application referred to. [7019/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 721 to 723, inclusive, together.
Projections for the area in question were examined in 2014 as part of a nationwide review of demographic data. This review indicated a spike in Junior Infant demand for September 2014 which was expected to level off in 2015, 2016 and beyond. At that time there were two schools in the area with the same ethos that had lost or were due to lose mainstream teaching posts. Those schools had spare capacity within their buildings and had expressed a willingness to accept an additional stream of Junior Infants each, to alleviate any pupil enrolment pressure in the area.
My Department is currently analysing pupil enrolment date in a range of areas across the country where demographic pressure is being experienced. The area to which the Deputy refers will be examined as part of this process at both primary and post-primary level.
In the meantime, my Department has contacted a number of primary schools in the area in question and the school referred to by the Deputy has expressed the view that it is not in a position to expand to enroll an additional stream in September 2016. Other schools in the area have some spare capacity and one school has indicated a willingness to enroll an additional stream of junior infants in September 2016, if necessary, to alleviate any demand for school places in the area and has accommodation immediately available to facilitate this. My Department will continue to monitor the position closely with the schools in question.
I can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to has recently applied to my Department for capital funding to replace existing temporary accommodation and to provide four additional Special Education rooms and a General Purpose room. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority once the assessment process is completed.
724. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a proposed building project for a school (details supplied) in County Cavan, including when it will proceed to the next stage, when the tendering process will commence and be completed, when construction will commence, and the funding she will allocate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7025/16]
View answerIn December 2015 approval was given for an additional five classrooms for this major building project at the school to which the deputy refers. The Design is currently being amended and developed based on this brief change. Notification of a decision to grant Planning Permission was received in late March 2016 for this additional accommodation.
An option to decant during the construction phase is also being considered by my Department. When all outstanding issues are finalised the Design Team will complete Stage 2(b) and submit their final stage 2(b) report for consideration by my Department.
This project was included in the six year programme announced on 17 November and is scheduled to proceed to construction in 2016 as part of that programme. Information in relation to the estimated cost of projects is not released prior to tender stage as this is considered commercially sensitive information.
725. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for new permanent accommodation for a school (details supplied) in County Cavan, including when this project will proceed to the next stage; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7026/16]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning, Stage 2a - Developed Design Stage.
The Stage 2a Addendum has recently been reviewed by my Department and once a Stage 2a Completion Cert is received the project will be authorised to progress to Stage 2b – Detailed Design Stage, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents and prequalification of contractors.
This project was included in the six year programme announced on 17 November, 2015.
726. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure allocated in County Kildare and nationally under the summer works scheme in each of the years 2007 to 2015, inclusive; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7042/16]
View answerExpenditure incurred on the Summer Works Scheme in the Primary and Post Primary Sector for the years 2007 to 2015 nationally was as follows: 2007 - €121.618 million; 2008 - €17.672 million; 2009 - €103.515 million; 2010 - €131.599 million; 2011 - €53.527 million; 2012 - €3.231 million; 2013 - €1.321 million; 2014 - €58.596 million; and 2015 - €38.918 million.
In addition to the Summers Works Schemes the following sums were expended on the Jobs Initiative nationally: 2011 - €30.779 million; and 2012 - €8.500 million.
The figures in respect of County Kildare was: 2008 - €0.360 million; 2009 - €3.179 million; 2010 - €4.188 million; 2011 - €2.858 million; 2012 - €0.510 million; 2013 - €0.071 million; 2014 - €1.898 million; and 2015 - €1.096 million.
727. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements she has made for the provision of school transport for secondary school students from Johnstownbridge to attend the secondary school in Kilcock in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7044/16]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has advised that children residing in the Johnstown Bridge area are not eligible for school transport to Kilcock as this is not their nearest education centre.
These children may only avail of school transport on a concessionary basis.
Under the terms of the Scheme, school transport on a concessionary basis is subject to a number of terms and conditions including that there are spare seats available on an existing school bus service and on payment of the annual charge. 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.
The terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
728. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills to allocate a school bus transport service for students (details supplied) to commence at Johnstownbridge in County Kildare and to stop at Enfield in County Meath from September 2016; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7063/16]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has advised that children residing in the Johnstown Bridge area are not eligible for school transport as they are not attending their nearest education centre.
These children may only avail of school transport on a concessionary basis.
Under the terms of the Scheme, school transport on a concessionary basis is subject to a number of terms and conditions including that there are spare seats available on an existing school bus service and on payment of the annual charge. 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.
The terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
729. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she received an application for additional accommodation from a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath; to ensure this is progressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7079/16]
View answerI can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for funding to replace a prefabricated structure.
As the Deputy may be aware, over the lifetime of my Department's new six-year capital programme (2012-2016), the intention is to replace all purchased prefabs with permanent accommodation where the need is established. My Department will be putting a structured plan in place to achieve this. The needs of the school in question can be considered under this plan when it is rolled out.
730. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she received an application for emergency funding from a school (details supplied) in County Longford under the emergency works scheme; if she will ensure this is progressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7080/16]
View answerMy Department's Planning and Building Unit has no record of receiving any recent application for Emergency Funding from the school to which the Deputy refers.
731. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she received an application from a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath under the summer works scheme; if she will ensure this is progressed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7081/16]
View answerI wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school in question under the Summer Works Scheme.
Commensurate with the level of funding available for the Scheme, applications including that from the school concerned, 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 in due course.
732. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the terms of employment for college chaplains. [7084/16]
View answerThe terms of employment for college chaplains are a matter for the employing institutions and accordingly I have no function in relation to the issue raised by the Deputy.
733. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the Higher Education Authority will publish details of the numbers of graduates who proceed into full-time education, further education, etc., in 2015. [7097/16]
View answerThe HEA publishes a First Destination Report annually which provides information on the position of Irish graduates nine months after graduation. The information is gathered through a survey of all graduates from publicly funded higher education institutions.
The next First Destinations Reports - What do Graduates do? The Class of 2014 - will be published by the HEA during Q2 2016 and will be available on the HEA website at www.hea.ie.
