Written Answers Nos. 104 - 123
104. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for additional classrooms for a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; when it will proceed to the next stage; when the tendering process will commence and be completed; when construction will commence; the funding she will allocate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7927/16]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for additional classrooms with ancillary accommodation based on their projected enrolment figures that may warrant an additional teacher appointment in September 2017.
The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school as soon as the assessment process has been concluded.
105. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an analysis of the demand for secondary school places in Wexford town and the capacity to provide same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7928/16]
View answer106. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an analysis of the demand for secondary school places in Gorey, County Wexford, and the capacity to provide same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7929/16]
View answer107. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an analysis of the demand for secondary school places in County Wexford and the capacity to provide same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7930/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 105 to 107, inclusive, together.
My Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and local authorities in addition to the Department's own school enrolment databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed.
The outcome of the latest demographic exercises was that in November 2015, I announced the establishment of 13 new schools to open nationwide in 2017 and 2018.
The school planning areas in Co. Wexford are experiencing demographic growth, however, not to such an extent that would currently warrant new school provision. These areas are being kept under ongoing review by my Department to take account of updated enrolment data and also the impact of existing and planned capacity increases to existing schools in each of the school planning areas.
There are 22 post-primary schools in the nine school planning areas in Co. Wexford. The majority of the school planning areas are projected to increase in enrolment numbers, although the total enrolment numbers are marginally less than projected based on the provisional 2015/16 enrolment data. Overall, enrolments are projected to increase by circa 2,900 between the 22 schools, to peak in 2024/25, before beginning to reduce. The intake patterns to the schools show that a significant proportion of students are not attending the post-primary school in their area but rather travelling out of the smaller school planning areas into the Wexford town and Enniscorthy areas to attend post-primary school.
In relation to the Wexford town school planning area, my Department analysed the pre-enrolment lists of students seeking places in First Year in September 2016 from the 12 post-primary schools in the Wexford town and four adjacent school planning areas of Enniscorthy, Adamstown, Kilmuckridge and Bridgetown. This analysis showed that there was a large amount of duplication of applications with students applying to a number of schools in these areas and the intake patterns showed that a significant proportion of students who live outside the Wexford town school planning area have applied to attend schools in the Wexford town area.
Based on the provisional 2015/16 post-primary enrolment figures in the Wexford town schools, actual enrolments are broadly in line with the projected enrolments based on the demographic data. In the five post-primary schools in the Wexford town school planning area, total enrolments are projected to grow over the next six year, peaking in 2021/22, after which enrolment numbers are projected to drop back to below current levels. Based on the provisional 2015/16 post-primary enrolments in Gorey, these are marginally higher than projected. There are two post-primary schools serving the Gorey school planning area. Enrolments are expected to grow peaking in 2024-2025, after which enrolment numbers are expected to decrease.
As part of my Department's School Capital Investment Programme, a number of building projects in Wexford schools are being progressed, including Loreto Secondary School and Wexford C.B.S, which will provide for increased capacity in the area. The increase in accommodation planned for the Wexford area should be adequate to cater for the projected increase in enrolments.
108. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a proposed building project for a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; when it will proceed to the next stage; when the tendering process will commence and be completed; when construction will commence; the funding she will allocate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7931/16]
View answerThe major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning – Stage 2b, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert, Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents.
The school are currently awaiting the completion of the transfer of land from a third party which is required for access and set-down. Until the issue of the land transfer is finalised, the school and its design team cannot complete their stage 2(b) submission and the Department cannot provide a timescale of the progression of this project to tender and construction stages.
109. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a proposed building project for a school (details supplied) in County Wexford; when it will proceed to the next stage; when the tendering process will commence and be completed; when construction will commence; the funding she will allocate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7932/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving a recent application for additional accommodation from the school in question. My Department's last contact with the school was in 2014 when the school indicated that it was to make a decision on whether it intended proceeding with an application for additional accommodation.
110. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide the figures for the number of first, second, third and fourth year apprentices registered with SOLAS for the following construction trades: bricklaying, carpentry-joinery, plastering and plumbing. [7953/16]
View answerThis information is held by SOLAS who manage the apprenticeship programme. SOLAS are compiling the information and will forward it to the Deputy as soon as possible.
111. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide the date of the agreed approach with the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport for charging for depreciation referred to in the reply to Parliamentary Question No. 495 of 10 February 2015 in respect of buses owned by Bus Éireann; the date that it was agreed not to use the precise depreciation formula in the 1975 accounting arrangement for school transport; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7972/16]
View answerBus Éireann has advised that the information sought will be forwarded directly to the Deputy.
112. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills regarding the value-for-money review on school transport, if she will publish details of table 5.4 on page 32 and include current information for the years 2009 to 2015, for comparative purposes. [7976/16]
View answer113. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills regarding Bus Éireann's administration costs referred to at paragraph 5.5.3 of the value-for-money review on school transport 2011, if she will provide, in tabular form, the sums paid to Bus Éireann for school transport for administration charges for the years 2001 to date in 2016; the number of children transported each year; the average administration charge per child for each year; and the percentage increase-decrease charged for administration for each year since 2001. [7977/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 112 and 113 together.
Bus Éireann has advised that the level of detailed information sought by the Deputy cannot be compiled within the required timeframe.
In this regard I have asked that the information be forwarded by Bus Éireann directly to the Deputy.
114. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers and schools that signed up for the new training scheme for the reformed junior cycle system; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7978/16]
View answerA dedicated continuing professional development (CPD) service for schools, Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT), was established by my Department in 2013 to provide effective support to schools in the context of their implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle. Support is available from JCT to all post-primary schools, special schools and centres for education offering the Junior Cycle.
A comprehensive and long-term national programme of CPD for school leaders and teachers commenced in October 2013. CPD will be provided on a rolling basis as each new subject specification is implemented, throughout the duration of the implementation phases of the Framework for Junior Cycle. All schools will also have one whole-school in-service day per year for each year of the roll-out.
892 schools/centres have registered with JCT since October 2013, inclusive of the special and non-mainstream sectors. 11,363 subject specific teachers are registered for CPD with JCT across all sectors. This figure is expected to increase over the coming weeks as schools register their teachers of Irish, Art and Modern Foreign Languages for CPD in these subject areas.
115. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will permit third level students who take up Quality and Qualifications Ireland courses through the Central Applications Office system to avail of Student Universal Support Ireland grants; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7979/16]
View answerUnder my Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme.
The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2016.
There are no plans to amend the definition of an approved institution. However, tax relief on tuition fees may be available for students attending courses in institutions which are not approved for the purposes of grant support, such as private colleges. Details in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners on www.revenue.ie.
116. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills is she will confirm that there are sufficient school places for entry to primary schools in the Carpenterstown area of Dublin 15 to meet current demographic demand; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7980/16]
View answerMy Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places will arise. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my Department's own databases.
The outcome of the latest demographic exercises, based on the GIS, is that on 17th November 2015, I announced the establishment of 13 new schools to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for demographic needs.
As part of this announcement I noted that a number of areas nationwide are experiencing increased demographic pressures and the Department will keep the demographic data under ongoing review. For the Carpenterstown, Dublin 15 school planning area, this review will take account of updated enrolment and child benefit data and also the impact of capacity increases in adjacent school planning areas.
117. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will consider not proceeding with proposed changes to the way in which children with special educational needs in schools are assessed, following the conclusion of the pilot scheme; if there is opposition to the proposed changes; the consultation process that took place prior to the commencement of the pilot scheme; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7981/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory role under the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act to provide me with policy advice in relation to matters concerning the education of persons with special educational needs.
The NCSE published policy advice in 2013 which identified that the current model for allocating resource teachers to schools is potentially inequitable and recommended the development of a new allocation model.
In developing its policy advice the NCSE consulted widely with education partners, representatives from the school sector, parents, and disability representative bodies.
Although there is widespread support for the implementation of the new model over the course of the consultations, there was not time to address all of the issues of concern raised in relation to the proposed new model in time to allow for it to be implemented this year.
I therefore established a pilot of the new model, as had been suggested during consultations. This pilot is currently underway in 47 schools, and which will run for the duration of the current school year.
This pilot has been developed in order to test the model in a number of schools and to allow for the practical effect of the application of the new model in pilot schools to be gauged.
It will also allow us to take into account the learning experiences of schools, principals, pupils and the views of parents over the course of the pilot, prior to the full implementation of the proposed new allocation model.
118. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of the new community school for Maynooth, County Kildare; when construction will start on the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7985/16]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been tendered. An assessment of the Tender Report is at an advanced stage in the Department.
The project has been devolved for delivery to the Kildare and Wicklow Education Training Board and contact will be made with it directly with regard to the next steps in due course.
119. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his plans to alter the requirements to qualify for the rental assistance payment scheme (details supplied); his views on whether, with the lack of rent management, this scheme should be altered to accommodate more persons. [7889/16]
View answerThe Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) has two key objectives, namely, the elimination of dependence on the Department of Social Protection’s Rent Supplement by persons assessed as being qualified for and in need of social housing support, and the enhancement of the position of local authorities to respond to social housing need. RAS is a social housing support targeted primarily at those already in receipt of Rent Supplement for over 18 months.
The Government’s Social Housing Strategy 2020 – Support, Supply and Reform recognises that RAS continues to be a successful programme that has achieved considerable output levels to date and delivered quality housing to a large number of households. Over the lifetime of the Strategy, an additional 6,000 households are targeted to transfer from Rent Supplement to RAS.
The long term vision for Rent Supplement is the transition of households with an established housing need to the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). HAP which is being introduced incrementally on a pilot basis to local authority areas enables local authorities to immediately provide housing assistance for households who qualify for social housing support, including many long-term Rent Supplement recipients.
Similar to the RAS, the HAP Scheme will facilitate the removal of a potential barrier to employment by allowing recipients to remain in the scheme if they gain full-time employment. HAP commenced in September 2014 and some 8,500 households are currently being supported by the scheme. HAP is now available to all qualified households in 19 local authority areas. Until such time as HAP becomes operational in the remaining local authority areas, Rent Supplement will continue to be available to those households requiring support in meeting their housing needs in the rental market.
In terms of rent limits that apply in respect of Rent Supplement, I understand that the Department of Social Protection undertook a review of these limits in 2015 and found that the impact of increasing limits at a time of constrained supply in the private rented market will increase costs disproportionately for the Exchequer with little or no new housing available to recipients. The Department of Social Protection has instead implemented a targeted policy approach that allows for flexibility where landlords seek rents in excess of the limits for both existing customers and new applicants to the Rent Supplement scheme. The circumstances of tenants are considered on a case-by-case basis and rent supplement levels are increased above prescribed limits, where appropriate. In addition, the Department of Social Protection, in conjunction with Threshold, operates a special protocol in the Dublin and Cork areas where supply issues are particularly acute, with plans underway to extend this to other urban and commuter areas. This flexible and targeted approach assists Rent Supplement households nationwide to retain or acquire rented accommodation through increased rent supplement payments.
It is also worth noting that in the context of supply in the private rented market, the Equal Status Act 2000 has recently been amended to prohibit discrimination in the letting of residential property to people who are in receipt of Rent Supplement or Housing Assistance Payment (HAP). Persons who feel they have been discriminated against on the housing assistance ground, or any other protected ground, in relation to the provision of accommodation may wish to contact the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission or make a complaint under the Equal Status Acts to the Workplace Relations Commission.
In addition, in a new measure, landlords who rent to tenants in receipt of rent supplement or social housing supports may avail of increased tax relief with effect from 1 January 2016. To qualify, landlords must undertake to make the accommodation available to qualifying tenants for a minimum of three years, and the undertaking must be registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB). Qualifying property owners can claim 100 per cent relief on their mortgage interest, as an expense against rental income.
120. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if, regarding the planned infrastructural investment by Irish Water of €4 billion over the period 2016-2021, he will provide a breakdown of the annual State expenditure from the €4 billion over the relevant years and the intended source of funds for the €4 billion. [7833/16]
View answerIrish Water’s capital investment in the period 2016 to 2021 will be funded by a mix of debt and equity (including capital transfers from Government), with the investment programme for the period after end 2016 being subject to future review by the Commission for Energy Regulation, and Government funding being subject to future budgetary decisions. Irish Water’s detailed business plan for the period 2015 to 2021 is available at http://www.water.ie/docs/Irish-Water-Business-Plan.pdf.
Irish Water's costs are funded through a mix of revenue from the domestic and non-domestic sector, third party finance (including bank lending and capital markets facilities) and State support which may be in the form of both equity and subvention. The main aspects of the Irish Water funding model are set out in a detailed fact sheet published on my Department’s website at
http://www.environ.ie/sites/default/files/migrated-files/en/Publications/Environment/Water/FileDownLoad%2C39557%2Cen.pdf.
The capital contribution agreed by Government for Irish Water in 2016 is €184m and this has already been paid to Irish Water to support its increased investment in public water services infrastructure. In addition, the Government is providing €479m in operating subvention to Irish Water in 2016. This subvention is in respect of the child allowance of 21,000 litres per child per annum, a product subsidy and the capping of domestic water charges at the rates set out in the Water Services Act 2014.
Provision has also been made for the issue of a working capital loan of up to €58m in 2016 to cover cash flow requirements arising from time lags between billing and payment.
121. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason a category of vehicle has a 12-month motor tax rate of €710 and other vehicles of similar power and emissions have a much lower rate of annual motor tax (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7872/16]
View answerThe basis of assessment for motor tax for private vehicles may be either on the basis of engine capacity or carbon emissions, depending on the date of first registration of the vehicle. All private vehicles registered prior to 2008 are taxed on the basis of engine capacity. Private vehicles of EU class M1 only, registered from 2008 onwards, are taxed on the basis of carbon emissions. A privately taxed vehicle taxed with an EU classification other than M1 e.g. N1 (typically a small jeep/van type vehicle), registered since 2008 must be taxed on the basis of engine capacity.
Motor tax is based on both the construction and use of a vehicle. Under section 2 of the Finance (Excise Duties) (Vehicles) Act 1952, if a vehicle is being used in a manner which would attract motor tax at a higher rate of duty, tax becomes payable at a higher rate. In other words, if a vehicle constructed as a goods vehicle is being used in a private capacity, it must be taxed at the private rate of motor tax.
Roadworthiness testing of vehicles is a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport. I understand that vehicle testing is based solely on the construction of a vehicle. If a vehicle is constructed as a goods vehicle, it is required to be tested on an annual basis in order to obtain a Certificate of Vehicle Roadworthiness once the vehicle is a year old, regardless of the whether the vehicle is being used in a private or a goods capacity.
122. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if mortgage protection insurance is required on all annuity loans from local authorities in respect of loans to purchase houses; the costs and guidelines relating to the cost of these insurance policies through the local authority, which can be three times more expensive than the equivalent mortgage protection available in the private sector; if persons who take out loans from local authorities have the opportunity of getting their mortgage protection insurance from another source as happens in the private sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7873/16]
View answerThe legislation requiring that mortgage protection insurance is held by mortgage holders is contained in the Consumer Credit Act 1995. This legislation is the responsibility of my colleague the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
The local authority mortgage protection insurance (MPI) scheme is overseen by the Mortgage Protection Committee which is a sub-committee of the County and City Management Association (CCMA) and is representative of the CCMA, local authorities, the Housing Finance Agency and my Department. One of the conditions of the scheme, which is a group policy, is that it is obligatory for all local authority borrowers who meet the eligibility criteria to join the scheme. Altering this condition would have a negative impact on the scheme and increase the cost for all existing borrowers. The current MPI premium is charged at 0.4703% of the outstanding capital loan balance as at 1 January each year. A local authority housing loan applicant who is not eligible for the local authority MPI scheme must source a suitable individual MPI policy from the market.
There are a number of differences between the local authority MPI scheme and standard MPI products available on the market. Standard MPI products are individually priced based on a member's age, amongst other factors, whereas the Local Authority MPI scheme is a group arrangement offering a single group rate per €1,000 sum assured to all participants in the scheme.
Aside from the difference between an individual and a group rate, the following factors are the main influences on the price of the Local Authority MPI scheme:
(i) standard mortality and morbidity factors based on population actuarial statistics;
(ii) the local authority borrowers’ risk profile;
(iii) the terms and conditions of the Local Authority MPI scheme and, in particular, the fact that all eligible local authority housing loan borrowers are accepted without medical evidence; and
(iv) the claims experience of the Local Authority MPI scheme.
The Local Authority MPI scheme also provides extra benefits, such as:
- mortgage repayments are paid if there is a valid claim as a result of disability;
- separate to life cover, an additional €3,000 is payable in the event of a member’s death; and
- members are covered for death up to age 75 whereas standard MPI cover usually ceases at the age of 65.
The Mortgage Protection Committee which oversees the scheme endeavours to achieve a balance between the most economic rate to be charged for the scheme and the benefits provided. In negotiating a renewal of the scheme, which came into effect from 1 January 2012, the Committee were able to harness the downward pressure on pricing in the economy and secure an average 19% reduction on the rate which applied to the previous scheme. As part of the upcoming re-tendering process, the Committee will seek to secure with effect from 1 January 2017, the most appropriate Mortgage Protection Insurance cover at the best value for money for local authority borrowers.
123. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of planning applications invalidated by Cork County Council western division from 1 January 2016 to 31 March 2016; and the number of instances where prospective invalidations were avoided because the planners contacted the applicants in time to allow them to remedy small defects in the planning applications without recourse to invalidation as recommended in the planning guidelines. [7890/16]
View answerPlanning statistics are submitted by planning authorities on an annual basis and are subsequently collated by my Department. Such statistics include the number of invalid planning applications received by each planning authority but not the type of detailed information sought by the Deputy in the second part of the Question. Furthermore, Cork County Council’s planning statistics relate to the entire county and are not broken down on a Divisional basis.
