Written Answers Nos. 125 -135
125. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to expedite a school building project (details supplied); if he recognises the need to accelerate this project, given the deteriorating condition of much of the school's existing accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16550/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the project for the school referred to, is included in the 6 Year Construction Programme that was announced on 17th November last.
I wish to confirm that my Department is due to commence the appointment of a Project Manager for a bundle of schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, in the coming weeks. Thereafter, a Design Team will be appointed and the project for the school in question will proceed through the architectural planning process. I wish to assure the Deputy that my Department is committed to progressing the project as expeditiously as possible.
126. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will formally complete the review of the Delivering Equality of opportunity in Schools scheme; if he will include additional schools under the scheme following the review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16552/16]
View answerThe Programme for Government commits to the publication of a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion within 12 months. It is my intention to exceed that target by publishing the plan by the end of this year.
The new plan will take into account learning from the current DEIS Programme together with international best practice to improve outcomes for children most at risk of educational disadvantage.
The new plan is expected to include targeted measures of support in the areas of school leadership, increased networking of schools and teachers and better integration of education-related supports at local level.
The number of additional schools be included in a new support programme will be determined by a new identification process for this purpose which is currently in development.
127. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Student Universal Support Ireland declined an application for a grant by a person (details supplied). [16584/16]
View answerIn general terms the Student Support Scheme 2016 provides an awarding authority (SUSI) with discretion to award a grant for a repeat period of study in exceptional circumstances under Article 15(8). An awarding authority will treat each application for repeat funding on a case by case basis and will have regard to issues such as the nature of the exceptional circumstances, how it impacted on the applicant's capacity to sit exams and the documentary evidence provided by the applicant. The eligibility of the individual to which the Deputy refers is a matter for SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine; upon receipt of the relevant application form and supporting documentation. In this regard I understand that the necessary form has issued recently from SUSI. The student in question will be required to complete this form and return it to SUSI for assessment.
128. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the properties his Department and agencies under its remit leased; the number they leased on upward-only rents and the number of the lessors who were involved with the National Asset Management Agency or with any of the State banks; and the details of each lease. [16598/16]
View answerThe information sought is being compiled at present and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
129. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if and when a person (details supplied) will qualify for higher education grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16629/16]
View answerMy officials have been in contact with their counterparts in SUSI who have advised that no application has been received from the student referred to by the Deputy. The nationality requirements for the student grant scheme are set out in section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2016. To qualify for a student grant, the grant applicant must meet the nationality or prescribed immigration status requirements in his own right. The onus is on the grant applicant to provide the necessary documentary evidence as proof of his nationality or immigration status to the relevant grant awarding authority.
Issues in respect of the naturalisation process are a matter for the Department of Justice and Equality.
130. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government her plans to give legislative effect to the constitutional change in 1979, facilitating the extension of voting rights to Seanad Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16494/16]
View answerA Programme for a Partnership Government includes a goal for this Government to pursue the implementation of the Manning Report, formally known as the Report of the Working Group on Seanad Reform. The implementation of the 1979 amendment of the constitution to extend the university franchise at Seanad elections to graduates of other institutions of higher education in the State is to be further considered in that context, and having regard to the work of the last government on the General Scheme of a Seanad Electoral (University Members) (Amendment) Bill.
131. Deputy Anne Rabbitte asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if Galway County Council has sufficient staff to work efficiently and to comply with health and safety regulations. [16392/16]
View answerUnder section 159 of the Local Government Act 2001, each Chief Executive is responsible for the staffing and organisational arrangements necessary for carrying out the functions of the local authorities for which he or she is responsible. In this regard, it is a matter for each individual Chief Executive to recruit and assign staff to specific divisions. My Department works closely with all local authorities to ensure the continued delivery of key services in the context of staffing and budgetary constraints. In considering sanction requests public safety, maintaining key front line services, and economic issues are given precedence.
132. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications received and accepted and number of homes remediated by the pyrite remediation board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16430/16]
View answerThe Pyrite Resolution Act 2013 provided for the making and implementation of a pyrite remediation scheme by the Pyrite Resolution Board for certain dwellings affected by significant pyritic damage. The scheme, which was first published by the Pyrite Resolution Board in early February 2014, was developed having regard to the relevant provisions of the Act and, inter alia, the recommendations set out in the Report of the Pyrite Panel (June 2012). The full conditions for eligibility under the scheme are set out in the scheme itself which is available on the Board’s website at www.pyriteboard.ie.
An allocation of €19 million was provided in Budget 2016 to meet activity under the scheme this year. The post-2016 funding requirement will be considered in the context of the 2017 Estimates later this year, having regard to developments over the next few months.
The latest figures available to me indicate that approximately 1,187 applications have been received under the pyrite remediation scheme of which 913 have been approved for inclusion and the applicants notified accordingly. A further 56 applications have been validated and referred to the Housing Agency for the assessment and verification process while another 168 applications are at the initial application and validation stage - 50 applications did not meet the criteria for the scheme.
Of the 913 dwellings that have been included in the pyrite remediation scheme the position is as follows:
- 388 are at remedial works planning stage;
- 66 are at tender / tender analysis;
- 169 are under remediation; and
- 290 are complete.
It is anticipated that approximately 600 dwellings will be remediated by end 201 6. Ultimately, the Board, together with the Housing Agency, will arrange for all eligible dwellings to be remediated to a high standard and at no additional cost to the affected homeowners. Remediation works will continue to be carried out at the earliest possible opportunity having regard to the existing demands of the scheme and the optimum use of available resources.
133. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will reinstate the former rate of subsidy to householders under the group water scheme, given that many schemes are insufficiently funded to cover costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16458/16]
View answerThe Government is committed to introducing and supporting legislation in the Oireachtas, within six weeks of its appointment, to suspend domestic water charges for a period of nine months from the end of the current bill cycle. The proposed details of the suspension will be set out in the legislation when published. In line with the suspension of domestic water charges, and to ensure equity of treatment with households on public water supplies, the subsidisation for those on group water schemes will be restored to the level that pertained prior to the introduction of domestic water charges for households connected to the public water supply for the same time period.
134. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to introduce amendments to Statutory Instrument No. 24 of 2016 to prevent excessive service charges being applied by domestic waste collection companies and to ensure the polluter-pays-principle as required by the same instrument is observed. [16484/16]
View answer135. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he is aware of the case of a waste management company (details supplied) which is changing its charging regime to allow for far higher service charges for many customers, especially older persons, resulting in much higher bills for those concerned before any use of the same bins; and if he will review Statutory Instrument No. 24 of 2016 in view of this practice which means those with the lowest use of waste collection services will see the biggest increase in bills. [16485/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 134 and 135 together.
In an open market, it has been a matter for the collector to set charges, including service charges, at the level they consider to be competitive, in compliance with the requirements of environmental and other applicable legislation. Excessive pricing by individual companies will offer the opportunity for rival operators to provide their services at a cheaper price.
Given that the charging systems are moving to a more standardised format across the country, householders should be able to more easily compare the charges of different providers under the new system and choose the option that suits them best or is most cost effective.
Under pay-by-weight charging for household waste collection, there is an opportunity for everybody to have more control over their waste charges and to minimise their waste costs by preventing waste and segregating waste through using the food waste and recyclable waste bins effectively. In this regard, a pay-by-weight awareness campaign, launched on 18 May 2016, is being rolled out at national, regional and local levels over the coming days and weeks and will give invaluable advice to householders on minimising their waste management costs under pay-by-weight charging.
Notwithstanding the above, I intend to meet with waste industry representatives this week to discuss the transition to pay by weight charging.
