Written Answers Nos. 201-222
201. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an emergency works application by a school (details supplied); if the application will be successful, given that funding is vital to ensure the health and safety of the children attending this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17060/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application for funding for emergency works from the school in question. However, I can confirm that the school in question submitted an application under Category 5 of the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) (2016-17), for upgrade of toilet facilities.
I wish to confirm to the Deputy that valid SWS (2016-2017) applications from schools in respect of Categories 3 to 10 that were not reached under round one approvals announced on 28th April last, will, subject to the overall availability of funding, qualify to be assessed under future rounds of the Scheme. If this arises, the terms and conditions of the scheme as outlined in Circular Letter (0055/2015) which may be accessed on my Department's website, will continue to apply when allocating funding to such projects. The SWS (2016-2017) application from the school, in question, is available to be considered in this context.
202. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) under the capital works scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17065/16]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the school referred to made an application to my Department for significant capital funding for building works.
I wish to advise the Deputy that a project for the school, referred to, is not included in my Department's 6 year Construction Programme (2016 - 2021), which is focused on providing additional capacity to meet demographic demand. In the circumstances, it is not possible to provide an indicative timeframe for the progression of a major project for the school, in question, at this time. I also wish to advise the Deputy however that my Department approved capital funding in 2014 for the provision of additional permanent classroom accommodation, ancillary accommodation and conversion works to address the school's immediate accommodation needs. When completed, these works will provide greatly improved facilities at the school in question.
203. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is additional student grant financial support available to students who are living in isolated rural areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17070/16]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that, in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it is not possible to say whether or not a particular student(s) would qualify for a grant or other supports.
Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. 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.
There are no specific supports targeted at students living in "isolated rural areas". However, if the student in question qualifies for a SUSI grant and is living more than 45kms from college, then s/he may qualify for a higher maintenance grant.
Other possible supports include:
1) Tax Relief on Tuition Fees - Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners on www.revenue.ie and
2) The Student Assistance Fund - Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
204. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills how he will meet the growing demand for school places in the Harold's Cross and Terenure areas, including current demand for primary school places, current demand for secular non-religious schools and the demand for secondary schools. [17075/16]
View answerThe Programme for a Partnership Government reflects the Government's objective of strengthening parental choice and further expanding diversity in our school system, specifically by increasing the number of non-denominational and multi-denominational schools with a view to reaching 400 by 2030.
In addition to the phased transfer of Catholic schools to new patrons already under way, this will require considering new ideas and new approaches to substantially accelerate the changes in school provision in order to achieve greater diversity. The Government is committed to working with all stakeholders to facilitate this process and I am progressing these matters as a priority.
Regarding the areas to which the Deputy refers, my Department is engaged with an existing school patron under the patronage divesting process in relation to a former school building which can be returned to use as a school under new patronage to serve the areas concerned and work is well advanced in this regard.
In relation to new schools required to meet demographic needs, my Department uses a Geographical Information System (GIS) to identify where the pressure for school places will arise nationwide. 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, was the announcement, in November 2015, of the establishment of four new primary schools and nine new post-primary schools to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs. These schools include a new primary school which will open in 2018 to serve the Dublin South City Centre areas of Dublin 2, 4 and 6 and will provide additional capacity. A new post-primary school will also open in 2018 to serve the areas of Dublin 2, 4, 6 and 8.
My Department is keeping the demographic data under ongoing review to take into account updated enrolment data, updated child benefit data and the impact of ongoing and planned expansion of capacity.
205. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide school transport to a school (details supplied), given that it has more than the required number of pupils who meet the criteria and qualify for transport. [17173/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that a minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, is required before consideration may be given to the establishment of a school transport service, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
In this regard, Bus Éireann has advised that a sufficient number of children, who are eligible for school transport, have applied for transport for the 2016/17 school year and it is envisaged that a new service will be established provided these families submit ticket payment details to Bus Éireann by the closing date of 29th July 2016.
The families, in question, should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office regarding the timetabling and routing of this proposed new service.
206. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make funding available to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17187/16]
View answerI can confirm that my Department received an application from the school referred to by the Deputy to extend the school's General Purpose Room and Staff Room, and also to address some remedial works.
My Department has indicated to the school that due to the competing demands on its capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential classroom accommodation, it is not possible to consider the school's application for the proposed extensions at this time. The school's application will however be kept on file for consideration in the context of future funding becoming available.
My Department also advised the school that it may use its minor works grant, which all primary schools received last November, to carry out the remedial works in full or on a phased basis as that grant permits.
207. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse a decision regarding the supply of the July provision for a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17222/16]
View answerMy Department currently provides July Provision for children with a diagnosis of ASD and/or severe or profound general learning disability. I understand that the application in respect of the child to whom the Deputy has referred does not indicate either of these disabilities. It is not currently proposed to extend the 2016 July Provision Scheme to further disability categories. The 2016 July Provision scheme commenced in April 2016, the deadline for receipt of applications was May 13th 2016.
As the Deputy is aware the Programme for a Partnership Government, published in May 2016, includes a commitment to examine the adequacy of current special education access and funding provision.
In addition the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has submitted its Policy Advice on Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders.
In developing this policy advice, the NCSE reviewed a range of provision for children with Autism including the Department's July Provision scheme. The NCSE consulted widely with parents, professionals and other stakeholders and interested parties while also conducting research.
An implementation group has now been established to review the recommendations of this policy advice. Any recommendations which relate to the July Provision Scheme will be fully considered by this group which will prepare an implementation plan for my consideration.
208. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of an anomalous situation whereby a SUSI maintenance grant is not payable to a person (details supplied) who is on a work placement and remains registered a student; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17224/16]
View answerArticle 15 (3) of the Student Grant Scheme 2015 states that a maintenance grant may continue to be paid, where a student is required to participate in an off-campus placement as a compulsory part of their course, as long as the off-campus placement does not extend the normal duration of the course.
The normal duration of the course at the Institute referred to by the Deputy is three years. The student referred to has received grant support for the full three years of her course in the academic years, 2013/14, 2014/15 and 2015/16 and cannot be considered for any further funding for this course.
209. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the name of the architect or architectural firm which designed a school (details supplied); the name of the builder who, or building company which, built the school; the contractual price for this project; the date the contract was signed; the date the project was completed; the amount withheld under the retention clause; the final amount actually paid under the contract; his views on two reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17230/16]
View answer210. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware that there is a roof leak in a school (details supplied); the information on this problem, and his proposals and timeline to remedy. [17231/16]
View answer211. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department or the Office of Public Works had a site manager for the building of a school (details supplied). [17232/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 209 to 211, inclusive, together.
The Architectural Services for the school building project referred to by the Deputy was provided by an in-house architectural team in the Department of Education & Skills.
The builder was J.J. Rhatigan & Company the contract sum was €1,697,524.53 including VAT. The project commenced on site in June 2010 and reached substantial completion in August 2011.
The Final Account was approved and paid in December 2012 the final cost of the project was €1,601,511.76 incl VAT.
My Department is currently seeking to arrange a joint inspection of the roof with the Contractor in order to decide on the best course of action to resolve the issues identified in the reports.
212. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of carrying out repairs to faulty roofs in newly built schools in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17233/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the defects period on a public works contract is 6 years where a contract is not sealed and 12 years where a contract is sealed. If a roof defect arises within that time, the Department's position would be primarily that it is a matter for the contractor to resolve without recourse to additional funding from the Department. In that regard, therefore, my Department does not maintain statistical information specifically in relation to roof defect costs.
213. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills why he has not introduced an adequate school complaints procedure despite calls for reform from the Ombudsman for Children and the National Parents Council; when he will resolve this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17234/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware the Programme for a Partnership Government provides that the Government will introduce a stronger complaints procedure and charter for parents, and commence the Fitness to Teach provisions of the Teaching Council Act.
The Programme also provides that the role and power of an Ombudsman for Education, to whom a parent could complain and appeal on foot of a decision by a board of management, will be examined by the relevant Oireachtas Committee to ensure its consistency with the need to ensure better local decision making and accountability to parents.
Both of these commitments are part of a continuum because having a dedicated ombudsman with a power to deal with parental complaints would be a residual, but potentially important function where local resolution has failed.
I think that the relevant Oireachtas Committee will need to consider both programme commitments together. Work already under way in my Department envisages legislative change to Section 28 of the Education Act 1998, and creating an ombudsman with powers to externally review school actions would require new legislation that could be progressed in tandem.
214. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the identification and acquisition of sites for the two new secondary schools to serve the communities of Malahide, Portmarnock and Swords in County Dublin and for the permanent building for the Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together national school; the timeframe for the identification and acquisition; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17244/16]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the building projects for the new post primary schools to serve Malahide/Portmarnock and Swords are included in the 6 year construction programme that was announced last November, and these schools are listed to go to construction in 2019-21. Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together NS is currently in temporary accommodation on a Teagasc-owned property in Kinsealy and the project to deliver permanent accommodation for this school is also on the construction programme.
Officials in my Department are liaising with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of suitable locations for all three schools.
Agreement in principle has been reached in respect of a site for the new post primary school in Swords and my Department is currently progressing with its acquisition.
In relation to the new post primary school to serve Malahide/Portmarnock the technical feasibility of an identified site option is currently being comprehensively assessed by officials from my Department in liaison with officials from the Local Authority.
Similarly, for Malahide Portmarnock Educate Together NS, an assessment of technical suitability in respect of an identified site option is currently being undertaken.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am unfortunately not in a position to provide further details at this time. I can, however, assure you that the site acquisitions for all three schools are being advanced by my Department.
215. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of where two new secondary schools to serve the communities of Malahide, Portmarnock and Swords in County Dublin will open in September 2017 in temporary accommodation until a new permanent building is delivered; how long the temporary accommodation will be functional; the temporary accommodation that is available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17245/16]
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, was the announcement in November 2015 of the establishment of 13 new schools to open nationwide in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs. One of the new post-primary schools will serve the Swords school planning area and one will serve the Malahide and Portmarnock school planning areas. Both new schools will open in 2017 and both are included in my Department's six year construction programme (2016-2021). Details on the progress of all projects on this programme will be published on my Department's website and this will be updated regularly.
My Department are liaising with Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of suitable locations for these schools.
Agreement in principle has been reached in respect of a site for the new post-primary school in Swords and my Department is currently progressing with its acquisition.
In relation to the new post-primary school to serve the Malahide and Portmarnock areas, the technical feasibility of an identified site option is currently being comprehensively assessed by officials from my Department in liaison with officials from the Local Authority.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally, I am, unfortunately, not in a position to provide further details at this time. I can, however, assure you that the site acquisitions for both of these schools are being advanced by my Department and that pending the delivery of the permanent school buildings, temporary accommodation will be provided.
216. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action he will take in relation to a school (details supply) which urgently requires funding for a new floor in the physical education hall; if the provision of an adequate and usable physical activity facilities is of the utmost importance in terms of ensuring the health of children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17251/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no record of receiving an application from the school in question for refurbishment of their PE hall facilities.
I also wish to advise the Deputy that the works in question are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme, the purpose of which is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to facilitate carrying out small and medium scale capital works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings including PE halls. Under the scheme, responsibility for identifying and prioritising the most urgently required project rests with the school authority. It will be open to the school, if it so decides, to make an application under a future summer works scheme.
In the meantime, the school may use its minor works grant, which all primary schools received last November, to carry out the remedial works in full or on a phased basis as that grant permits if the school considers them to be a priority.
217. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action he will take about the requirement for the replacement of the K block in a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17252/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that a project for the school to which he refers was included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme which was announced last November. The project for the school in question will be progressed with a view to proceeding to tender and construction stages in 2019-2021, as outlined in the programme.
I understand that my Department is currently finalising the school project brief and once this process is complete, the project will be progressed into the Architectural Planning process.
In the meantime, my Department has advised the school authority that it is open to it to submit an Emergency Works Grant Application for the most minimal and urgent works as an interim measure.
218. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has met with the Irish National Teachers Organisation since his appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17274/16]
View answer219. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has met with the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland since his appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17275/16]
View answer220. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has met with the Teachers Union of Ireland since his appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17276/16]
View answer221. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if has met with the Irish Federation of University Teachers since his appointment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17277/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 218 to 221, inclusive, together.
I met with ASTI on 15 June on the issue of Junior Cycle reform. In the context of the Lansdowne Road Agreement, I have on several occasions invited ASTI to discuss issues of mutual concern, but ASTI have to date declined such a meeting. The invitation to them remains open.
I have not yet met with INTO, TUI and IFUT but I intend to do so as soon as is practicable.
222. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills the dialogue he has had with the Teachers Union of Ireland regarding technological universities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17278/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, the new Programme for Government outlines that this new Government will continue to support the creation of Technological Universities.
This is in line with the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 which provides a framework for the development of the higher education sector to 2030. With regard to the institute of technology sector, the Strategy recommended significant reforms to position the sector to meet national strategic objectives. In particular, the Strategy recommended consolidation within the sector and a pathway of evolution for those consolidated institutes of technology, to allow them to demonstrate significant progress against robust performance criteria and to apply to become technological universities.
Position of Technological Universities bill: The first Government Legislative Programme of this new Partnership Government was published on 8 June 2016, and the Technological Universities Bill has been restored to the Dáil Order Paper at Committee Stage.
I recognise that there were a significant number of matters raised in respect of the Bill at both Committee and Report Stage. It is my intention to now consult with all of the relevant stakeholders in relation to both the matters raised during the legislative process and the commitments contained in the Programme for Government.
Following the finalisation of this consultation process I will then advance the legislation having determined a position in relation to any matters raised as part of this consultation process.
As part of this consultation process, the General Secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland has recently written to me seeking a meeting to discuss relevant issues in regard to the Technological Universities Bill. It is my intention to facilitate this meeting as soon as practicable.
