Written Answers Nos. 118-127
118. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position in relation to leaving certificate students who require reasonable accommodations in order to sit their examinations, for example those with dyslexia (details supplied); the detail of backlogs in receiving approval for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17362/16]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission (SEC) has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
The SEC operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations at the Certificate Examinations (RACE scheme). The RACE scheme enables access to the Leaving and Junior Certificate examinations by students with special needs which include specific learning difficulties and permanent or temporary physical, medical or behavioural conditions or other conditions. Reasonable accommodations are intended to: (a) remove, as far as possible, the impact of the disability on the candidate's performance and thus enable the candidate to demonstrate their attainment and (b) ensure that special arrangements do not confer any unfair advantage over other candidates in the same examination.
I am advised by the SEC that the application process for the 2017 Leaving Certificate, which would normally have closed in late-May 2016, has been deferred until the start of the new school year. The SEC has advised me of its intention to issue details of the RACE Scheme for the 2017 Leaving Certificate to schools in early September. The SEC has indicated to school authorities and applicants that there will be an extended closing date into the new school year which will allow sufficient time for engagement with the application process and notification by SEC of the outcome.
The SEC has notified schools of the deferral and asked for the information to be brought to the attention of Learning Support teachers, Resource Teachers, Guidance Counsellors and other school staff involved in the preparation of RACE Applications as well as to the notice of students and parents who may be interested in applying for the RACE Scheme.
119. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide funding for additional school accommodation at a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17367/16]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for additional accommodation. The application is currently being assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority shortly.
120. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a school project (details supplied) will be advanced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17368/16]
View answerThe major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently completing early architectural planning, Stage 2A – the Developed Design Stage. The Board of Management and its Design Team have submitted the Stage 2A report which is currently being reviewed by my Department.
Upon successful completion of Stage 2A the project will progress to complete Stage 2B, Detailed Design, which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of Tender Documents for Contractors.
The school referred to by the Deputy is included on the six year programme announced on 17th November 2015 and is listed to proceed to tender and construction in 2017.
121. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children who will be five years of age or older on 1 September 2016 who have been refused a junior infants primary school place in Ashbourne, County Meath in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17384/16]
View answer122. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts he will make to ensure a person (details supplied) in County Meath will be allocated a junior infants primary school place in Ashbourne, County Meath in September 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17385/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 121 and 122 together.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area. I can advise the Deputy that, in relation to primary school enrolment in Ashbourne, my Department is currently reviewing enrolment demand at Junior Infant level for September 2016 and is engaging with schools in the area in this context.
Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. Schools are not required to report to my Department on the number of applicants who are refused enrolment. It is important to note however that only 20% of schools are oversubscribed.
The Programme for Government contains a commitment to publish new School Admissions legislation taking account of current draft proposals and addressing issues including publication of school enrolment policies, an end to waiting lists, introduction of annual enrolment structures, and transparency and fairness in admissions for pupils and their parents.
I have commenced a process of consultation with opposition parties to discuss my proposals to introduce a new Admissions Bill to make the process of enrolling children in school easier for parents.
Following these consultations, it is my intention to publish a new Admissions Bill during the current Dáil session. The new Bill will oblige all schools to admit pupils where there are available places.
Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. Further information on the Section 29 appeals process is available on the Department's website www.education.ie.
The Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (EWS) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS can be contacted at 01-7718500.
123. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an improved play area for a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17404/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an application from the school to which he refers under Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017), Category 10, for the works in question.
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, referred to by the Deputy, is available to be considered in this context.
124. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills why he has removed a school (details supplied) from the list of major projects considering that it had been announced to proceed to construction in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17417/16]
View answer126. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make funding available for a school (details supplied) so that it can re-open in August 2016, considering that the school building project announced in November 2015 has been postponed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17420/16]
View answer127. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will arrange for Departmental officials to visit a school (details supplied) so that the school building project can be prioritised for progression through the tender process with a view to starting on site as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17421/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 124, 126 and 127 together.
The school building project for the school in question is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. All statutory approvals have been obtained and the Stage 2b submission has been approved by my Department.
However, on 1st January 2016 there were 66 major projects under construction. Since the start of this year 14 more major projects have been progressed to construction and there are currently 36 projects authorised to progress through the tender process with a view to starting on site in the coming months. That represents a total of 116 major projects either under construction or progressing to commence construction in 2016. The existing contractual commitments for 2016 now fully account for the funding allocation available in 2016.
My officials will continue to closely monitor expenditure on existing contractual commitments over the coming months and, as funding allows, other projects, including the project for the school in question will be considered for progression through the tender process with a view to starting on site as soon as possible.
My officials in the Planning and Building Unit will keep the school informed of any decisions made in regard to the progress of the building project as they continue to monitor expenditure levels in the coming months.
In the meantime, for works that are of an urgent nature, it is open to the school authorities for the school in question to consider if the works qualify for funding under the Department's Emergency Works Scheme. An emergency is deemed to be a situation which poses an immediate risk to health, life, property or the environment which is sudden, unforeseen and requires immediate action. Details of the Scheme, together with an application form for grant assistance, can be accessed on my Department's website at www.education.ie.
125. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide an updated schools building programme for the period 2016-2021 in view of the existing contractual commitments for 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17418/16]
View answerThe 6 Year Capital Plan (2016-2021), announced last November, as part of the Government's €2.8 billion schools capital investment programme, details the major school building projects that are scheduled to proceed to tender/construction over the lifetime of the Plan. It is my Department's intention to progress these projects, through the various stages of the architectural planning process as outlined in the Plan.
However, on 1st January 2016 there were 66 major projects under construction. Since the start of this year 14 more major projects have been progressed to construction and there are currently 36 projects authorised to progress through the tender process with a view to starting on site in the coming months. That represents a total of 116 major projects either under construction or progressing to commence construction in 2016. The existing contractual commitments for 2016 now fully account for the funding allocation available in 2016.
My officials will continue to closely monitor expenditure on existing contractual commitments over the coming months and, as funding allows, other projects will be considered for progression through the tender process with a view to starting on site as soon as possible.
