Written Answers Nos. 287-297
287. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding provided in 2016 for the school building programme; the amount that has been committed to date; if he is in a position to make any further financial commitments in respect of school building projects over the remainder of 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21231/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the management of complex capital programmes means ensuring that available funding is allocated in particular towards the delivery of large scale projects and the provision of additional accommodation.
The 2016 capital provision for the school sector amounts to €527m of which €450m is assigned to the construction of large scale projects and the devolved additional accommodation scheme. 66 large scale projects were under construction at the start of the year and a further 50 large scale projects are expected to commence construction throughout 2016. The projects that are currently under construction or that have approval to advance to construction over the coming months together with the devolved additional accommodation projects account for the €450m provision.
The balance of the capital allocation in the school sector will be expended in 2016 on the acquisition of sites, the Summer Works Scheme, the Emergency Works Scheme and other smaller programmes.
288. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the proposed extension to a school (details supplied) which it was hoped would have started construction during the summer holidays; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21234/16]
View answerThe school in question was allocated funding to build a standalone extension to include a mainstream classroom, resource room and WC for assisted users.
The school authority has submitted an application for additional funding and the Building Unit of my Department has sought further information from the school in respect of this application. As soon as this information has been received and reviewed the school will be advised of the outcome without delay.
289. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills when construction of a school (details supplied) will commence and the timeline for the works, given that Kildare County Council has granted planning permission; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21301/16]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Cert and Disability Access Cert and the preparation of Tender Documents.
A decision to grant planning permission for the project was issued by the Local Authority on 4th July 2016. As the Deputy will be aware there is a 4 week period before the final grant of planning permission is received.
The Design Team is currently finalising the applications for the Fire Certificate and Disability Access Certificate for submission to the Local Authority.
Once all statutory approvals are secured the Design Team will complete the Stage 2(b) report for submission to my Department and following review of that report my officials will then revert to the school with regard to the further progression of the project.
It is not possible at this stage to give an indicative timeline for when construction will commence and the duration of the works.
290. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills why a person (details supplied) has been changed to a concessionary school bus ticket when they used to have an eligible one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21305/16]
View answerChanges to the eligibility criteria for my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme were announced in December 2010 by the then Government as part of measures contained in Budget 2011 and derived from recommendations contained in the Value for Money review of the scheme.
However, children who had an eligibility for school transport prior to the introduction of these changes retain this eligibility for the duration of their primary school education provided there is no change in their circumstances.
Bus Éireann, which operates the School Transport Scheme, has confirmed that the child in question was incorrectly categorised as ineligible for school transport.
This error has now been rectified and Bus Éireann will contact the family directly.
291. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of agency and or locum staff hired by his Department for each of the years 2011 to 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21666/16]
View answerMy Department has a contract with the National Council for the Blind of Ireland for the provision of telephonist personnel to operate switchboard services. The tabular statement gives details of the costs in the years requested by the Deputy.
The following tabular statement gives details of the cost of the Department engaging the services of telephonists from the National Council for the Blind for its offices at Dublin and Tullamore.
Department of Education & Skills, Marlborough Street
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2015 |
€47,761.26 |
|
2014 |
€47,853.64 |
|
2013 |
€55,452.24 |
|
2012 |
€61,649.50 |
|
2011 |
€65,225.35 |
Department of Education & Skills, Tullamore
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2012 |
€19,364.46* |
|
2011 |
€45,316.28 |
*The Tullamore contract was terminated on 13 April 2012.
292. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department's website is accessible to persons with a disability; if the accessibility of this website is regularly reviewed to take account of new and emerging technologies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21679/16]
View answerThe Department's website, www.education.ie, was designed to ensure a high level of accessibility to all visitors. The website's design follows international guidelines set out by the W3C (the World Wide Web Consortium). The site aims to comply with Level Double-A standard of the W3C Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0. In addition, a number of Triple-A checkpoints are incorporated to enhance the accessibility of the website.
In 2014, as a measure to assess and review accessibility, a comprehensive accessibility audit of the Department's website was undertaken. The Department will continue to monitor and improve the accessibility of www.education.ie in line with developments and changes in accessibility guidelines, technological advances and general website design best practice.
293. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will issue guidelines to local authorities for the application of social contracts to council capital projects, such as social housing or libraries. [20534/16]
View answer301. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there are any barriers to local authorities including social contracts, similar to those used by central government in Grangegorman or Irish Water in capital projects, such as social housing construction or provision of other local services, such as libraries. [20531/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 293 and 301 together.
Local authorities have scope to include social contracts in social housing or library construction projects, as evidenced by Limerick City and County Council, which has incorporated a social benefit clause, targeting long-term unemployed and youth unemployed, into their framework agreements for contractors. Similarly, Dublin City Council is piloting a Community Benefit Clause in the First Phase of the Dolphin House regeneration project. I understand that Dublin City Council intend to use it also in St. Teresa’s Gardens and will review it when the two schemes are completed.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) is examining social clauses with a view to assessing where they can be deployed to contribute to employment or training opportunities for the long-term unemployed. I am advised that the OGP intends to issue practical guidance to public bodies on social clauses over the coming months, which I will consider in the context of advancing social housing and libraries construction projects.
294. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he can reimburse Co-operative Housing Ireland the cost of heating Merville Court, Fairview, Dublin 3, given that prior to it being taken over by the co-operative, the tenants were part of the rental accommodation scheme, and the cost of the heating was met by Dublin City Council, and recoupable from his Department (details supplied). [21055/16]
View answerThe Rental Accommodation Scheme (RAS) is a targeted scheme catering for the accommodation needs of persons in receipt of Rent Supplement from the Department of Social Protection, generally for more than 18 months, and who are assessed by housing authorities as having a long-term housing need. Under the RAS, the procurement/sourcing of accommodation is the responsibility of the local authority. The cost of the scheme is met largely from Exchequer funding that would otherwise be devoted to Rent Supplement, along with rent contributions from tenants on a similar basis to the local authority differential rent scheme. Under the RAS, my Department recoups to local authorities the contracted rents due to the private landlords, net of tenant contributions. Heating costs are not provided for under the RAS recoupment arrangements.
I understand that Co-operative Housing Ireland (formerly NABCO) acquired the housing units referred to by the Deputy with the assistance of my Department’s Capital Advance Leasing Facility (CALF). The CALF is a loan facility which is exclusively available to Approved Housing Bodies (AHBs) to assist them in accessing private or Housing Finance Agency (HFA) finance for the purchase, construction or refurbishment of units that will then be made available for social housing purposes under long-term Payment and Availability agreements. The cost of the Payment and Availability agreement is recouped to the local authority by my Department under the Social Housing Current Expenditure Programme (SHCEP). These payments are made on a monthly or quarterly basis based on a discount on market rent in the area. Heating costs are not provided for under SHCEP financial arrangements.
295. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the steps he will take to scrap the proposal to create one single library supply tendering consortium, by way of the national library procurement plan for the whole country (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21347/16]
View answerThe provision of public library services is a matter for each local authority in its capacity as a library authority, under the Local Government Act 2001. This includes the procurement of books and other services. My Department does not have a direct role in these matters. Local authorities must adhere to national and EU requirements when undertaking procurement processes. These requirements do not exclude Irish companies from tendering for such contracts.
I understand that the Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) is working with the Educational Procurement Service (EPS) on a collaborative engagement for library category procurement under the new Office of Government Procurement centralised model. A Working Group is currently being established by the LGMA to oversee the process and it will consider the options for the addition of a social inclusion clause as part of the tender preparation.
It is planned to go to tender in the Autumn in order to have a national procurement in place for 2017.
296. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government to reinstate funding to an organisation (details supplied) under the support scheme for national organisations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20471/16]
View answerThe organisation in question submitted an application to Pobal under the Scheme to Support National Organisations in the Community and Voluntary Sector. In total 148 applications were received and assessed by Pobal on behalf of my Department with 70 organisations to receive funding.
The quality of applications was very high, leading to a highly competitive assessment process. I approved 70 organisations for funding, at a total of €16.4 million, well in excess of the indicated amount initially advertised, in an effort to fund as many organisations as possible. There was an extremely high demand for funding under the scheme, and it was clearly indicated that reaching a minimum threshold score of 65% was no guarantee of funding. Having regard to the funding available, 70 organisations were allocated funding, and the minimum score to be awarded funding was 76%. With the substantially increased allocation to the Scheme, there is no scope to award further funding to other organisations.
Pobal is available to engage with the organisation concerned if it requires further information on its application.
297. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if local authorities can invest in capital infrastructure at regional airports; if there are rules or limitations on such investment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20521/16]
View answerThe elected members of a local authority have direct responsibility in law for all reserved functions of the authority, which includes adopting the annual budget and authorising borrowing, and are democratically accountable for all expenditure by the local authority. As such, it is a matter for each local authority to determine its own spending priorities in the context of the annual budgetary process having regard to both locally identified needs and available resources.
Local authority borrowing is subject to the provisions of the Local Government Act 2001; borrowing is a reserved function under Section 106 and requires the sanction of the appropriate Minister. Borrowing proposals must be submitted to the relevant Minister together with a resolution of the local authority members approving the proposed borrowing. All borrowing by local authorities is subject to the overall limits which are set by the Government from time to time in the context of the General Government Balance (GGB). Local authorities are required to maintain balanced revenue and capital accounts within the year to ensure that GGB neutrality is achieved.
I understand from my colleague the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport that the National Aviation Policy welcomes support for regional airports from local interests, be they local authorities or businesses. However, any such decision is solely a matter for the local authorities concerned, within the parameters set out above. As with all expenditure, local authorities must comply with the relevant requirements of the Public Spending Code, which is available at http://publicspendingcode.per.gov.ie/.
