Written Answers Nos. 163-186
163. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the construction of an autistic unit at a school (details supplied); the proposed timeline for the commencement of its construction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28138/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the school in question has submitted an application for significant additional funding for the project to which he refers. My Department is currently considering the request and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process is completed.
164. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if, further to his letter (details supplied), he will provide an update on the review of the DEIS programme; when the review will be finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28146/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, a process to review DEIS - the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion which began last year is nearing completion and it is my intention to publish a new Action Plan before the end of this year.
The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the range and impact of different elements of the School Support Programme, particularly the scope for increased integration of services provided by other Departments and Agencies, in order to improve effectiveness.
Also under consideration is the development of a new assessment framework using centrally held CSO and DES data for the identification of schools for inclusion in a new programme to tackle educational disadvantage. The number of schools to be included in the programme will be determined by this proposed new identification process which will assess all schools in the country, including those not currently participating in DEIS.
It is envisaged that actions arising from a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion plan will be implemented in the 2017/2018 school year.
165. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills the exact number of decisions overturned by the school transport appeals office in his Department for the academic years 2015-16 and 2016-17, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28154/16]
View answerThe School Transport Appeals Board is independent of my Department.
The Deputy will be aware that the role of the Board is, broadly, to examine appeals against decisions made by, or on behalf of, the Department of Education and Skills regarding the provision of school transport services and/or grant-aid under the terms of the School Transport Schemes.
In 2015 and 2016 no appeals were overturned however, a number of appeals were referred by the Board to my Department's School Transport Section for clarification and/or further consideration arising from additional information which came to light during the appeals process.
The Programme for Government commits to reviewing the criteria and guidelines for the School Transport Appeals Board.
166. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding cut-off levels for SUSI grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28202/16]
View answerThe means test arrangements of the Student Grant Scheme are applied nationally on the same basis to both employed and self-employed applicants. Gross income before the deduction of income tax or universal social charge, is assessed with certain specified social welfare and health service executive payments excluded.
The assessment of income from the same starting point is deemed to be fair and reasonable because this approach eliminates any distortion which might arise from different spending decisions in different households.
The Student Grant Scheme provides for different levels of income thresholds where families have (i) less than 4 dependent children (ii) between 4 and 7 dependent children and (iii) 8 or more dependent children.
In addition to this and in recognition of the additional cost to families where more than one person is attending college, income thresholds may be increased for each additional family member attending college at the same time by a rate up to a maximum of €4,830.
In this way, the Student Grant Scheme is responsive to the individual circumstances of particular families.
The Student Grant Scheme is complemented by the Student Assistance Fund which operates in higher education institutions. 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 and discretionary basis.
167. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the precise cost of the school transport scheme in each of the years 2012 to 2015, inclusive. [28209/16]
View answerThe costs to my Department of school transport provision for the years in question are set out in the following table.
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2012 |
€168,463,923 |
|
2013 |
€170,749,769 |
|
2014 |
€172,080,676 |
|
2015 |
€172,961,930 |
168. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of returning to previous catchment boundaries in the school transport scheme before changes introduced in 2012. [28210/16]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
While it is not possible to provide costings on a reversion of school transport eligibility to the former catchment boundary area system, I can advise that between 2010 and 2014 the changes recommended in the Value for Money Review of the Scheme contributed to a reduction of some €9m in the overall cost of school transport provision.
169. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the State aid complaint made in relation to the school transport service. [28211/16]
View answerBus Éireann operates the school transport scheme on behalf of the Department.
This scheme has been in existence since 1967, and is based on accounting arrangements put in place in 1975.
An investigation was launched by the Commission in 2007 after receiving a complaint that, among other activities, alleged unlawful State aid was being provided to Bus Éireann in respect of school transport services.
The Commission's Decision found that the scheme was existing aid and for this reason was not unlawful at the time the complaint was made. The Commission Decision was not a ruling on the tendering arrangements in place between the Department of Education and Skills and Bus Éireann for the School Transport Scheme.
The Department has commenced an informal dialogue with the Commission in this regard to agree on appropriate measures to ensure that the School Transport Scheme is compatible with the internal market in the future.
170. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if figures are available for repeated or semi-permanent non-use of school transport tickets; and his views on whether this is an issue which needs to be addressed. [28212/16]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
Bus Éireann operates the School Transport Scheme on behalf of my Department and is responsible for the timetabling and routing of services. Seats are allocated and tickets issued up to the maximum seating capacity of a school bus and once the seating capacity is reached, no further tickets can be issued.
On any given school day it is impossible to anticipate the exact number of ticket holders who will travel and absenteeism will sometimes result in a small amount of seats being available on a particular day.
Bus Éireann can monitor services where it appears that seats are not being utilised with a view to confirming the need for these seats. In this regard, if the Deputy wishes to provide details of a particular service, I can request Bus Éireann to review the service usage.
171. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the case of a person (details supplied) seeking a teaching number; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28220/16]
View answerUnder the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015 the Teaching Council is, since 2006, the body with statutory authority and responsibility for the registration of teachers in this State, including the recognition of teaching qualifications.
Applications for registration are considered by the Teaching Council under Section 31 of the Acts and the Teaching Council Registration Regulations 2016.
Once the applicant has furnished a completed registration application form with the supporting documentation and completed the Garda Vetting process, the Teaching Council will either grant registration, grant registration subject to conditions or refuse registration. Section 31(8) of the Acts provides that, where an applicant is unhappy with the outcome he or she may appeal a decision of the Council to the High Court.
The Council is independent in the discharge of its registration functions and my Department has no involvement. Accordingly, any inquiries concerning individual cases should be addressed to the Council.
172. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reflect and deliver on a public duty (details supplied) in its statement of strategy due to be published in October 2016; the way his Department engages with the programme for a partnership Government's commitment to equality and gender proofing in the departmental and budgetary process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28232/16]
View answerEnsuring access to an equitable education and skills system is a driving force throughout my Department's work.
As the Deputy will be aware, last month, I launched the Statement of Strategy/Action Plan for Education. This Action Plan reflects the relevant Programme for Government commitments and also explicitly acknowledges the requirement that public bodies consider human rights and equality issues relevant to them. In preparing the Action Plan, such issues were considered and will be addressed through individual actions set out in the Action Plan for Education.
173. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Malahide and Portmarnock areas of County Dublin, as announced in November 2015; if he has identified locations for these proposed schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28235/16]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers is due to open in 2017 and the patronage process for this school is ongoing at present.
As the Deputy may be aware, the building project for the permanent school building for the new post-primary school to serve the Malahide/Portmarnock school planning areas is included in my Department's current six-year construction programme announced last November and is listed to go to tender and construction in 2019/2021.
My Department is liaising with Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable location for the school. The technical feasibility of an identified site option is currently being comprehensively assessed by my Department in liaison with officials from the Council.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further details at this time. I can, however, assure the Deputy that the site acquisition process for this school is underway and the details of the permanent site location will be made available as soon as it is possible to do so.
174. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new secondary school for the Swords area of County Dublin, as announced in November 2015; if he has identified a location for this proposed school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28236/16]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers is due to open in 2017 and the patronage process for this school is ongoing at present.
As the Deputy may be aware, the building project for the new post-primary school to serve Swords is included in the 6 year construction programme that was announced last November. The project for this school is listed to go to construction in 2019-21.
Officials in my Department have worked closely with officials in Fingal County Council in respect of this and conveyancing is currently underway in respect of a site for the permanent school accommodation.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am unfortunately not in a position to provide further details regarding the permanent location at this time. I can, however, assure the Deputy that the site acquisition process for this school is being advanced by my Department as a priority.
177. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a place on a school bus has not been provided for a person (details supplied). [28266/16]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
Under the terms of my Department's Post-Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest post primary school/education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann has advised that the child in question is eligible for school transport but the family was late in submitting their payment details, at which stage all seats on the buses had been allocated for the 2016/17 school year.
178. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has conducted a particular study on the demographic needs of the east Meath, north Dublin and south Louth region to establish the necessity of new secondary schools; and when it is envisaged that new secondary schools will be required to be provided in the region. [28314/16]
View answerIn identifying the requirement for additional school places, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and at post-primary level.
Following the 2015 demographic analyses, 13 new schools will open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs nationwide, including four primary and nine post-primary schools. Two of these new post-primary schools will serve the North Dublin areas of Malahide/Portmarnock and Swords.
As with other school planning areas nationwide, the demographic data for the areas outlined by the Deputy are being kept under ongoing review by my Department to take account of updated child benefit data and updated enrolment data and also the impact of ongoing and planned capacity increases in these and adjoining school planning areas.
179. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a technical assessment will take place on a school building (details supplied). [28320/16]
View answerMy Department will be in contact with the school referred to by the Deputy shortly in relation to initiating the planning work associated with delivering the proposed major capital project at the school. This will include making plans for a site visit to the school.
180. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28329/16]
View answerBus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes on behalf of my Department. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.
Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 kilometres to travel to a pick-up point. Children are generally expected to make their own way, or to be brought to convenient pick-up points along the main route.
Bus Éireann has advised that eligible children who avail of the service in question have a service within the guidelines of the scheme and the requested extension would involve additional mileage and earlier collection times for other children on the service.
Accordingly, there are no proposals to change the current service.
181. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide transport for young adults attending special services. [28333/16]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2015/16 school year in the region of 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, were transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
I wish to advise the Deputy that Special Schools funded by my Department are intended to cater for children and young persons with special educational needs from 4 years until the end of the school year in which they reach their 18th year.
At that point, the Department of Health/Health Service Executive assumes direct responsibility for young adults with special educational needs who are over 18 years. My Department, at that stage, may allocate resources towards an educational component of such provision.
It is important to note that students who transfer to adult service settings can continue to participate in educational programmes through further adult educational programmes or in adult settings which are allocated resources towards educational provision.
There is no provision within my Department's School Transport Scheme to provide transport for young adults as referred to by the Deputy.
182. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students from this State attending the autism unit in Middletown, County Armagh; the level of services provided at the unit at present; the proposals there are to expand the range of services and increase the number of students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28361/16]
View answerThe Middletown Centre for Autism project is a jointly funded initiative between the Department of Education in Northern Ireland (DE) and the Department of Education and Skills (DES) aimed at supporting the promotion of excellence in the development and harmonisation of education and allied services to children and young people with autistic spectrum disorders.
The Centre provides a comprehensive nationwide training service for parents and educational professionals. Parents can view the range of courses which the Centre has available through the website www.middletownautism.com.
The centre is a second tier service to complement existing provision for children with autism and it provides continuing professional development for schools and teachers and training courses for parents. It also has a research division.
At the request of this Department and as approved by the North South Ministerial Council, the Middletown Centre for Autism (MCA) commenced provision, on a limited pilot basis in the south, of an intensive educational assessment and learning support service to children on an outreach basis (MCA Pilot).
Where children with an ASD experience significant difficulties, the first course of action is engagement with first level services provided by the Department of Education and Skills (National Educational Psychological Service, Special Education Support Service, National Behavioural Support Service, National Council for Special Education) and Health Services Executive (HSE)/HSE funded services.
The nominations and referral process is initiated at school level following a multi-disciplinary school based review involving NEPS, the local SENO and other relevant professionals.
Nominations to the MCA Referral Committee are considered for children where such a review concludes that despite comprehensive interventions and engagement with first-tier services, the child continues to present with significant and enduring behavioural and emotional difficulties. The Centre has provided this service to 24 children and young people to date.
If a parent feels that a child is currently experiencing continuing difficulties they should request through their school a multi-disciplinary school based review involving NEPS, the local SENO and other relevant professionals.
In addition to the learning support and assessment service the centre also provides a training and a research and information service and in 2016-17 will provide 6325 training places for educational professionals and 6500 training places for parents (and siblings) in Ireland. The research service will provide supportive resources for educational professionals and parents.
A joint evaluation of Middletown was undertaken in April 2016 and published on 30 August 2016. The report highlights that the service provided by the Centre in the Republic of Ireland has resulted in significant benefits for pupils, families and schools. Key strengths of the Centre’s involvement relate to the trans-disciplinary nature of the service, and the extent and duration of the Centre’s involvement with pupils’ homes and schools simultaneously.
183. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the changes he will introduce in the provision of training and skills to assist unemployed workers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22543/16]
View answerMy Department will continue to work closely with the Department of Social Protection on the implementation of Pathways To Work 2016 -2020.
The Further Education and Training (FET) sector has undergone major structural and policy changes over the last number of years, with the purpose of ensuring that we have a FET sector that is flexible and responsive to the needs of learners and industry alike. The FET Strategy 2014-2019, underpinning reform of the sector, contains over 50 individual actions that are tracked through a detailed implementation plan around five key goals, and includes the action to support active inclusion of all. Under the strategy, a new planning and funding model has been established, so that provision is planned on a strategic basis to meet the needs of learners and employers in each ETB region and is published in the annual FET Services Plan. Intreo offices provide an important input into the annual service planning process and specific revised protocols are being put in place between ETBs and INTREO offices to foster closer collaboration and engagement and to support better client matching to education and training provision.
The National Skills Strategy (NSS) which was published earlier this year sets out a framework to ensure that every citizen has all the skills needed to succeed in life. The strategy, which contains over 120 actions, provides for the establishment of the National Skills Council and supports a strong collective focus on skills provision at regional level through the work of the new Regional Skills Fora.
184. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the schools in County Donegal which are currently included and not included respectively in the DEIS programme, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28441/16]
View answerThere are 202 mainstream schools in Co. Donegal. Of the 826 schools nationwide included in DEIS, 100 of those are in Co. Donegal.
A list of all of the schools in the country, including an indicator of their DEIS status, is available on my Department's website at the following link:
http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Statistics/Data-on-Individual-Schools/Data-on-Individual-Schools.html.
185. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to expand the ISL programme in secondary schools currently available to those in the junior cycle to encourage an increase in the take-up of the use of Irish Sign Language. [28512/16]
View answerIrish Sign Language (ISL) has recently been introduced as a short course for Junior Cycle on a pilot basis. My Department will monitor the demand for and take-up of this course in Junior Cycle. There are no plans at present to expand ISL into the Leaving Certificate Established programme. However, there are four modules on Sign Language available as part of the Leaving Certificate Applied Programme. The syllabus is available at http://www.pdst.ie/sites/default/files/Sign%20Language.pdf.
186. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the options available to a school to apply for funding to insulate an old section of a school that is in need of urgent upgrading; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28522/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that funding for the works outlined are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme (SWS). The purpose of the SWS is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake small and medium scale improvement works that will upgrade existing school facilities, which can be carried out during the summer months or at other times that avoid disrupting the operation of the school. The scheme is designed to address necessary and immediate works within the funding available.
Where a school did not apply under SWS 2016 and 2017, it will be open to the school, if it so decides, to make an application under a future scheme. Alternatively, a school may use its minor works grant to carry out the works in full or on a phased basis as that grant permits, if the school considers it to be a priority.
