John Lahart
Question:209. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the stage his plans are at for a post-primary school for the Citywest and Saggart areas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34490/16]
View answerSchools Building Projects Status
Questions (209)
Written answers
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 analyses to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
For school planning purposes, Citywest falls within the Tallaght school planning area. There are currently six post-primary schools in this area serving the 20 primary schools. Among the six post-primary schools is a new school which opened in September 2016 in the Kingswood area of Tallaght. This is a multi-denominational school under the patronage of Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board and when fully developed it will provide 1,000 student places.
With regard to the Saggart area, for school planning purposes this falls within the Rathcoole/Saggart school planning area. There is currently one post-primary school in this area serving the four primary schools. A building project for the post-primary school is included on my Department's Six Year Capital Investment Programme 2016-2021 and is listed to proceed to construction during 2016.
Among the new schools announced to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs, is a new post-primary school under the patronage of Educate Together which will open in 2018 in the Firhouse/Oldbawn school planning area, which is adjacent to the Tallaght school planning area. When fully developed, this school will provide 1,000 pupil places, supplementing provision in the greater area.
As with all school planning areas nationwide, the demographic data for the Tallaght and Rathcoole/Saggart school planning areas is being kept under review by my Department to take account of updated enrolment data and capacity increases in these and adjoining school planning areas.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (210)
Darragh O'Brien
Question:210. 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. [34504/16]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is aware the building project for the new post primary school to serve Malahide/Portmarnock is included in the 6 year construction programme that was announced last November and is listed to go to construction in 2019-21.
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 a suitable location for the school.
The technical feasibility of an identified site option is currently being comprehensively assessed by officials from 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.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (211)
Darragh O'Brien
Question:211. 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 locations for this proposed school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34505/16]
View answerWritten answers
As the Deputy is 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 and 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 the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for this project. Conveyancing is currently under way in respect of a site identified for the school.
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. However, the patron of the school, Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB, will be informed of the location as soon as it is possible to do so.
Minor Works Scheme
Questions (212, 264)
David Cullinane
Question:212. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the minor works grant for a school (details supplied) is due to be paid in November 2016; if his attention has been drawn to the concern the uncertainty is causing in relation to the staff, students and parents of the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34511/16]
View answer
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:264. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a minor works grant (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34898/16]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 264 together.
My Department is currently determining the likely end-year position on capital expenditure 2016 and I expect to be able to make an announcement regarding the Minor Works Grant 2016/2017, including the school referred to by the deputy, before the end of the week.
Library Services Funding
Questions (213)
Brendan Griffin
Question:213. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter regarding funding for a new library (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34550/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Department of Education and Skills has been made aware of the challenges faced by the third level institution in question with respect to its current library facilities.
There are many competing demands on the limited capital budget for higher education and the library development proposal will be considered within the context of competing demands. I am not in a position to commit to a funding allocation at this point.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (214)
Pat Buckley
Question:214. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to build a new school at a location (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34557/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Department sought to purchase a site near Ballinacurra, to accommodate new primary school provision for the Midleton area. However, as planning permission was not obtained for the site in question alternative arrangements have since been made for the provision of the schools concerned.
Third Level Staff
Questions (215)
Louise O'Reilly
Question:215. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Question No. 66 of 3 November 2016, whereby in Irish universities some staff receive permanency whereas others, mainly non-academic staff, have recourse to only one-, two- and three-year fixed-term contracts; the number of these staff that have had permanent and pensionable contracts provided to them since 2009; the years in which they were provided; the relative grades; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34566/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Report of the Chair of the Expert Group on Fixed Term and Part-Time issues in Lecturing in Ireland was published in July 2016 and the Report contains a number of recommendations that will assist in addressing concerns raised about the level of part-time and fixed-term employment in lecturing in the third level sector. My Department has issued directions to the sector to implement the recommendations contained in the report in accordance with the terms of the Lansdowne Road Agreement and it is my understanding that the institutions are doing so.
Under the Universities Act 1997, universities in Ireland are autonomous institutions and therefore have responsibility for the day to day management of their own affairs, including issues relating to the awarding of permanent and fixed-term contracts. My Department does not hold or collect data in relation to the number of staff who have had permanent and pensionable contracts provided to them since 2009; the years in which they were provided or the relative grades.
Student Grant Scheme Eligibility
Questions (216)
Michael Healy-Rae
Question:216. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding the criteria for SUSI grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34587/16]
View answerWritten answers
Very significant numbers of third-level students move out of home to go to college and continue to be supported by their parents while in full-time education. Confirmation that a student is living separately from his/her parents is, of itself, not sufficient to establish independent status. When considering whether a student meets the conditions to be assessed independently of his or her parents, grant awarding authorities are obliged to satisfy themselves beyond doubt, that an acceptable degree of proof of independent living in the relevant period has been submitted by the grant applicant.
The onus is on the grant applicant to provide the necessary documentary evidence as requested by the relevant grant awarding authority. In this regard, a grant awarding authority will seek to assist students in identifying relevant documentation.
If a student considers that he/she has been unjustly refused a student grant or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, he/she may appeal in the first instance to SUSI.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in their case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
Industrial Disputes
Questions (217)
Róisín Shortall
Question:217. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if non-union teachers on short-term contracts who are available for work will be paid by his Department for the period their schools are closed due to industrial action; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34601/16]
View answerWritten answers
Circular letter 0070-2016, issued by my Department sets out the procedures to be followed by schools in respect of the one day work stoppages. It is a matter for the management of each school to make appropriate arrangements to record the attendance or absence of all Department-paid teaching and non-teaching staff employed by the school.
Circular letter 0071-2016 sets out the procedures to be followed by schools where they closed as a result of the withdrawal from S&S duties by ASTI members on Monday 7 November 2016. Where schools were closed to students as a result of the withdrawal from S&S duties by ASTI members, those teachers who completed and returned the form in the appendix to circular 0071/2016 will be paid as normal for the closure. Absences by teachers for authorised leave should again be recorded by school management in the normal way. Those teachers who did not submit a completed form under circular letter 0071/2016 will not be paid for the closure.
In general, it would be expected that non-union teachers would have completed the form marking themselves as available for all duties and therefore would be paid for the days in question.
Minor Works Scheme Applications
Questions (218, 223, 259)
Peter Fitzpatrick
Question:218. Deputy Peter Fitzpatrick asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works scheme grant will be issued to primary schools for 2016-2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34630/16]
View answer
Fiona O'Loughlin
Question:223. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the list of schools in south Kildare receiving the minor works grant will be notified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34643/16]
View answer
Carol Nolan
Question:259. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when payments will be made under the minor works scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34804/16]
View answerWritten answers
I propose to take Questions Nos. 218, 223 and 259 together.
My Department is currently determining the likely end-year position on capital expenditure 2016 and I expect to be able to make an announcement regarding the Minor Works Grant 2016/2017 before the end of the week.
Departmental Funding
Questions (219)
John Deasy
Question:219. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the capital funding his Department has allocated to projects in County Waterford at primary, post-primary and third levels in the past three years. [34631/16]
View answerWritten answers
The total capital funding spent on projects in County Waterford at primary, post-primary and third level in the past three years is in the following table.
|
Year |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
TOTAL |
|
Primary |
€12,342,575 |
€11,011,239 |
€6,716,983 |
€30,070,797 |
|
Post Primary |
€1,429,390 |
€1,590,771 |
€1,327,720 |
€4,347,881 |
|
Third Level |
€0.00 |
€900,000 |
€5,147,959 |
€6,047,959 |
|
€40,466,637 |
School Accommodation Provision
Questions (220)
John Deasy
Question:220. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of future student accommodation to meet requirements at a school (details supplied); and when he envisages a school extension will be approved. [34632/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy will be aware that my Department has conveyed approval to the school in question for additional accommodation to cater for increasing enrolments.
My Department is currently liaising with the National Development and Finance Agency (NDFA) in order to advance the provision of this additional accommodation. At present, various design options for the additional accommodation are being considered as part of the design process. The school authority is being kept informed of developments.
Education Data
Questions (221)
Thomas Pringle
Question:221. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if current statistics on the ethnic and religious diversity in primary schools are available; if so, if he will release the statistics for the school year 2015-16; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34641/16]
View answerWritten answers
The National School Annual Census is the definitive source of statistics on primary pupils up to and including the 2015/2016 academic year. The Census does not contain information on ethnic or cultural background or on religion. The Primary Online Database (POD) which replaces the National School Annual Census as the definitive source of statistics from the 2016/2017 academic year onwards contains this information. Data from POD for the 2015/2016 academic year (which will be indicative only) are in process of being edited at present and will be made available early in 2017.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (222)
Peadar Tóibín
Question:222. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) is in a poor state of repair and entirely unsuited to the children’s needs; and if he will bring forward the construction of a new school which is currently scheduled for 2019. [34642/16]
View answerWritten answers
The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme .My Department is aware of the school's accommodation needs and will be liaising with the school in due course in the context of progressing the project into the architectural planning process.