Written Answers Nos. 263-275
263. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the action he will take to address the disparity in school costs which exist from school to school here and the inequality faced by parents by providing funding for a free primary education system as costed by a charity (details supplied). [34897/16]
View answerI am aware of the report referred to by the Deputy.
I strongly support any measures that can be put in place to reduce costs for parents.
All schools must be sensitive to the financial pressures on parents in making decisions, not just about school uniforms or books, but about any matter that has cost implications for parents.
The Action Plan for Education outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented over the 3 year period 2016 to 2019. Some of the actions as part of the plan are to strengthen the focus on reducing school costs for parents by:
- restoring capitation funding over a three-year period as resources permit
- Increasing the financial support for book rental schemes, in order to reduce or eliminate school book costs for parents
- Issuing a new circular to school authorities and ETBs regarding school uniform policy and other costs and the need to put a greater emphasis on reducing the cost of school uniforms and other costs.
Budget 2017 represents the start of a major programme of reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade.
It was not possible to provide additional funding in Budget 2017 in relation to this element of the Action Plan due to the many competing demands for the available funding. However, this commitment remains a priority for me to address as soon as possible during the lifetime of the Action Plan. It is important to note that the total allocation to this Department for additional policy measures, after demographics and Industrial Relations commitments, was €130 million and of which all our commitments in higher and further education and primary and secondary schools had to be funded.
My Department’s position in relation to voluntary contributions is that they are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay. I have no plans to alter this position so long as schools ensure that the contributions are sought in a manner that makes this clear to all concerned.
Separately, the Deputy will be aware that the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, which was published on 6th July 2016, contains a provision prohibiting the charging of fees or seeking payment or contributions for an application for admission to a school or for the enrolment or continued enrolment of a student in a school.
I also intend to introduce a stronger complaints procedure and a charter for parents. It is important that schools should consult parents on matters relating to their children's education, including those matters which have cost implications, and schools should be responsive to the views and concerns of parents. In that regard requiring schools to have a parent charter will ensure that schools will interact better with parent associations and with individual parents.
I plan to make an announcement shortly on draft legislation that will replace Section 28 of the Education Act, 1998 and require every school to publish and operate a Parent and Student Charter in accordance with national guidelines. These guidelines will be published after consultation with the education partners.
I believe that these actions will significantly strengthen the focus on reducing school costs for parents.
265. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make the necessary funding available to a school (details supplied) to carry out construction works for bus and car parking facilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34910/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of a Category 10 application for external environment works, under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) (2016-2017) from the school to which he refers. 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 application from the school in question is available to be considered in this context.
266. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is any form of funding available to assist a programme (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34914/16]
View answerThe main support available to students is the statutory based Student Grants Scheme. To qualify for grant support, a student has to meet various criteria such as means, residency, nationality and progression.
Article 15 of the Student Grant Scheme 2016 states that where a student is required as part of an approved undergraduate or postgraduate course to attend a higher education institution outside the State for a period of up to one year, a maintenance grant may continue to be paid where the period abroad does not extend the normal duration of the approved course. Furthermore, 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 his/her course, as long as the off-campus placement does not extend the normal duration of the course.
267. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of young persons under 25 years of age who commenced a VTOS course in 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34929/16]
View answer268. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current number of young persons under 25 years of age on a VTOS course; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34930/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 267 and 268 together
I am advised by SOLAS that the number of young persons aged under 25 who enrolled on VTOS courses in 2015 was 827. The scheme was introduced in 1989 and was designed specifically to provide for the needs of those who are long-term unemployed with minimal or no qualifications to facilitate their return to education and training. An evaluation of the VTOS programme will commence in 2017 as part of the series of programme evaluations set out the Further Education and Training Strategy 2014-2019.
269. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the new training rates of €193 per week for young persons under 26 years of age announced in budget 2017 will commence and be paid to recipients; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34931/16]
View answer270. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the new training rates of €193 per week for young persons under 26 years of age will apply to all persons on the various training programmes, irrespective of when they commenced the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34932/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 269 and 270 together.
The training allowances, funded by my Department through SOLAS, paid to participants on Further Education and Training courses are based on Department of Social Protection payment rates. The increase to €193 per week for jobseekers aged under 26, announced in Budget 2017, will be paid from September 2017 to all eligible participants on Further Education and Training courses in line with the Department of Social Protection Back to Education Allowance increase.
Participants means are taken into account in deciding the level of payment to those in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance and this will also apply to participants on Further Education and Training courses.
271. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department is issuing minor work grants to primary schools in 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35119/16]
View answerMy 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.
272. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria to be eligible for grant funding under the SUSI application based on stamp 4 on a student's GNIB card; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35137/16]
View answerUnder the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding including those which relate to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means. The nationality requirements for the student grant scheme are set out in section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011 and regulation 5 of the Student Support Regulations 2016. To qualify for a student grant, it is the candidate's nationality or his/her immigration status in the State that determines whether or not he/she meets the nationality requirement outlined in the Act and Regulations. Possession of a 'stamp 4' does not automatically satisfy the nationality requirement of the student grant legislation.
The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform adjudicates on a person's entitlement to remain in the State and on the stamp that is awarded where permission to remain is sanctioned. I understand a 'stamp 4' can be awarded to categories of applicants other than those specified in the Student Support Act and the Student Support Regulations.
Article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme 2016 provides for a review of eligibility for the award of a grant in the event of a change of circumstances in the academic year, including a change in relation to a student's nationality or immigration status. Where a student acquires Irish citizenship by naturalisation, or is granted one of the permission to remain criterion provided for in the Act or Regulations during the course of their studies, he/she may apply to SUSI to have his/her application re-assessed.
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 his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
273. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make funding available to a school (details supplied) to allow it to install a lift, a ramp, a wheelchair-friendly entrance and an additional wheelchair-friendly toilet in order that the college can be easily accessed by the disabled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35140/16]
View answerMy Department's Planning and Building Unit has no record of receiving an application for funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. If such an application is received it will be fully considered and a decision will issue directly to the school authority.
274. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of whole-time equivalent special needs assistants and resource teachers employed in schools in the years 2004, 2008, 2012 and 2016 respectively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35160/16]
View answerThe provision for children with Special Educational Needs has been prioritised in recent years, despite the enormous pressures on all public spending.
Funding for special education provision in 2016 will amount to some €1.5 billion, which is equivalent to approximately 17% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training; an increase of 10% in the past two years.
This funding provides for a range of supports and services to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education and has ensured that the number of resource teachers and SNAs being allocated to schools has risen very significantly in recent years.
In 2004 there were 5,869 SNA posts allocated to schools, 10,442 posts at the end of 2008, and 10,487 posts in 2012. 12,900 SNA posts are currently available to the NCSE to allocate to schools to the end of 2016, of which 12,838 SNA posts are currently allocated to schools.
The number of resource teaching posts allocated to schools annually by the NCSE has also increased significantly in recent years. In 2004, surplus allocations in schools were used to provide for resource teaching allocations. Only where no surplus existed in schools was additional provision made. A figure for the number of resource teacher posts allocated to schools in 2004 is therefore not available. In 2008, approximately 4800 resource teacher posts were allocated to schools by the NCSE, while in 2012, 5265 posts were allocated. For the 2016/17 school year, 7452 resource teacher posts are available to the NCSE to allocate to schools, of which 7430 posts are currently allocated.
We now have the highest level of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support and Resource Teaching allocations which we have ever has and which will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs.
275. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he expects the review of DEIS to be completed; if consideration is being given to incorporating new programmes, either on a pilot or mainstream basis, that have been shown to be effective for children who come from disadvantaged backgrounds; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35162/16]
View answerIt is my intention to publish a new Action Plan for Educational Inclusion before the end of this year.
A process to review the DEIS Programme which began last year is now nearing completion. The review is looking at all aspects of DEIS, including the range and impact of different elements of the DEIS School Support Programme, the potential for innovation within and between schools and its scope for increased integration of services provided by other Departments and Agencies, in order to improve effectiveness.
Among the measures to be included in the plan are a series of pilot schemes aimed at introducing measures which have been shown to work well in improving results for disadvantaged children and students. The plan is expected to include targeted initiatives in the areas of:
- School leadership
- School networks and clusters
- Teaching methodologies
- Integration of schools and other State supports within communities
- Greater use of Home School Community Liaison services
Implementation of actions arising from the Action Plan for Educational Inclusion will begin in the 2017/18 school year, and will be a continuing theme in our wider Annual Action Plan for Education.
Further information on the DEIS Review process is available on my Department’s website at http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Review-Process-Information-Note.pdf.
