Written Answers Nos. 226-249
226. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the technical assessment of a school building (details supplied) will take place with regard to capital works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5609/17]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has made contact with the school authorities in question in the context of arranging a site visit to the school in the coming weeks.
230. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the proposed closure of a school (details supplied); his views on whether there is huge demographic demand for school places in this area and that, in this respect, the closure of this school is misguided; and the advice he has given to parents of the 230 pupils on the location they will be accommodated following the proposed closure. [5647/17]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Trustees of the private schools in question recently made a formal announcement regarding their decision to close these schools.
These were private schools and therefore the decision to close the schools was a matter for the schools' Trustees and not my Department.
The Trustees have at all times indicated their commitment to the school community. My Department has provided details of alternative schools in the area to the Trustees to assist in facilitating the transition of students to the schools concerned. The enrolment of a child in a school is a matter in the first instance for the parents/guardians of the child and the Board of Management of the school concerned.
My Department had agreed the acquisition of the property and grounds concerned with a view to using it for school purposes to meet demographic demand in the future.
231. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a school (details supplied) was transferred to his Department, the reason his Department did not inform parents of the change in ownership; and the valuation which was put on the school and its buildings by his Department. [5648/17]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Trustees of the private schools in question recently made a formal announcement regarding their decision to close these schools.
These were private schools and therefore the decision to close the school and the communications with the school staff, students and parents in respect of the closure of the schools was a matter for the schools' Trustees and not my Department.
The Trustees have at all times indicated their commitment to the school community. To assist in facilitating the transition of students to alternative schools, my Department has provided details of schools in the area to the Trustees.
With regard to the acquisition of the property by my Department, this was finalised in June 2016. Due to commercial sensitivities I am not in a position to disclose the valuation of the property in question.
232. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has cleared the tender report for a school (details supplied); if a letter of intent has been cleared for issuing to the preferred tenderer; when construction of the new school is likely to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5666/17]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. The School was authorised to issue a Letter of Intent to the preferred tenderer on 17th January 2017. When the completed supplementary tender report is received and considered and assuming that no issues arise my Department will then revert directly to the school regarding progression of the project to construction stage.
238. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the board of management of a primary school (details supplied) in County Sligo will receive a decision on its application for a general purpose room in the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5723/17]
View answerI can confirm that my Department received an application from the school referred to by the Deputy for a GP room.
Due to the competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding towards the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not possible at this point to provide an indicative timeframe for the provision of funding for the GP room in question. The school concerned has been advised of this position.
239. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of work on a building (details suppled); the details of the construction work under way at this location; the reasons for this work; and the expected completion date and proposed use for the building when complete. [5726/17]
View answerAn announcement was made on 12 January, 2016, that a new post-primary school was being established in September, 2016, to operate from the building to which the Deputy refers. The new school is a result of a partnership arrangement between the local Education and Training Board and Educate Together.
A Devolved grant was allocated to the Education and Training Board in question under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2016 to carry out a refurbishment of the building to accommodate the new school. These works were substantially completed last October.
A second, co-located, school on the site will continue to offer Repeat Leaving Certificate and Post-Leaving Certificate Programmes for both male and female students.
240. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 375 of 17 January 2017, if his Department will intervene and ensure that the course is made available to students for the 2017 to 2018 academic year in schools in north and south Leitrim; if he will address the discrepancy which currently exists in County Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5727/17]
View answerThe Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) programme is one of a number of options made available by my Department for Senior Cycle students which schools can choose from, based on the education needs and interests of their students. The LCA is a two-year programme designed for those students who do not wish to proceed directly to higher education or for those whose needs, aptitudes and learning styles are not fully catered for by the other two Leaving Certificate programmes.
It is the responsibility and choice of each individual school to decide to put in place the LCA programme, including the admittance of a student to the programme, in their school and therefore not a matter for my Department to decide. I am aware that the number of schools offering the programme has declined. I have asked that the LCA will form part of the review of Senior Cycle that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) will shortly commence.
242. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the establishment of a special class or specific speech and language impairment, SSLI, unit in which there is a clear demand from the locality for such a class and there is no facility of its kind in north Wexford (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5769/17]
View answerThe policy of my Department is that children with special educational needs should be included, where possible and appropriate, in mainstream school placements with additional supports provided. In circumstances where children with special educational needs require more specialised interventions, special school or special class places are also available.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the establishment of special classes in various geographical areas where a need has been identified. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. Applications meeting the criteria are approved by the NCSE.
The NCSE continues to monitor and review the requirement for special class places in particular areas and has capacity to establish such new special classes where necessary, subject to the willingness of schools to open classes.
The NCSE welcomes expressions of interest from schools in opening special classes to meet the demand for special class provision. In deciding on the location of a special class SENOs take into account both the present and the future potential need for special class provision and they must be satisfied that the special class is sustainable and appropriately located. SENOs liaise with relevant professionals in their area to arrive at an informed decision.
The establishment of a Specific Speech and Language Unit class is contingent on the HSE providing Speech and Language Therapy support for the students in the class.
The NCSE are in the process of determining where any additional special class provision for the 2017/18 school year will be required and SENOs hope to have initial information on where those classes will be required throughout the country by February/March.
The NCSE has informed my officials that if the school in question has a commitment from the Health Service Executive to provide Speech and Language Therapy for the students in the class, the Principal should contact the SENO for her consideration in regard to the need for a SSLI class in the area, the suitability of the school as a location for a special class and sustainability of the class.
247. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that are not providing an oral Irish examination opportunity for junior certificate students. [5860/17]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
249. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of higher diploma in education graduates over the past two years in each of the subject areas of secondary teachers. [5927/17]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not available in my Department. However, the Deputy may be aware that newly qualified teachers must be registered with the Teaching Council in order to teach in recognised schools and have their salaries paid from public funds. The Teaching Council's Register of Teachers has information on the number of newly qualified teachers registered by subject and his question has been forwarded to the Teaching Council for direct reply.
