Thursday, 29 Jun 2017

Written Answers Nos. 114-133

Bullying in the Workplace

Questions (114)

Niall Collins

Question:

114. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied that anti-bullying policies are in place in his Department and in each State body and agency under his aegis; if such polices are being implemented effectively; the amount paid in compensation for bullying claims in each of the past five years in his Department and in each State body and agency under his aegis in tabular form; the action which has been taken to ensure such cases do not arise in future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30756/17]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

In response to the Deputy’s question, my Department and the bodies under its aegis have anti-bullying policies in place in accordance with the Civil Service Dignity at Work policy.

My Department is committed to promoting respect, dignity, safety and equality in our workplace. The Dignity at Work policy is accessible to all staff and provides awareness regarding the steps which individuals may take if they believe that they have been bullied, harassed or sexually harassed. The policies and procedures are subject to regular review to ensure best practice continues to be adhered to and to safeguard against such cases arising in the future.

No payments have been made in the past five years in compensation for bullying claims.

The Office of Public Works have made payments totalling €4,100 over the last five years to compensate individuals for delays in the processing of complaints under the anti-bullying policy “A Positive Working Environment”.

Capital Expenditure Programme

Questions (115)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

115. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the progress with regard to the core principles of the confidence and supply agreement to increase capital investment in transport, broadband, education, health and flood defences, respectively, following the mid-term review of the capital plan which is expected in mid-2017. [30770/17]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

This Government is strongly committed to increasing public funding for capital investment in Ireland over the next four years and beyond in order to meet key infrastructural requirements in areas such as transport, broadband, education, health and flood defences.

The Programme for a Partnership Government committed to additional capital investment over the period of the Capital Plan to 2021, to be allocated on the basis of the outcome of the ongoing review of the Capital Plan. 

In this context, in the Summer Economic Statement 2016 the Government committed to an additional €5.14 billion Exchequer capital investment over the period 2017-2021. Following the decision to commit €2.2 billion of this amount in support of the Government's Action Plan on Housing and Homelessness, and other public capital commitments made in Estimates  2017, there is approximately €2.6bn in uncommitted additional capital funding over the period 2018 to 2021 which will be allocated following the completion of the review of the Capital Plan.

As part of the capital review submissions were received from Departments and a public consultation has also taken place. Analysis being carried out as part of the review includes an infrastructure capacity and demand analysis which will help inform decisions by Government in the context of Budget 2018 on the required levels of investment for the provision of critical infrastructure across the different sectors of the economy.

I expect that the approach I have set out in relation to the review of the Capital Plan will help ensure that our national public infrastructure is maintained and enhanced over the remaining period of the Capital Plan to 2021, and beyond. 

As set out in the Estimates 2017, it is projected that Exchequer capital expenditure will increase by almost 75% between 2016 and 2021.  The Government is therefore ensuring that our continued strong economic performance is reflected in increased capital expenditure over the coming period.

Skills Development

Questions (116)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

116. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which his Department continues to monitor the industrial sector with a view to ensuring regular ongoing upskilling sufficient to ensure the ability of the industrial sector to compete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30676/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The National Skills Strategy, published in 2016, sets out a vision for the period to 2025 of how Ireland can continue to develop relevant skills across all sectors, including the industrial sector, and ensure that our supply of skills is activated and effectively used in order to help drive Ireland’s growth both economically and societally over the next decade.  The Strategy, which was developed in close consultation with employers, provides the policy framework in which the education system responds to skills needs.

A new National Skills Council has been established to advise on the prioritisation and delivery of skills needs across the economy, together with nine Regional Skills Fora to help employers maximise the opportunities available from regional and local skills pools. The National Skills Council oversees research from a number of sources including, the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit in SOLAS and the Regional Skills Fora.

The Apprenticeship Council continues to develop a wide range of new apprenticeships to meet skills needs in the economy. The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship, the first of the new programmes developed through the Apprenticeship Council’s first call for proposals, launched in September 2016 and an Industrial Engineer Apprenticeship commenced in November 2016.  13 further new apprenticeships are due to launch later this year in various sectors. Additional programmes have been also put in place to address specific skills needs across a number of sectors, through the Springboard+ programme and the ICT skills initiatives.

Apprenticeship Programmes

Questions (117)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

117. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which he and his Department continue to liaise with other Departments with a view to increasing the number of apprentices available or likely to become available in the coming years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30677/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

The Programme for Government commits to providing 31,000 apprenticeship places by 2020. Building on this commitment, the Action Plan for Education states that we will enrol 50,000 people on apprenticeship and traineeship programmes in the period to 2020. This represents a near doubling of current activity. 

In January this year, I published the Action Plan to Expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship 2016-2020 which sets out a series of detailed actions and annual targets on how the commitments set out in both the Programme for Government and the Action Plan for Education will be met. The plan sets out a clear 10 step critical path for the development of an apprenticeship and also sets an overall timeline of 12-15 months.  My Department, its agencies and the Apprenticeship Council are working in close collaboration with the combined aim of delivering these targets.

A second call for proposals, a key action in the plan, opened on the 4 May with a deadline of 1 September for submission of proposals to develop new apprenticeships.

As the deputy is aware, the Apprenticeship Council is currently overseeing the expansion of the apprenticeship system into a range of new sectors of the economy. Following its first call for proposals in 2015, the Apprenticeship Council has been working closely with consortia to develop their proposals into sustainable apprenticeships. Last year we saw the first of these new programmes with the Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship launching in September and the Industrial Electrical Engineer Apprenticeship getting underway in November.

Earlier this month a further three new apprenticeships commenced, with the launch of apprenticeships in the occupations of Manufacturing Engineer and Manufacturing Technician in the medical device area and Processing Technologist in the polymer manufacturing area.  Subject to successful validation, ten further new programmes are scheduled to commence in 2017, in various occupations including Commis Chef, Accounting Technician, Software Developer and Network Engineer and roles in the international financial services sector.

School Transport Applications

Questions (118)

Seán Sherlock

Question:

118. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the application for school transport on medical grounds by a person (details supplied) in County Cork. [30558/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

School transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.

Currently almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 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 School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs children are eligible for school transport where they:

- have special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability in accordance with the designation of high and low incidence disability set out in Department of Education and Skills (DES) Circular 02/05 and

- are attending the nearest recognised: mainstream school, special class/special school or a unit, that is or can be resourced, to meet their special educational needs.

The child in question is not eligible for school transport under this Scheme as she does not meet the above criteria.

Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only which is subject to a number of conditions that are detailed in the Scheme.

The family should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office (Tel. No. 021 - 4557137) if they wish to obtain further information regarding the availability of concessionary transport.

The terms of the scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.

Student Support Schemes

Questions (119)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

119. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if further funds are available from his Department or the EU to assist a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30564/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The 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.

A student who is attending an undergraduate course in Scotland or another EU Member State can apply for a maintenance grant in respect of an approved course which is being pursued in an approved institution.

Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners at www.revenue.ie.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (120)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

120. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) has not been granted a full-time SNA when they enter secondary school; and the avenues open to their parents to seek a review of the decision. [30576/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are provided to assist recognised schools to cater for pupils with disabilities, who have additional and significant care needs, in an educational context and where the nature of these care needs have been outlined in medical and other professional reports as being so significant that a pupil will require additional adult assistance in order to be able to attend school and to participate in education. 

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school. 

The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie, in order that students who have care needs can access SNA support as and when it is needed.  My Department’s policy is to ensure that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support. 

Circular 0030/2014 explains that transition to Post Primary school should be recognised as a critical time for a student with special educational needs.  The Circular sets out that a key goal of SNA support is to help children to develop their independent living skills, and that continued and ongoing access to SNA support is generally not desirable for post-primary students, unless essential, as it can impede their independence and socialisation needs at an important developmental stage of their life.

Accordingly, whereas SNA support will be provided to post primary schools when required, only pupils with chronic and serious care needs will normally be allocated SNA support in post primary schools. In considering applications for SNA support from post primary schools the NCSE will take into account the importance of the requirement to allocate necessary care supports with the right of a child to acquire personal independence skills.

All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2017/18 school year by 6th April 2017. The NCSE continues to process applications for access to SNA support which are received after the April deadline. Such applications will be processed in the order in which the applications are received.  Schools will be advised shortly of their SNA allocations for the 2017/18 school year.

Where a school or parent wishes to appeal the SNA support allocation which has been made to them, they may do so through the NCSE appeal process, details of which are set out at www.ncse.ie.

All schools have the contact details of their local SENO and parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Questions (121)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

121. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the basis for reducing SNA hours in a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30583/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are provided to assist recognised schools to cater for pupils with disabilities, who have additional and significant care needs, in an educational context and where the nature of these care needs have been outlined in medical and other professional reports as being so significant that a pupil will require additional adult assistance in order to be able to attend school and to participate in education.

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.

The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie, in order that students who have care needs can access SNA support as and when it is needed. My Department’s policy is to ensure that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support.

SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools, as a school based resource. The level of SNA support allocated to schools can change from year to year, as students with care needs leave the school, as new students with care needs enrol, or as students develop more independent living skills as they get older and their care needs diminish over time.

All schools were asked to apply for SNA support for the 2017/18 school year by 6th April 2017. The NCSE continues to process applications for access to SNA support which are received after the April deadline. Such applications will be processed in the order in which the applications are received. Schools will be advised shortly of their SNA allocations for the 2017/18 school year.

Where a school wishes to appeal the SNA support allocation which has been made to them, they may do so through the NCSE appeal process, details of which are set out at www.ncse.ie.

All schools have the contact details of their local SENO and parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

School Accommodation

Questions (122)

Kevin O'Keeffe

Question:

122. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department received an application by a school (details supplied); and if he will expedite same. [30591/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is not in receipt of a recent application from the school referred to in respect of its accommodation needs.

It is open to any school to submit an application to my Department if they have identified a deficit of classroom accommodation to meet increasing enrolments or to accommodate an additional teacher appointment. Application forms can be accessed on my Department's website www.education.ie.

Third Level Charges

Questions (123)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

123. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reduce the student contribution charge in third level education; his views on an organisation's (details supplied) call for the charge to be reduced by a minimum of €250; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30595/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Based on the number of students that qualified for free fees funding in the academic year 2014/15, and taking into account overall expected increases in student numbers, it is estimated that the net cost to my Department of reducing the Student Contribution by €250 would be €17m. This figures takes into account the resulting reduction to my Department's Student Grant Scheme budget.

While the student contribution now stands at €3,000, it is important to recognise that the state pays this contribution (or part of it) on behalf of almost 50% of undergraduate students. Tax relief provisions are also available so that second and subsequent siblings do not have to bear the full cost. In addition, higher education institutions have provisions in place to allow students to pay the contribution in two moieties. 

With regard to future investment in the higher education sector, the report of the Expert Group on the Future Funding of Higher Education is currently being examined by the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Skills with a view to making recommendations on a long-term sustainable funding model for higher education. 

I have also taken immediate steps to increase funding for higher education with increased Exchequer funding of €36.5 million secured in Budget 2017 for the higher education sector, the first such increase in nine years.

Teacher Training Provision

Questions (124)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

124. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will restore the grant for student teachers' attendance at Gaeltacht courses in order to improve the access to teacher training; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30596/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The decision to stop the Gaeltacht placement grants was taken during the economic crisis when, unfortunately, very difficult decisions had to be made to stabilise the nation's finances. Priority was given to protecting resources for front line education services as far as possible, which remains particularly challenging with rising numbers of school-going children.

The Deputy should note that, to assist with the costs of the Gaeltacht placement, students who are in receipt of a student grant which includes a 100% fee grant, or who would have qualified for a full fee grant but for the Free Fees Scheme, can apply for funding towards travel and accommodation costs under the field trip element of a fee grant, subject to the normal terms and conditions of the student grant scheme.

Apart from this, in circumstances of particular need, students may apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. Information in relation to this fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended.

Apprenticeship Programmes

Questions (125)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

125. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the decision in budget 2014 to impose a pro rata student contribution in view of the programme for Government commitment to increasing apprenticeships; if he will remove apprenticeship fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30597/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Since 2004, FÁS/SOLAS paid a part of the Annual Student Contribution (ASC) due in respect of apprentices, with apprentices themselves paying the part of the contribution relating to examination fees. As part of Budget 2014, SOLAS have ceased making payments to Institutes of Technology (IoTs) and apprentices pay the full pro rata Annual Student Contribution.  These arrangements mean that apprentices are treated the same, on a pro rata basis for the proportion of a full academic year they spend in IoTs, as full time students in terms of the annual student contribution.  Typically an apprenticeship block is one third of an academic year, meaning that most apprentices pay €1,000 (one third of the full ASC of €3,000) as their ASC for that period.

However, unlike full time students, apprentices are paid a training allowance by SOLAS for phases of their training spent in IoTs. This allowance ranges from €293 to €647 per week depending on the trade and phase of the apprenticeship programme. This is the equivalent to their net take-home pay on the job, and is not subject to tax or PRSI. Such allowances are not available to students in the IoTs. 

Student Support Schemes

Questions (126)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

126. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make supports which are available to full-time students, such as the fund for students with disabilities, the student assistance fund and the maintenance grant, available to part-time students and students in further education. [30598/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills (Deputy John Halligan)

The National Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education 2015-19 contains more than 30 actions that are intended to make higher education more representative of wider society. One of five goals in the plan is to assess the impact of current initiatives to support equity of access in Higher Education Institutions. These include the Fund for Students with Disabilities (FSD) and the Student Assistance Fund (SAF), both of which are managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of my Department.

Reviews of the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities were commissioned by the HEA. The Review of the Student Assistance Fund was published in September 2016. The recommendations in the Review are being implemented by the HEA in consultation with the DES. A Steering Group has been set up to support this process. The review of the Fund for Students with Disabilities is due to be published shortly.

The potential for reviewing options for existing access funding initiatives to part-time studies in higher education could only be considered in the context of the overall priorities and financial resources for access to higher education, and in the wider higher education funding context.

An additional €8.5million was announced in Budget 2017 for access measures to promote participation by under-represented groups in higher education.

- Measures to encourage HEIs to engage directly with disadvantaged communities in order to attract more disadvantaged students (€2.5)

- Reinstatement of maintenance grants for the most disadvantaged postgraduate students (€4m)

- Measures to facilitate more lone parents to access higher education (€1m)

- A new 1916 bursary scheme (€1m).

Post graduate grants have been re-introduced in the Student Grant Scheme for the 2017/18 academic year for the most disadvantaged students.

Both the Fund for Students with Disabilities and Student grants are available to students attending full-time post-leaving certificate courses in the Further Education Sector. There are no plans to extend the Student Assistance fund to the Further Education sector.

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Questions (127)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

127. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will increase the income threshold for eligibility for the SUSI grant. [30599/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The 2017 scheme and regulations were published in late March. The 2017 scheme includes an amendment to the income threshold for the special rate of grant which has increased from €22,703 to €23,000. This change reflects the recent budget increases to the Old Age Contributory Pension and ensures that qualifying families dependent on welfare, will continue to qualify for the highest grant support possible.

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 2017, the highest income threshold for a family of less than 4 dependent children, is €54,240. 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 by a further €4,980 for each additional family member attending college at the same time.

The income thresholds and rates of maintenance grant under the Student Grant Scheme are announced annually as part of the Budget process. No changes to the rates or thresholds were included in Budget 2017. However, in line with the Programme for Government commitment, provision was made to reintroduce maintenance grants for the most disadvantaged postgraduate students.

I am also reintroducing, from September 2017, the maintenance grant for postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant.

The highest income threshold, for a family of less than 4 dependent children, is €54,240. This will qualify a student for 50% of the student contribution.  The highest level of maintenance grant is €5,915 (non-adjacent special rate of maintenance grant).

The 2017 Student Grant Scheme was published recently. Details of the thresholds can be accessed via the following link: http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/si/125/made/en/pdf.

Student Grant Scheme

Questions (128)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

128. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will increase the payments in the SUSI grant in view of the increases in the cost of living. [30600/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

In 2017, my Department will spend circa €450m on access measures for further and higher education students. This includes circa €390m on student grants and related activities, which is expected to benefit approximately 80,000 students.

The Student Grant Scheme is now open for applications for the 2017/18 academic year. This earlier opening date will facilitate earlier decisions for students on their grant applications and therefore provide students with greater certainty about the financial support that will be available to them.

In addition to the scheme, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. 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.

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Questions (129)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

129. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the decision in budget 2011 to change the distance required to qualify for the non-adjacent rate of the SUSI grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30601/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that Budget 2011 provided for a number of student grant measures which came into effect for the 2011/12 academic year, including the change in the assessment of the qualifying distance criterion for the non-adjacent rate of grant from 24 kilometres to 45 kilometres.

The 24km distance criterion was originally set in 1968 and had not been updated in more than 40 years. Since then, significant improvements have taken place in the road and rail network and it is considered that the revised distance criteria is more consistent with the type of distances that students may legitimately be expected to commute to college.

If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he 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 his/her case, an appeal may be submitted to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board within the required timeframe. Such appeals can be made by the appellant on line via www.studentgrantappeals.ie .

Student Grant Scheme

Questions (130)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

130. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will fully reinstate the postgraduate grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30602/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware of the Action Plan for Education commitment to increase financial supports for postgraduate students with a particular focus on those from low income households.

In response to this commitment, I secured additional funding of €4 million in Budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from September 2017, for the most disadvantaged postgraduate students. This will benefit approximately 1,100 post graduate students who meet the eligibility criteria for the special rate of maintenance grant.

The Student Grant Scheme is now open for applications for the 2017/18 academic year. This earlier opening date will facilitate earlier decisions for students on their grant applications and therefore provide students with greater certainty about the financial support that will be available to them.

In addition to this specific measure targeted at postgraduate students, I also secured an additional €4.5 million in Budget 2017 for other new access measures that will benefit target groups such as lone parents, travellers, mature students, and students with disabilities.

The new measures being introduced as a result of Budget 2017 will complement the existing student supports that are already in place. In total my Department will invest approximately €450 million in access supports in the 2017/18 academic year. This will benefit approximately 80,000 disadvantaged students through the student grant scheme. Other measures include the Student Assistance Fund and the Fund for Students with Disabilities.

Student Assistance Fund

Questions (131)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

131. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the call by an organisation (details supplied) for a restoration of the student assistance fund over the next three years. [30603/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

In December 2012 An additional €3 million was approved to supplement the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) following a survey conducted by the HEA in relation to the demand for the Fund.  

This supplementary funding was a once-off exceptional measure which was taken in the context of long grant delays/issues encountered by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) in its initial year of operation.  

An additional allocation of €1.5m was secured in budget 2016 for the Student Assistance Fund. The allocation under the Fund in 2017 is €8.1 million.

Third Level Funding

Questions (132)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

132. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will increase funding for mental health services in third level colleges; and his views on the call by an organisation (details supplied) for a €3 million per annum ring-fenced budget for student counselling and supports. [30604/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department allocates recurrent funding to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) for direct disbursement to the HEA designated higher education institutions. The HEA allocates this funding as a block grant to the institutions. As autonomous bodies, the internal disbursement of this funding, along with any funding it receives from private sources, is a matter for the individual institution.

My Department also provides a range of services for students in HEA funded higher education institutions, including supports provided by Access Offices. In particular these offices co-ordinate pastoral and academic supports for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Among the supports administered by the access offices, in conjunction with student services is the Student Assistance Fund.

The Student Assistance Fund is managed by the HEA on behalf of my Department. The Fund is allocated annually to the universities, the institutes of technology, the colleges of education and a number of other higher education institutions. The objective of the Fund is to provide financial assistance to full-time undergraduate or postgraduate students in need of such support. The Fund is intended to support students whose participation in higher education would otherwise be at risk as a direct result of financial difficulties.

The Fund is designed to support students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with on-going needs for financial support and students with other circumstances giving rise to short or longer-term financial difficulties, including family responsibilities, bereavement, family difficulties, accidents or health problems. In all cases, institutions are responsible for targeting the available resources at those students most in need.

Student services and associated activities are an integral part of the whole student experience at third level. Student services support each individual student achieve his/her intellectual, cultural and social potential while supporting and complementing the formal academic programme.  Student services can fall under a number of headings, particularly ‘Welfare and Guidance’ which includes counselling services, health promotion, careers service, multi-faith, racial and ethnic cultural support.

AHEAD, the Association for Higher Education Access and Disability is an independent non-profit organisation working to promote full access to and participation in further and higher education for students with disabilities and to enhance their employment prospects on graduation.

The HEA supports AHEAD with an annual grant towards the cost of the activities of the organisation. In 2016, AHEAD, in partnership with the National Learning Network (NLN), published a report called ‘Mental Health Matters’. This report is a study into the experiences of students with mental health difficulties in higher education in Ireland and a mapping of best practices in supporting these students. The report found that the majority of HEIs have services supporting students with mental health difficulties and some institutions have dedicated services for students. It also found that students were generally positive about their experience of these services. Some key recommendations from the report were:

- A whole of campus strategic response is required to meet the needs of students with mental health difficulties.

- The promotion of mental health awareness should be as part of induction for students.

- The provision of mental health awareness training at an institutional level for academic and all other staff including part-time/adjunct staff.

- A move towards a flexible approach to teaching across programmes to bring greater flexibility to learning and assessment to improve access for all students.

Implementation of recommendations is being progressed by AHEAD and partners and a follow-on conference/seminar is planned for later this year.

Fund for Students with Disabilities

The Fund for Students with Disabilities allocates funding to further and higher education colleges for the provision of services and supports to full-time students with disabilities from PLC up to doctoral level. The Fund aims to ensure that students can participate fully in their academic programmes and are not disadvantaged by reason of a disability. It also supports students from Ireland to study on approved courses in in Northern Ireland, the UK and other EU countries. 

The total allocated under the FSD in 2015-16 was €10.4m. There were a total of 10,486 students supported under the fund.

Beneficiaries of the Fund for 2015-16 with a mental health condition were as follows:

- 91 out of 1362 total students in Further Education and

- 956 out of a total of 8920 students in Higher Education.

Emergency Works Scheme Eligibility

Questions (133)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

133. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) was deemed to be outside the terms of the emergency works scheme when it applied for emergency works to be carried out; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30613/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The school to which the Deputy refers applied to my Department for funding under the Emergency Works Scheme to carry out extensive roof works.  

The Emergency Works Scheme has a limited budget.  The purpose of this budget is to specifically  address sudden and unforeseen emergencies that arise in schools and not to carry out major works, the need for which has developed over some considerable time. 

The application from the school is outside the terms and conditions of the Emergency Works Scheme for this reason. 

The scope of works involved is appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme and the school has been advised that it may apply for funding for them under the Summer Works Scheme when next announced.