Written Answers Nos. 455-468
455. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure savings that are earmarked for his Department for 2018 that are not accounted for in the mid-year expenditure report or are not included in the fiscal space calculations for 2018. [38900/17]
View answerThe Mid-Year Expenditure Report published in July, sets out the Pre-Budget Ceiling of €8,901 million current and €717 million capital for the Department of Education and Skills for 2018. The amount included in this ceiling reflects certain demographic pressures arising in the Education Sector.
As outlined in the Mid-Year Expenditure Report, the increases planned in expenditure for the delivery of public services are set at sustainable levels in order to ensure that the resources allocated are affordable both now and in the future. Consequently, it is important that there is an ongoing focus on the totality of Departmental spending and not just the incremental increase each year.
As part of the Estimates process the Department considers expenditure on existing services alongside proposals for new expenditure measures. Any savings relating to the cost of existing services identified during this process can be used to meet any emerging expenditure pressures without impacting on the available fiscal space. Work is ongoing in this regard.
456. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements in place to review and monitor fire safety in schools on a continuous basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38934/17]
View answerFire Safety in all buildings, including schools, is covered by the States Building Regulations. Schools are dealt with in exactly the same way as any other buildings under the State’s Building Regulations.
The amendments to the Building Regulations BC(A)R 2014 which came into force in March 2014 introduced a system of certification requiring those professionals involved in the design and construction of buildings to certify compliance with the Building Regulations before a building can be occupied. This includes certifying compliance with Part B of the Building Regulations 1997 which deals with Fire Safety.
My Department will commission fire safety audits of a representative sample of up to 25 schools built over the past 20 years. This audit is a proactive, extra precaution prompted by recent concerns over the fire safety of public buildings both in this country and the UK. Regarding the list of schools to be examined, this sample has not yet been chosen but will comprise a representative sample of school types and locations and methods of construction over the past 20 years, including WBS and other contractors. The schools to be audited are not restricted to schools built under the Departments “Design & Build” programme but will be representative of all methods of construction. It should be noted that the selection of a school to be audited under this initiative in no way means that the Department has concern about that particular school.
My Department is also conducting a review of all major school building projects currently under construction in order to ensure that design teams and contractors are fully engaging in a complete and comprehensive way with the inspection and certification requirements of BC(A)R 2014, particularly with regard to certifying compliance with Part B (Fire Safety) of the Building Regulations 1997.
This will cover all major school building projects currently under construction including where the Department is not the building owner.
With regard to continuous monitoring of fire safety issues, individual school management authorities are best placed to monitor fire safety issues in their respective schools on a day to day basis.
A Detailed guidance document is in place to advise schools on Managing Safety and Health in Schools. This includes comprehensive advice on the issue of managing the risk of fire safety. The document is a publication of the Health and Safety Authority in collaboration with the Department of Education and Skills, the State Claims Agency and the School Development Planning Initiative.
These Guidelines were developed in response to a demand from the education sector for guidance and clarification in relation to the legal obligations and responsibilities that have been placed on schools. This demand, combined with the recognition that workplace safety, health and welfare needs to be managed and can be integrated into existing planning processes at school level, was at the core of the collaboration between the partners involved.
The Guidelines may be accessed at the following link:
http://www.hsa.ie/eng/Education/Managing_Safety_and_Health_in_Schools/Primary_Schools_Guidelines/Guidelines_on_Managing_Safety_Health_and_Welfare_in_Primary_Schools.pdf .
If any school authority has concerns about fire safety with regard to its school buildings it may wish to commission a fire safety audit report to determine if such concerns are significant.
My Department will consider any request from a school authority to address such issues on receipt of an appropriately informed and supported application for funding.
My Department is always conscious of the need to ensure the maximum efficiency and security with regard to Health and Safety in our schools. In light of the concerns expressed both in Ireland and abroad in relation to fire safety in public buildings my Department will continue to examine ways in which improvements in process and procedures can be brought about.
457. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding prefabs in schools; the number of prefabs in use; the number of prefabs rented by his Department on behalf of schools; the identity of such schools by county; the age of such prefabs; the expected further life of such prefabs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38935/17]
View answer458. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the programme to phase out prefabs in schools and replace them with permanent buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38936/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 457 and 458 together.
Under the Department’s 6-year capital investment programme (2016-2021) and in accordance with the Programme for Government, a multi-annual funding provision of €180 million is being made available from 2019 to replace school prefabs with permanent accommodation. To enable this development, the Department will be carrying out an assessment of the number of prefabs being used in schools to deliver the curriculum and to determine whether or not individual prefabs need to be replaced in the context of the long-term accommodation needs of each school involved.
When the numbers and types of prefabs to be replaced have been identified by the Department, it will be possible to calculate a cost estimate of the number of units to be replaced taking into account that the outlay for replacing a prefab with a permanent building will vary from school to school depending on type and extent of prefab unit, planning conditions and other site specific costs. When completed, this assessment will quantify the number of prefabs that can be replaced within overall available funding.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the information sought in regard to rental prefabs is being compiled, and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible
460. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills when construction work will begin on a new school (details supplied); the reason delays have occurred on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38968/17]
View answerThe Tender Process for this school project is currently in progress. The invitation to tender issued on 21/8/17 and tenders are due back 2/10/17.
When the tender process is complete the project will then proceed to construction.
461. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a bus ticket for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [38972/17]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 the Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are generally eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest school.
The child in question is not eligible for school transport as he resides less than 4.8 kilometres from his school of attendance.
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 including the availability of spare seats on an existing service and payment of the annual charge.
Bus Éireann has advised that there are seats available on an existing service and the family should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office if they wish to avail of transport on a concessionary basis.
Only children who are eligible for school transport and who hold valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge.
The terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
462. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter regarding a school ticket for a person (details supplied) in County Kildare. [38973/17]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 the School Transport Scheme children are generally eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school.
The child in question is not attending her nearest school and is therefore not eligible for school transport.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may avail of transport on a concessionary basis only subject to a number of terms and conditions including the availability of spare seats on existing service.
However, Bus Éireann has advised that there is no mainstream school transport service operating from the area that can accommodate this child.
The service referred to by the Deputy is a dedicated school transport service for children with special educational needs; these services are tailored to meet the specific care and welfare needs of these children only.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
463. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a school transport refund will be paid to a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38975/17]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
During the 2016/17 school year almost 116,000 children, including some 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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.
Bus Éireann has advised that the payment in question will be refunded in the next few days.
464. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason payment for work carried out as part of the July provision is not issued until November; if his attention has been drawn to the financial difficulties this can cause for SNAs who do not have an alternative form of income or are looking for work; the steps he is taking to address this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39001/17]
View answerThe July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. The programme is also available for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability.
Where a school chooses not to extend their services for July, all eligible children are granted home based July provision, on application.
This year's common pay date of 2nd November 2017 was well advertised prior to the start of the July Education Programme.
In 2016 over 8,700 children benefitted from the July Education Programme. This resulted in approximately 8,300 payments being issued.
465. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his plans to modify the upper age limit to 35 years of age for Australian citizens applying for a working holiday visa here, in line with the new Australian working holiday visa regulations (details supplied) which increase eligibility for Irish citizens to 35 years of age; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37088/17]
View answerThis matter is still under consideration by the Australian Government, which is looking at options for expanding the upper age of eligibility for its Working Holiday Visa Programme from 30 to 35 years, including timeframes, legislative requirements and engagement with partner countries.
As there has yet been no change yet to the age of eligibility, it would be premature for me to comment on how Ireland would respond to such a change. The current age of eligibility for Australia’s Working Holiday Visa programme remains between 18 and 30 years of age.
The Australian Department of Immigration and Border Protection has noted that reciprocity of arrangements for Australian citizens is a key feature of this programme. Reciprocity of arrangements for Irish citizens is similarly a key feature of Ireland’s Working Holiday Authorisation programme.
466. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will ensure that Shannon Airport will not be used for current and future military interventions by foreign interests in view of the United States' recent announcement to expand military intervention in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37572/17]
View answerThe Air Navigation (Foreign Military Aircraft) Order 1952, made under the Air Navigation and Transport Act 1946, gives the Minister for Foreign Affairs primary responsibility for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft in Ireland.
Successive Governments have made landing facilities available at Shannon Airport to the United States for well over 50 years. These arrangements are governed by strict conditions, including that the aircraft must be unarmed, carry no arms, ammunition or explosives, that they do not engage in intelligence gathering and that the flights concerned do not form part of military exercises or operations.
These conditions apply equally to military aircraft from all countries seeking to land in Shannon. The US, as with all other states, is required to provide my Department with confirmation in writing that the aircraft proposing to land in Shannon complies with the strict conditions set out above.
Arrangements for the regulation of activity by foreign military aircraft are kept under ongoing review. In line with this, my Department ensures that detailed and robust procedures are in place to ensure that all relevant parties are fully aware of the requirements relating to applications for permission for foreign military aircraft to overfly or land in the State.
467. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had recent discussions with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and at European level regarding the need to ensure that there will be no return to the borders of the past following Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36784/17]
View answer468. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he has had discussions recently with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and at European Union level in terms of ensuring that cross-Border travel is fully maintained following Brexit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36785/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 467 and 468 together.
Since taking up office, engagement on Brexit with EU partners has been a central element of my work. This approach has yielded clear results in ensuring that Ireland’s unique issues and concerns have been fully understood by our EU27 partners and have been reflected in the EU’s negotiating position. As the negotiations enter an important phase over the coming weeks and months, continuing such engagement with EU partners, both at political and official level, will remain a key priority.
On Monday 4 September, I met with Michel Barnier, the EU’s Chief Negotiator on Brexit, and his team, our second meeting since my appointment. During our discussion, I also thanked Mr. Barnier for pursuing Ireland’s unique interests in the Brexit negotiations and for the high level of engagement that Ireland enjoys with his team. We agreed that, while good progress was made in the last round of negotiations on the Common Travel Area, more detailed work is required on protecting the Good Friday Agreement in all its parts and the peace process, including in regard to North South cooperation and to avoiding a hard border, as well as other issues such as protecting the EU rights of Irish citizens in Northern Ireland. Overall, I welcomed the indications that EU and UK objectives on the Irish issues are converging but noted that the UK needs to back this up with tangible commitments that can pave the way for practical solutions. During the meeting, Mr Barnier confirmed that the Taskforce would publish a paper on “Guiding Principles for the Dialogue on Ireland/Northern Ireland”, building on the European Council Guidelines agreed earlier this year.
Since my appointment, I have also held bilateral meetings with a number of my EU colleagues, including my Estonian, Luxembourg, French, Slovak, Belgian, and Spanish counterparts. I also welcomed the Finnish Foreign Minister to Ireland in July. Over the weekend I met with my counterparts from Cyprus, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and Slovenia at the Gymnich/Informal Meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council. In my meetings with EU partners to date, I have laid particular emphasis on Ireland’s objective of protecting the gains of the peace process and avoiding a hard border on the island of Ireland. I have strongly emphasised the need for an imaginative and flexible political solution. In so doing, I have been equally clear that we will only pursue solutions that are compatible with our aim of protecting the integrity of the Single Market and Ireland’s place in it. I will continue to deliver this message in my engagements in the coming weeks.
Separately, I met with the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland during his visit to Dublin on 22 August. While the focus of our discussions was on the best way forward for the Irish and British Governments to support the formation of a new Executive for Northern Ireland in the period ahead, I also discussed with the Secretary of State the Government’s continuing concerns regarding the impact on Northern Ireland of the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union.
I confirmed that the Government is analysing the published UK position papers on its exit from the Union, including the paper on Northern Ireland and Ireland, and together with the Commission Task Force and the other 26 EU Member States we are committed to working towards an orderly UK withdrawal. I underlined that protecting the peace process and maintaining the gains of the Good Friday Agreement is crucial and that this shared responsibility must be fully upheld in the negotiations between the European Union and the UK. I also noted that the immediate focus for the upcoming rounds of the EU-UK negotiations remains on advancing the issues identified for phase one, including the matters specific to the island of Ireland. In addition I emphasised that while the Government maintains regular contact with the British Government, the serious issues involved can only be substantively considered and addressed through the ongoing EU-UK negotiations.
