Tuesday, 5 Dec 2017

Written Answers Nos. 174-187

Minor Works Scheme

Questions (174, 192, 205, 215)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

174. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works grant will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51464/17]

Michael Healy-Rae

Question:

192. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the minor works grant for schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51603/17]

Niall Collins

Question:

205. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works grants will be issued to schools in County Limerick; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51839/17]

John Brassil

Question:

215. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address the current system regarding the allocation of the minor works grant for schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51958/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 174, 192 and 205 together.

I am pleased to advise that I announced the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 for primary schools across the country this morning and payment will issue next week.

The funding will allow minor works to be carried out on the physical infrastructure of schools or on the purchase of items of furniture and equipment.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (175)

John McGuinness

Question:

175. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a school building project (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if plans for the project are at planning permission stage; the timeframe for the approval and funding of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51488/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that a major building project for the school to which he refers, is included on the 6-year Construction Programme. It is acknowledged that this project will involve complex and careful master-planning of the site. A full technical site visit has taken place and the project brief for the school is currently being formulated. In that regard, my Department will be engaging further with the school authority.

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Questions (176)

John McGuinness

Question:

176. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, grants apply to students attending Bray Institute of Further Education. [51504/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Details of the list of approved institutions are scheduled in the Student Support Regulations 2017 which can be accessed at http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/si/126/made/en/pdf.

Bray Institute of Further Education (St Thomas' Community College), Novara Ave, Bray, Co. Wicklow (RN 70770V) is scheduled as an approved PLC school for the academic year 2017/18. Further details of the approved PLC centres and courses in County Wicklow can be obtained from the following link: https://susi.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Wicklow-V1.1.pdf.

School Transport Provision

Questions (177)

John McGuinness

Question:

177. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if school transport will be provided for a person (details supplied); the steps that have been taken to provide same. [51506/17]

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 over 114,000 children, including over 11,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million km annually.

Bus Éireann has advised that the child in question is currently availing of a school transport service.

Psychological Assessments

Questions (178)

Maria Bailey

Question:

178. Deputy Maria Bailey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of assessments completed under the scheme for commissioning psychological assessments for the academic year 2016-2017 for which certification of completion of assessment forms have been submitted by school principals between 6 September 2016 and 30 September 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51512/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychological support to all primary and post-primary schools. This involves direct support in the event of a critical incident, access to national and regional support and development work to build school capacity to support students, access to a NEPS psychologist for responses to queries arising, and access to individual pupil casework via a NEPS psychologist or through the Scheme for the Commissioning of Psychological Assessments (SCPA).

I can confirm, in answer to the Deputy's question, that some 2,520 assessments were commissioned under SCPA using the panel of private practitioners maintained by NEPS and certified by school principals in the period concerned.

DEIS Status

Questions (179, 201)

Marc MacSharry

Question:

179. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Sligo was not included in the Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools or DEIS programme; the reason the school's appeal has never been replied to; the criteria the school did not meet in view of the deprivation in this area and the inclusion of all other surrounding schools in the programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51515/17]

Marc MacSharry

Question:

201. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in west county Sligo was not included in the DEIS programme; the reason the school's appeal has not been answered or replied to; the criteria the school did not meet; the reason other schools in the area have been included while the school was not in view of the deprivation in the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51799/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 179 and 201 together.

We have, for the first time, introduced an objective, statistics based model for deciding which schools merit inclusion in the DEIS Programme, so that all stakeholders can have confidence that we are targeting extra resources at those schools with the highest concentrated levels of disadvantage.

The key data sources used in the DEIS identification process are the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area. Variables used in the compilation of the HP Index include those related to demographic growth, dependency ratios, education levels, single parent rate, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. This data is combined with pupil data, anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools.

A detailed document explaining the methodology used in the Identification process is available on the Department’s website at

https://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/DEIS-Identification-Process.pdf.

Schools were not required to apply for assessment in DEIS, as every school was automatically assessed as part of the DEIS Identification process. Under DEIS Plan 2017, a process to verify the data used was provided for and some schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, availed of this verification process. As with the new DEIS Identification process the verification process was also a scientific exercise which involved checking the school data, as used in the Identification process, in terms of the quality and accuracy of the data supplied. All schools who applied for verification of their data, including Rathlee NS, were contacted by email on 7th September to notify them of the outcome of the process.

Schools included in DEIS with effect from September 2017 are those whose level of disadvantage has been identified as those schools serving the highest concentrations of disadvantage among their pupil cohort. Schools which have not been included at this stage are those which have not been identified as having the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage amongst their pupil cohort, under the new identification model.

It is important to note that this is the first step in a process and the fact that a school has not been included now does not preclude its inclusion at a later date, should the assessment indicate a level of disadvantage that warrants additional supports.

A further process will take account of updated data as it becomes available. Schools are being advised to ensure that their POD/PPOD data is fully correct and up to date, including Eircode which can now be recorded by schools on both POD and PPOD databases. The HP Index, based on the 2016 National Census data has been published recently.

The plan is for a further assessment of all schools, using these updated datasets. Should this exercise reveal that any school, which did not qualify for DEIS in 2017, meets the criteria applicable to schools with the highest concentration of disadvantage based on the updated information then additional schools may be included subject to available resources.

State Examinations Appeals

Questions (180)

John McGuinness

Question:

180. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the independent appeals scrutineers have dealt with all of the appeals received in respect of leaving certificate points achieved in 2017; the criteria used for such appeals; the way in which the criteria were set; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51535/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The 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.

Teachers' Professional Development

Questions (181)

Mick Barry

Question:

181. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will request the professional development service for teachers to review the level of continuous professional development for teachers of mathematics, particularly in the Cork area where an absence of such a service is reported by teachers. [51548/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The new post-primary mathematics curriculums were introduced in 2010.  Continuing Professional Development (CPD) was developed to support the implementation of the revised curriculums and has been made available to all teachers of mathematics.

The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), since September last, has assumed responsibility for CPD support in this area.  A priority for this service is the provision of support for post primary teachers of mathematics in the development of the pedagogical content knowledge and teaching skills.

The following CPD has been offered to all teachers in Cork since 2010.

- 374 distinct workshops over a 5 year-period through Cork Education Centres;

- A suite of 410 Modular Content & ICT courses over a 5-year period through Cork Education Centres;

- 14 Seminars over a one-year period through Cork Education Centres.

Please see figures below which compare take up in Cork to that nationwide. 

Support	Nationally	County Cork
School   Visits 2017	603	68
Lesson Study   2017-2018	480 Lesson Study meetings locally in school clusters	64 Lesson Study meetings locally in school clusters

Currently, support is targeted through national and regional training days, national conferences, school visits, on-line support and Lesson Study local groups.

PDST's staffing and work plans are reviewed on an ongoing basis to ensure effective and adequate delivery of CPD for teachers nationwide. All schools have the opportunity to apply for support.

In these circumstances I have no plans to review the level of service available.

Primary

Current professional development supports available to teachers for Primary Mathematics include elective workshops, seminars and school based support including Lesson Study and Maths Recovery training and support.

57 primary schools in the Cork area have received school support since September as well as access to the events detailed below which are available through Cork and West Cork Education Centres.

Training:

Play Based Mathematics

Inquiry Based learning through Space & Shape

Measures

Number Sense

Structured Problem Solving

Team Teaching for Mathematics

Schools Refurbishment

Questions (182)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

182. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale of appointing a primary school board of management as the main contractor in a Department-funded school refurbishment project and the successful tender company as the subcontractor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51553/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The arrangement to which the Deputy refers is a Revenue Commissioners' requirement under tax law as opposed to a requirement set out by my Department.  In the circumstances, my Department is unable to comment on the rationale behind the arrangement.

Schools Refurbishment

Questions (183, 184)

Jackie Cahill

Question:

183. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will request a Department engineer or inspector to engage with the principal and board of management of a school (details supplied) in relation to an over run in the cost of refurbishment at the school of approximately €16,500; if his Department will engage with the contractor in view of the fact that it should be outside the responsibility of the staff and management; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51554/17]

Jackie Cahill

Question:

184. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will request the Revenue Commissioners to revisit a penalty imposed on a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51555/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 183 and 184 together.

Under tax law, a school authority is regarded by the Revenue Commissioners as the "Principal Contractor" for tax purposes when it is delivering a building project.  My Department advises a school authority of this at the time the grant for the works is being approved.

The main requirement for the school to meet its obligations is to register with the Revenue Commissioners’ online system and to follow the Revenue Commissioners' guidance in relation to deducting and paying over tax, as appropriate, for the contractor carrying out the works. If a school fully complies with this requirement, no tax issues will arise.

Before the grant for the works can be drawn down from my Department, a school authority must confirm to my Department that it has complied with its tax obligations. The school in question explicitly provided my Department with that and other necessary confirmations and the grant was paid out accordingly.

As tax matters are strictly between a taxpayer and the Revenue Commissioners, my Department is unable to intervene.  However, the school authority is strongly advised to raise this matter directly with the Revenue Commissioners itself.

With regard to the overspend on the project, my Department understands that this arises on foot of unapproved works carried out by the Board of Management.  It is made clear in the original grant approval letter that any funding shortfall arising from unapproved works must be met by the school authority and this remains the position in this case.

Cruinnithe an Aire

Questions (185)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

185. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Pearse Doherty den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna an bhfuair sé comhfhreagras ó scoil i gContae Dhún na nGall (sonraí curtha ar fáil) ina bhfuil cruinniú á lorg ag bainistíocht na scoile; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [51560/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Ar an drochuair,  agus de bharr go bhfuil dialann an-lán agam sna míosa romhainn, nílim in ann freastal ar an gcruinniú le príomhoide agus cathaoirleach an bhoird Scoil Chonaill i nDún na nGall go ceann i bhfad.

Tugaim faoi deara, áfach, an t-ábhar ina gcomhfhreagras atá ag déanamh imní dóibh,  agus d’iarr mé ar oifigigh mo Roinne iad a chíoradh agus dul i dteagmháil leis an scoil go díreach agus mé a choinneáil ar an eolas.

Student Grant Scheme

Questions (186)

Mick Barry

Question:

186. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the mechanisms in place regarding proof of address for independent students applying for the SUSI grant in view of the predominance of precarious tenancies and the rise of apartment living (details supplied). [51582/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

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 like SUSI 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.

For student grants purposes, a student may be assessed as an independent student if he/she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st of January of the year of first entry to an approved post leaving certificate course or an approved higher education course or of re-entry to an approved course following a break in studies of at least three years, and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous 1 October. Otherwise he/she would continue to be assessed on the basis of his/her parents' income.

The onus is on the grant applicant to provide the necessary documentary evidence as requested by the relevant grant awarding authority. Such documentary evidence will vary from student to student, depending on each individual's particular set of circumstances.

The type of documentary evidence required by SUSI can be viewed at the following link: https://susi.ie/eligibility/applicant-class/

It is important to note that each year a significant number of student grant applicants are assessed as 'independent' students and awarded student supports on that basis.  

If an individual applicant considers that he/she has been unjustly refused a student grant, he/she may appeal, in the first instance, to his/her awarding body. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by the awarding authority and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.

School Transport Eligibility

Questions (187)

Mick Barry

Question:

187. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the situation in County Cork whereby children in special class placements are not entitled to access to transport with an escort (details supplied). [51583/17]

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 over 114,000 children, including over 11,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.

The purpose of the scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children with special educational needs arising from a diagnosed disability.

Children are eligible for 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 the Department of Education and Skill’s (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

Eligibility is determined following consultation with the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) through its network of Special Education Needs Organisers (SENO).

My Department also allocates funding to schools, for the employment of escorts to accompany children who are eligible for special educational needs school transport and whose care and safety needs are such as to require the support of an escort.