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Wednesday, 21 Mar 2018

Written Answers Nos 207-216

Departmental Staff Data

Questions (207)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

207. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of each non-Civil Service appointment he has made to a role in his Department; the persons appointed; the role, qualifications and salary of each; and the guidelines that apply in respect of party political fundraising. [13157/18]

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Written answers

The table give details of the ministerial appointments made at my Department to assist the Ministers of State and I in carrying out our duties.

They are non-established Civil Servants and as such they are subject to the terms of the Civil Service code of conduct and this is stated in their contracts of employment. Section 5 of the code addresses the matter of Civil Servants and politics and my Department does not have separate guidelines in relation to party political fundraising. However, the appointees concerned are subject to the terms of the Ethics in Public Offices Acts. 

Under the terms of the said Acts a copy of their respective contracts of employment were laid before the Oireachtas. In relation to the special advisers, details of their qualifications were also laid and these documents can be viewed by the Deputy.

Mr. Richard Bruton, T.D. - Minister for Education and Skills

NAME

GRADE

Patrick Cluskey

Special Adviser

Sarah O’Neill

Special Adviser

Sean Divilly

Civilian Driver

John Murray

Civilian Driver

Mary Mitchell O’Connor, T.D. - Minister of State

NAME

GRADE

Roy Dooney

Special Adviser

Lynda McQuaid

Special Adviser

John Slattery

Civilian Driver

Neil Brady

Civilian Driver

John Halligan, T.D. - Minister of State

NAME

GRADE

Michelle Clancy

Special Adviser

Edward Cunningham

Civilian Driver

Gerard O Brien

Civilian Driver

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (208)

Martin Heydon

Question:

208. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the date for profiling commencement of construction of a school (details supplied) from Q3 2019 will be reconsidered in view of the fact that the design team has indicated that it may be ready to commence construction by late 2018 or Q1 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13172/18]

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Written answers

The major building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b – Detailed Design, which includes the applications for planning permission, fire cert and disability access cert and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been obtained.

 A letter recently issued to the school and the design team outlining the projected timeframe for progression of this project to tender and construction stage and the steps involved.  In that context, this school building project has been profiled to commence construction in Quarter 3 2019.  

 The current status of this project is that it is expected to shortly complete stage 2(b) of the architectural planning process. This is the final stage of the design process for any school.  The design team has indicated that it expects to complete and submit the stage 2(b) report for this project by end March 2018.  The review by the Department of the stage 2(b) report generally takes between 10 to 12 weeks.

 Upon receipt and review of the stage 2(b) and providing no other issues arise it is projected that this project will be authorised to complete pre-qualification of contractors in Quarter 3 2018.

 My Department has requested the design team to review the project programme taking into account the amended date for completion and submission of the stage 2(b) report and the steps and projected timeframes involved in moving this project to tender and construction stage.

 My Department is fully committed to completing the project as soon as possible.   

Teacher Career Breaks

Questions (209)

Kathleen Funchion

Question:

209. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the payments made to members of the Houses of the Oireachtas under the Oireachtas leave scheme for teachers in each of the years 1985 to 2000, by school, in tabular form. [13185/18]

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Written answers

I understand that the leave and pay arrangements applicable to teachers who were members of the Houses of the Oireachtas during the period referred to by the Deputy were

(i) the teacher members of the Oireachtas were entitled to the payment of full salary and increments as recognized teachers by the paymaster;

(ii) fully qualified replacement teachers were appointed on a temporary basis and were paid salary by the paymaster;

(iii) the total salary cost of the replacement teachers together with their superannuation contributions and employers PRSI costs were deducted from the salaries of the members of the Oireachtas. The balance of salary, if any, was payable to the individual teacher members of the Oireachtas.

The paymaster of the members of the Oireachtas issued the balance of salary payment direct to the individuals and not to the schools in which they were employed.

It was announced in the Supplementary Budget of 7 April 2009 that the Government had decided to discontinue the arrangement whereby teacher members of the Houses of the Oireachtas could keep the difference between their teachers salary and the cost of employing a replacement.

There was a Government decision in February 2011 that teachers who became members of the 31st Dail and the 24th Seanad had the option of applying for a career break from their teaching posts. The option of applying for a career break replaced the special leave arrangements that existed.

The option of applying for a career break continues to apply for teacher members of the houses of the Oireachtas.

Health Services Provision

Questions (210, 211)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

210. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if primary schools are encouraged to participate in health screening carried out by the HSE; the reason a school would not participate in this programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13204/18]

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Billy Kelleher

Question:

211. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a record is held within his Department of schools that do or do not participate in HSE health screening; if so, the details of the schools by county in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13205/18]

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Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 211 together. My Department does not operate the HSE health screening programme and I am not therefore in a position to comment on the matters raised by the Deputy or provide the details sought.

It appears that these matters would be more appropriate to my colleague, the Minister for Health.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (212)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Question:

212. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills the timeframe to secure a site for a school (details supplied) in view of the fact that the situation has been ongoing for some time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13240/18]

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Written answers

Officials in my Department have been working closely with officials from Cork County Council to acquire a permanent site to meet the needs of the school to which the Deputy refers. A number of potentially suitable sites were identified and comprehensively technically assessed.

Engagement is currently underway with a landowner in respect of a site option for the school and all parties are working hard to advance the acquisition process.

Officials from my Department will shortly be in contact with the school authorities to keep them updated of progress in this regard.

Legal Aid Service Staff

Questions (213)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

213. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the reason there are no registered solicitors on the free legal aid list for County Meath. [13004/18]

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Written answers

As the Deputy may be aware, Abhaile, the national mortgage arrears resolution service, was launched in October 2016 and it includes a new scheme of independent financial and legal advice and assistance to insolvent homeowners who are at risk of losing their homes due to mortgage arrears. The scheme is co-ordinated by the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, and is available across the country through the Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, the Insolvency Service of Ireland, the Citizens Information Board and the Legal Aid Board.

It should be noted that the solicitor panels set up by the Legal Aid Board for Abhaile are by court area rather than by the county in which the solicitor is based.

For persons who have been granted legal aid for proceedings for a review of a rejected personal insolvency arrangement under section 115A of the Personal Insolvency Act 2012 (as amended), the Legal Aid Board will supply the person with a list of solicitors who are willing to act in the Circuit Court venue where the proceedings are being taken.

The table below indicates the numbers of solicitors who are available to provide services for the scheme in Trim Circuit Court - the designated court in County Meath for listing home repossession cases.

Duty Solicitor Panel: 8*

Solicitor Consultation Service Panel: 12

PIA Review Legal Aid Service Solicitors Panel: 14

* Note: In addition, the Legal Aid Board assigns a solicitor from the duty solicitor panel to each sitting of the county registrars' court. The legally assisted person does not select the solicitor.

Persons who wish to avail of the consultation solicitor service, for the Abhaile scheme, may bring a legal advice voucher to any solicitor on the panel, irrespective of the court jurisdiction or their place of residence.  

Garda Data

Questions (214)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

214. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of gardaí in each Garda division in the Dublin region who took the mountain bike course in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13037/18]

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Written answers

The Deputy will appreciate that the Garda Commissioner is responsible for managing and controlling generally the administration and business of An Garda Síochána, including by arranging for the training of its members and civilian staff and I, as Minister, have no direct role in the matter.

I am advised by the Commissioner that mountain bike training was not provided in the Dublin Dublin Metropolitan Region, DMR, during 2016 due to competing resource demands. In 2017, more than 200 members of An Garda Síochána successfully completed mountain bike training nationally, of whom 61 successfully completed the training for the DMR. Mountain bike training for 2018 is due to commence in the DMR next week.

A breakdown of the number of Gardaí by Division in the DMR who successfully completed mountain bike training in 2017 for the Deputy's information follows:

 Gardai by Division

Division

2017

DMR East

6

DMR North

8

DMR North Central

12

DMR South

9

DMR South Central

14

DMR West

12

Totals

61

Garda Transport Data

Questions (215)

Jim O'Callaghan

Question:

215. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new marked large Garda public order vans that came into the fleet in 2016, 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13038/18]

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Written answers

As the Deputy will appreciate, decisions in relation to the provision and allocation of Garda vehicles are a matter for the Garda Commissioner in light of his identified operational demands and the availability of resources. As Minister, I have no direct role in the matter.

However, I have been informed by the Garda authorities that nine large vans have been commissioned by An Garda Síochána for the Garda fleet for use in Public Order situations since 2016 - 5 in 2016, 4 in 2017, and none to date in 2018.

In addition, 54 medium-wheel-base twin-cell vans were commissioned in 2016.

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government's Capital Plan 2016 – 2021 provides €46million for investment in the Garda Fleet to ensure that An Garda Síochána has a modern, effective and fit for purpose fleet and this is in addition to the investment of almost €30 million in the period 2013 to 2015.

In the period 2013 to end of 2017, almost €44 million has been invested in the fleet with some 2,000 vehicles coming on stream in that period.

Direct Provision Data

Questions (216)

Eoin Ó Broin

Question:

216. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of families in a direct provision centre (details supplied) in Dublin 22 by size and number of children; the number with leave to remain; the reason for the recent transfer of 50 families from another centre; when the contract for the direct provision centre ends; and his plans for its renewal. [13052/18]

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Written answers

Details of the family profiles at the centre in question are outlined in the following table:

Size of Family 

 Number of families

 Total number of persons

 Lone Parent with 1 child

 17

 34

 Lone Parent with 2 children

 5

 15

 Lone Parent with 3 children

 5

 20

 Lone Parent with 4 children

 4

 20

 Lone Parent with 5 or more children

 2

 10

 Married/Partner

 2

 4

 Married/Partner with 1 child

 3

 9

 Married/Partner with 2 children

 1

 4

 Married/Partner with 3 children

 3

 15

 Married/Partner with 4 children

 4

 24

 Total

 46

 155

The total number of persons presently in the accommodation centre with some form of permission to remain in the State is 83.

Of this figure there are:

- 15 who comprise 3-person family (5 families);

- 16 from 4-person families (4 families);

- 15 from 5-person families (3 families)

- 13 from 5+ person Families (2 families)

I can advise the Deputy that 34 persons were transferred into the centre in question in February 2018 from another accommodation centre. 

In this instance, the relevant contract in that other accommodation centre had come to an end and as a result the centre closed. Residents who were still in the protection process, total 87 persons, were allocated alternative accommodation within the entire accommodation portfolio.

The contract in this centre is valid until close to the end of 2018. Any renewal of the contract will be subject to a full, open, transparent EU wide competitive process.  

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