Written Answers Nos. 345-364
345. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the tendering process has been completed and a contractor appointed to complete school buildings (details supplied); if the proposed Gaelcholáiste will be accommodated on the same site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36638/18]
View answerKildare & Wicklow ETB has received eight expressions of interest for the completion of the project to which the Deputy refers within the timeframe set for receipt of same. These expressions of interest will now inform the pre-qualification process that is underway. The project remains on target to issue tender documents to the relevant contractors on 8th November which is the date that had been identified in the agreed programme for completion of these projects.
KWETB is continuing to examine the options for accommodation for the Gaelcholáiste referred to by the Deputy which will involve consideration of the timing and availability of appropriate infrastructure in the area.
346. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure of the National Training Fund levy in grants to industry; and the amount that goes towards the funding of access to Safe Pass courses for workers. [36645/18]
View answerThe National Training Fund (NTF), which is funded by the National Training Fund levy, was established by the National Training Fund Act, 2000, as a dedicated fund to support the training of those in employment, and those seeking employment. The Act also provides for the funding of research to provide information on existing and likely future skills requirements of the economy.
Funding is provided to both the IDA and Enterprise Ireland under a Training Grants to Industry heading from the NTF. This initiative provides grants to industry in order to up-skill the workforce.
The allocation for 2018 is as follows:
IDA - €3.0m
Enterprise Ireland - €3.5m
Safe Pass is a one day safety awareness programme aimed at construction workers. The aims of the programme are to raise the standard of safety awareness in the construction industry and so that all construction workers after completing the one day awareness programme can make a positive contribution to the prevention of accidents and ill health while working on the site.
The Safe Pass programme, which is operated and managed by SOLAS, is self-financing and therefore does not receive an allocation from the National Training Fund.
347. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the new prefab classroom will be put in place for a school (details supplied). [36650/18]
View answerI am pleased to confirm to the Deputy that my Department approved the rental of a temporary classroom in February, 2018 to meet the growing needs at the school in question.
The delivery of the project was devolved to the school management authority and it is a matter for them to arrange the installation of the accommodation.
348. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the building project at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36667/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the project brief for the school in question has been finalised and furnished to the Patron who I understand has provided details directly to the school. The project will include the construction of additional classrooms and ancillary accommodation.
My Department will be in further contact with the school authority relating to the commencement of the architectural planning process which will include the appointment of a design team.
349. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the building project at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36668/18]
View answerThe major building project referred to by the Deputy is currently at Stage 2b – Detailed Design.
This project was authorised to commence the Pre-Qualification of Contractors in May 2018. My Department has been informed that the Design Team Leader published the contract notice inviting contractors to tender for Pre-Qualification on e-tenders on 2 August 2018 with a closing date for receipt of submissions of 10 September 2018. The pre-qualification and shortlisting of suitable contractors normally takes between 8 and 12 weeks to complete.
When pre-qualification is complete the project will then be progressed to tender stage. A tender stage normally takes between 7 and 8 months to complete.
In March 2018 my Department issued a letter to the school and its Design Team outlining the projected timeframe for the progression of this project to tender and construction stage and the steps involved.
350. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the building project at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36669/18]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB).
The pre-qualification report from the Design Team is due to be completed and submitted to the ETB in mid October 2018. It is not possible to say exactly when the project will progress until this pre-qualification process has been completed.
351. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills the planned permanent location of a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36670/18]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question is co-located with a post-primary school, in a permanent building, in Craddockstown. This arrangement will continue as an interim measure pending construction of a permanent building for the post-primary school. The Department will be in contact with the patron of the school in question in due course relating to the school's permanent accommodation.
352. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the building project at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36671/18]
View answerThe school to which the Deputy refers was allocated funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide four mainstream classrooms.
The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery. Approval was given to the school authority last June to proceed to the construction stage. It is a matter for the school authority to advance the project accordingly.
353. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to give consideration to extending the July education programme into August in order to maximise the support to young persons with disabilities and to provide additional respite for their carers; if the scheme can be made applicable to SNAs and-or teachers with specialist knowledge of the relevant disability; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36681/18]
View answerThe July Provision Grant Scheme provides funding for an extended school year for children with severe/profound general learning disabilities or children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Under the scheme, the school year of participating schools is extended by four weeks in July.
Special schools or mainstream schools that have special classes for autism and/or severe and profound learning disability are eligible to participate in the programme.
Each year eligible schools are invited to participate in the Programme. Participation in the scheme by the school is voluntary and subject to the availability of suitably qualified personnel in July.
Where school-based provision is not feasible, eligible students may be granted 40 hours home-based tuition (10 hours for each of the four weeks). Where an eligible school is not participating in the school based programme in 2018, it is open to parents to apply for the home based July Provision Grant Scheme. Details are available on the Department of Education and Skills website https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/July-Provision/Home-Based.html .
As the July Provision scheme provides funding towards an extended school year, the qualification standard for tuition generally reflects that required in a school environment.
The Deputy may be aware that the National Council for Special Education’s Policy Advice on Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (2016) included a review of the July Provision Grant Scheme.
The Review, recommends that, as an alternative to the existing scheme, stakeholders should discuss the development of a national day activity scheme that provides a structured, safe, social environment for all students with complex special educational needs for one month of the summer holidays.
My Department has convened an Implementation Group with representatives of the NCSE, NEPS, the Inspectorate and representatives from other Departments and agencies to ensure that the Report’s recommendations are fully and appropriately considered.
While a number of the recommendations including those on the development of additional primary and post primary provision, have already been partially or substantially implemented, work is planned on the implementation of the remaining recommendations including those for other parties.
It is acknowledged that the implementation of a number of the recommendations including that on the development of an alternative scheme to the Extended School Year scheme will be challenging. I have asked my officials to prepare a progress report setting out expected timeframes for full implementation and I expect that report in the coming weeks.
While that work is under way, there are no plans to change the existing July Provision Scheme.
354. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person whose parents are Irish citizens and who has been living and attending school here since the person was six years of age but whose own passport is from outside the EU qualifies for EU fees for higher education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36687/18]
View answerThe position is that in order to qualify for funding towards tuition fees, students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course.
Where undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees they are required to pay fees to the higher education institution at either an ‘EU rate’ or a higher ‘Non-EU rate’.
The rate of fee is determined by each institution.
355. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the ongoing uncertainty in a location (details supplied) regarding the school bus ticket lottery; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that it appears no first year students have received transport for the 2018-19 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36688/18]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
The purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In the 2017/18 school year over 117,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, were 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 at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
Children are generally eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
Children who are eligible for school transport and who have completed the application process on time will be accommodated on school transport services where such services are in operation for the 2018-19 school year.
Children who are not eligible for school transport may apply for transport on a concessionary basis only and will be facilitated where spare seats are available after eligible children have been accommodated. Where the number of ineligible children exceeds the number of spare seats available Bus Éireann will allocate tickets for the spare seats using an agreed selection process.
Under the terms of the scheme, routes will not be extended or altered, additional vehicles will not be introduced, nor will larger vehicles or extra trips using existing vehicles be provided to cater for children travelling on a concessionary basis, no additional State cost will be incurred in covering the cost of providing school transport for children who are not eligible.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
356. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the case of a person (details supplied) who did not receive a place in their local school will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36689/18]
View answerIn relation to school admissions, parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary.
This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. Further information on the Section 29 appeals process is available on the Department's website www.education.ie .
The Education Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS can be contacted at 01-7718500.
357. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made in providing an extension to a school (details supplied) which is now to be delivered in one phase; the likely timeframe for the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36724/18]
View answerThe extension project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved to Limerick & Clare ETB for delivery.
A Service Level Agreement between my Department and the ETB will be signed in the coming days. The next stage in the project is for the ETB to appoint a Design Team who will bring the project through the design and construction phases.
It is not possible to provide a timeline for the project at this early stage.
358. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if teachers' work experience can be considered from the date of their application in view of the delays being experienced by those awaiting teacher registration numbers. [36737/18]
View answer359. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) can commence their determination of work experience from the date of their application in view of the particular circumstances in the case. [36738/18]
View answerI propose to takes Questions Nos. 358 and 359 together.
The Teaching Council registers teachers in line with the requirements set out under Section 31 of the Teaching Council Act 2001-2015. This requires a teacher to submit an application for registration, provide supporting documentation and complete the vetting process. Where an applicant holds an out-of-State qualification the documentation is assessed under the EU Directive 2005/36/EC as amended. Finalising registration only occurs once the application is fully processed including the qualifications assessment process.
Generally teachers are initially registered with the condition of fulfilling post-qualification professional practice conditions. The teacher is given three years from the date of registration to fulfil these conditions. For teachers who have these conditions attached, it is not possible to commence the fulfilment of these conditions until initial registration is finalised. Should a teacher have previously fulfilled these conditions or an equivalent in a different jurisdiction then the condition can be lifted on submission of the relevant evidence.
Where a teacher has a specific query regarding his/her conditions of registration, queries should be sent to conditions@teachingcouncil.ie.
360. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application by the board of management of a school (details supplied) will be facilitated in view of the dilapidated condition of the existing temporary classroom. [36739/18]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has no recent application on hand in respect of the replacement of prefab accommodation at the school referred to.
I can confirm, however, that an application to replace the prefab was processed by my Department in 2017. Should the school wish to have that application reviewed, particularly where there may be additional relevant information available, a written request may be submitted to the Schools Capital Appraisal Section of my Department.
361. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the negotiations to secure a site for a school campus (details supplied). [36740/18]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the project in respect of the education campus in Buncrana to cater for the schools in question is included in my Department’s capital programme.
Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Donegal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable location for the proposed education campus and have identified a preferred site option. Negotiations with the landowner in respect of this proposed acquisition are currently ongoing
362. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for the construction of additional permanent accommodation to replace the dilapidated prefabricated accommodation on site and for an additional prefabricated classroom for students with ASD. [36741/18]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB). It is currently being advanced through architectural planning by the ETB.
In this regard, my Department recently approved the project to proceed to Stage 2(a), which is the developed design stage. It is a matter for the ETB, as the client for the project, to ensure that this is completed as quickly as possible. Once the stage 2(a) submission is approved by my Department, the next step for the ETB's Design Team is to obtain the statutory planning approvals. When these are in place, the project can proceed to tender and construction.
I can also now confirm that my Department has approved temporary accommodation, as an interim measure, to facilitate the establishment of a second ASD class in the school for September 2018.
363. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for additional accommodation for woodwork classes. [36742/18]
View answerI confirm to the Deputy that an application was received from the relevant Education and Training Board (ETB) on behalf of the school in question for additional temporary accommodation to provide for a woodwork room.
I wish to advise that my Department approved funding for the additional accommodation and this decision was conveyed to both the ETB and the school authority.
364. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of applications by a school (details supplied) for the extension of its technology room and the provision of a physical education hall. [36743/18]
View answerA project involving upgrade works to the technology room in the school referred to by the Deputy has been devolved for delivery to the local Education & Training Board (ETB). The project has recently been tendered by the ETB and a tender report is due to be submitted to the Department shortly.
A further application was subsequently received by my Department in relation to the construction of a PE Hall at the school in question. As my Department's priority is the provision of essential classroom accommodation to meet demographic need, the element of the school's application relating to classroom accommodation was therefore prioritised for consideration. In this regard, my Department approved funding to the school to extend the existing Woodwork room. This building project was also devolved to Donegal ETB for delivery.
Under the National Development Plan (NDP), increased funding has been provided for the school sector capital investment programme. This funding allows for a continued focus on the provision of new permanent school places to keep pace with demographic demand and also provides for an additional focus on the refurbishment of existing school buildings to include the building and modernisation of PE facilities in post-primary schools.
Under the Ireland Project 2040, we will invest €8.4 billion (compared to €4.9 billion in the previous decade) in primary and post primary school buildings. This will include the provision of 50 large scale school building projects and 20,000 school places in state of the art new buildings.
The immediate priority of my Department is providing 20,000 new and replacement school places each year, to ensure that every child has a school place. The government will focus in the medium term on the provision of PE facilities in schools.
