Written Answers Nos. 255-274
255. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education the protocol for students sitting State examinations in June 2021 if they have suspected Covid-19 symptoms and are awaiting a test or results; if they are close contacts and have to self-isolate for 14 days; the accommodation that will be made available to them to sit their exams; and if they can be accommodated to sit their exams virtually or at a later date if they have Covid-19. [36037/20]
View answerThe 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.
256. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education when a decision will be made on an appeal by a school (details supplied) in County Donegal regarding the decision not to increase special needs assistance supports in the school; if he will ensure that the reasons for the decision are provided to the school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36052/20]
View answerThe NCSE has responsibility for planning and coordinating school supports for children with special educational needs including the allocation of SNAs and reviews. My Department does not have a role in making individual school determinations. Accordingly, the question has been referred to the NCSE for direct reply.
The Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
Schools were notified of the arrangements for the allocation of SNA support in respect of students in mainstream classes for the current school year. The arrangements include the following provisions:
-2019/20 mainstream class SNA allocations were frozen, from the date of issue of Circular 0030/2020, and have automatically rolled over into the current school year. This means that no school will receive an allocation less than that which they have on the date of issue of this Circular and existing SNAs currently in standard SNA posts were allowed to continue in these posts for the current school year in the normal way.
- A diagnosis of a disability, or a psychological or other professional report, is not necessary for this process.
- The role of the SNA to support the care needs of students in mainstream classes, as set out in Circular 0030/2014, remains unchanged.
It is expected that schools will review and reprioritise the deployment of SNAs within mainstream settings and allocate resources to ensure those with the greatest level of need receive the greatest level of support. Providing access to SNA support continues to be based on primary care needs as outlined in DES Circular 0030/2014.
Schools may apply to the NCSE for additionality where they can demonstrate that the current allocation does not meet additional care needs within the mainstream classes in the school. Applications for additionality arising from significant new or emerging additional care needs, which cannot be catered within existing allocations, are dealt with by way of the exceptional review process.
The exceptional review process for mainstream allocations is available to schools throughout the current school year.
Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie.
A school can appeal the outcome of an exceptional review and details of how to do this are here:
https://ncse.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/GuidanceSchoolAppealing-Exceptional-Review-outcome.docx
257. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education the status of a school building (details supplied) in Dublin 9; the nature of the remedial works required; the body which will meet the cost of these works; when the building will be ready for occupation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36062/20]
View answerThis PQ is for the Department of Further Education.
258. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Education if she will consider an appeal (details supplied) for the immediate establishment of a primary teacher supply panel in the south County Louth and east County Meath area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36071/20]
View answerThe Roadmap for the Full Return to School provides for comprehensive supports across a range of areas to allow for the safe reopening of schools. Among the supports provided is the extension of the Substitute Teacher Supply Panel. My Department has worked closely with our Partners on expanding teacher supply panels. The base schools were first identified in collaboration with the INTO and Primary Management Bodies. The INTO and Primary Management Bodies made contact with these schools with a view to being a base for that location. In forming the Supply Panel Clusters, the Department’s Geographical Information System (GIS) identified the receiving schools based on distance from the base school. The Supply Panel Teaching posts were allocated to each Supply Panel based on the number of schools in the cluster and the number of permanent teaching positions to be serviced by the scheme. Currently, there are 115 Substitute Teacher Supply Panels nationwide, with almost 330 newly appointed Supply Panel teachers employed, providing substitute cover to almost 2,300 schools across the country. In relation to Co. Louth and Co. Meath there are 5 Supply Panels operating in these counties operating in over 90 schools. These substitute Supply Panels are not the sole means whereby schools source substitutes but are set up to work alongside the existing methods of sourcing substitute teachers whether through a school’s own panel of regular substitutes or the National Substitution portal service as outlined in the Department Circular 45/2020. The proficiencies of the current Supply panels will be monitored and will be reviewed by my Department at the end of the current academic year.
259. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education if she will clarify the situation of students who have opted to sit the leaving certificate in November 2020; if they will be awarded full marks on the oral elements of their language exams; and if her attention has been drawn to aspects (details supplied) whereby students are without supports ahead of the exams. [36086/20]
View answerThe 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.
260. Deputy Louise O'Reilly asked the Minister for Education if she will engage with parents and secondary schools in Swords, County Dublin, on the shortage of secondary school places in the town; if additional modular accommodation and teaching staff will be provided for schools with significant waiting lists; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36118/20]
View answerIn order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System (GIS). The GIS uses data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit Data from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection and the Department's own school enrolment databases, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise.
The process has been strengthened this year through three specific initiatives:
1. Enhanced engagement with local authorities in relation to the information on residential development incorporated in the analysis process;
2. Additional engagement with patron bodies in relation to their local knowledge on school place requirements. Education and Training Boards, Diocesan offices and national patron bodies such as Educate Together, An Foras Pátrúnachta etc. can also be an important source of local knowledge. This will add to information also provided to the Department by local authorities or individual schools.
3. Utilising the information gleaned from schools under the national inventory of school capacity completed by individual schools last year as part of POD, P-POD returns process.
Where data indicates that additional provision is required at primary or post primary level, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one, or a combination of, the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
As the Deputy will be aware, since April 2018, the Government announced the establishment of 45 new schools over the 4 year period 2019 to 2022. This included a new post-primary school for the Swords School Planning Area – Swords Community College, which opened in 2018/19 under the patronage of Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education & Training Board.
In addition, major building projects are planned, are in train or completed in a number of post primary schools in the Swords School Planning Area, including:
- Swords Community College – a new permanent school building for this school, catering for 1,000 pupils was completed in August 2020. The school had an enrolment of 166 pupils in 2019/20.
- St. Finian’s Community College, Swords – architectural planning has commenced to construct a major building project at the school, which when completed, will provide capacity for 1,000 pupils. The project has been devolved to Dublin Dun Laoghaire Education and Training Board (DDLETB) for delivery. A number of significant issues have unfortunately arisen, including delays in obtaining statutory consents from the local authority and delays in the finalisation of the detailed design process for the project as it was originally approved. Based on the report provided by DDLETB, it was agreed at a recent meeting between the Department and DDLETB that this project should be redesigned. The first step in this new plan is the execution of a Service Level Agreement between the Department and DDLETB and this process in under way. Thereafter, DDLETB will procure a Design Team to design the buildings, obtain the necessary statutory planning permissions and move the project onward to construction in due course.
- Loreto Secondary School, Swords – my Department proposes expanding this school to provide capacity for 1,000 pupils. The project brief is currently being devised and when completed, the architectural planning process for the project can commence. My Department recently approved 4 additional temporary classrooms to the school to cater for its immediate needs.
- Fingal Community College – my Department has agreed the expansion of this school to cater for 1,000 pupils and is currently finalising a project brief for this proposed project under our Additional Accommodation Scheme.
Similar to the process adopted for September 2020 readiness, my Department will be engaging further with patron bodies shortly in advance of identifying specific September 2021 capacity pressure points priorities which will necessitate specific action.
In a ‘normal’ year, addressing the increase demands for school places, whilst challenging, is manageable - generally through utilisation of existing spare capacity within schools, rental, temporary accommodation or other short term measures pending the delivery of permanent accommodation.
261. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Social Protection her plans to increase the invalidity pension in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35951/20]
View answerInvalidity Pension is a weekly payment to people who are permanently incapable of work because of a long-term illness or disability. To qualify for an award of Invalidity Pension a claimant must satisfy both PRSI contribution and medical conditions. At 66, those on Invalidity pension transfer automatically to the State Pension (Contributory) at the full rate. Invalidity Pension is taxable. Recipients are entitled to a Free Travel Pass and may also get extra social welfare benefits, for example, the Household Benefits Package. Invalidity Pension was extended to the self-employed from December 2017.
Expenditure on Invalidity Pension was over €728 million in 2019, continuing a steady increase from almost €673 million in 2016. The expected expenditure for 2020 is almost €749 million. There were 58,168 recipients in 2019, with 76,577 beneficiaries when qualified adult and children are included.
My Department regularly reviews its supports and payments schemes to ensure that they continue to meet their objectives. Any change to the rate of payment would have to be considered in an overall policy and budgetary context.
I trust that this clarifies the matter.
262. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department has lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies; and, if so, the details of the leases, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35864/20]
View answerNeither my Department nor any bodies under the aegis of my Department have lease arrangements with co-working real estate companies.
263. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection if her Department leases additional office space that is outside its departmental building and the estates section of the OPW; and, if so, the details of the lease, including the terms of the lease, location, price and duration. [35882/20]
View answerWith the exception of Áras Mhic Dhiarmada, which is owned by the Minister for Social Protection on behalf of the Social Insurance Fund, all of my Department's buildings are provided by the Office of Public Works.
My Department does not have separate lease arrangements with private landlords.
264. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Social Protection if the extension of a community employment scheme could be facilitated for a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35886/20]
View answerThe role of the CE supervisor is to ensure the effective and efficient management and co-ordination of the human, financial and material resources of the CE Scheme and report to the Sponsoring Committee on its implementation. A core aspect of the role is to support and coach CE participants towards gaining the skills, competencies and qualifications in preparation for employment. Projects are entitled to a Supervisor wage grant from the Department of Social Protection.
Funding for Supervisor and Participant wages from the Department is available up to the day before a person reaches the State Pension age and will cease thereafter. The current qualifying age for all State Pensions is 66.
The person concerned will reach 66 years on 26th February 2021. There is no provision by which funding for an extension beyond State Pension age is granted.
265. Deputy Duncan Smith asked the Minister for Social Protection if a pandemic unemployment payment for a person (details supplied) will be expedited. [35918/20]
View answerThe person concerned has had his Covid -19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment application reviewed on the 10th November 2020 and an instruction has been sent to have their payment reinstated. The person concerned should receive payment on next Tuesday the 17th November 2020.
266. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Social Protection the reason a person (details supplied) was refused a pandemic unemployment payment; and if the application will be reviewed. [35919/20]
View answerThe Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) is available to employees and self-employed people who lost their job on or after 13/03/2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to the records of my Department, the person concerned applied for a PUP on 06/04/2020 stating the last date that he worked was 20/02/2020. Since he was not employed on or after 13/03/2020, he was not deemed eligible for this emergency support payment.
The person concerned subsequently applied for a PUP on 05/08/2020, stating his date last worked was 03/04/2020.
Following a review of his income from self-employment in 2018, a PUP has now been awarded to the person concerned. All arrears due during the period April to November will issue this week.
I trust this clarifies the matter.
267. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Social Protection if a decision has been made on an invalidity pension application by a person (details supplied). [35924/20]
View answerThe person concerned has been awarded invalidity pension with effect from 26 November 2020 and payment will issue to his nominated bank account on that day. The person concerned was notified of this decision on 10 November 2020.
I hope this clarifies the position for the Deputy.
268. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will review the anomaly whereby a person (details supplied) cannot be awarded reckonable credits for the period during which they were in receipt of the one-parent family payment and subsequent welfare payment due to the fact that immediately prior to claiming the payment the person was on a community employment scheme, which is not listed as one the qualifying schemes for awarding credits; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that this has a knock-on effect for the person in that they cannot qualify for the widow’s contributory pension; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35925/20]
View answerThe primary purpose of credited employment contributions is to preserve the continuity of a person’s insurance record during periods when they are unable to work and pay social insurance in the normal way. In order to qualify for credited employment contributions, absences from work would have to arise due to notified incapacity for work, proven unemployment, or periods during which the person was in receipt of certain other social welfare payments.
The community employment scheme is designed to assist people who are long-term unemployed or otherwise disadvantaged to get back to work by offering part-time and temporary employment placements in the community. Community employment is not a social welfare payment. Participants pay social insurance at PRSI class A8 or A9 depending on the weekly income level and such contributions are reckonable for all benefits under the social insurance system.
Credited employment contributions are awarded to an insured person in receipt of the one-parent family payment who, immediately prior to qualifying for the payment, was entitled to be credited with employment contributions and was in receipt of certain social welfare payments. These payments include maternity, health and safety, occupational injury benefit, adoptive or paternity benefits; carer's benefit or allowance; invalidity pension or disability allowance; pre-retirement allowance; jobseeker's benefit or allowance or illness benefit.
As the person concerned was not in receipt of one of these social welfare payments prior to being in receipt of the one-parent family payment, credited employment contributions were not awarded.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
269. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number for a person (details supplied) will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35959/20]
View answer270. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number for a person (details supplied) will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35960/20]
View answer271. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number for a person (details supplied) will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35961/20]
View answer272. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number for a person (details supplied) will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35962/20]
View answer273. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Social Protection when a PPS number for a person (details supplied) will issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35963/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 269 to 273, inclusive, together.
I can confirm that my Department has allocated Personal Public Service Numbers (PPSNs) to the individuals referred to by the Deputy. Letters issued on 10th November 2020 with details of their PPSNs.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
274. Deputy Kieran O'Donnell asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will address a matter regarding the case of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [35964/20]
View answerI can confirm that the individual referred to by the Deputy has been contacted regarding his application for a Personal Public Service Number (PPSN) by officials of my Department so that we may proceed to progress his application.
I trust this clarifies the matter for the Deputy.
