Written Answers Nos. 90-109
90. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the services being provided by the Passport Office at present in view of Covid-19 to process passport applications; if an outline of same will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37356/20]
View answerThe Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications while Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19.
The Passport Service continues to provide an emergency passport service for Irish citizens at home and abroad. The service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or because the applicant requires emergency medical treatment.
Applicants who require a passport for emergency purposes, or to travel for urgent reasons, should contact the Passport Service via our Customer Service Hub Webchat function on our website.
The Passport Service has a comprehensive plan in place to resume all services, in line with the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. This provides for the resumption of processing of routine applications received via the online service at Level 4. The Passport Service plans to resume processing of routine paper based applications such as Passport Express, Northern Ireland Passport Express and applications for Foreign Birth Registrations at Level 3.
91. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the recent death in an Israeli prison of a Palestinian detainee (details supplied) who died from the medical negligence of their cancer; if his attention has been further drawn to the fact that the Israeli state has also withheld their remains from their family in an act of collective punishment; if he will write to the Israeli Ambassador in Ireland to call upon the government of Israel to immediately release the remains of the person to their family for a proper funeral; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37357/20]
View answerIreland continues to raise concerns about the treatment of Palestinian prisoners.
Ireland has repeatedly recalled to Israel the applicability of international human rights standards and international humanitarian law in respect of detainees, in particular obligations under the Fourth Geneva Convention. During the Universal Periodic Review of Israel at the UN Human Rights Council in 2018, Ireland made a recommendation to Israel regarding the treatment of detainees. I have raised these issues myself on my visits to the region.
With regard to the specific case the Deputy mentions, Irish officials are aware of this case and have been following it closely.
Ireland and the EU provide financial support to Israeli and Palestinian NGOs who are active in bringing these issues to light, including in respect of this case.
92. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Defence the role of members of the Permanent Defence Force during the Covid-19 pandemic; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37273/20]
View answerWhilst the Defence Forces are not a primary response agency for non-security related emergencies, as defined in the Framework for Major Emergency Management, they provide the fullest possible assistance to the appropriate Lead Department in the event of a natural disaster or emergency situation in its Aid to Civil Authority (ATCA) role. In this regard, the full spectrum of Defence Forces personnel and equipment, commensurate with operational requirements, is made available for deployments, within current means and capabilities, as the need arises.
At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a Joint Task Force was established to coordinate the Defence Forces contribution to the whole-of-Government COVID-19 response. It has the authority to draw together, in a joint manner, the contribution of all of the elements of the Defence Forces – Army, Air Corps, Naval Service, Reserve, etc. This was provided for in a Defence Forces Regulation signed by and under the authority of the Minister for Defence.
The Defence Forces Joint Task Force is based in McKee Barracks and its priority from the beginning has been to provide support to the HSE, while retaining, at all times, a contingent capacity to provide Aid to the Civil Power support. The wide range of supports that the Defence Forces have provided to the HSE, as coordinated by the Joint Task Force during the COVID-19 crisis include:
- operation of the COVID-19 testing centre at the Aviva stadium;
- support for contact tracing efforts;
- transportation by the Air Corps of COVID-19 tests to Germany;
- collection of PPE from more than 260 cargo flights and the ongoing storage and distribution of this PPE to various HSE sites;
- support for HSE testing efforts including through deployment of Naval Service vessels to Dublin, Cork and Galway;
- PPE training to workers at Cork and Waterford harbours by Naval service personnel;
- provision of tentage and marshalling support at various HSE testing sites around the country;
- transportation of patients for testing;
- assistance with the fit out of temporary facilities for the HSE (for example, the HSE facilities at City West and the University of Limerick);
- production and assembly of PPE using 3D printing facilities; and
- the use of lands at Ballymullen Barracks as a COVID-19 testing facility and contact tracing hub.
In addition to supporting the HSE, the Defence Forces have also provided a broad range of support to other Departments and Agencies. Provision of this support was also coordinated by the Joint Task Force and examples include:
- Support has been provided to the National Ambulance Service through Defence Forces ambulance and crew supports along with tele-triage supports.
- Support to the Office of Government Procurement through assistance with storage and distribution of PPE.
- Support to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government through the use of lands at Sarsfields Barracks for the location of one of the National Temporary Body Storage Facilities. The Defence Forces were also on standby to provide support if required at the Dublin based National Temporary Body Storage Facility at the Royal Hospital Kilmainham.
93. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Defence his views on whether Brexit will have a positive impact on any policy area or sector under the remit of his Department; and if the details of same will be provided. [37173/20]
View answerIreland regrets the UK’s decision to leave the EU, although we respect it.
From 1 January 2021, many aspects of our relationship with our nearest neighbour will change fundamentally as we will no longer share EU membership. However, the Government remains committed to protecting and strengthening the Ireland-UK relationship following the end of the transition period. Strong and vibrant connections are vital with our closest neighbour and trading partner. Both Ireland and the UK remain co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement and are committed to the ongoing maintenance of the Common Travel Area and its associated rights and privileges.
The Taoiseach and Prime Minister Johnson at their meeting in Belfast on 13 August, have already discussed the importance of nurturing and developing the bilateral relationship in a structured way in the context where the UK has left the EU.
The Brexit transition period will end in 43 days. Whatever the outcome of the ongoing future partnership negotiations, this will bring significant and lasting change in the relationship between the EU and UK from 1 January, 2021.
In 2015, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed relating to defence cooperation between Ireland and UK. This MoU provides a framework for developing and furthering bilateral co-operation and relations between the two states in the area of security and defence capacity, building on existing cooperation and seeking to identify new areas of cooperation with mutual benefits. It is a voluntary, non-binding arrangement and does not impact on Ireland's traditional policy of military neutrality.
Areas covered by the MoU include exercises, training activities, exchange of information, knowledge and experience, shared threat analysis, staff to staff talks both civil and military and joint operations and capacity building in support of international peace and security.
It is important that we maintain and develop the positive progress that has taken place so far. Any bilateral Ireland/UK cooperation on areas of mutual interest and concern in the defence and armed forces domain will remain in place post-Brexit and the MoU will continue to facilitate cooperation between Ireland and the UK in the agreed areas into the future.
Supplementary written arrangements in the form of MOUs, Technical Arrangements etc. may be concluded between Ireland and the UK for the purpose of implementing this cooperation. To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding concerning the sharing of and protection of Defence classified information was concluded between Ireland and the UK in 2019.
The Department of Defence has not identified any areas where cooperation or coordination will be enhanced by Brexit.
94. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Defence the premises owned or run by the Defence Forces at present in counties Cavan, Monaghan and Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37352/20]
View answerThe Defence property portfolio consists of a diverse range of facilities from conventional military barracks to forts, camps, married quarters and training lands. At the end of 2019, the portfolio consisted of some 70 sites, including 14 permanently occupied military installations, together with lands comprising over 20,000 acres.
The specific information requested by the Deputy is set out in the table below.
|
Location |
Property |
|
County Cavan |
Cavan Town - RDF premises |
|
County Monaghan |
N/A |
|
County Meath |
Gormanston (Camp and Aerodrome) RDF premises - Navan. |
95. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Defence the regulations and legislation that governs the rates of pay for members of the Reserve Defence Force; the regulations or legislation that implements a 10% cut compared to the equivalent Permanent Defence Force pay rates; the date such regulation or legislation implementing the cuts was signed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37379/20]
View answerThe provisions for pay and allowances for both the Permanent Defence Force (PDF) and the Reserve Defence Force (RDF) are set out in Defence Force Regulation S.3.
The rates of pay for members of the RDF is calculated in line with the rates of pay for members of the PDF. As per Defence Force Regulations, the rate of pay for the RDF is linked with first point of the scale of the rate of pay for the PDF.
Prior to the Financial Emergency, the pay scales applying to the PDF also applied to the RDF. Under FEMPI measures, the pay cuts that applied to the PDF also applied to the RDF. An additional 10% reduction applied to the rate of paid training for members of the RDF, as per the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA) – 2013-2016 (Haddington Road Agreement) in May 2013.
The restoration of pay for Public Servants, including for members of the Defence Forces, has been conducted in accordance with PSSA 2013 - 2018 and PSSA 2018 – 2020, with the consent of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. However, the additional 10% reduction under the Haddington Road Agreement is not included in these restorations. This matter is currently under consideration.
Notwithstanding this, I note that, as members of the PDF continue to contribute to the Government’s response to the current COVID 19 response, some members of the RDF who have skills required in that response, and whose personal circumstances have allowed them to do so, have undertaken authorised tasks on a voluntary basis, in support of the PDF. RDF members voluntarily involved in such activities receive the equivalent rates of pay as PDF personnel.
96. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Minister for Education if flexibility can be shown in the case of a family (details provided) that missed the deadline for the application for the remote area transport grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37151/20]
View answerSchool Transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department of Education. In the 2019/20 school year over 120,000 children, including over 14,200 children with special educational needs, were transported in over 5,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres at a cost of over €219m in 2019.
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.
The closing date for applying for school transport is any given year is the last Friday in April for the new school year. Therefore the closing date for applications for the 2020/2021 was Friday 24 April 2020.
A child who is eligible for school transport but for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within the prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements.
Bus Éireann has advised that an application for school transport for the family referred to by the Deputy was received on the 1st May 2020 and therefore payment of a Remote Area Grant cannot be considered for the current school year.
97. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Education her views on whether Brexit will have a positive impact on any policy area or sector under the remit of her Department; and if the details of same will be provided. [37174/20]
View answerBrexit will bring change in terms of managing relationships between education systems, North and South, and East West. While many of the potential negative impacts of Brexit in terms of education have been mitigated through the Memorandum of Understanding on the Common Travel Area, my Department's focus has been on protecting and strengthening the collaboration between our education systems.
98. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the obligations schools are under to accept a student in the catchment area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37193/20]
View answerThe question of enrolment in individual schools, including the setting of catchment areas are the responsibility of the school authorities. It is the responsibility of the school authorities of schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998 and the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. Parents have the right to 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, it may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in their school of first choice. In this regard, school authorities may find it necessary to prioritise enrolment of children from particular areas or on the basis of some other criterion.
New schools established since 2011 to meet demographic demand are required, in the first instance, to prioritise pupil applications from within the designated school planning area(s) which the school was established to serve. This does not preclude schools from enrolling pupils from outside of the school planning area where they have sufficient places, rather it reflects the need to accommodate in the first instance the demographic for which the school was established.
The requirement on new schools established since 2011 to prioritise enrolment from a particular school planning area(s) does not apply to or impact on the majority of existing schools established prior to 2011.
99. Deputy Cian O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education the rights a student has if they are refused a place at any of the available schools in their catchment area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37194/20]
View answerIt is the responsibility of my Department to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in an area. Parents/guardians can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted.
It is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to draft, publish and implement a school admission policy in accordance with the Education Acts 1998 to 2018. In schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in their school of first choice.
The admission policy, including the selection criterion to be used where the school is oversubscribed, must comply with the Education Acts 1998 to 2018, be non-discriminatory and be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.
Where a board of management make a decision to refuse admission, a parent/guardian can appeal that decision under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998, and an independent appeals committee will be appointed to consider the appeal. My Department has no authority to compel a school to admit a student, except in circumstances where an appeal under section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 has been allowed and the appeals committee directs that the school admit the child concerned.
A section 29 appeal must be made no later than 63 calendar days from the date of the school’s decision to refuse admission.
If a student has been refused admission due to the school being oversubscribed, and the parent/guardian of the student wishes to appeal this decision they must firstly make a written request to the school seeking a review of the board of management’s decision. This request for a review to the board of management is time bound and must be made within 21 calendar days from the date of the decision by the school to refuse admission the student.
If a student has been refused admission for a reason other than the school being oversubscribed, the parent/guardian may, but is not required to, request a review by the board of management within 21 calendar days from the date of the decision by the school to refuse admission to the student. Where refused admission is for a reason other than the school being oversubscribed and the parent/guardian does not choose to seek a review by the board of management, an appeal may be made to an independent appeals committee no later than 63 calendar days from the date of the school’s decision to refuse admission.
Full details on the section 29 appeals process are available on my Department’s website at the link below:
www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/Appeal-against-Permanent-Exclusion-Suspension-or-Refusal-to-Enrol/Appeals.html.
In addition, Tusla Education Support Services (TESS) the Educational Welfare Service is the legal body which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school placement for their child. Contact details for TESS are available at the following link www.tusla.ie/tess/get-in-touch/ or by email at tessinfo@tusla.ie.
100. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education if she will review a matter (details supplied); if her Department has any plans to change the criteria for schools; if she will review same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37239/20]
View answerEnabling children with special educational needs to receive an education appropriate to their needs is a priority for this Government. Next year, over 20% of the total Education budget or €2bn will be invested in supporting children with special educational needs.
This investment will support the provision of over 1,200 additional special class places.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has responsibility for coordinating and advising on the education provision for children nationwide. It has well established structures in place for engaging with schools and parents. NCSE seeks to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all children who have been identified as needing special education placements.
NCSE is planning a further expansion of special class and special school places nationally, to meet identified need. This process is ongoing.
Through better planning at both national and local level, it is my objective that specialist education places should come on stream to meet emerging demand on a timely basis. The active collaboration of school communities is essential in this regard.
Currently, my Department does not have a policy supporting the establishment of special classes in fee-charging schools.
In establishing a special class, the NCSE is required to satisfy itself that the class is both sustainable and available to all of the pupils who may need special class placements in a particular area.
As Minister, I also have powers under Section 37A of the Education Act to direct a school to provide additional places but this power is only used as a last resort and where all reasonable efforts have failed.
Parents should be advised to contact their local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENO) if they experience any difficulty in getting a suitable placement.
NCSE is also currently undertaking Policy Advice on Education Provision in Special Classes and Special Schools to examine whether placement in specialist settings brings about improved educational outcomes and experiences, relative to their ability, for students with special educational needs.
This Policy Advice is to be completed and a report submitted by NCSE in December 2020. It will then be considered by my Department.
101. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the number of second-level teachers who had pay deductions and losses imposed arising from strike action by a union (details supplied) on 4 February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37308/20]
View answer102. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers in the voluntary secondary school sector who had pay deductions and losses imposed arising from strike action by a union (details supplied) on 4 February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37309/20]
View answer103. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers in the community school sector who had pay deductions and losses imposed arising from strike action by a union (details supplied) on 4 February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37310/20]
View answer104. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers in the comprehensive school sector who had pay deductions and losses imposed arising from strike action by a union (details supplied) on 4 February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37311/20]
View answer106. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers in the Educate Together school sector who had pay deductions and losses imposed arising from strike action by a union (details supplied) on 4 February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37313/20]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 101 to 104, inclusive, and 106 together.
Officials from my Department are collating the information that is available from the payroll databases on the matter raised by the Deputy. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded direct to him as soon as possible.
105. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education the number of teachers in the ETB school sector who had pay deductions and losses imposed arising from strike action by a union (details supplied) on 4 February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37312/20]
View answerMy Department does not currently have all the information requested to hand.
While my Department is moving to a payroll shared services model for ETBs
through the Education Shared Business Services, some of the ETBs still manage and
administer their own individual payrolls. My Department will make contact with the ETBs to compile the requested information. This information will be forwarded to the Deputy's office as soon as it is collated.
107. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education if additional funding will be provided to a school (details supplied) in County Kerry to paint games lines on its newly laid play area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37315/20]
View answerI would like to inform the Deputy that the school in question should use its Minor Works Grant to complete these works; minor works payments issued to primary schools during July and a further payment will issue in December of this year. Alternatively the school may apply under my Department's Summer Works Scheme when it next opens for applications.
108. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education the number of primary and secondary school places in Greystones, County Wicklow; and the projections as to potential demand for places in the coming years. [37334/20]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, in order to plan for school provision my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and utilises a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, to identify where a demand for additional school places will arise.
Included in the data analysed is Child Benefit data and, for the purpose of post primary school place projections, current enrolments in primary schools in the relevant school planning area(s). Also considered is information provided by local authorities in respect of residential development activity in each area, in order to anticipate emerging school place requirements from any planned additional population.
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, depending on the circumstances, 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 school
Since April 2018 the Government has announced 47 new schools to be established over the period 2019-2022 including a new 1000 pupil post primary school in 2020 as a regional solution to serve the Kilcoole and Greystones school planning areas. The requirement for additional school places is kept under on-going review and work on an updated exercise to assess needs for the coming years, including those which may arise in the Greystones area is currently at an advanced stage.
Enrolment information for the 2020 school year is not yet available. However details of the enrolments for 2019 are available on my Department's website www.education.ie.
109. Deputy Steven Matthews asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to a significant shortfall in available school places for both junior infants in primary schools and first year students in secondary schools in Greystones, County Wicklow; and her plans to review the matter. [37351/20]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act 1998. In schools where there are more applicants than places available, a selection process may be necessary.
The selection process used by schools and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, it may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in their school of first choice.
In accordance with the provisions of the Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018, all schools have drafted new policies to be published on the school’s website.
The act requires schools to clearly set out their selection criteria for application in the event of oversubscription, in their admission policies. The criteria to be applied by schools and the order of priority are a matter for the schools themselves.
Further information on the new admission process is available on the Department’s website at www.education.ie/en/Parents/Information/School-Enrolment.
In 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 plans for the establishment of 45 new schools over the 4 year period 2019 to 2022. This included a new primary school, Greystones Community National School, which was established in 2015. A new post-primary school, Greystones Community College opened in Greystones for the 2020/21 school year as a regional solution for the Kilcoole and Greystones area.
The following post-primary schools serve the Greystones School Planning Area:
- Temple Carrig Secondary School, Greystones – this is a co-educational school with capacity for 750 pupils and was established in 2014.
- St. David’s Secondary School Greystones is a co-educational school and a major building project to expand the school to cater for 750 pupils commenced on site in October 2020. This project is expected to be completed in 22 months i.e. by July 2023.
- Greystones Community College – this new school was established in September 2020. The proposal is to provide permanent accommodation for 1,000 pupils when the school is fully developed. Discussions are ongoing with the landowner of a designated site at Charlesland, Greystones with a view to acquiring the site to construct the new school.
Greystones Community College opened its doors to 64 first year pupils in September 2020 in interim accommodation in Greystones Lawn Tennis Club. My Department is looking at all potential options in the area in the short and medium term ahead of the school’s move to its designated permanent site in Charlesland, Greystones. This will include the provision of appropriate temporary accommodation, including specialist rooms, as quickly as possible as the current school year progresses. My officials will continue to work closely with Kildare Wicklow ETB and the school to ensure that the needs of the school community are met.
In addition, there is the existing school in the adjacent Kilcoole School Planning Area, Coláiste Craobh Abhann, which currently has accommodation for 750 pupils and for which there is a major project approved to expand the school to 1,000 pupils. This project is in early architectural planning and is being delivered by the National Development Finance Agency. Additional temporary accommodation was approved in 2019 to cater for expanding enrolments pending completion of this extension. It is open to the school's patron to submit an application for additional interim accommodation to my Department should this be required.
Similar to the process adopted for September 2020 readiness, the 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.
My Department is concerned to ensure that all pupils in the Greystones school planning area have access to a primary or post-primary school school place in September 2021.
