Parliamentary questions

Schools Building Projects Expenditure

Tony McLoughlin

503. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of capital funding her Department has provided for major school building and modernisation projects in counties Sligo, Leitrim, Cavan and Donegal since 2012; the number of projects. in total. that have taken place in this period; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27309/15]

Bullying in Schools

Jerry Buttimer

504. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to review the national anti-bullying policy to combat an increase in cyberbullying; the procedures in place to monitor the implementation of this policy; her views on whether such procedures are adequate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27313/15]

Grant Aid

Clare Daly

505. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the basis upon which ancillary grants to schools are calculated, including if there is a statutory regulation and guidance surrounding the grants, in terms of the amount of moneys to be paid to school administration staff; the hourly rate; if that payment relates to a weekly wage for 52 weeks of the year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27322/15]

Grant Aid

Clare Daly

506. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if boards of management and school principals are required to utilise ancillary grants for the employment of administrative staff, or if they have free scope and leeway regarding same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27323/15]

School Transport Eligibility

Seán Fleming

507. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if free school transport will be provided in respect of a student (details supplied) in County Carlow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27383/15]

School Staff

Tom Fleming

508. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will re-examine the current staffing resources at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry, and provide the necessary complement of staff, prior to the new school term in September 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27384/15]

Scoileanna Oileáin

Éamon Ó Cuív

509. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cad iad na socraithe atá déanta aici lena chinntiú go bhfuil clár cuimsitheach ábhar ar fáil ag an 200 scoláire atá ag freastal ar scoileanna dara leibhéal ar na hoileáin; cad iad na céimeanna atá i gceist aici a ghlacadh le cúrsaí a fheabhsú; cad iad na hiarratais ina leith seo atá faighte ón GRETB agus ó DETB; cén cinneadh a rinneadh ar na hiarratais seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [27447/15]

Scoileanna Oileáin

Éamon Ó Cuív

510. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cad atá i gceist aici a dhéanamh lena chinntiú go mbeidh sé tarraingteach do mhúinteoirí múineadh sna scoileanna dara leibhéal ar na hoileáin; an bhfuil sé i gceist aici tuilleadh postanna lánaimseartha a chur ar fáil sna scoileanna seo; an bhfuil sé i gceist aici freisin an liúntas oileánda a thabhairt ar ais do mhúinteoirí oileánda nach bhfaigheann an liúntas sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sí ráiteas ina thaobh. [27448/15]

Outdoor Education Centres

Éamon Ó Cuív

511. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she has received an application for capital funding to upgrade the facilities at Petersburg Outdoor Education Centre in An Fháiche in Contae na Gaillimhe; when a decision will be made on this application; if she will recognise the urgency of this request; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27449/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Mick Wallace

512. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of special care assistance that will be available for the 2015-2016 school year; if this provision will remain at the same level as the 2014-2015 school year; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27456/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Mick Wallace

513. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views it is appropriate that no decision has yet been made on the allocation of special needs assistant care in schools for the 2015-2016 school year, given that schools have now closed for the summer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27457/15]

Services for People with Disabilities

Willie O'Dea

514. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to applicants under the disability access route to education, who are in genuine need of this access to third level, and who have been clients of child and adolescent mental health services and of the Health Service Executive for some years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27458/15]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Joe Carey

515. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the anomaly whereby a person may be in receipt of family income support, but because of gross income limits as applied by Student Universal Support Ireland, may not qualify to have a child or children covered for a third level education grant; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27489/15]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Michelle Mulherin

516. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the avenues of financial assistance and maintenance that are available from the State to a person (details supplied) in County Mayo for third level education, who has been awarded a three year scholarship to attend Griffith College in Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27500/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Pat Breen

517. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the allocations for special needs assistants for the 2015-2016 academic year will be made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27512/15]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Ruth Coppinger

518. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills when primary schools will have their allocations for special needs assistants for the 2015-2016 school year confirmed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27589/15]

Education and Training Boards Establishment

Seán Kyne

519. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a delegated sanction, permitted under the Act establishing the education and training boards, will be sanctioned to the Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board, which is required so that the board may appoint educational officers, principal officers and assistant principal officers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27704/15]

Broadband Service Provision

Seán Kyne

520. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the success of the roll-out of high-speed broadband to secondary schools, if consideration will be given to a similar initiative for other training centres operated by education and training boards which have a lack of high-speed broadband coverage that impacts on the delivery of training; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27707/15]

Institutes of Technology Funding

Seán Kyne

521. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on providing capital assistance to Galway Technical Institute for modernisation, including an extension, particularly in view of the great value delivered by the institute to her Department, considering that it caters for almost 1,300 students at a cost equivalent to 900 students, due to a funding cap; if an extension to the institute is in her departmental plans; when the institute's accommodation needs were last reviewed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27708/15]

School Transport Provision

Robert Troy

522. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the withdrawal of school transport routes to a school (details supplied) in counties Longford and Westmeath; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27714/15]

School Enrolments

Seán Kyne

523. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether second level schools on islands should be treated as a special category for teacher allocations in recognition of the specific issues they experience in terms of pupil numbers, as well as challenges in providing the most basic curriculum; if a different allocation model is necessary; if, considering there are five second level island schools nationwide operated by the education and training boards, a change would not be financially draining; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27715/15]

Outdoor Education Centres

Seán Kyne

524. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether outdoor educational training centres operated by the education and training boards could be included in capital funding schemes for the purposes of refurbishment and updating, as they are presently excluded from such capital funding schemes; the reason they are excluded, and if there is recognition of the need to provide assistance arising from their importance to, among other things, the local economies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [27724/15]

Pyrite Remediation Programme

Clare Daly

525. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views regarding the measures he proposes to take to compensate home owners who were forced to remediate properties at their own expense, as a result of the inadequacy of the home bond insurance scheme, whereby they remediated their properties as they were unsafe, in advance of the pyrite resolution scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27139/15]

Public Sector Staff Sick Leave

Michael McNamara

526. Deputy Michael McNamara asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a directive will be given to local authorities to provide sick pay where appropriate for a period in excess of six months to employees paying pay-related social insurance D1 contributions, as this is an existing anomaly in the service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27204/15]

Homelessness Strategy

Thomas P. Broughan

527. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the number of families who have not previously been involved with any social services and are now experiencing homelessness; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27245/15]

Derelict Sites

Terence Flanagan

528. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied) regarding derelict sites; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27267/15]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Ruth Coppinger

529. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government further to Parliamentary Question No. 26 of 24 June 2015 if he will announce his plans on rent before the summer recess; his plans for rent certainty in greater detail; when he intends to announce his plans; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27359/15]

Local Authority Staff Recruitment

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

530. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has received a request for approval from Kildare County Council for the appointment of additional staff to work in its housing department; the nature of the application; if he will approve the appointment of the staff as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26931/15]

Voluntary Sector Funding

Mattie McGrath

531. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will investigate and clarify a matter (details supplied) regarding Muintir na Tíre; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26985/15]

Local Authority Housing Maintenance

Charlie McConalogue

532. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide funding to local authorities for the replacement of timber window frames with PVC (polyvinyl chloride) window frames, due to the poor condition of window frames in local authority units across County Donegal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27007/15]

European Court of Justice Rulings

Catherine Murphy

533. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the costs to the Exchequer arising from the State's obligation to enforce the decision of the European Court of Justice of the European Union on 26 April 2005 in case C 494/01, Commission v. Ireland, in the matter of the waste directive, and the associated programme of measures; his plans to fully transpose the landfill directive to ensure that waste processing and transit licences may only be issued to entities where there is a guarantee of financial security in place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27079/15]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Anthony Lawlor

534. Deputy Anthony Lawlor asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the revised planning guidelines for wind development will be published; the reason for the excessive delay; if he will commit to the publication of the revised guidelines before the summer recess; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27121/15]

Pyrite Remediation Programme

Clare Daly

535. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has plans to amend the pyrite resolution scheme so that those home owners who had to refurbish their houses at their own expense prior to the initiation of the scheme will be compensated due to the enormous burden of ongoing payments in that regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27140/15]

Voluntary Sector Funding

Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin

536. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will commit to providing a long-term funding solution to the organisations currently funded under the scheme to support national organisations, organisations that have to deal with uncertain futures and difficulties in planning long-term campaigns and service provision, in particular the Irish Stammering Association, which as a national organisation only receives €25,000 funding annually; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27226/15]

Mortgage to Rent Scheme Data

Mattie McGrath

537. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views on the operation of the mortgage to rent scheme to date, including plans to expand the scheme; the number of home owners in mortgage arrears who have availed of the scheme, by county; and the number who he estimates could qualify for the scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27229/15]

Wind Energy Guidelines

Finian McGrath

538. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide a timeframe for issuing planning guidelines in respect of wind farms; the current stage of the process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27232/15]

Social and Affordable Housing Provision

Thomas P. Broughan

539. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will meet the Irish Housing Network as requested by this Deputy in an e-mail on 22 June 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27246/15]

Arts Funding

Joe Costello

540. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the strategic development zone in the North Lotts and Grand Canal Harbour will qualify for the 1% for art scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27262/15]

Local Authority Funding

Thomas P. Broughan

541. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the basis for the allocation to each local authority of €4.84 million for register of electors costs in 2014; if it is allocated on a per capita basis, or in relation to vouched staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27288/15]

National Spatial Strategy

Tony McLoughlin

542. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will consider developing a new national spatial strategy with specific regard to the need for a more balanced regional development between the north-west region and the rest of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27306/15]

Local Authority Housing Provision

Éamon Ó Cuív

543. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications for funding for housing submitted to his Department this year by Galway City Council; the decisions made to date on these applications; if these applications were granted or refused; if refused, on what grounds; when decisions on the remainder of the applications will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27343/15]

Traveller Accommodation

Éamon Ó Cuív

544. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of applications for funding for Traveller specific accommodation submitted to his Department this year by Galway City Council; the decisions made to date on these applications; if these applications were granted or refused; if refused, on what grounds; when decisions on the remainder of the applications will be made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27344/15]

Departmental Correspondence

Jim Daly

545. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update on correspondence (details supplied) submitted to his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27396/15]

Irish Water Remit

Jim Daly

546. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the reason Irish Water will not take in charge treatment plants in housing estates which have been recommended for taking in charge by the local authority, and have been signed off by local authority engineers as being fully compliant with the planning permission issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27415/15]

Planning Issues

Anne Ferris

547. Deputy Anne Ferris asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will revisit previous parliamentary replies (details supplied) in relation to directing or instructing local authorities on granting planning permission to fast food outlets in close proximity to schools, by regulation, in view of the recent decision by An Bord Pleanála on this issue regarding a second appeal in Navan on a planning application; if he is aware that the persons in Greystones are appealing a decision by Wicklow County Council to An Bord Pleanála regarding a fast food outlet approximately 50 m from three schools, for the second time in 18 months; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27531/15]

Irish Water Remit

Seamus Healy

548. Deputy Seamus Healy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will instruct Irish Water to clear sewerage blockages in Clonmel in County Tipperary, as has been previously undertaken by the local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27630/15]

Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding

Brendan Smith

549. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government when the group water schemes operational subsidy payment will issue to each local authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27642/15]

Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding

Brendan Smith

550. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the level of funding to be provided to Cavan County Council for 2015 in respect of his Department's group water scheme operational subsidy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27643/15]

Water and Sewerage Schemes Funding

Brendan Smith

551. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the level of funding to be provided to Monaghan County Council for 2015 in respect of his Department's group water scheme operational subsidy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27644/15]

Building Regulations

Martin Heydon

552. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the actions his Department will take to assist residents of an area (details supplied) in County Kildare in all aspects possible, in view of concerning survey reports that residents are receiving; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27720/15]