Parliamentary questions

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Willie Penrose

253. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills in the context of correspondence (details supplied), if he will take steps to address the anomaly that has arisen under the recently announced grants for book rental schemes, which excludes schools, which in many areas, promoted and advanced school book rental schemes and which are now disadvantaged because of their enterprise; if additional funding can be secured to enable these far seeing schools to be accommodated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2638/14]

Student Grant Scheme Appeals

Tom Fleming

254. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a student grant appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2652/14]

State Examinations

John O'Mahony

255. Deputy John O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Mayo who had a reader for the junior certificate has been refused one for the leaving certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2702/14]

Education Grants

Joanna Tuffy

256. Deputy Joanna Tuffy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on correspondence regarding an application by a sports club (details supplied) in Dublin 20; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2705/14]

Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board

Clare Daly

257. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the costs of the Caranua scheme; the number of employees in the organisation; and if he is open to amendments. [2728/14]

Schools Amalgamation

Noel Grealish

258. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a meeting took place in January 2013 regarding the proposed amalgamation of schools (details supplied) in County Galway; the persons who were present at the meeting and who they represented; if there were representatives of his Department at the meeting; if there were representatives of the board of management of each school at the meeting; the names of the persons representing each school and their positions therein; if there were representatives of any other organisation at the meeting; the outcome of the meeting; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2730/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Seán Fleming

259. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding will be approved under the summer works scheme in respect of a project submitted by three schools (details supplied) in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2771/14]

Student Grant Scheme Appeals

Brendan Griffin

260. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision has been made on student grant appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2795/14]

Schools Review

Jack Wall

261. Deputy Jack Wall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the methodology employed and-or its agencies in measuring intelligence quotient in the context of assessing primary school teaching; if his Department considers that the accepted international methodology involves the bell curve; if his Department's procedures incorporate the bell curve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2801/14]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Róisín Shortall

262. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the means assessment used by Student Universal Support Ireland for self-employed persons; the reason net income is not the basis of the eligibility decision; the reason no deduction for interest on borrowings which fund the fixed assets of a business is allowed for in means assessment; the action that can be taken to assist persons (details supplied) who have been denied a grant from SUSI on the ground of their parents’ means, despite their parents being granted financial assistance by the Department of Social Protection due to their limited income; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2805/14]

State Examinations

Robert Troy

263. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there has been a recent change in policy for the reasonable allocation scheme. [2810/14]

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Jerry Buttimer

264. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills his proposals for book rental schemes in schools; the reason the scheme is being limited to schools that do not already have a book rental scheme in place; if he will consider extending the scheme so that it supports the initiatives of schools that, through voluntary efforts of teachers and parents, have established book rental schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2816/14]

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Martin Ferris

265. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will prioritise an application for funding under the summer works scheme in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2826/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Bernard Durkan

266. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress to date in the determination of whether a school (details supplied) in County Kildare will be included in the schools building programme in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2831/14]

School Transport Provision

Brendan Griffin

267. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will authorise the extension of a national school bus route (details supplied) in the mornings, with the agreement of Bus Éireann and the bus operator, to extend this service at no extra cost; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2832/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Bernard Durkan

268. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which children with special needs continue to receive an adequate degree of services in view of the importance of ensuring that such children are given a reasonable chance in a very competitive climate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2909/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Bernard Durkan

269. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he remains satisfied regarding the adequacy of resources available to his Department to meet the educational requirements of children with special needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2910/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Bernard Durkan

270. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of new school building projects under way; the number of expected starts at primary and second level throughout 2014; the number of extra school places likely to become available in the course thereof; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2911/14]

Education Standards

Bernard Durkan

271. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which his Department continues to liaise with the business sector with a view to ensuring that the educational system adequately meets the requirements of the workplace with particular reference to the development of the specific skills currently required and likely to be required in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2912/14]

School Enrolments

Bernard Durkan

272. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which school place requirements, at primary and second level, have been fully identified to date; if any particularly sensitive areas in this regard have been identified; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2913/14]

School Curriculum

Bernard Durkan

273. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the degree to which the primary and second level curriculum continues to focus on the need to cater for the requirements of modern commerce and industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2914/14]

School Curriculum

Bernard Durkan

274. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the transition year programme continues to be used as a way to give opportunities to students to gain useful experience likely to positively impact on their career choice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2915/14]

School Patronage

Bernard Durkan

275. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he continues to liaise with smaller denominational urban and rural schools, with particular reference to the need to recognise their ethos and ensure that commitments previously entered into or understandings reached over generations continue to be recognised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2916/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Bernard Durkan

276. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he is satisfied regarding the adequacy of number of special needs teachers and special needs assistants available throughout the educational sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2917/14]

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Bernard Durkan

277. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he continues to be in a position to maintain a reasonable pupil-teacher ratio in all schools throughout County Kildare; if his attention has been brought to particular areas under pressure in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2918/14]

Bullying in Schools

Bernard Durkan

278. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of reports of various forms of school bullying reported or identified in 2013; the degree to which any new initiatives have been taken to address this issue. [2919/14]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Bernard Durkan

279. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number and location of applications for new schools from school authorities throughout County Kildare awaiting sanction in his Department, at primary and second level; when he expects them to proceed; the extent to which the requirements as set out by the various school authorities are being met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2920/14]

Schools Building Projects Applications

Bernard Durkan

280. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number and locations of applications for extension, improvement or upgrading works in respect of primary and second level schools throughout County Kildare awaiting sanction in his Department; the number of school places likely to be affected; when he expects such applications to be approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2921/14]

Schools Administration

Bernard Durkan

281. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills in the context of meeting the requirements as set out by the school authorities at Maynooth Post Primary School, County Kildare, the extent to which the preferred options as expressed by the various school authorities in the area have been borne in mind and accepted by his Department; if the unique nature and seamless structure of education in Maynooth, from primary to third level, is accepted; if due regard will be taken of the need to ensure that the future provisions and structure of second level education in the area reflects the strongly expressed preferred views of the persons as indicated in a local plebiscite; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2922/14]

Schools Administration

Bernard Durkan

282. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if in the determination of the format of the post-primary educational requirements in Maynooth, County Kildare, in respect of school buildings at Maynooth post-primary school, the Kildare-Wicklow Education and Training Board has been made aware of the strongly preferred options by parent groups in the area that the proposed two new school buildings should be amalgamated under a single board of management with a principal and deputy principals, that such management would be responsible for enrolment policy and administration; if his Department or the Kildare –Wicklow Education and Training Board have the primary statutory responsibility in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2923/14]

School Textbooks Rental Scheme

Ciaran Lynch

283. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Education and Skills the assistance available to a school (details supplied) in County Cork with an existing book rental scheme to enable it to continue the scheme into the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2928/14]

Appointments to State Boards

Patrick Nulty

284. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the steps he will take to ensure that all vacancies of the board of the Standards in Public Office Commission are filled, as a matter of urgency; if he will outline the reason for the delay; if he is aware that SIPO requires its full complement of six board members to investigate allegations under its remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2247/14]

Flood Relief Schemes Funding

Brian Walsh

285. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the funding available under the coastal storm flood damage scheme for Galway city and county to assist in carrying out coastal protection and other repair works; the estimated date of commencement of assessments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2539/14]

Coastal Protection Measures

Brendan Griffin

286. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if Kerry County Council will be reimbursed for emergency works it carried out in the mid-2000s to put in place coastal protection works at Inch beach, County Kerry; if he will designate responsibility for this outstanding issue, as the cross-departmental failure to resolve the matter has caused severe financial hardship for Kerry County Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2596/14]

Commercial Rates Exemptions

Clare Daly

287. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an exemption from commercial rates to not-for-profit recording and rehearsing facilities for musicians in order to assist the development of this part of our culture. [2704/14]

Architectural Heritage

Emmet Stagg

288. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total outlay to date by the Office of Public Works in Castletown Estate and lands at Castletown, Celbridge, County Kildare, including the original price paid for the house and estate and the subsequent yearly expenditure on preservation upgrading and landscaping. [2750/14]

Tourism Industry

Emmet Stagg

289. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of persons who have visited Castletown House in Celbridge, County Kildare, in each of the past five years; and the income generated by such for the house and estate. [2751/14]

Architectural Heritage

Emmet Stagg

290. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the future proposals for the further development of Castletown House and Estate, Celbridge, County Kildare; if it includes proposals to build a perimeter fence for the whole estate; and the estimated cost of such a fence. [2752/14]

Departmental Reports

Barry Cowen

291. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide in tabular form the total amount spent since February 2011 on external reports commissioned by his Department, including payments from ministerial allowances, broken down by report; if he will provide the details of any consultants employed; the names of each report and their status as published or ongoing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2366/14]

Right of Way Issues

Brendan Griffin

292. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if members of the public have the right to walk the banks of a river (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2402/14]

State Bodies Data

Thomas P. Broughan

293. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform further to Parliamentary Question No. 22 of 9 October 2013, if he will provide an update on the level of rationalisation that has taken place in State bodies; and the status of the mergers of the Valuation Office, the Property Registration Authority, Ordnance Survey Ireland, State Laboratory and the Forensic Science Laboratory. [2407/14]

Public Service Reform Plan Update

Finian McGrath

294. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will clarify a matter of public service reform (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2418/14]

Flood Prevention Measures

Brendan Griffin

295. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when works will be carried out to prevent future flooding of an estate (details supplied) in County Kerry located by the Sneem river; if he will provide funding for the work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2442/14]

Coastal Protection

Tom Fleming

296. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will make emergency funding available for works to repair the breach as a matter of priority and to carry out further repairs and strengthening works to the embankment at Garrane and Reen, Killorglin, County Kerry, in order to prevent further damage to properties, businesses, and so on; if he will assist the community as it can not protect its homes, businesses, farms and properties from tidal flooding; if he will provide a detailed report on the works to be carried out to the Garrane and Reen embankment and the cost for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2452/14]

Consultancy Contracts Expenditure

Clare Daly

297. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the amount his Department spends on an annual basis in payments to consultancy firms (details supplied). [2482/14]

Coastal Protection

Tom Fleming

298. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will make funding available for coastal protection works at Reenallagane, Glenbeigh, County Kerry as the recent storm-high tide did an alarming amount of damage to the beach and shoreline and homes and private properties are now seriously at risk; if he will take into consideration that the next high tides are forecast for the end of the month or beginning of February; if he will come to the assistance of the community as it cannot protect its homes and properties from tidal flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2532/14]

Departmental Funding

Brendan Griffin

299. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide funding for repair works on an embankment at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2568/14]

Departmental Funding

Brendan Griffin

300. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide funding for repair works on an embankment at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry to help prevent flooding of homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2569/14]

Departmental Funding

Brendan Griffin

301. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide funding for repair works on an embankment at a location (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2570/14]

Coastal Protection

Tom Fleming

302. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will make emergency funding available to repair-strengthen the embankment at Incharee, Glenbeigh, County Kerry, as homes and properties in the area are continuously at risk to flooding; if he will take into consideration that the next high tides are forecast for the end of the month or beginning of February; if he will provide assistance to the community, as it cannot protect its homes and properties from tidal flooding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2592/14]