Parliamentary questions

Public Sector Staff Data

David Cullinane

228. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff who entered the public service after 1 January 2011 in his Department and by year of entry to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23496/16]

Departmental Investigations

John McGuinness

229. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the investigation into the administration and financial management of the FÁS scheme at a hostel and other locations has been completed; if the documentary evidence provided to a person (details supplied) has been examined as part of this investigation; if all the courses and training took place; if the funds provided for the courses and so on were spent correctly; if the report into all allegations made will be published; the amount of taxpayers' funds spent on the hostel project; the current use being applied to the hostel and old church; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21936/16]

Special Educational Needs

Niall Collins

230. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will sanction a preschool for autistic children at a location (details supplied) as per the application submitted by the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22216/16]

Information and Communications Technology

James Lawless

231. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has commenced a review of the ICT skills action plan, as committed to in the 2016 Action Plan for Jobs; the timeframe which has been set on delivering this review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22268/16]

Third Level Education

John Lahart

232. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will increase the funding given specifically for the provision of adequate counselling services to all third level students either through the direct employment of more counsellors or in purchasing external counselling session hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22584/16]

International Mother Language Day

John McGuinness

233. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has considered marking international mother language day in line with the United Nations General Assembly Resolution A/Res/61/266 to promote the preservation and protection of all languages used by the peoples of the world; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22906/16]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Joan Burton

234. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of full-time students who applied via the Central Applications Office for a State approved Quality and Qualifications Ireland degree in third level institutions such as Dublin Business School and Griffith College, Dublin, and cannot apply for a Student Universal Support Ireland grant; his plans to extend the availability of the grant to students at these third level institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21935/16]

Special Educational Needs Data

Pat Deering

235. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of early intervention autism spectrum disorder units attached to primary schools catering for boys and girls with a diagnosis of autism who are aged between three and five years of age here; and if he will change the system regarding special needs assistant allocation for same so that they would automatically retain their allocation every year and not be subject to the normal National Council for Special Education deadline for same due to the age profile of the pupils attending same and the delay in getting in appropriate reports. [21952/16]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Niall Collins

236. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 6 July 2016, if he still considers that the 31,000 places target by 2020 on existing and new apprenticeships is achievable given the current projections for the 2016 to 2018 period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22000/16]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Niall Collins

237. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 102 of 6 July 2016, when he will publish details of category 2 and 3 proposals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22004/16]

Student Grant Scheme Applications Data

Pearse Doherty

238. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of student grant applicants which were successfully awarded, both in respect of the number of applicants who were awarded fees only and those awarded the maintenance grant, for each of the years from 2012 to 2016 to date, by county and in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22011/16]

Student Grant Scheme Applications Data

Pearse Doherty

239. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the numbers of students who have applied for, have been granted and have been refused student grants for each of the years from 2012 to 2016 to date in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22012/16]

Departmental Funding

Ruth Coppinger

240. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the State funding provided by his Department and agencies under its remit to non-profit or non-governmental organisations, including schools and colleges, for each year from 2008 to 2015. [22048/16]

Departmental Funding

Ruth Coppinger

241. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills the State funding provided by his Department and agencies under its remit to faith-based non-profit or non-governmental organisations, including schools and colleges, for each year from 2008 to 2015. [22049/16]

Third Level Funding

Ruth Coppinger

242. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he favours the introduction of a third level loan scheme; his views on the impact the introduction of a similar scheme has had on access to third level education in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22050/16]

Third Level Costs

Noel Grealish

243. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will undertake to provide some form of subsidy to Irish students attending UK universities and other third level institutions in the event of Brexit resulting in a substantial increase in their fees to enable them to complete their studies at a cost not greater than they would have incurred in a third-level institution here; the number of Irish students currently attending UK colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22085/16]

School Accommodation Provision

Robert Troy

244. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide emergency classroom space for a school (details supplied) which has submitted an application under the additional school accommodation for post-primary schools scheme. [22099/16]

School Accommodation Provision

Thomas Pringle

245. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the proposed date for construction at a school (details supplied) has been moved forward due to the deterioration of the prefabricated building; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22107/16]

School Curriculum

Maria Bailey

246. Deputy Maria Bailey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Mandarin Chinese will be included on the curriculum for the leaving certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22179/16]

Apprenticeship Programmes

Niall Collins

247. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure on apprenticeship training and the number of apprentices in training, by employment sector, in each of the years from 2006 to 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22180/16]

School Transport Eligibility

Joe Carey

248. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position for the next academic year with respect to the school transport arrangements for persons (details supplied); if he will consider extending the current arrangement until all children are finished in their national school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22189/16]

European Globalisation Fund

Willie Penrose

249. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to seek funding under the terms of the European Globalisation Adjustment Fund to provide training grants and upskilling to 87 employees of a company (details supplied); if same can be applied for now without delay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22196/16]

Third Level Funding

Thomas Byrne

250. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the European Investment Bank has offered the Government funds to start a student loans scheme; if the Government has accepted, rejected or done nothing in response to such an offer; if the offer is still open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22202/16]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Lisa Chambers

251. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) is not entitled to the provision of a special needs assistant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22211/16]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Lisa Chambers

252. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the services of a special needs assistant have been removed from a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22212/16]

Gaelscoil Issues

Peadar Tóibín

253. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for a Gaelscoil in the south Kildare region; and the number of children who attend Gaelscoileanna in Kildare South. [22224/16]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Thomas Pringle

254. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is aware of the premature removal of funding by HSE Donegal for special education needs grants for children with disabilities attending mainstream preschool education; if he is aware of the potential consequences of this removal of funding to the new access and inclusion model recently launched as a cross-departmental initiative between the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, his Department and the Department of Health; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22235/16]

Student Support Schemes

Thomas Byrne

255. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to extend the eligibility criteria of the HEA student hardship fund to private fee paying colleges; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22280/16]

School Guidance Counsellors

Frank O'Rourke

256. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills to consider introducing two interventions per student per annum over the range of their second level education, that is, for a duration of five to six years, as part of the career guidance offered to second level pupils to assist the student in his or her choice of career path and the necessary training required to achieve this; if the interventions will be conducted by either the career guidance teacher or an approved external body; if the costings of this proposal will be examined, as suggested (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22282/16]

Appointments to State Boards

Fiona O'Loughlin

257. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of vacancies advertised on the HEA board in 2016 that have been filled; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22324/16]

Student Support Schemes

Thomas Byrne

258. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the HEA student hardship fund can be extended to students in private colleges. [22325/16]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Thomas Byrne

259. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to extend student grants to students who attend private higher education colleges with suitably accredited and recognised programmes. [22327/16]

Third Level Funding

Noel Rock

260. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills for a breakdown of the funding received by each third level institution from the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22328/16]

Third Level Fees

Noel Rock

261. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills for a list of registration fees which are received from third level students on a national level, and also by third level institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22329/16]

Third Level Costs

Noel Rock

262. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total cost of the provision of third level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22330/16]

Third Level Costs

Noel Rock

263. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total funding received by the third level sector per year from 2006 to 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22332/16]

Third Level Fees

Noel Rock

264. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who have paid registration fees each year since 2006; the amount raised by the Exchequer based on this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22333/16]

Third Level Participation

Noel Rock

265. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to safeguard third level access programmes for those persons from socioeconomic groups who have traditionally been excluded from such institutions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22334/16]

Third Level Funding

Noel Rock

266. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of subsidising third level institutions if the student contribution charge were reduced to €0, €100 or €250; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22336/16]

Departmental Funding

James Lawless

267. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills the private institutions or charities to which his Department or the agencies under the remit of his Department provide financial or other supports; the quantum of such supports for each of the years from 2013 to 2015; the oversight and regulations in place to ensure such expenditure is used for the purposes it was designated for and that the bodies receiving such grant aid are tax compliant and have effective corporate governance systems in place; the reports his Department receives on an annual basis from the organisations so funded; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22342/16]

Residential Institutions

Clare Daly

268. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements that have been made to ensure adequate consultation takes place with the survivors of residential institutions as part of the forthcoming review of operations at Caranua. [22345/16]

Schools Building Projects Status

Seán Fleming

269. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a new site and new premises for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22348/16]

School Transport Eligibility

John McGuinness

270. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school transport place will be provided for a person (details supplied) and if they are entitled to free school transport as their father is a medical card holder. [22362/16]

School Staff

Jackie Cahill

271. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills the minimum number of pupils required by a school (details supplied) to maintain its two-teacher school status; the lowest number of pupils to maintain it as a one-teacher school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22380/16]

School Staff

Carol Nolan

272. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason secretaries, caretakers and cleaners in schools are not paid directly by his Department and are employed at the discretion of the board of management with the use of ancillary services grants provided by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22398/16]

School Staff

Carol Nolan

273. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to review the current practice whereby the board of management has sole responsibility for the terms and conditions of pay for school secretaries, cleaners and caretakers in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22399/16]

Home Tuition Scheme Staff

Carol Nolan

274. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason home tutors are not employed by his Department and must register as self-employed; his plans to change this practice; if his Department has ever reviewed this practice; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22400/16]

Gaelscoil Issues

Carol Nolan

275. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of Gaelscoileanna and Gaelcholáistí currently recognised by his Department; the number of students that are receiving their education wholly through the medium of Irish; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22401/16]

Gaelscoil Issues

Carol Nolan

276. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of Aonad units that have been established and recognised by his Department; the number of students enrolled in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22402/16]

Gaelscoil Issues

Carol Nolan

277. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of Sruth units that have been established and recognised by his Department; the number of students enrolled in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22403/16]