Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 6 Nov 2001

Vol. 543 No. 2

Written Answers. - Special Educational Needs.

David Stanton

Ceist:

737 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Science if, further to his reply to Question No. 168 of 9 October 2001, he will give a detailed breakdown of the £967,000 provided for the three facilities using exclusively applied behavioural analysis method in the education of children with autism to include wages, salaries, rental and capital expenses for each of the facilities projected for 2001; the similar costs for the facilities in previous years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25907/01]

Liam Lawlor

Ceist:

815 Mr. Lawlor asked the Minister for Education and Science if he has apologised to the three autistic units (details supplied) as requested following a mistake in a statement in respect of funding approved for the units in 2001; if he will also refer to the significant number of releases and statements issued by his Department so far in 2001; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26462/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods):

I propose to take Questions Nos. 737 and 815 together.

The figure of £9,670,000 quoted in my written reply of 9 October 2001 was incorrect and should have read £967,000. I have already explained to the House this mistaken shift in the decimal point which occurred in the transmission of the reply. The incorrect figure arose from a clerical error in my Department. I have arranged to have the record of the House amended to reflect the true position and as I stated in the House I very much regret any inconvenience which this error may have caused. I also clarified this matter to the media and it was reported in the press.

The figure of £967,000 represents the estimated level of funding which will be allocated by my Department in 2001 in respect of the operating costs of the three pilot facilities in question. This figure is comprised as follows: £752,000 for the facility based in Cork, including an estimated £575,000 in salary costs; £121,700 for the facility based in Dublin, including an estimated £72,800 in salary costs; and £93,000 for the facility based in Kill, County Kildare, including an estimated £68,000 in salary costs. In each case, the funding allocation referred to covers the overall operating costs of the facilities including salary costs, consultancy costs, material and equipment costs, training costs, secretarial costs and the costs of utilities. In the case of the facility at Kill the Department has also recently granted formal approval for expenditure of £226,798 for the provision of a prefabricated building and associated site development work to accommodate the facility. The facilities in Dublin and Kill have been established in the current school year and the facility in Cork was established in 1999. Funding allocations to the latter since its establishment amounted to £258,579 in 1999 and £355,523 in year 2000. This year, the capacity of the facility has been expanded from 12 to 30 children. The figures quoted above reflect this development.

With regard to the e-mail message to which Deputy Lawlor refers, I have to say that in view of the efforts made by my Department to accommodate the projects in question, I find its content to be completely unacceptable and offensive. If Deputy Lawlor will advise me of the particular releases and statements he has in mind, I will gladly comment further on these matters.