Peadar Tóibín
Ceist:322. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the July programme in respect of a school (details supplied) [47816/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraSpecial Educational Needs Services Provision
Ceisteanna (322)
Freagraí scríofa
The Deputy will be aware that participation in my Department's July Provision Scheme is an option for all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism or severe to profound general learning disability that choose to extend their education services through the month of July.
Children with autism in mainstream classes are eligible to apply for home based tuition, but can, in limited circumstances participate in their school's programme if they can be accommodated within the school's existing autistic unit(s) and without incurring the need for additional resources. The number of classes providing the July extension should not exceed the number that is provided for by the school during the normal school year.
The school referred to by the Deputy had proposed to facilitate eligible children from mainstream classes by establishing a separate class in the school for the month of July 2012. In view of the mitigating circumstances and the likely incommode to parents, these additional resources were approved to the school in question as an exceptional matter for 2012 only. The school was however, advised that going forward the school based programme would be restricted to children within the specific units/classes, within the school.
Student Grant Scheme Eligibility
Ceisteanna (323)
James Bannon
Ceist:323. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in issuing payment of a student maintenance grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47874/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The decision on eligibility for a student grant is a matter for the relevant grant awarding authority.
I understand from officials in County Longford VEC, the relevant grant awarding authority, that the student referred to by the deputy was issued with a decision on the 29/08/2012 advising her that she was ineligible in relation to her grant application for 2012/13 academic year.
If the applicant is unhappy with the decision in relation to her grant application she may appeal the decision of the grant awarding authority to its appeals officer.
Where the appeals officer decides to reject the appeal, the applicant may appeal this decision to my Department or the independent appeals board, as appropriate.
Adult Education
Ceisteanna (324)
Brendan Ryan
Ceist:324. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to the decision to discontinue the adult refugee programme, if the services provided by the programme will be replaced by new schemes or if existing schemes will be enhanced to cover the gap in service; if staff employed under the adult refugee programme whose contracts are not now to be renewed will be retained under these schemes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47861/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Migrants, including workers and refugees, will continue to be able to access a range of courses that have always been provided by Vocational Education Committees (VECs) under the Adult Literacy and Community Education Scheme (ALCES) and the Back to Education Initiative (BTEI), both of which are funded by my Department. In 2011, some 12,000 people people accessed English as a Second Language (ESOL) courses provided under the ALCES and BTEI programmes, including over 1,300 refugees. In this way, the needs of refugees can continue to be provided for by VECs.
Staff on the programme are employed directly by the VEC where programmes are located. It will be a matter for the individual VECs, as employers, to address employment matters.
Schools Refurbishment
Ceisteanna (325)
Seán Ó Fearghaíl
Ceist:325. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Kildare has been refused funding for the installation of a fire alarm system and for the provision of exit doors to meet current fire safety standards; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this funding was sought under the emergency grant system, the summer works scheme and was referred, on the advice of his Department, to its Capital Appraisals Unit, all of which refused funding; if it is normal for his Department to ignore requests for funding in respect of works to meet fire safety standards; if he will review this school's history of applications; if in the event of a fire it will be the board of management of the school or his Department which will carry responsibility for any loss; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47880/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department's Planning and Building Unit has requested further information from the school authority in relation to their application for emergency funding. When this information is received a final decision will be communicated to the Board of Management.
Home-School Liaison Scheme
Ceisteanna (326)
Michael McGrath
Ceist:326. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address an issue regarding the home tuition scheme raised in correspondence (details supplied). [47885/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The issues in the correspondence supplied by the Deputy appear to focus on the qualifications of home tutors in general with specific reference to teaching children with autism.
The Deputy will be aware that the purpose of the Home Tuition Scheme is to provide a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme was extended in recent years to facilitate tuition for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and also to provide early educational intervention for pre-school children with autism.
As home tuition takes place outside the school environment my Department's preference is that the tuition provider be a qualified teacher who is registered with the Teaching Council. Where this is not possible approval may be given for a tutor with alternative qualifications to undertake the tuition and these details are available on my Department's website. In such scenarios approval for nominated tutors is made on a temporary basis pending a qualified teacher being sourced.
The qualification standard required by the home tuition scheme reflects that required in a school environment. Class teachers in schools are required to be fully-qualified with a qualification relevant to the sector in which they are teaching. All primary teachers are qualified to teach in any primary or special school/classroom. All initial teacher education (ITE) programmes would have regard to inclusion in their content - it's a theme that is integrated throughout course programmes. However, the level of content would vary between different providers. There would also be options for students to pursue additional study in the area of special education on an elective basis.
Recently, and for the first time, the Teaching Council's criteria for ITE providers stipulate mandatory elements of study, including special education. The learning outcomes of these ITE programmes also reflect the need for the teacher to be able to provide for the holistic development of students, to implement a range of teaching methodologies suitable to the students/class, to apply knowledge of the individual potential of students, their disposition towards learning and their backgrounds, identities and learning styles to their teaching, to evaluate learner progress, to act as an advocate for students, referring students for educational support and participating in the provision of that support, amongst other relevant outcomes.
Separately teachers have access through the Special Education Support Service to continuing professional development in a range of autism-specific interventions, including Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA), the Treatment and Education of Autistic and Related Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) and the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS).
Special Educational Needs Services Provision
Ceisteanna (327)
Michael McGrath
Ceist:327. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that the proposal to erode the current therapy services provision operating in special needs schools is vital to the holistic educational development, in this instance for children with moderate intellectual disability, the way he propose that these children will progress to the best of their educational and developmental ability. [47891/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Deputy will be aware that the provision of therapy services in schools is a matter for the Minister for Health.
I am aware that the Health Service Executive has recognised the need to increase the level of consistency and standardisation in the way both early intervention services and services for school-aged children with disabilities are delivered and to this end is currently engaged in a reconfiguration of existing therapy resources to geographic based teams for children (0-18 years). The National Programme on Progressing Disability Services for Children and Young People (0-18 years) has been established since 2010. It is supported by a National Coordinating Group which has representatives from the Department of Health and my Department in addition to other key stakeholders. The Programme is based on the recommendations of the Report of the National Reference Group on Multidisciplinary Services for Children aged 5-18 Years produced by representatives of the professions and management involved in delivering multi-disciplinary services to children which is available on the HSE website www.hse.ie.
The long term goal of this Programme is to bring consistency in service delivery and a clear pathway to services for all children with disabilities according to need. Implementation of this Programme will have a positive impact on the provision of clinical services for all children requiring access to health related supports, regardless of where they live or which pre-school or school they attend.
While the Programme supports the principle of providing access to mainstream education where appropriate, it also recognises a continuing role for special schools.
Question No. 328 answered with Question No. 284.
Student Grant Scheme Applications
Ceisteanna (329)
Jim Daly
Ceist:329. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a grant application with Cork County Council in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47962/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I understand from officials in Cork County Council, the relevant grant awarding authority, that on 1st November a letter issued to the student referred to by the Deputy requesting outstanding documentation. When the documentation is returned to the awarding authority the student will be notified directly of the outcome.
Special Educational Needs Staffing
Ceisteanna (330)
Michael Healy-Rae
Ceist:330. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a special care assistant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47967/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of such supports and the staffing resources available to my Department.
All schools were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2012/13 school year by 16th March, 2012. All schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, have now been advised by the NCSE of their SNA staffing allocation for the current school year. Details of the allocations which have been made to each school are available at www.ncse.ie.
The NCSE allocates a level of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the care needs of all of the qualifying children enrolled in the school. SNAs should then be deployed by schools in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised. Where schools have enrolled new pupils with special educational needs who were not considered at the time that the allocations for the 2012/13 school year were made, or where schools are in a position to demonstrate that they cannot cater for the care needs of qualifying children from the level of SNA support which has been assigned to them, they may apply to the NCSE for additional SNA support or for a review of their SNA allocation.
All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
School Equipment
Ceisteanna (331)
Eric J. Byrne
Ceist:331. Deputy Eric Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the grants available to schools, primary and post primary, for gym equipment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47977/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
My Department is committed to the provision, maintenance and modernisation of physical education and physical activity facilities in our schools for our children and young people.
In a new school building or refurbishment/extension, PE facilities are included as an intrinsic part of the design. While my Department currently has no specific grant schemes in place to provide funding for the purchase of gym equipment, primary schools received €2,000 each in PE equipment grants in 2006, at a total cost of €6.5 million. A similar grant of €4,000 per school, at an overall cost of around €3 million, issued to post-primary schools in 2007. In 2010 grant aid in excess of €16m issued to both primary and post-primary schools to allow each school address its own specific PE and outdoor equipment needs.
Schools Building Projects Applications
Ceisteanna (332)
Micheál Martin
Ceist:332. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding available to build a new school (details supplied) in Dublin 7 now that planning permission has been granted by Dublin City Council; when he expects work to commence on this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47982/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The major school building project referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of Architectural Planning. The project is included on the five year programme to progress to Tender & Construction in 2014/15. The Design Team were appointed on 25th October 2012. The cost of the project will be identified when the project proceeds to tender stage.
Special Educational Needs Services Provision
Ceisteanna (333)
Róisín Shortall
Ceist:333. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline his Department's response in relation to a proposal put forward by a school (details supplied) in relation to the provision of a unit for post primary aged students who are disabled or visually impaired; and if he will outline the engagement that has taken place to date with the Multiple Disabilities and Visual Impairment Steering Committee in respect of this project. [47987/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I understand that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) met representatives of the school referred to by the Deputy recently to discuss the proposal in question. My Department is currently engaging with the NCSE regarding the proposal and will be in further contact with the school in due course.
Student Grant Scheme Delays
Ceisteanna (334, 339, 340, 363)
Pat Deering
Ceist:334. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason it is taking so long to process college grant applications to Student Universal Support Ireland, in some cases up to four months since applications were submitted. [47989/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Stephen Donnelly
Ceist:339. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the provisions, being made to clear the backlog of 52,430 claims to Student Universal Support Ireland for third level grants; the way such a backlog, was allowed to build up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48088/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Arthur Spring
Ceist:340. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in grant applications being processed through the new Student Universal Support Ireland website system; the number of these grants that are being held up due to delays by the applicant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48108/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra
Michael Lowry
Ceist:363. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the on-going delays in the processing of grant applications by Students Universal Support Ireland; if he will provide figures on the current number of cases with SUSI; the number of applications that have been processed to date; the average processing time for same; the way these figures compare to the previous system; if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties applicants are having in securing accurate information on the status of their application and the hardship these delays and inaccurate information are causing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48322/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 334, 339, 340 and 363 together.
As the Deputy may be aware, all new applications for the 2012/13 academic year are being processed and paid by SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority. Continuing students who are renewing their grant for attendance on an existing course with their existing awarding authority, which will be either a local authority or a VEC, will continue to have their applications processed and paid by the relevant grant awarding authority.
In total, SUSI has received just over 66,000 completed application for student grants this year. Some 18,000 applications are now complete. This includes some 9,000 applications which have been refused and some 9,000 which have been awarded, or awarded pending submission of final course details by the student. SUSI is awaiting documentation on some 21,000 applications. Some 15,000 students have not responded at all to requests for documentation and a further some 6,000 have submitted incomplete documentation. The remaining some 27,000 are applications on hand with SUSI for processing. Of the remaining applications on hand with SUSI, the majority of these some 15,000 are being checked to ensure that all documentation has been submitted, however, based on the material received by SUSI to date they expect that 40% will be returned incomplete. Of the remainder some 6,000 are awaiting final assessment, some 600 have appealed the decision previously made on their applications and some 5,000 are new applications submitted after the closing date. This data has been supplied to my Department by SUSI.
The Deputy will appreciate that the average waiting time for the processing of grant applications is dependent on a number of variables including the volume of applications received, staffing resources, whether or not completed application forms have been received and how quickly complete further documentation requested is returned.
A survey completed by the the grant awarding authorities in January each year provides details in relation to processing of grant applications as the third week in January. The processing position as at the 21 January 2012 in relation to new applications was that a total of 66,479 applications were received. Some 32,152 new applications were awarded and some 6,932 applications were refused. The Deputy will appreciate that the data supplied by SUSI in relation to new applications in the 2012/13 academic year is not directly comparable as it does not cover the same timeframe. The statistics for the previous year is as at 21 Janurary 2012 and therefore includes 3 additional months processing by the various awarding authorities. Measures introduced to increase the number of applications being processed and paid include the following.
Staffing levels in SUSI have been substantially increased in recent weeks, with an additional 20 staff members processing the documjentation received from students, and extra staff have also been assigned to SUSI head office to work on continually improving the processes and speeding up processing times. SUSI has engaged with USI in relation to communicating to students the need to send in all documentation required to complete their application. A moderator is now in place on www.boards.ie to address issues raised by applicants through this forum. SUSI have commenced three additional waves of SMS and e-mail communications to encourage students who are awaiting responses from SUSI to get in contact quickly and with the correct documentation. SUSI have also put in place an additional call out service to students requesting them to submit their final course acceptance form. SUSI has also posted the top ten reasons on why students' documentation packs are incomplete on the www.cdvec.ie and the www.susi.ie websites.
In addition my Department has requested that the Higher Education Authority once again request institutions to show flexibility and consideration, as most have done in the past, to students who may be awaiting a decision on their grant application or payment of grants. The Higher Education Authority has also requested institutions to consider not withdrawing facilities such as library or exam access, given that those students are awaiting decisions on their grant applications.
In relation to information been provided to students by the SUSI helpdesk the deputy will appreciate that the SUSI helpdesk have received some 174,977 calls and some 30,746 e-mail queries to the SUSI helpdesk since it went live on the 13th February 2012. SUSI is seeking to constantly improve the information available both online and from its helpdesk email and telephone services.
Special Educational Needs Services Provision
Ceisteanna (335)
Pat Breen
Ceist:335. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48002/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for allocating Resource Teachers and Special Needs Assistants to schools to support children with special educational needs. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology support is required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in recommending such support.
I can confirm that an application for assistive technology support for the child referred to by the Deputy has been received in my Department. My Department has requested, and is awaiting, further information from the child's school in relation to the application, following receipt of which a decision will issue to the school as soon as possible.
Special Educational Needs Services Provision
Ceisteanna (336)
Tom Fleming
Ceist:336. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will assign full special needs assistants hours in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48073/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of such supports and the staffing resources available to my Department.
All schools were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2012/13 school year by 16th March, 2012. All schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy, have now been advised by the NCSE of their SNA staffing allocation for the current school year. Details of the allocations which have been made to each school are available at www.ncse.ie.
The NCSE allocates a level of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the care needs of all of the qualifying children enrolled in the school. SNAs should then be deployed by schools in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.
Where schools have enrolled new pupils with special educational needs who were not considered at the time that the allocations for the 2012/13 school year were made, or where schools are in a position to demonstrate that they cannot cater for the care needs of qualifying children from the level of SNA support which has been assigned to them, they may apply to the NCSE for additional SNA support or for a review of their SNA allocation.
All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.
Student Grant Scheme Applications
Ceisteanna (337)
James Bannon
Ceist:337. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in receiving approval for a thrid level grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48083/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI, the new centralised grant awarding authority, that the student referred to by the Deputy has been awarded a grant and an award letter issued on 23rd October, 2012.
School Transport Provision
Ceisteanna (338)
James Bannon
Ceist:338. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for school transport 2012/13 in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Westmeath; the refusal of which is causing extreme hardship; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48084/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Under the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, has advised that the pupil referred to by the Deputy is not attending her nearest education centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Children who are not eligible for school transport under the terms of the scheme may apply to Bus Éireann for transport on a concessionary basis provided there are spare seats available on the service, and the appropriate annual charge is paid. Only eligible children who hold valid medical cards (GMS Scheme) are exempt from paying the annual charge.
Questions No. 339 and 340 answered with Question No. 334.
Public Procurement Tenders
Ceisteanna (341)
Seán Kyne
Ceist:341. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the policy of his Department and schools in the procurement of stationary for use in schools; if there has been any instruction issued that procurement should be centralised; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that some vocational education committees are following a policy of centralisation for procurement which will adversely impact on local stationary suppliers. [48125/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The Government's Public Service Reform Plan recognises the key strategic importance of public procurement and provides for the development of a new policy framework for procurement. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has recently notified Departments and public bodies of the mandatory requirement to use central contracts, put in place by the National Procurement Service (NPS), when procuring a range of commonly acquired goods and services. These national contracts are targeted at securing best value for money and facilitating Departments and agencies to deliver services within their budgetary constraints. Within the Education Sector, the mandatory arrangement relating to stationery currently applies to the Higher Education and VEC Sectors.
The NPS is supporting Small and Medium Business Enterprises (SMEs) through its education and guidance strategies and many Irish SMEs have been successful in winning NPS frameworks in areas such as stationery, managed print services and ICT consumables. These SMEs may, in turn, source many of their services and products from local manufacturers and agents.
While I appreciate the Deputy's concerns, given the budgetary pressures under which we all now operate, savings on the procurement of goods and services across the public sector can go some way to ensure that the level of service provided to the community is greater than what it might otherwise be.
Question No. 342 answered with Question No. 313.