Wednesday, 26 Jun 2013

Written Answers Nos. 102-109

Departmental Bodies Expenditure

Ceisteanna (102)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Ceist:

102. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills with regard to Quality and Qualifications Ireland and its establishment, the cost of rebranding, new stationery and facilities and refurbishment of offices for the organisation; the cost of overall website design and rebranding; if an external PR or design company was employed to develop or undertake the rebranding; the cost of any such external companies employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30913/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) was established on 6 November 2012 through the amalgamation of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC) and the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC). QQI was also given responsibility for the functions of the Irish Universities Quality Board (IUQB), a company established by the universities to act as an external quality assurance body to them.

Each of the legacy bodies had its own offices and it was decided that the new body would be housed in the former premises of HETAC in Dublin 2. In order to accommodate increased staff numbers it was necessary to undertake substantial works to reconfigure those premises, the cost of which was approximately €713,000. However, this allowed the new body to vacate the premises formerly occupied by NQAI in the city centre and FETAC in East Point Business Park, resulting in rent savings of approximately €400,000 per annum.

QQI also engaged a number of companies to provide services relating to the change of corporate identity, at a total cost of approximately €48,000. This included web design (including interactive elements), design artwork and layout of stationery, including a print run of 10,000 letterheads, envelopes and other items, amendments to certificates and provision of new QQI signage.

School Accommodation

Ceisteanna (103)

Jim Daly

Ceist:

103. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to provide improved accommodation to a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30920/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is continuing to work with the school in question in relation to the school's long term accommodation requirements. As an interim measure, capital funding for roof repairs was approved to the school last year to improve the existing accommodation.

The Deputy will be aware that my Department's over-riding objective is to ensure that every child has access to a physical school place and that our school system is in a position to cope with increasing pupil numbers. To ensure that this is achieved, the delivery of major school projects to meet significant demographic demands nationally will be the main focus for capital investment in schools in the coming years. The 5 Year Construction Plan that I announced in March 2012 is focused on meeting this demand. The school in question is not located in an area of significant demographic growth.

Student Support Schemes Issues

Ceisteanna (104)

Damien English

Ceist:

104. Deputy Damien English asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in issuing copy correspondence from Student Universal Support Ireland in relation to an appeal on an application for higher education grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30924/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

Officials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that, in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy, an appeals refusal letter issued on the 8th May 2013. I understand that SUSI has recently issued a copy of the appeals refusal letter to the applicant. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.

Schools Refurbishment

Ceisteanna (105)

Jim Daly

Ceist:

105. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will issue on an application for emergency works in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30934/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department received an application under the emergency works scheme from the school referred to by the Deputy for works relating to a retaining wall. As the scope of the works requested is outside the terms of the emergency works scheme it cannot be considered for funding. The school authority has been informed of this decision.

Departmental Properties

Ceisteanna (106)

Patrick O'Donovan

Ceist:

106. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the person who has responsibility for the land at a location (details supplied) in County Wexford; if he will supply contact details for the appropriate person; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30961/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the land concerned is in the ownership of the Minister and is earmarked to be used in its entirety for educational purposes. The section in my Department that has responsibility for acquiring and developing such property is the Planning and Building Unit, based in my Department's offices in Tullamore.

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Ceisteanna (107)

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

107. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of special needs assistants that will be allocated to primary and secondary schools in County Louth from September 2013; the comparable figures for 2011 and 2012; if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the number of SNAs per school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30972/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from primary and post primary schools for special educational needs supports including resource teaching and Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

Details of all of the SNA allocations which have been made to schools by the NCSE for both the 2012/2013 and 2013/14 school years are available on the NCSE website www.ncse.ie and can be viewed on a per county basis, including all of the details of allocations made to schools in County Louth. The NCSE has advised my Department that they allocated 157 SNA posts to schools in County Louth for the 2011/2012 school year.

The number of posts available to the NCSE for allocation this year has been maintained at 10,575 posts and there has been no reduction to the overall number of posts available for allocation. The allocation that is made to schools annually is based on the number of valid applications received. Where a school enrols new pupils who have care needs in advance or during the school year, schools 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.

Higher Education Institutions Issues

Ceisteanna (108)

Sean Fleming

Ceist:

108. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans and priorities for the location of a third level education campus in County Laois; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30987/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

Following completion of the Landscape process initiated by the HEA in 2012, I recently received the formal advice from the Authority on the re-configuration of the higher education system, including proposals for inter-institutional collaboration and system governance. The HEA report and my written response to John Hennessey, Chair of the Authority is published on my Department's website. Implementation of this agreed reconfiguration starts immediately.

One of the overarching objectives of reform is to achieve greater consolidation and collaboration between the existing higher education institutions, making the system more flexible and responsive to the needs of Ireland's modern economy. No new campuses are envisaged. Existing higher education institutions are to form regional clusters and will work together to ensure that the needs of students in the region are met through collaborative high quality provision with the use of flexible and distance learning where appropriate.

National Council for Special Education

Ceisteanna (109)

Stephen Donnelly

Ceist:

109. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason there is no Irish National Teachers Organisation member on the National Council for Special Education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31000/13]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The National Council for Special Education is appointed in accordance with Section 21 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 which requires that the chairperson and 12 ordinary members of the Council are appointed by the Minister from among persons who have a special interest in, or knowledge relating to, the education of children with special educational needs.

Before making appointments to the Council, the Minister is required to consult with national associations of parents, recognised trade unions and staff associations representing teachers and principals of schools, and recognised school management organisations with a view, where the Minister considers it appropriate to do so, to appointing as members of the Council persons nominated for such appointment by those associations, trade unions and organisations, but the number of nominees of those associations, trade unions and organisations (taken as a whole) that may be so appointed shall not exceed 4.

The Minister is required to appoint 2 members to the Council from among persons nominated for such appointment by the National Disability Authority and 1 member from among persons nominated for such appointment by the Minister for Health and Children.

The current Council members have been appointed in compliance with the relevant provisions of the Act. The current membership includes nominees from trade unions and associations, other than the INTO who were represented on previous councils. The Deputy will appreciate that, in view of the provisions of the Act, it is not possible to appoint a representative of all the recognised teacher trade unions to the Council.