Tuesday, 11 Feb 2014

Written Answers Nos. 179-196

Tax Reliefs Availability

Ceisteanna (179)

Dan Neville

Ceist:

179. Deputy Dan Neville asked the Minister for Finance his plans to sanction a carbon tax relief for farm contractors. [6950/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Finance

I assume that the Deputy s question relates to the double income tax deduction in respect of carbon tax which I provided for in Finance Act 2012. Under this provision, farmers are allowed a deduction in computing their farming profits or losses for the amount of additional carbon tax they incur on purchases of marked gas oil following the €5 per tonne increase in the rate of carbon tax on certain fuels from 1 May 2012. This was provided in the context of a commitment in the Programme for Government. I have no plans to extend the current double deduction for carbon tax in respect of Marked Gas Oil to agricultural contractors.

Bus Éireann Services

Ceisteanna (180, 181, 182)

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

180. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills regarding his report on his Department's investigation into any profits made by Bus Éireann from school transport, if he realises that the maintenance charges of Bus Éireann at €23,000 per year are more than five times higher than the equivalent charges for school transport in Northern Ireland; and his views on the state aid and other implications of same. [6517/14]

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

181. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills regarding his report on his Department's investigation into any profits made by Bus Éireann from school transport, if his Department received a copy of both the full and redacted version of the FGS report. [6519/14]

Seán Fleming

Ceist:

182. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the ongoing investigation into any profits made by Bus Éireann from payments made by his Department for school transport services and the claim that the service is provided on a purely cost recovery basis; if he will report on the way this money has been spent since 1 January 1975, considering Ireland's obligations under state aid rules since then, the implications for both his Department and Bus Éireann under the Financial Transparency Regulations 2004, as amended, and noting that the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform told the Committee of Public Accounts on 3 October 2013 that the Secretary General would investigate the Department's failure to provide information to the committee, and in view of the fact that as Accounting Officer of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, the Secretary General, has overall responsibility for monitoring public expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6520/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 180 to 182, inclusive, together.

There is no investigation being conducted into the matters raised by the Deputy. My Department receives a copy of the Statement of Account for School Transport, prepared by the CIE Group auditors, each year which confirms that, in the opinion of the auditors, the Statement of Account has been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the Summary of Accounting Arrangements relating to the Transport Scheme for Primary and Post-Primary School children dated 1 January 1975 and with the bases and assumptions disclosed therein. This Statement of Account is not required to contain any statement to the effect that Bus Éireann do not make a profit from school transport and the account is completed in all of the respects set out in the agreed document. Bus Éireann has confirmed to my Department that they do not make a profit on school transport and my Department accepts this confirmation. My Department received a copy of the full and redacted version of the FGS report.

Compliance by Bus Éireann with the European Communities (Financial Transparency) Regulations 2004 is a matter for the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport. Bus Éireann has confirmed to my Department that it is compliant with these regulations. On the question of maintenance costs, in a reply to a similar question on 3rd October 2013, I stated that safety is Bus Éireann's highest priority and this is reflected in the Company's vehicle maintenance process and procedures. The report of the School Transport Value for Money Review noted, for example, that random checks of maintenance standards and audits of maintenance records including contractors' school buses and their maintenance premises, conducted on behalf of Bus Éireann by internationally recognised experts in the field of vehicle maintenance systems and safety standards, are at a higher standard than usual tests. This investment in best practice vehicle maintenance improves the standards of all vehicles that are used to provide services under the School Transport Scheme nationally, and not only those operated directly by Bus Éireann. In addition Bus Éireann conducts thorough six-weekly preventative maintenance checks incorporating stringent safety inspections on all of its school transport vehicles, as well as other measures that are in addition to and designed to further enhance statutory vehicle safety standard requirements. This investment in best practice maintenance systems is reflected in the costs.

School Transport Eligibility

Ceisteanna (183)

Michael Ring

Ceist:

183. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) in County Mayo will receive a reply regarding school transport in respect of their child who has visual impairment problems; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6171/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Under the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kms from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the 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 children in question are not attending their nearest national school and are therefore not eligible for school transport. The family should liaise with the Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO) should they wish to apply for school transport under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs. Under the terms of this scheme children are eligible for school transport to the nearest school that is resourced to meet their educational needs. The terms of this scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.

School Staffing

Ceisteanna (184)

Dara Calleary

Ceist:

184. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider making a concession for a school (details supplied) in County Mayo, based on the information provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6203/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. Staffing arrangements at primary level for the 2014/15 school year are set out in Circular 0007/2014 which is now available on the Department website. The enrolment tables for the operation of the staffing schedule for the 2014/2015 school year are listed at Appendix A of the circular. The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location.As part of the Budget 2012 decisions, there is a phased increase in the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools with four teachers or less. The first phase of the budget measure took effect from September 2012. The final phase of the budget measure takes effect from September 2014. An appeals process is available to schools which have had their staff numbers reduced. Circular 0007/2014 provides details for schools wishing to make an appeal. The Appeals Board meets three times per year. The closing date for submission of staffing appeals for the first meeting of 2014 is Friday 14 February 2014. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final.

Services for People with Disabilities

Ceisteanna (185)

Mattie McGrath

Ceist:

185. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to include narcolepsy as a category of disability which would warrant additional teaching hours under his Department's policy in this area; if he will provide a breakdown of the medical and psychological conditions which are included as categories of disability which warrant additional teaching hours under his Department's policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6228/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that all schools have a permanent allocation of Learning Support resources which they can use to provide additional teaching support to assist pupils who have learning support needs in schools, including pupils who have learning support needs arising from a medical condition. There is not a prescriptive list of medical conditions for which this support can be applied and it is a matter for schools to allocate learning support resources in a manner to pupils taking into account their individual needs.

Additionally, my Departments Circular SP ED 02/05 details a number of specific conditions which have been designated as 'Low Incidence' Special Educational needs ' for whom the National Council for Special Education may make an additional allocation of resource teaching support to a school. Details of the low incidence disability categories designated are provided in the table.

Low Incidence Disabilities

Autism

Emotional Behaviour Disorder

Hearing Impairment

Moderate General Learning Disability

Multiple disabilities

Physical disability

Severe Emotional Behaviour Disorder

Severe & Profound General Learning Disability

Specific speech and Language disorder

Visual impairment

Assessed syndrome in conjunction with one of the above low incidence disabilities

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department provides for a range of services and supports to ensure that children with Special Educational Needs, including children suffering from serious medical conditions such as Narcolepsy, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs. My Department has provided information to schools in relation to the condition of Narcolepsy which includes guidance on the accommodations which can be made in schools to assist such children. This information is available on my Department's website www.education.ie.

These supports may include extra learning support from the school's General Allocation or Learning Support allocations, Home Tuition support which provides a compensatory educational service to children who have had major disruption to their attendance at school due their medical condition and special arrangements for State Examinations. The educational supports required in each instance are considered on the basis of the assessed needs of the children. Schools may, if necessary, seek guidance from their National Educational Psychological Services Psychologist or National Council for Special Education Special Educational Needs Organiser regarding accommodations that they can make for children with narcolepsy.

School Guidance Counsellors

Ceisteanna (186, 189, 190)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

186. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department liaises with each school to ensure it has developed a school guidance plan in order to meet the needs of students. [6253/14]

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

189. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to meet the national executive of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors to discuss its concerns regarding cutbacks on the provision of guidance in schools. [6256/14]

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

190. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the guidelines drawn up in the framework document for considering the provision of guidance in post-primary schools, September 2012, which have not been implemented due to the severe curtailment of resources and the reassignment of guidance counsellors to subject teaching duties; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6257/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 186, 189 and 190 together.

Guidance is a whole school activity and schools have autonomy on how best to prioritise their available resources to meet the requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to students. This operates at local school level. The representative organisations for School Principals and school management developed a framework that assists schools on how best to manage the provision of guidance from within their staffing allocation. This approach has been adapted and puts a greater emphasis on group-work and class-based activity at senior cycle and maximises the amount of time available for those pupils that need one to one support.

Since September 2012 guidance provision is now being organised by school management from within the staffing schedule allocation. In this way principals have discretion to balance guidance needs with the pressures to provide subject choice. My Department helped shelter the impact for DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations. All 195 second-level schools in DEIS have been given targeted support by a more favourable staffing schedule of 18.25:1. This is a 0.75 point reduction compared to the existing PTR of 19:1 that applies in non fee-paying second-level schools (23:1 in fee-charging schools). I am not in a position to meet with the National Executive of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors however I am happy for the National Executive to meet with officials from the Department to discuss their concerns.

Education Welfare Service Provision

Ceisteanna (187, 188)

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

187. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the mechanisms used by the National Educational Welfare Board and the National Educational Psychological Service to provide support to guidance counselling in schools. [6254/14]

Jonathan O'Brien

Ceist:

188. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of psychologists employed by the National Educational Psychological Service; the number of vacancies and their job titles in NEPS; the methods used to promote positive mental health among the general student body and provide assistance in supporting pupils with particular social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. [6255/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 187 and 188 together.

By way of context I can inform the Deputy that my Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health. This issue spans the curriculum in schools, whole-school ethos, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, student support and pastoral care and the provision of professional development for teachers. It also involves other supports such as educational psychological services and guidance and counselling services, and the interface with other agencies, both nationally and locally. Schools also engage in a wide range of sport and cultural co-curricular activities which provide an important opportunity for students to experience success and personal growth. Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is a mandatory part of the curriculum in primary schools and in junior cycle since 2003 and is designed to promote positive mental health. It is supported by comprehensive teacher guidelines and curriculum support services which provide training and advice for schools and a resource directory. The Department has also issued guidelines to schools on the development of whole-school policies in the areas such as anti-bullying, relationship and sexuality education, substance misuse, managing critical incidents, whole-school guidance planning etc. which are also important in promoting positive mental health. The National Educational Psychological Service was established in 1999 to support the personal, social and educational development of all children in Primary and Post-Primary schools through the application of psychological theory and practice, having particular regard for children with special educational needs. NEPS is structured upon eight regional divisions, with 21 local offices each catering for schools in the immediate locale. There are currently 178 psychologists employed within the service with two further basic grade psychologists due to be recruited in the next few months to the NEPS Clondalkin office. NEPS psychologists can support the mental health and well-being of students and teachers at all levels of the school system. The NEPS service provides direct and indirect support to individual students through consultation and casework. The service also provides systems level support to schools which aims to be preventative and developmental and promotes a continuum of support approach for students' with learning, social, emotional or behavioural difficulties. This approach is outlined in publications for primary and post-primary schools - A Continuum of Support Guidelines for Primary Schools (2007) and A Continuum of Support Guidelines for Post-Primary Schools (2010) which include resource packs. The Deputy may be aware that I launched the Well-Being in Post-Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention in January 2013 which were developed by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. The Well-Being Guidelines provide practical guidance to post-primary schools on how they can promote mental health and well-being in an integrated way and they also provide evidence-based advice on how to support young people who may be at risk of suicidal behaviour. The Guidelines have been developed to bring coherence to and build upon the multitude of practices that are already in place in schools to promote well-being. They emphasise the need to use a coordinated whole-school approach in the promotion of positive mental health. This involves building and integrating school self-evaluation processes, implementing the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum, developing the whole-school guidance plan, adopting the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) continuum of support, and building effective inter-agency relationships.

Support for implementation of the guidelines will be integrated into existing CPD work plans of the DES support services. The Guidelines highlight the fact that school personnel are the best placed professionals to support and work sensitively with students. The NEPS psychologist, can support school staff, in particular guidance counsellors, in the identification of students with mental health difficulties and can advise schools on the development of policies related to student well-being and on issues such as bullying. Copies of the Guidelines have been circulated to schools authorities. Student support is promoted in schools through year head and key tutor systems, home/school links, etc. This is one of the key areas which is evaluated by the Inspectorate as part of a Whole School Evaluation. Psychologists support the student support team and NEPS has produced a booklet in the past month, Student Support Teams in Post-Primary Schools. This provides advice to schools on reviewing or establishing student support teams. NEPS psychologists will be actively engaging with schools in regard to this guidance in the course of the current academic year. An important role for NEPS psychologists is the provision of support and advice to schools in relation to managing critical incidents that affect the school community. Each school in the country has been provided with an information pack on responding to critical incidents. NEPS psychologists have also guided many schools in the development of a Critical Incident Management Plan, which enables and empowers schools to respond effectively to a critical incident. NEPS has implemented the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management programme with whole staffs or with groups of primary school teachers. This evidence-based programme provides training for social-emotional interventions for children of primary school age. NEPS is also currently providing teacher support in implementing the Friends for Life programme. This programme uses a cognitive-behavioural approach to managing anxiety and has both primary and post-primary components. NEPS liaises with HSE professionals such as the primary care teams and child and adolescent mental health teams to ensure that pupils with significant mental health difficulties are identified and referred to those teams for support. In addition I had published, along with my colleague, Minister Fitzgerald, an Action Plan on Bullying. This plan sets out twelve actions to help prevent and tackle bullying in primary and second level schools. The National Educational Welfare Board, as part of the newly formed Child and Family agency has no role, per se, in the support of guidance counselling in schools.All publications mentioned are available on the DES website.

Questions Nos. 189 and 190 answered with Question No. 186.

Personal Insolvency Act

Ceisteanna (191)

Lucinda Creighton

Ceist:

191. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is concerned that the omission of third level education fees as part of standard living expenses in a personal insolvency arrangement by the Insolvency Service of Ireland could act as a barrier for access to third level education if a person's income eligibility is above that required to obtain a student grant; if his Department is monitoring this situation and if it has provided any input on the matter to the Department of Justice and Equality, which is responsible for the personal insolvency legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6281/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I can confirm to the Deputy that there was contact between my Department and the Department of Justice and Equality in the context of the personal insolvency legislation. I understand that for the purposes of establishing a reasonable standard of living and reasonable living expenses, Insolvency Service Ireland (ISI) prepared and issued guidelines. In the guidelines, the costs attributed to a household are termed 'set costs' to which are added the reasonable costs of housing, childcare and special circumstances. Under special circumstances account may be taken of college-going expenses.

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Ceisteanna (192)

Gerry Adams

Ceist:

192. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will allow periods spent on a JobBridge scheme to be included in the list of eligible payments to qualify for the special rate of maintenance grant in the student grant scheme for the academic year 2014-15 and future years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6294/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The eligibility requirements for the JobBridge Scheme requires an applicant to be in receipt of live claims, such as Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit, One Parent Family Payment and Disability Allowance. As these payments are already included in the list of eligible payments for the special rate of grant under my Department's Student Grant Scheme I am not at present considering including the JobBridge Scheme in the criteria.

State Examinations

Ceisteanna (193)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Ceist:

193. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Monaghan has twice been refused a reader to enable them to participate in the Junior Certificate exams; if he will take measures to address this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6303/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate examinations. Applications for such accommodations are submitted by schools on behalf of their students. Full details of the scheme are available for downloading from their website: www.examinations.ie/candidates/reasonableaccommodations.In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.

Departmental Programmes

Ceisteanna (194)

John Deasy

Ceist:

194. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding programmes that are available from his Department to assist projects involving youth diversion and rehabilitation; and to whom applications for State support should be directed in each instance. [6327/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

There are no funding programmes available from my Department designed to directly assist projects involved in youth diversion and rehabilitation and therefore no application process for such support. In addition to funding overall mainstream provision for education my Department also provides funding of some €4 million across a number of projects and centres to provide for continuum of education and to facilitate ongoing engagement with and retention of children in education. Such supports include: Youth Encounter Projects, established in the 1970s as non-residential facilities for children at risk of coming into conflict with authority or are at serious risk of dropping out of mainstream school. There are five YEPS, three in Dublin and one each in Limerick and Cork, providing 120 places for children. The current overall enrolment is 107. YEPs receive a pay and non-pay allocation of €1.124 million to cover the employment of all ancillary staff and to cover school running costs. Permanent teachers and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) in the school are paid through the Primary and SNA Payroll system at an overall cost of €1.85million. City Motor Sports, Swift Alleys, Francis Street, Dublin 8, provides education and training for young people aged between 15 and 18 years. It was established in 1995 as City Motor Sports in the south west inner city as a response to widespread joyriding in the locality. The current enrolment is 14. My Department funds the cost of 51 teaching hours per week at a total cost of €90,375 in 2012 and provides a non-pay grant of €113,479 to City of Dublin ETB to meet running costs. The Carline Project is located in a purpose built centre, in Lucan, Co Dublin. It caters for young people aged 14 to 17 years. The current enrolment is 22. My Department funds the cost of 71 teaching hours per week at a total cost of €141,787 in 2012 and provides a non-pay grant of €170,000 to County Dublin and Dun Laoghaire ETB to meet running costs. Life Centres are informal education centres established by the Christian Brothers in 1996, with the assistance of the Holy Faith Sisters, as a response to the needs of young people who have dropped out of mainstream education. There are two Life Centres in Dublin and Cork which receive a grant of €114,000 towards running costs and 2,768 teaching hours under the ETB co-operation hours scheme at an estimated cost of €233,000. Matt Talbot Adolescent Service Centre in Co Cork provides residential drug and alcohol treatment for 14-18 year old boys. It provides educational courses at Junior and Leaving Certificate Level, ECDL and FETAC Levels 3 and 4. My Department provides €190,000, through Cork ETB, towards the cost of instruction staff at the centre. In addition my Department funds the Youthreach programme which provides two years integrated education, training and work experience for unemployed early school leavers with incomplete qualifications or vocational training who are between 15 and 20 years of age. There are almost 6,000 places available nationwide under the Youthreach. Almost 3,700 of these places are provided by ETBs in just over 100 Youthreach centres. Expenditure in the region of €68 million was provided for this service in 2012. The majority of the remainder of places are provided by FÁS in Community Training Centres which also provides two years integrated education, training and work experience incorporating basic skills training, practical work training and general education with the application of new technology integrated into all aspects of programme content. The overall cost for this service in 2012 amounted to some €43.3million. A small portion of the overall funding in Youthreach includes provision for under 16's. At the end of December 2012 the number of learners under 16 enrolled in Youthreach Centers and Community Training Centres were 192 and 43 respectively.

Schools Building Projects Applications

Ceisteanna (195)

John Deasy

Ceist:

195. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a school (details supplied) in County Waterford that has recently had severe water damage and had to be evacuated; if he will indicate a timeframe for the proposed new school to be added to the building list; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6331/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the school to which he refers advised my Department recently that it had carried out repair works to prefabs caused by weather damage. The school also advised that the prefabs are now safe to use. The major building project for the school is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b Detailed Design, which includes planning and other statutory permissions and the preparation of tender documentation. My Department has been advised that the Stage 2b Reports and Tender Documentation will be completed by early April 2014. Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements, it was not possible to include this project in the 5 year construction programme announced in March 2012. School building projects which were previously initiated but not included in the current five year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to my Department in the future. The project for this school remains available to be considered for progression in that context.

School Accommodation

Ceisteanna (196)

Derek Nolan

Ceist:

196. Deputy Derek Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the progress of a school (details supplied) in County Galway; if the schedule of accommodation has been issued to it; the stage it is at; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6354/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that the school he refers to was invited to participate in the Prefab Replacement Scheme II and I understand that the school authorities accepted this offer. This project involving the construction of a significant level of permanent accommodation represents Phase 1 of development works at the school. More recently, the school authorities applied to my Department for additional accommodation for an ASD classroom unit that was approved in December last by the National Council for Special Education (NCSE).

The provision of the additional special needs accommodation concerned is now being considered for delivery in conjunction with the accommodation previously approved under the Phase I works, referred to above. Once the Schedule of Accommodation for the adjusted Phase 1 works is finalised and the associated costs calculated, the Department will communicate further with the school authorities to provide detailed information as to the next steps to be taken.