Wednesday, 15 Oct 2014

Written Answers Nos. 117-121

School Staffing

Ceisteanna (117)

Frank Feighan

Ceist:

117. Deputy Frank Feighan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of young qualified teachers on the panel. [39433/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The staffing and redeployment arrangements for the current school year are set out in Circular 0007/2014 which is available on the Department website. The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. The redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers is key to the Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers.

Circa 500 permanent teachers placed on main redeployment panels were redeployed to schools with vacancies for the 2014/15 school year. The arrangements for access to the Supplementary Panel for the 2014/15 school year are set out in Circular 0057/2013, which is available on the Department website.

1,962 teachers were eligible for the 2014/15 Supplementary Panel. 1,566 of these teachers have acquired teaching positions for the 2014/15 school year and 396 teachers remain on the Supplementary Panel. The latest date for filling a permanent post on a permanent basis in the current school year is Monday 3 November, 2014. The Supplementary Panel will automatically cease at that stage.

It is open to any teacher on the supplementary panel to apply for vacancies that are advertised.

Summer Works Scheme Applications

Ceisteanna (118)

Thomas P. Broughan

Ceist:

118. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of schools in the Dublin 3, 5, 13 and 17 areas that were successful in getting works carried out during the 2014 summer works scheme; and the names of schools in these same areas that applied for works but were unsuccessful. [39464/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that details of the schools approved funding under the 2014 Summer Works Scheme in respect of applications submitted for Categories 1 to 6 i.e. Gas, Electrical, Mechanical, Toilet Facilities and Roof Works projects were announced earlier this year. Schools in Dublin 3, 5, 13 and 17, that have received capital funding from my Department may be viewed on my Department website at www.education.ie by clicking on "Schools and Colleges", then "Building Works" and selecting the Summer Works Scheme heading.

In total, more than €70 million has been approved for spending on the Summer Works Scheme to allow over 770 schools undertake improvement works during the summer months.

A list of successful and unsuccessful applicants under the Scheme in the areas, Dublin 3, 5, 13 and 17 is set out in the following tables for the Deputy's convenience.

Successful Applications

Sector	Project	School
Primary School	Toilets	Scoil Eoin, Greendale Road, Dublin 5
Primary School	Gas	St David's N S Kilmore Road, Dublin 5
Primary School	Toilets	St Francis Senior N S Priorswood, Dublin 17
Primary School	Gas	St Kevin's Junior N S Newbrook Ave, Dublin 13
Primary School	Roofs	Holy Trinity Sen N S Grange Road, Dublin 5
Primary School	Electrical	St Brigid's Boys N S Howth Road, Dublin 3
Primary School	Roofs	Scoil Nais Ide Cailini Kilmore Road West. Dublin 5
Primary School	Toilets	St Monica's N S Edenmore, Dublin 5
Primary School	Toilets	St Eithne's Senior Girls National School Edenmore, Dublin 5
Primary School	Mechanical	ST Malachy's Boys National School Edenmore, Dublin 5
Primary School	Toilets	S N Caitriona, Coolock, Dublin 5
Primary School	Roofs	S N na Lanaí Glasa, Seafield Avenue, Dublin 3
Post Primary	Mechanical	The Donahies Community Schoo,l Streamville Road, Dublin 13
Post Primary	Electrical	Coláiste Dhúlaigh, Barryscourt Road, Dublin 17
Post Primary	Electrical	Marino College 14-20 Marino Mart, Dublin 3
Post Primary	Roofs	Grange Community College, Grange Road, Dublin 13
Post Primary	Toilets	Holy Faith Secondary School, 1 Belgrove Road, Dublin 3
Post Primary	Roofs	Chanel College, Coolock Village, Dublin 5
Post Primary	Mechanical	St. David's C.B.S. Malahide Road, Dublin 5
Post Primary	Mechanical	Manor House School, Watermill Road, Dublin 5
Post Primary	Gas	Árdscoil La Salle, Raheny Road, Dublin 5

Unsuccessful Applications

Primary	External Environment	St Columba's, North Strand, Dublin 3
Primary	External Environment	St Brigid's Convent NS, Killester, Dublin 5
Primary	Curricular Requirements	St Paul's College, Sybil Hill, Raheny, Dublin 5
Primary	Windows	St John of God, Kilmore Road, Artane, Dublin 5
Primary	Windows	St Fiachra's Senior School, Beaumont, Dublin 5
Primary	Windows	Scoil Neasain, Baile Harmain, Dublin 5
Primary	Windows	North Bay Educate Together, Greendale Ave, Kilbarrack
Primary	Windows	Naiscoil Ide, All saints Drive, Raheny, Dublin 5
Post Primary	Windows	St Mary's Secondary School, Baldoyle, Dublin 13
Primary	External Environment	Gaelscoil Mide, Bothar an Ghleantain, Ghlais Cill Bharrog
Primary	Toilets	Scoil Breandain, Coolock, Dublin 5
Primary	Gas	Howth Mixed, Howth Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3
Primary	Electrical	Scoil Eoin Baiste, Seafield Road, Clontarf, Dublin 3
Post Primary	Mechanical	St Fintan's High School, Dublin Road, Sutton, Dublin 13

School Accommodation

Ceisteanna (119)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

119. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to substantial concerns that parents of children attending a school of 277 pupils (details supplied) in County Kildare have expressed in relation to substandard accommodation, the prevalence of vermin in classrooms, the functionality of fire doors, unsuitable flooring and so on; if the school in question cannot apply for remediation or a new build process, or even minor works grants, due to a recognition issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39468/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy is aware, 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. This can sometimes necessitate the use of temporary accommodation, as in the case of this school, until my Department is in a position to provide a permanent building. My Department will continue to liaise with the school authorities regarding their long term accommodation needs.

The school opened in 2010 and is currently accommodated in temporary accommodation which is relatively new. It would be expected that with standard maintenance, the accommodation would remain in good condition for a considerable period of time. Following an application from the school management, my Department, under its Emergency Works Scheme, recently approved funding for repairs to the temporary accommodation some of which was caused by damage during the storms earlier this year. It is expected that this funding will address the issues raised by the school management in its application. The School Authority was also recently sanctioned funding for two additional prefabricated units to cater for increased enrolments.

My Department has received an application for the permanent recognition of the school. This application is under consideration and a decision on the matter will be conveyed to the school authorities in due course.

Education Policy

Ceisteanna (120)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

120. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the historical model that has been utilised by her Department when anticipating future educational needs across the State; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39478/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department uses a Geographical Information System to analyse demographic data on a nationwide basis to determine the areas where additional primary and post-primary educational infrastructure may be required. A variety of data sources are used in this analysis, including census data, school enrolment data, and child benefit data obtained from the Department of Social Protection.

The outcomes from this analysis are fed into my Department's five-year construction plan, which is currently focused on ensuring that every child has access to a physical school place. Where new schools are needed, these are advanced in line with an objective process and criteria for determining patronage and language medium of instruction.

School Accommodation

Ceisteanna (121)

Catherine Murphy

Ceist:

121. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a minimum floor area that is specified for a classroom; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that some schools are approaching 40 pupils per class and that this situation is exacerbated by a cramped physical environment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39483/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department has produced a suite of technical guidance documents, which are available on my Department's website, to assist design teams in best practice in the design and development of schools in green field site situations. These documents cover all aspects of the development of a building project for both internal and external works. The current practice is to use a guideline of 80 sq. metres as the standard size for a general primary school classroom. This space allows for the inclusion of two en-suite toilets and in room storage. In the case of existing schools and given the limitations of existing buildings, site conditions and funding availability, it is not always possible to achieve the level of accommodation that is provided with a new school design.

The Department's most recently published statistics, for the 2013/14 school year, show an average class size at primary level of 24.8. However, with over 21,100 classes in over 3,100 primary schools throughout the country there will always be variations in class sizes at individual school level. My Department's guidance to local school management is that such variations should be kept to the minimum and to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to keep classes for infants as low as possible.