Written Answers Nos. 523-542
523. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on extending the provision of home tuition in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7824/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 also provides a compensatory educational service for children awaiting a suitable educational placement and for early intervention for children with autism.
The allocation in the case referred to by Deputy was appealed and a letter relaying the outcome issued to her parents last week.
524. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for a new school to cater for the current and future needs of the Ballycullen, Firhouse and Oldcourt areas in Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7835/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTwo new primary schools opened in the area to which the Deputy refers in September 2013. Both of these schools will comprise 16 classrooms when fully developed. There are no plans for further new primary schools for the area at this time though this is kept under review.
My Department is currently carrying out a nationwide demographic exercise to determine where additional post-primary school accommodation might be needed from 2017 onwards. This will include an examination of the Ballycullen/Firhouse/Oldcourt area. On foot of this review, arrangements will be made to provide additional post-primary accommodation where this is needed.
525. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the current status of the digital strategy for schools; the current expected publication date; if the draft strategy has been circulated to stakeholders for consultation; if so, the findings of the consultation and what stakeholders took part; if she will ensure that a working hyper-link to the relevant section is placed on her Department's website, as the current link is malfunctioning; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7837/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraWork is currently being finalised on the new digital strategy for schools. A number of research projects have taken place including an online census of teachers and principals, a public consultation process, focus groups with students, parents and teachers and a number of meetings with stakeholders including teacher unions, management bodies, the Teaching Council, publishers and other interested parties. The findings from the detailed consultation process will be reflected in the strategy.
The main themes which emerged from the findings of the research projects are Learning, Teaching and Assessment Using ICTs, Teacher Professional Learning, Research, Policy and Leadership, ICT Infrastructure, Digital Content and Internet Safety. Recommendations will be based on these themes.
The link referred to by the deputy related to the Digital Strategy consultation process which is now closed and this link is now expired.
526. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding training placement or schemes in respect of persons with intellectual disabilities (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7851/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am informed by SOLAS that all people with disabilities are eligible to access mainstream education and training services. In addition vocational training for people with disabilities is provided through Specialist Training Providers (STPs), which provide training and employment services specifically for people with disabilities including people with physical, intellectual, mental health or sensory disabilities.
Learners on Specialist Training programmes have the opportunity to participate in training ranging from level 3 to level 5 on the National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ). All training programmes delivered address both the generic and vocational skills requirements of participating learners.
527. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans regarding the redevelopment of Clermont College, County Wicklow; and if a decision has been made regarding the redevelopment of the college. [7869/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraNeither my Department nor Carlow Institute of Technology is aware of the issue outlined by the Deputy.
528. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will respond to concerns (details supplied) by parents of a child with Down's syndrome; if children with Down's syndrome will be provided with an individualised right to resource teaching hours, outside the general allocation system, similar to those whose needs her Department classifies as low incidence. [7892/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that under the existing allocation system, all pupils with Down syndrome, including such pupils with mild general learning difficulties, currently are entitled to receive additional teaching support.
Such support is provided either from a school's allocation of Learning Support or Resource Teaching under the General Allocation Model (GAM), or from an allocation of additional resource teacher hours allocated to schools by the NCSE.
I am aware that some parents, and organisations representing children with Down syndrome, continue to have concerns that the existing system does not give them certainty as to the number of resource teaching hours that may be allocated to their child under the General Allocation Model, as these hours are distributed locally by schools.
I met with Down Syndrome Ireland, and with some parents of children with Down syndrome, recently on 19th February.
This was an opportunity for me to discuss the concerns that they have regarding the provision of resource teaching support for children with Down syndrome.
I intend to meet with more parents over the coming week or so.
I will consider the issues that have been raised by Down Syndrome Ireland and parents, and will keep the Deputy and the House informed of my developing views on this matter.
529. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide funding to make a school yard safe in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7901/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra555. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine an application under the emergency works scheme in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Kerry for essential works to upgrade the school yard, which is unsafe and hazardous, as due to excessive deterioration the area is disintegrating, cracking and crumbling and in view of the fact this is the third submission in recent years; if she will ensure that this is prioritised and approved in the near future; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [8163/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 529 and 555 together. As the Deputies may be aware, applications have been made by the school, in question, for funding for playground works under both the 2014 Summer Works scheme and also under the Emergency Works Scheme. The works referred to by the Deputy are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme, the purpose of which is to devolve funding to individual school authorities to facilitate schools carrying out small and medium scale building works that will improve and upgrade existing school facilities.
As the Deputies will also be aware, spending of more than €70 million was approved for the 2014 Summer Works Scheme to allow over 770 schools undertake improvement works. This allowed for the funding of applications received under categories 1-6. Schools which had applied under categories 7-10, including the school referred to by the Deputies, were advised that their applications would be retained for prioritisation if funding for further summer works projects could be secured for 2015.
I am currently considering the feasibility of making further funding available to facilitate consideration of those applications which were received under categories 7-10 under the 2014 Summer Works Scheme.
530. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of one-teacher schools that are located within an 8 km distance of a school of similar patronage and language of instruction. [7926/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the current school year, there are twenty-six 1-teacher schools that are located within an 8km distance of a school of similar patronage and language of instruction.
531. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when school enrolment figures for the 2014-2015 academic year will be published. [7927/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA provisional list of school enrolment numbers in each school for 2014/15 will be published on the Department's website in mid March. A final list will be published in June.
532. Deputy Joe Costello asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will examine the conditions under which an honours degree allowance is awarded to teachers who qualified from Marino Institute of Education in 2012, if she will reconsider whether the requirement to be working on one specified date, which takes no account of any other work, is fair and reasonable in determining whether a teacher receives the allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7984/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe issue raised by the Deputy has been brought to the Teachers' Conciliation Council by representatives of the teachers concerned. The Teachers' Conciliation Council is the recognised forum for dealing with matters relating to pay and conditions of service of teachers. The parties to the forum include representatives of the managerial authorities of schools, the teacher unions, the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
As the proceedings of the Conciliation Council are confidential it would not be appropriate for me to make any comment at this time.
533. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a qualification (details supplied) will be recognised; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [7991/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Teaching Council Act 2001, the Teaching Council is, since March 2006, the regulator and standards body for the teaching profession.
Accordingly, it holds authority and responsibility for registration of teachers in the State.
As the question refers to an operational matter for the Teaching Council, I am referring it to the Council for early direct reply.
534. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of two-teacher primary schools that would have lost a second teacher in 2015-2016 but now stand to retain a second teacher on the basis of the changes she announced on 17 February 2015; and if she will provide a tabular breakdown, by relevant county and local authority area. [8014/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra535. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of three-teacher primary schools that would have lost a third teacher in 2015-2016 but now stand to retain a third teacher on the basis of the changes she announced on 17 February 2015; and if she will provide a tabular breakdown, by relevant county and local authority area. [8015/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra536. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of four-teacher primary schools that would have lost a fourth teacher in 2015-2016 but now stand to retain a third teacher on the basis of the changes she announced on 17 February 2015; and if she will provide a tabular breakdown, by relevant county and local authority area. [8016/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra537. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of three-teacher primary schools that would in 2014-2015 have a fourth teacher if the measures she announced on 17 February 2015 had been in place for the purposes of staffing in 2014-2015; and if she will provide a tabular breakdown, by relevant county and local authority area. [8017/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra538. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of two-teacher primary schools that would in 2014-2015 have a third teacher if the measures she announced on 17 February 2015 had been in place for the purposes of staffing in 2014-2015; and if she will provide a tabular breakdown, by relevant county and local authority area. [8018/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra539. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of one-teacher primary schools that would in 2014-2015 have a second teacher if the measures she announced on 17 February 2015 had been in place for the purposes of staffing in 2014-2015; and if she will provide a tabular breakdown, by relevant county and local authority area. [8019/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra540. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of two-teacher primary schools that became one-teacher primary schools on foot of the budget 2012 changes that would have retained a second teacher in 2014-2015 if the measures she announced on 17 February 2015 had been introduced in budget 2012; and if she will provide a tabular breakdown, by relevant county and local authority area. [8020/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra541. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of three-teacher primary schools that became two-teacher primary schools on foot of the budget 2012 changes, that would have retained a third teacher in 2014-2015 if the measures she announced on 17 February 2015 had been introduced in budget 2012; and if she will provide a tabular breakdown, by relevant county and local authority area. [8021/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra542. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of four-teacher primary schools that became three-teacher primary schools on foot of the budget 2012 changes but would have retained a fourth teacher in 2014-2015 if the measures she announced on 17 February 2015 had been introduced in budget 2012; and if she will provide a tabular breakdown, by relevant county and local authority area. [8022/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra546. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated full-year cost of the measures she announced on 17 February 2015 with regard to primary schools; and the estimated additional full-year cost of changing appointment thresholds to the level of the retention thresholds she announced for same. [8026/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra547. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated additional full-year cost, over and above any costs resultant from the changes she announced on 17 February 2015, of restoring the small school staffing schedule that existed in 2011-2012. [8027/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 534 to 542, inclusive, and 546 and 547 together.
The staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year were published last week. They are set out in Department Circular 0005/2015 which is available on my Department's website at www.education.gov.ie. The circular sets out the improvements to the staffing schedule for the 2015/16 school year for small schools. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for isolated one-teacher schools. These improvements are estimated to benefit of the order of about 30 small schools. The final number of schools to benefit from these improvements to the staffing schedule will be known in the Autumn after the teacher allocation process has fully transacted. The full year cost of 30 posts is circa. €1.8m (€0.6m in 2015) and is being managed within the Department's budget.
These improvements particularly recognise the challenges faced by very small schools that are more than 8km from the next nearest school of the same type.
This package of measures will provide rural communities with security about the future of their small schools, recognising the essential social function which small schools can play, especially in isolated communities.
These improvements in the Staffing Schedule for small schools are the only changes that I am making to the staffing arrangements for primary schools for the 2015/16 school year.
The Deputy has sought information on what the impact of these improvements would be for the 2014/15 school year if they were also applicable to this school year. Firstly, I wish to make clear that they are not applicable to this year. They come into effect from 1 September 2015. Secondly, there is no scope within my Department to do the detailed analysis requested by the Deputy in relation to the 2014/15 school year given that the focus is now on the staffing and redeployment arrangements for the coming school year. However, the number of schools benefiting for the 2015/16 school year could be used as a guide for the number of schools that would benefit for the 2014/15 school year.
The cumulative savings achieved to date from the 2012 small schools budget measure are of the order of €20m. The number of posts lost is about 120 posts and the number of posts not gained is about 80 posts as a result of the increased pupil thresholds. This gives an indication of the overall costs involved in relation to restoring teacher numbers in small schools.
