Written Answers Nos. 193 - 200
193. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update in relation to the acquisition of a site for the development of a project (details supplied) in County Galway; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9578/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that officials from my Department are currently working closely with officials from Galway County Council in relation to the acquisition of a suitable site to facilitate the provision of a new school building for the school to which he refers.
I can confirm that the site acquisition process is advancing. When the site has been acquired, officials from my Department will be in contact with the school authorities in relation to the progression of the building project.
194. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of allegations of physical and/or sexual abuse that have been made against primary and secondary school teachers by students and/or parents since 2000 to date in 2015; the outcome of these; the number ongoing and the systems in place to protect teachers against unfounded allegations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9599/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary statutory responsibility for child protection lies with the Child and Family Agency.
My Department has no role in assessing or investigating child protection concerns. Its role is to refer any allegations it receives to the appropriate authorities and to do so without making judgment on same.
There is no requirement on the school authorities to report to the Department allegations of physical and or sexual abuse that have been made against primary and secondary school teachers by students and or parents. All schools must have a child protection policy that adheres to certain key principles of best practise in child protection and welfare.
Procedures for schools on the implementation of Children First in the school setting were updated and published in September 2011. This was done following the revisions in July 2011 to the national Children First guidelines. The forthcoming Children First legislation will put aspects of this national guidance on a statutory footing. Under the updated procedures all schools must have a child protection policy that adheres to certain key principles of best practise in child protection and welfare. The updated procedures also incorporate significant improvements to the previous school guidelines and are intended to better ensure consistent and uniform implementation of Children First across all schools. The improvements include a new template child protection policy, a requirement that all primary schools fully implement the Stay Safe programme and also put in place improved oversight arrangements at Board of Management level.
The additional oversight arrangements involve the following:
- Specific reporting requirements by the School Principal to the Board of Management
- Standardised format for an annual review by the Board of Management of the implementation of its child protection policy
- Standard method for schools to report annually to parents associations (or parents generally) in relation to their implementation of child protection procedures
- Confirmation of compliance with child protection procedures to be provided, if requested, to the School Patron and/or the Department.
Where child protection concerns relate to a school employee, the procedures provide, inter alia, that;
- the employer shall maintain regular and close liaison with the HSE (now TUSLA) or An Garda Síochána and a decision on the position of the school employee shall be taken having due regard to the advice given to the employer by these authorities,
- legal advice should always be sought and,
- the Board should also be aware of and comply with employment legislation and any other relevant employee relations policies such as agreed grievance and disciplinary procedures.
195. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that there is a 2008 Labour Court recommendation (details supplied), when it will be implemented; when the outstanding moneys will be paid to the persons involved; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9601/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraImplementation of the Labour Court Recommendation cannot be considered separately as an internal job evaluation exercise carried out by Price Waterhouse Coopers was intended to establish the correct rate of pay for the grades in the Tyndall National Institute. At the outset the parties agreed that the conclusions of the job evaluation exercise could be appealed on an individual basis to an independent Appeals Officer and this is currently being considered by the parties.
196. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of senior civil servants who retired since 2011 in her Department who have been appointed to a State board under her aegis following their retirement; if she will provide in tabular form the names of these persons, the boards to which they were appointed and the appointment process followed in each case; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [9948/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested by the Deputy is provided in the table.
For the Deputy's information, under revised procedures put in place in late 2014, the process for filling vacancies on State boards under the aegis of the Department, through ministerial appointment or nomination, is now normally managed by the Public Appointments Service (PAS), whereby applications are made through the dedicated website www.stateboards.ie. and an assessment process is undertaken by PAS leading to the creation of a list of candidates deemed suitable for appointment to boards. The new arrangements, including specific exceptions from same, are set out clearly in the Guidelines on Appointments to State Boards which can be viewed on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's website www.per.gov.ie.
Comprehensive information in relation to the composition of the State boards of non-commercial bodies under the aegis of the Department can be found on the Department's website www.education.gov.ie also.
|
Name of the Board |
Senior civil servants who retired since 2011 in the Department who have been appointed to a State board under its aegis following their retirement |
Appointment Process Followed |
|
Léargas |
Des O’Loughlin, former Assistant Principal Officer at the Department of Education and Skills |
Appointed to Léargas in an ex-officio capacity in January 2010 and re-appointed in April 2013. |
|
National Council for Special Education (NCSE) |
Eamon Stack, former Chief Inspector at the Department of Education and Skills |
Appointed by Minister |
|
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) |
Brigid McManus, former Secretary General at the Department of Education and Skills |
Appointed by Minister |
197. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if the Migraine Association of Ireland's appeal to Pobal will be granted; when a response will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9425/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe funding Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. Applications for a new round of funding, which commenced on 1 July 2014, were subject to an appraisal process. 55 applications were approved for funding for the two-year period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016. The Migraine Association of Ireland was not successful on this occasion.
Pobal were asked to undertake the appraisal and management of the scheme and, in that context, put in place a dedicated team to deal with any inquiries from applicants and to provide detailed feedback. Furthermore, an appeals process was put in place, on foot of which Pobal submitted a report, which is currently being considered.
On 18 July 2014, it was announced that bridging funding of €1.4 million would be allocated for a twelve month period to a number of previously funded health, disability and other organisations that were not approved for funding under the new scheme, pending the carrying out of a review of the public funding of national organisations in the health and disability sector. This bridging funding in 2014/2015 will enable organisations to plan for their future, whether with or without State support, such as that provided under the SSNO. The Migraine Association of Ireland was allocated €29,014 for the twelve month period to 30 June 2015.
The review process is underway and is being advanced in consultation with the Department of Health. The Health Service Executive and Pobal are also participating in the review. All organisations in receipt of bridging funding have been contacted to make submissions as part of the review process. I intend to complete and publish the outcome of the review over the coming months.
198. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will provide an update in relation to the current tendering process that his predecessor introduced around the social inclusion and community activation programme which is due to launch on 1 April 2015; the provisions he has put in place for staff and the service provided by the 33 unsuccessful local development companies that are currently delivering services under the LCDP and Leader programmes. [9404/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department’s Local and Community Development Programme (LCDP) is the largest social inclusion intervention of its kind in the State and is being implemented on a transitional basis until the end of March 2015, pending the roll out of the new Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP) on 1 April 2015.
In accordance with the Public Spending Code, legal advice, good practice internationally and in order to ensure the optimum delivery of services to clients, SICAP is subject to a public procurement process, which is in its final stages. Tenderers have now been informed of the outcome of their tender and Local Community Development Committees (LCDCs) are in the process of issuing contracts to the successful tenderers.
There are currently 50 Local Development Companies (LDCs) contracted, on this Department’s behalf, to deliver the LCDP. My Department will now consider what impact, if any, the outcome of the competitive process for the new Programme will have with regard to the network of Local Development Companies (LDCs), which are independent limited companies.
It should be noted however that my Department has no role in the internal operations of LDCs and, therefore, does not have a role in relation to staff or employment matters, which are for the Board of each company, as the employer, to manage. Each funding Department is responsible for its own funding and contractual arrangements with the LDCs. My Department will, however, provide practical financial support to LDCs to facilitate the closure of the LCDP and the move to new arrangements. This will include financial assistance to companies to deal with redundancies and whatever additional supports are considered appropriate in the context of the closure of the LCDP.
199. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will meet with the Neurological Alliance of Ireland to discuss the ongoing funding of neurological services run by its affiliated organisations. [9411/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra200. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will extend funding for the Neurological Alliance of Ireland beyond June 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9412/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 199 and 200 together.
The funding Scheme to Support National Organisations (SSNO) in the community and voluntary sector aims to provide multi-annual funding to national organisations towards core costs associated with the provision of services. Applications for a new round of funding, which commenced on 1 July 2014, were subject to an appraisal process. 55 applications were approved for funding for the two-year period from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2016. The neurological services run by the affiliated organisations of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, referred to by the Deputy, were not successful on this occasion.
Pobal were asked to undertake the appraisal and management of the scheme and, in that context, put in place a dedicated team to deal with any inquiries from applicants and to provide detailed feedback. Furthermore, an appeals process was put in place, on foot of which Pobal submitted a report, which is currently being considered.
On 18 July 2014, it was announced that bridging funding of €1.4 million would be allocated for a twelve month period to a number of previously funded health, disability and other organisations that were not approved for funding under the new scheme, pending the carrying out of a review of the public funding of national organisations in the health and disability sector. This bridging funding in 2014/2015 will enable organisations to plan for their future, whether with or without State support, such as that provided under the SSNO. The table outlines the allocations to each of the affiliated organisations of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland in receipt of bridging funding for the period 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015.
It should be noted that the Meningitis Research Foundation, which is also an affiliated organisation of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, was not funded under the previous round of SSNO funding and was not, therefore, included in the organisations for receipt of bridging funding.
The review process is underway and is being advanced in consultation with the Department of Health. The Health Service Executive and Pobal are also participating in the review. All organisations in receipt of bridging funding have been contacted to make submissions as part of the review process. I intend to complete and publish the outcome of the review over the coming months.
With an on-going appeals process for this scheme and a review underway, I would not propose a meeting at this stage. However, submissions in respect of the review were sought from all organisations in receipt of bridging funding and are being considered. Furthermore, a meeting took place on 30 January 2015, attended by my Department, the Department of Health, the Neurological Alliance of Ireland and other organisations on the matters raised by the Deputy.
|
Bridging Funding to affiliated organisations of the Neurological Alliance of Ireland |
1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015 |
|
Chronic Pain Ireland Limited |
37,304 |
|
Huntington's Disease Association of Ireland Limited |
19,066 |
|
Irish Heart Foundation |
41,448 |
|
Migraine Association of Ireland Ltd |
29,014 |
|
Motor Neuron disease Association |
24,868 |
|
Muscular Dystrophy Ireland |
37,304 |
|
Peter Bradley Foundation Limited |
41,448 |
|
Post Polio Support Group Limited |
24,868 |
|
The Alzheimer Society of Ireland |
62,172 |
|
The Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland |
49,738 |
|
The Neurological Alliance of Ireland |
49,738 |
