Written Answers Nos. 145-151
145. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will allocate five hours of learning support per mainstream teacher to an all-girls school (details supplied) in County Donegal instead of the four hours it currently receives; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2654/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that differing teacher allocation ratios are applied under the General Allocation Model (GAM) in relation to boys, girls and mixed schools in order to account for differentials of prevalence of learning difficulty between boys and girls. The objective of this differentiation is to ensure that resources provided to schools to support children who have additional learning needs are targeted to ensure that those children most in need benefit from these resources.
The rationale for the differing ratios is based on international literature on the incidence of disability as well as international and national surveys of literacy and numeracy which indicate that there is a greater incidence of disability/learning difficulty in boys than girls.
The NCSE has published a report 'A study of the Prevalence of Special Educational Needs' which is available at www.ncse.ie and which contains details regarding the prevalence of special needs among the pupil population including noting gender differentials.
The recently published NCSE Report Delivery for Students with Special Educational Needs, which is also available at www.ncse.ie, recommended that a new resource teaching allocation model be devised for schools taking into account the profiled need of schools and the educational profile of a school.
In doing so, the NCSE report recommended that gender should continue to be a factor in deciding on school profile for resource allocation purposes.
Through consultations, there was a broad welcome for the proposed new model from Parents, disability groups, schools and stakeholders. However, there has not been sufficient time to address all of the concerns which have been raised in advance of the 2015 school year.
My Department is, however, continuing to develop the new allocation model for schools and is currently working to devise a pilot of the new model. In developing the new allocation model for schools, my Department will take account of the recommendations of the NCSE policy advice in relation to the inclusion of gender in deciding on school profiles for resource allocation purposes.
146. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a new building for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2655/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the project for the school referred to, is included in the 6 Year Construction Programme that I announced on 17 November last, and is listed to proceed to tender and construction in the period 2019-21.
My Department will be in contact with the school authorities in the near future regarding the progression of the school project.
147. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills how many teachers, prior to the Croke Park agreement, had their supervision pay allowance on a pensionable basis; and what its total worth was and what happened to those funds once the supervision pay ceased under the Croke Park agreement. [2657/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn the 2011/12 school year, 13,852 post primary teachers (excluding ETB teachers) were being paid Supervision and Substitution allowance on a pensionable basis. The amount paid was €17.6 million.
Teachers who retire during the "grace period" (recently extended by order made by the Minister for Public Expenditure under the FEMPI legislation) have their superannuation benefits calculated on the pre-cut salary scales. Accordingly those who had opted to pay pension contributions on their supervision/substitution payment currently have the supervision/substitution payment reckoned in their pay for calculation of retirement benefits.
148. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the allocation of secondary school places and the relationship schools have with their feeder schools, particularly regarding a school (details supplied) in County Waterford; if the system used by schools is fair and equitable; if schools are obliged to follow recommendations from her Department or if they are within their rights to create and follow their own individual enrolment procedures excluding students from long-standing feeder schools and prioritising students from another area irrespective of the date of their applications; if many students are being placed in very difficult positions and in many cases have to travel great distances to avail of secondary placements; if a country-wide enrolment procedure should be adopted that would ensure the right placements for all students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2660/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that it is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. The enrolment policy must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.
Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. The selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants.
I am aware of the concerns raised by the Deputy in this case. My Department has been in contact with the school concerned regarding arrangements for a meeting to discuss this and related issues.
149. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a person (details supplied) in County Clare can utilise a herd number as a means of availing of commercial motor taxation on a farm jeep; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2597/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMotor tax is based on the construction and use of a vehicle. In order to qualify for the commercial rate of motor tax, a vehicle must be constructed or adapted for use as a goods vehicle and used solely for the conveyance of goods in the course of trade or business. Licensing authorities have an obligation under Article 3 of the Road Vehicles (Registration and Licensing)(Amendment) Regulations 1992 to be satisfied that a vehicle is correctly taxed and it is thus open to a motor tax office to seek supporting documentation when commercial motor tax is being applied for. Such documentation may include a certificate of commercial insurance or evidence of registration for VAT purposes or, at the discretion of the licensing authority concerned, any other appropriate documentation that would indicate that the applicant is in trade or business. It is up to the individual concerned to provide whatever evidence is required by the licensing authority in order for it to be satisfied that the applicant is entitled to the commercial rate of motor tax, which is effectively a concessionary rate.
150. Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the number of shared-ownership mortgages extant in arrears and in the mortgage arrears resolution programme, and owing over €100,000; the status of purchasers under the programme who are unable to pay off the loan at the end of the mortgage period; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2567/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department publishes a wide range of housing statistics, including the number and value of local authority mortgages and a breakdown of those in arrears; however, the data does not provide a specific breakdown in respect of shared ownership mortgages. The statistics on local authority mortgage arrears generally are available on my Department’s website at: http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/StatisticsandRegularPublications/HousingStatistics/FileDownLoad,15295,en.xls
by clicking “Mortgage Data/Arrears in Local Authorities” under the Housing Loans contents.
The Central Bank’s Code of Conduct on Mortgage Arrears requires all mortgage lenders to ensure that it has in place a Mortgage Arrears Resolution Process (MARP) as a framework for handling such cases. My Department introduced guidelines for local authorities in 2012 and, subsequently, issued revised guidelines in June 2014. These guidelines, Dealing with Mortgage Arrears – A Guide for Local Authorities, are available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.environ.ie/en/Publications/DevelopmentandHousing/Housing/FileDownLoad,30943,en.pdf.
A Mortgage to Rent scheme, specifically for local authority mortgage borrowers, is available as part of the MARP arrangements. The Local Authority Mortgage to Rent scheme and the wider operation of MARP within local authorities are kept under regular review by my Department.
In cases of acute mortgage distress, homeowners also have the option of seeking to avail of the legal process now also in place to deal with personal insolvency. The most important step any household in arrears can take is to engage early with the Arrears Support Unit of the local authority. Solutions are available and advice should be sought as early as possible.
151. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if €450,000 announced by the former Minister of State, Mr. Michael Finneran, was allocated to Roscommon County Council for the refurbishment of Elphin fire station; the works completed on the station to date; the plans to complete the refurbishment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2612/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provision of a fire service in its functional area, including the establishment and maintenance of a fire brigade, the assessment of fire cover needs and the provision of fire station premises, is a statutory function of individual fire authorities under the Fire Services Act, 1981. My Department supports the fire authorities through setting general policy, providing a central training programme, issuing guidance on operational and other related matters and providing capital funding for priority infrastructural projects. Provision was made for upgrade works to Elphin fire station in 2010 and approval-in-principle was conveyed to Roscommon County Council to proceed with the preparation of design drawings and a cost plan. These were received in my Department during 2012, with an estimated cost of €423,000. Given constraints on public finances my Department was unable to progress the project at that time. A revised schedule of improvement works were completed at Elphin subsequently at a cost of €23,381 and were subsequently recouped to the Council.
I have also recently announced a new national joint - procurement programme to purchase twenty fire appliances, under which Roscommon Fire Service has been allocated one new appliance. Given the on-going constraints on public finances, further support from my Department’s Fire Services Capital Programme to proceed with fire station projects will have regard to national priorities, the totality of requests from fire authorities countrywide, Roscommon County Council’s priorities, the extent of current and previous investment in Roscommon Fire Service, the value for money offered by proposals and the status of existing facilities having regard to area risk categorisation.
