Written Answers Nos. 146-157
146. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of replacing 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% of all prefabricated school classrooms with buildings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12193/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, it is my intention to replace all purchased prefabs with permanent accommodation over the lifetime of my Department's capital programme 2016-2021.
To enable this development, my Department will be carrying out an assessment of the number of prefabs being used in schools to deliver the curriculum and to determine whether or not individual prefabs need to be replaced in the context of the long-term accommodation needs of each school involved from a demographic viewpoint. When completed, this assessment will quantify the number of prefabs to be replaced. At that time, a cost estimate will be possible taking into account that the outlay for replacing a prefab with a permanent building will vary from school to school depending on site conditions, planning conditions and other site specific costs.
147. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of providing teachers who currently work part-time or as substitute teachers with a permanent contract within one year, within two years and within three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12194/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTeachers in Primary, Voluntary Secondary and Community/Comprehensive schools are employed by the managerial authorities of schools.
The information as requested by the Deputy is not available. However, officials in my Department would be prepared to discuss the issues raised in the question with her.
148. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of providing the additional school classrooms required to reduce class sizes in primary schools to a maximum of 20 pupils per class; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12195/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra150. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of providing additional school classrooms to reduce class sizes at schools participating in the DEIS initiative to a maximum of 15 pupils per class; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12197/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 150 together.
Teacher allocations to all schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The staffing schedule in the current year at primary level operates on the basis of 1 classroom teacher for an average of every 28 pupils. Lower thresholds apply in the case of the 646 DEIS Band 1 primary schools, ranging from 20:1 to 24:1 depending on the type of school.
The capital requirements impact arising from a reduction in class size is difficult to predict at individual school level including DEIS schools. A change in the staffing schedule may not always give rise to the appointment of an additional teacher and therefore the provision of new classroom build. In areas of stable or falling pupil enrolment numbers schools may already have a spare classroom or be in a position to convert an existing space into a classroom.
It is estimated that each 1 point adjustment to the staffing schedule will involve an additional 250-300 posts. Not taking any potential spare classroom capacity into consideration, it is estimated that the cost of providing additional classroom accommodation for each 1 point adjustment to the staffing schedule will amount to between €34 million to €40 million.
149. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of providing additional school classrooms to reduce class sizes at post-primary level to a maximum of 25 pupils per class; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12196/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraTeacher allocations to all post primary schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department website.
In accordance with the published staffing arrangements each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities. It should also be noted in that regard that class group sizes will vary between general subject and specialist subject classes. The precise impact at individual school level is therefore difficult to predict in terms of capital requirements. A change in the staffing allocations may not always give rise to the appointment of an additional teacher and therefore the provision of additional post primary accommodation.
It is estimated that each one point adjustment to the pupil teacher ratio (ptr) at post-primary level will involve in the order of 1,000 additional teaching posts. Not taking any potential spare school capacity into consideration, an estimate of providing additional general classroom accommodation for each 1 point adjustment to the staffing allocation will amount to over €80 million.
151. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of establishing the office of the ombudsman for education with the remit of examining decisions by the boards of management of schools and the refusal of supports for children with special educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12198/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware the Programme for a Partnership Government provides that the role and power of an Ombudsman for Education, to whom a parent could complain and appeal on foot of a decision by a board of management, will be examined by the relevant Oireachtas Committee to ensure its consistency with the need to ensure better local decision making and accountability to parents.
The Programme also provides that the Government will introduce a stronger complaints procedure and charter for parents, and commence the Fitness to Teach provisions of the Teaching Council Act.
Both of these commitments are part of a continuum because having a dedicated ombudsman with a power to deal with parental complaints would be a residual, but potentially important, function where local resolution has failed.
I think that the relevant Oireachtas Committee will need to consider both programme commitments together. Work already underway in my Department envisages legislative change to Section 28 of the Education Act 1998, and creating an ombudsman with powers to externally review school actions would require new legislation that could be progressed in tandem.
The cost of establishing any office of an Ombudsman for Education can only be considered after the relevant Oireachtas Committee has considered both programme commitments.
152. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost per annum of ensuring that all teachers have a minimum of two days' continuous professional development on the provision of support for children with special educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12199/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Special Education Support Service (SESS) co-ordinates, develops and delivers a range of professional development initiatives and support structures for school personnel working with students with special educational needs in a variety of educational settings. These settings include mainstream primary and post-primary schools, special schools and special classes.
The continuing professional development (CPD) provided by SESS covers a range of specialties, including inter alia:
- Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASDs)
- Hearing Impairment
- Visual Impairment
- Mental Health
- Individual Education Planning
- Dyslexia
- Challenging Behaviour
- Specialist training for teachers in Autism Units attached to schools
This CPD support is made available to all schools - both whole-school and to individual teachers through a variety of models such as school visits, SESS designed courses and seminars, on-line programmes, provision of resources, telephone and e-mail support, access to on-line library etc.
Over 16,000 teachers accessed CPD through SESS in 2015.
In addition to this my Department also funds Post-Graduate Programmes for approximately 400 teachers involved in Learning Support and special education annually. The combined programme cost of this support in 2015 was €2,520,893, exclusive of personnel and substitution costs.
Given the broad and varied range of CPD provided, ranging from school visits to individual teacher participation at seminars and year long post graduate programmes, an average CPD cost is difficult to estimate without defining specific course parameters and content.
153. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of progressing the 39 projects at construction stage under the construction programme 2012-2016 to construction this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12200/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy officials contacted the Deputy's office and I understand that the 39 projects referred to are those mentioned on page 195 of the Ministers Brief prepared by my Department and now available on my Departments website.
The relevant section states ...."From the 5 year Construction Programme 2012-2016, the Department continues to progress 19 major projects in architectural planning, 31 "RAPID" projects, 15 projects at tender stage 39 projects at construction stage."
The aggregate contract cost of the 39 projects which were at construction stage when the briefing document was prepared is €275 million. While all of these 39 projects were on site when the briefing document was prepared, some would have commenced on site before Jan 2016 and some will continue on site after 31st December 2016. In that context the full €275 million contract cost of these 39 projects is spread across more than the 12 months of 2016.
155. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has ring-fenced funding for the conservation grant; and the amount of same. [12017/16]
Amharc ar fhreagra156. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government the amount his Department allocated out of its budget for the conservation grant relating to Irish Water bills; the number of applications made and grants paid; and the total amount paid in 2015. [12018/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 156 together.
The Department of Social Protection, which administers the Water Conservation Grant on behalf of my Department, has made grant payments totalling €88,991,800 in respect of the 2015 Water Conservation Grant. A small number of residual payments continue to be made to householders who have an entitlement to the 2015 Water Conservation Grant.
On the basis of the administration of the 2015 grant scheme, a figure of €110 million was provided for the grant scheme in the 2016 Revised Estimates for Public Services.
Under the confidence and supply arrangement agreed in the context of facilitating a minority government, the Government is committed to introducing and supporting legislation in the Oireachtas, within six weeks of its appointment, to suspend domestic water charges for a period of nine months from the end of the current bill cycle. This is to allow for the Oireachtas to decide on the enduring funding model for Irish Water. Under this arrangement, the Water Conservation Grant will be suspended for 2016.
157. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his views that the new pay-by-weight refuse collection charges are fair to all sections of society, given the case of a person (details supplied); the measures he will put in place to relieve this burden from particularly affected groups of society; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12134/16]
Amharc ar fhreagraGovernment waste policy is predicated on the waste hierarchy as set out in the EU’s Waste Framework Directive. A number of specific measures have been, and will continue to be, introduced to reduce the amount of waste generated in the State and to increase the segregation of waste which cannot be prevented in line with Government policy. The introduction of pay by weight charges for the collection of household waste is one such measure.
In terms of the per kilogramme and service fees which will be charged under pay by weight, the Government has set a minimum mandatory fee per kilogramme for the different types of household waste: 11 cent for black bin (residual waste), 6 cent for brown bin (food/ organic waste) and I have decided that a zero cent minimum fee per kilogramme should be set for green bins (recyclate). The collector may also charge a service fee, which will typically cover staff, collection, administrative and back office, capital and overhead costs. It is a matter for the collector to set charges at the level they consider to be competitive, in compliance with the requirements of the legislation. Householders will be able to compare the charges more easily under the new system and choose the option that suits them best or is most cost effective.
During the period in which local authorities were directly involved in the collection of household waste, a minority of individual Councils offered different levels of discount to selected households, based on different qualification criteria.
As local authorities exited the waste collection market, some required the private operators which took on the Councils’ customers to provide a level of discount for existing waiver customers only, and even then for a limited time. The vast majority of such contractual commitments for private operators to provide a waiver have now expired. In that context, the number of households in receipt of waiver discounts is likely to decline further over time, especially as some householders were able to take advantage of special reduced offers elsewhere which actually undercut the waiver price. However, selected private operators still offer some level of discount to former waiver customers on a voluntary basis.
In addition, a very limited number of local authorities make financial contributions toward the cost of the collection of waste from certain households. Again, the qualification criteria and level of support differ from area to area. Such expenditure means that these local authorities divert funding from other areas to support these waiver provisions.
With the exception of one or two municipal districts, local authorities no longer collect waste and the market is now serviced by a diverse range of private operators, where the fees charged are a matter between service provider and customer and the services offered vary across the country. In that regard, it is becoming increasingly apparent that a national waiver scheme could not be imposed in the context of an open market for waste collection.
However, under pay-by-weight charging for household waste collection, there is an opportunity for all customers to have more control over their waste charges and to minimise their waste costs by preventing waste and segregating waste through using the food waste and recyclable waste bins properly. In this regard, a pay-by-weight awareness campaign, launched on 18 May 2016, will be rolled out at national, regional and local levels in the coming weeks and will give invaluable advice to householders on minimising their waste management costs under pay-by-weight charging.
