Written Answers Nos. 123-132
123. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Finance the number of staff employed at the Financial Services Ombudsman; the vacancies that exist; the qualifications of the staff; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14496/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Financial Service Ombudsman's Bureau (FSO) publishes staffing levels and details in its annual report. It also provides details of its current staffing arrangements on its website. I understand that there were 34 staff employed in the Financial Service Ombudsman Bureau at the end of 2016. This was broken down as follows:
- Ombudsman/Deputy Ombudsman - 2
- PA to Ombudsman - 1
- Senior management group - 3
- Adjudication & Legal Services - 5
- Corporate & Information Services - 8
- Dispute Resolution Services - 15
There were four vacancies which have since been filled through an open competition.
The qualifications of FSO staff reflect the above organisational structure as well as the wider system within which the FSO operates. Qualifications held by FSO employees include legal and compliance qualifications, mediation accreditation, corporate governance, financial services qualifications and general management.
124. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide information on the enrolment and waiting list levels for each primary school in Swords, County Dublin; the details of the factors his Department used in its demographic analysis to determine demand in the coming years; the action he will take to resolve the capacity issue in Swords for the coming academic year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14283/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are a total of 13 primary schools in the Swords school planning area with 11 schools enrolling junior infants – this includes two Junior Primary Schools (catering for Junior Infants to 2nd class) and two Senior Primary Schools (catering for 3rd to 6th class).
The Department was contacted by just one school in the Swords area to advise that they have a waiting list of over 100 children for September 2017. The indications are that pupils on the waiting list are also on the waiting lists for other schools and may already have been offered a school place. The Department has been in direct contact with a number of primary schools in the Swords in respect of their junior infant capacity. In that regard it is understood that up to three schools in the catchment area have capacity and have expressed a willingness to enrol further junior infants in September 2017, if necessary.
The school enrolment position for September 2017 will be clarified when the schools concerned have completed their enrolment process in the coming weeks. In that context the Department understands that further offers of places will be made by schools with junior infant places remaining available for September 2017.
While the situation may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice, the Department’s main responsibility is to ensure that the existing schools in the area can, between them, cater for the demand for Junior Infant places in September 2017. It is important that school size is monitored and that a balance is preserved among all schools in school planning areas to ensure that one school is not expanding at the expense of another school. The Department is monitoring the enrolment position in the area in question closely.
In addition to assessing existing capacity in the Swords school planning area for the coming year, my Department is currently in the process of completing a demographic analysis of the Swords area as part of overall demographic analyses nationwide at primary and post primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed. The factors taken into consideration in this process include the analysis of data from a range of sources, including the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and school enrolment returns.
125. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of any measures taken by Caranua to reduce the lengthy waiting times associated with the decision-making process as highlighted by the annual report of the Caranua appeals officer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14286/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware Caranua is an independent statutory body and I have no role in its day to day operations. I understand that Caranua has made significant efforts to address the backlog of applications that had built up from 2014 onwards and that arrears have been greatly reduced. My Department has supported Caranua in its work through for example sanctioning an increase in its approved staffing allocation so as to enable it to address the backlog.
126. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied that Caranua has sufficient staffing levels to clear the backlog of applications, with some waiting over six months. [14287/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware Caranua is an independent Statutory body and it is a matter for the organization to determine its own resource requirements subject to any necessary approvals being obtained from my Department. I wish to advise that a request from Caranua for an increase in its authorized staffing complement was approved by my Department last year and I understand that the additional positions have been filled. There are no outstanding requests for additional staffing resources on hands in my Department.
127. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on policies implemented by Caranua, including the restricting of awards to a fixed sum, refusing claims for eligible applicants with legitimate claims and changes to criteria that were not authorised through legislation. [14288/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCaranua is an independent statutory body established under the provisions of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. Under the legislation it is a matter for Caranua itself to determine the criteria by reference to which it makes decisions in relation to individual applications and I have no role in relation to that process.
Caranua has received over 5,600 applications and has supported some 4,000 former residents-an achievement that we should not lose sight of. It is fair to say that it is now making a meaningful contribution to the well-being of many former residents.
Concerns have been expressed to me regarding aspects of Caranua’s work. Representations have been made to me and I have met with and listened to survivors. I have met with Caranua and discussed the progress the organisation is making particularly with regard to meeting clients’ needs and delivering a quality service. I have impressed on Caranua the need to operate in the best interests of its clients and am satisfied that their approach is client-centred.
Applicants to Caranua have remedies available to them, both internal and external, if they are dissatisfied with the service they have received.
The draft Terms of Reference for the proposed review of eligibility for Caranua were published on the website of the Department of Education and Skills on 15 February with a closing date of 8th March.
Once the submissions have been reviewed, the Terms of Reference will be finalised and arrangements put in place to carry out the review.
128. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the likely timeframe for the review of eligibility to the Caranua scheme; the number of personnel who are involved in the review; and the stakeholders they represent. [14289/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe closing date for the receipt of submissions in regard to the draft Terms of Reference of the proposed review of eligibility for Caranua was 8 March last. A number of submissions have been received and these are being considered at present. Once that process has been completed the Terms of Reference will be finalised and the arrangements will then be put in place to carry out the review.
129. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a delay in the building project for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14290/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers was sanctioned a devolved grant under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2014 to provide 2 mainstream classrooms, 1 WC for assisted users and 3 resource rooms.
In March, 2016, following a request for additional funding, my Department increased the grant allocation for the approved works.
A further request for additional funding has recently been submitted to my Department. This request is being examined and my Department will revert to the School authority directly once a decision has been made.
The funding allocated to the project to date remains committed and is not affected by the school's latest application for additional funding.
130. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide assistance to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14292/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra131. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department will lead the clustering process for small schools ensuring SET allocation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14293/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 130 and 131 together.
The Primary Staffing circular for the 2017/18 school year (circular 0013/2017) outlines that schools with a balance of Special Education Teaching (S.E.T.) hours additional to full posts now have a period until 30th March 2017 to enter into a cluster arrangement to achieve a full-time permanent post (25 hours) through sharing arrangements with other neighbouring school(s).
Following the school led process for clustering of S.E.T. hours, a Department led clustering process will be initiated after 30th March 2017 for any remaining hours in schools that have not been clustered.
132. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for a new secondary school in Edgeworthstown, County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14299/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFor school planning purposes, my Department divides the country into 314 geographic areas known as school planning areas which facilitates the orderly planning of school provision and accommodation needs. In identifying the requirement for additional school places in a school planning area, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The GIS uses data from a range of sources including my Department’s own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic analyses at primary and post primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed.
Edgeworthstown feeds into the Longford school planning area which has three post-primary schools. As with other school planning areas nationwide, the demographic data for the Longford school planning area (which includes Edgeworthstown) is being kept under review by my Department to take account of updated child benefit data and updated enrolment data and also the impact of existing and planned capacity increases in this area.
