Written Answers Nos. 104-114
104. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review a situation at a school involving a person (details supplied) with a view to allowing the person to continue employment for an additional year; if discretionary measures can be applied to this particular case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22477/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the Superannuation scheme a Special Needs Assistant (SNA) who is not "a new entrant" under the terms of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, must retire at the end of the school year in which he/she reaches age 65.
The abolition of the compulsory retirement age under the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 applies to new entrants only. The retirement provisions, which apply to public servants (including SNAs) who are not new entrants, are not affected by the Act.
There is a provision in Circular 41/2011 which enables a retired SNA to be employed by a school post retirement: "Where an SNA who is retired and is in receipt of a pension returns to the position of an SNA on or after 1 January 2011, s/he will start on the first point of the post 1 January 2011 incremental salary scale”. In the event that a person who has retired on pension is subsequently re-employed, within a period of 26 weeks after retirement this subsequent employment will be in a non-pensionable capacity.
The SNA scheme provides recognised schools with additional adult support staff to cater for the care needs of pupils with disabilities in an educational context, where the nature of these care needs have been outlined in professional reports as being so significant that a pupil will require adult assistance in order to be able to attend school and to participate in education and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including SNA support.
Responsibility for deciding on the quantum of educational supports and resources to be allocated to schools to support individual pupils rests with the NCSE. In making allocations to schools, the NCSE takes into account the assessed care needs of all children with identified needs in the school. It should be noted that SNA allocations are not made to individual children, but are made to schools to support the care needs of children with assessed special educational needs in the school. The NCSE has published an Information booklet for parents in relation to the SNA scheme on its website: www.ncse.ie.
It is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school to allocate SNA support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised in the school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated.
105. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set down the status of a new school build (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22482/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major building project for St Patrick’s Special School Enniscorthy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b), which includes the applications for Planning Permission, Fire Certificate and Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of Tender Documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.
The Stage 2(b) (Detailed Design) documents are currently being finalised by the design team for submission to my Department. Once the submission is received and reviewed by my Department my officials will revert to the school with regard to the further progression of the project.
It is envisaged that the project will be progressed to tender stage in the coming months.
106. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set down the number of places that exist on each doctor education course in each medical school; and the percentage of these that are reserved for non-Irish students in each case. [22512/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have outlined for the Deputy details of the enrolments on the medicine degree courses in higher education institutions for the academic year 2015/16 in the table. There is no percentage of places reserved for non-Irish students.
|
Academic Year |
2015/2016 |
|
National University of Ireland, Galway |
291 |
|
Royal College of Surgeons |
494 |
|
Trinity College Dublin |
181 |
|
University College Cork |
135 |
|
University College Dublin |
289 |
|
Graduate Entry Courses |
- |
|
Royal College of Surgeons |
72 |
|
University College Cork |
71 |
|
University College Dublin |
101 |
|
University of Limerick |
152 |
107. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the details of the bills of costs that have been submitted to the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse by each of the religious congregations; the date each bill of costs was submitted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22513/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse, established under the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act, is independent in the exercise of its functions.
I have been advised by the Commission that it is not in a position to release the information sought by the Deputy. The Commission is still pursuing legal costs and disclosure, at this point in time, of any information in relation to the amounts billed by the various religious congregations could be prejudicial to the complex negotiations currently under way in relation to outstanding third party legal costs.
In its special report No 96 titled Cost of Child Abuse Inquiry and Redress released in December 2016, the Comptroller and Auditor General reported on the global figures relating to third party legal costs. The report may be of assistance to the Deputy and can be accessed at the following link: http://www.audgen.gov.ie/viewdoc.asp?DocID=2503.
108. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 122 of 4 May 2017 when he expects the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse will be in a position to calculate the set-off that will be applied to the outstanding cash contributions owed by the religious order; the way in which he plans to deal with any set-off that is in excess of the cash contribution owed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22514/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs I explained in my reply of 4 May 2017 to the Deputy, the set-off of waived legal costs will be carried out once the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (CICA) has completed its work. My Department will make the necessary calculations at that point. As I noted in my previous reply, the Congregation that indicated it was setting-off waived legal costs against its remaining cash contribution has been advised that, in the event that the amount of the set-off is less than the €3 m now outstanding, the Government would expect it to make up the shortfall by way of a cash payment.
109. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Longford can replace a caretaker or secretary who is retiring; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22515/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school referred to by the Deputy currently have the whole-time equivalent of 2 Clerical Officers and 2 Caretakers.
As the Deputy is aware, a recruitment moratorium was introduced in the Public Service in 2009. This applied to Secretary and Caretaker posts in Community and Comprehensive Schools. However, alleviation measures were put in place which permit schools to fill Clerical Officer and Caretaker vacancies provided they have less than 1 Clerical Officer or less than 1 Caretaker. In this regard my Department is not in a position to sanction the replacement of a Caretaker or Secretary that may retire in the school referred to by the Deputy.
My Department acknowledges the need to improve these alleviation measures, particularly for the larger schools. However, progress on this is dependent on the availability of additional budgetary funding and there are many competing priorities for available resources.
In the interim, if any additional secretarial or maintenance services are required they may be met from within the School Services Support Fund grant that is paid to the school. This grant will amount to €75,175 for the 2016/2017 school year for the school in question.
Schools are permitted discretion in the use of the Schools Services Support Fund in accordance with their own needs and priorities. However, the provision of secretarial and maintenance services is a particular focus of this fund which is a significant resource for schools in regard to employing additional administrative and maintenance staff.
The Schools Services Support Fund was increased by €2 to €113 per pupil in 2016 and by €3 to €116 per pupil in 2017 to enable schools implement pay increases for ancillary staff arising from the unwinding of FEMPI.
110. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the position regarding the fee proposal submitted by a design team (details supplied) to his Department in respect of work in connection with the development of an education campus in County Cork; if the fee proposal has been approved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22529/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraPart of the fee proposal to which the Deputy refers has been approved by my Department. The remainder, which is more complex, is under consideration and a decision will issue to the client for the project (the local ETB) as soon as possible.
111. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the timeframe for the delivery of the planned education campus at Ballinrea, Carrigaline, County Cork; when he expects the project to go to tender, the commencement of construction and the occupancy of the three new school buildings; if the capital funding is in place for the delivery of this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22530/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe delivery of the new education campus at Ballinrea, Carrigaline has been devolved to the Cork Education & Training Board (CETB).
Documentation to pre-qualify Contractors is currently being prepared by the CETB's Design Team. In addition, the Public Spending Code requires that a Cost Benefit Analysis be carried out for projects of the scale involved for the Carrigaline Campus. This work is also underway.
As soon as contractors are pre-qualified and tender documents completed, the project will then be considered for progression to tender and construction stage.
112. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the position regarding the application submitted in June 2016 by a school (details supplied) in County Cork for temporary prefabricated accommodation for the school years 2017-18 and 2018-19; when a decision will be made on the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22531/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has been informed by the school concerned that it is not now proceeding with its application for the provision of temporary accommodation. I understand further that the school has made arrangements to be accommodated in a nearby school.
113. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set down the status of an application submitted by a school (details suppled) in County Cork for temporary prefabricated accommodation for the school years 2017-18 and 2018-19; when a decision will be made on the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22532/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school referred to by the Deputy was recently approved additional temporary accommodation to facilitate two additional mainstream class teachers approved for the school for September 2017. The school has been advised accordingly.
It is expected that the additional temporary accommodation approved will provide for the long term projected staffing for the school.
114. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the number of teachers employed in the voluntary secondary sector and in receipt of salary from his Department who were listed as being subject to salary deductions to facilitate membership of a union (details supplied) on 31 March 2010, 31 March 2015, 31 March 2016, 30 September 2016 and 31 March 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22533/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is being compiled in my Department.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A
The information requested is set out in the table.
|
31 March 2010 |
31 March 2015 |
31 March 2016 |
30 September 2016 |
31 March 2017 |
|
52 |
77 |
72 |
86 |
204 |
