Written Answers Nos. 400-416
400. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a permanent site for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15760/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.
Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in the relevant local authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for this school and the process is ongoing.
My Department is in contact with the school patron to appraise them of progress in this regard.
401. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new site for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15761/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe lands at the school referred to by the Deputy, were purchased by the St Laurence O'Toole Diocesan Trust, on behalf of the Board of Management.
An initial site adjacent to the school, was procured from Fingal County Council and transferred ownership on 1st June 2017.
The second site was purchased from a private vendor and ownership transferred on 18th October 2017.
402. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding progress on a new school building project for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15762/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware the building project for the school in question is included on my Department's capital programme.
A new school site is required to accommodate this project and officials in my Department have been in contact with the school patron and trustees in relation to the site acquisition.
403. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the next phase of the school building for a school (details supplied) will commence; the status of this project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15763/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers commenced construction on 3rd January 2018. Works are progressing well on site, subject to no issues arising it is envisaged that the school will be ready for occupation in the 4th quarter of 2019.
404. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new site for a school (details supplied) as announced in November 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15764/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, a project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.
Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in the relevant local authority in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the acquisition of a suitable site for this school. Discussions with relevant parties regarding the potential acquisition of a preferred site option are currently in progress with a view to advancing matters as expeditiously as possible.
406. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school (details supplied) and the progression of a building project; and if the school has progressed onto the schools building works programme. [15816/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraWhile the school to which the Deputy refers is not included on my Department’s school building works programme, officials in my Department are working closely with officials from South Dublin County Council in relation to the acquisition of a suitable site for this school. A suitable site has been identified and discussions are ongoing in relation to the acquisition.
407. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the schools for which new prefab rentals were arranged during the course of 2017, in tabular form. [15818/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the information requested is currently being compiled by my Department and will be furnished to him shortly.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
408. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if information can be provided with regard to a building (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15823/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can advise the Deputy that the school in question opened in 1889 and closed in 1964 upon amalgamation with another local school in the area concerned.
As the school property in question closed over 50 years ago, and it is not a State owned property, my Department does not have any records in the matter.
It is open to the Deputy to contact the original school Patron who may have the information sought.
409. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the number of steps that were due to happen for a school (details supplied) have not yet occurred; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15835/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, a building project to provide permanent accommodation for the school in question is included in my Department’s 6 Year Construction Programme.
The site acquisition has been agreed with the current landowner. The Chief State Solicitor's Office, acting on behalf of my Department, is currently progressing the acquisition through the conveyancing stage.
In tandem with this, my Department is currently finalising the project brief to facilitate the advancement of the project into the architectural planning process. This brief will be completed by the end of April and my Department will be in further contact with the school in this context. My Department is working to advance this project into the architectural planning process as quickly as possible.
410. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application by a school (details supplied) for emergency works has been granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15886/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers applied for funding under my Departments Emergency Works Scheme (EWS) to install mechanical ventilation in its building together with roof insulation and window replacement works. The application was unsuccessful because this type of work is outside the scope of the EWS. In addition, mechanical ventilation is not recommended or provided in any school building.
Roof insulation and window replacement works are appropriate to the Summer Works Scheme and the school may make an application under this Scheme for those works when next announced.
411. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for funding for the construction of a classroom which is required as a matter of urgency for a school (details supplied). [15901/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the school to which he refers has recently been approved funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide 1 mainstream classroom with en-suite facilities and 1 WC for assisted users at their school.
The school has been informed of my Department's decision.
412. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a bus route (details supplied) will be amended in order to allow students to disembark at a school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15981/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently over 116,000 children, including over 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,500 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
The purpose of the School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In general, children are eligible for school transport if they meet the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school.
I have requested Bus Éireann examine the service in question and report directly to the Deputy.
413. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made to establish a recognised standard of training for practitioners of acupuncture as outlined in a report (details supplied); if he has held discussions with QQI on the report's findings with the view to establishing academic validation of education and training programmes in this field; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15987/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraStandards of training for a practitioner of a profession are generally determined by the profession itself with such a standard traditionally recognised by a professional body or bodies established within the sector.
The regulation of a profession, based on an established standard of training, would then be a question for the relevant Government Department in the first instance. In the case of acupuncture, this would be the Department of Health.
A report was commissioned by the Department of Health and HETAC on the practices of Academic Programme Validation of certain Complementary Therapies, including Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment. The report was published in 2012 and examined what practices were in place for the academic validation and accreditation of such programmes in countries where such programmes have been validated. The involvement of HETAC in this process concluded with the publication of this report.
Since its establishment in 2012, one of QQI’s core functions is to validate programmes of education and training against award standards. Prospective education and training providers who wish to access QQI awards may apply to become relevant providers as outlined under the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012. Further information on this process is available from QQI’s website - http://www.qqi.ie.
414. Deputy Sean Sherlock asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the building of a new school (details supplied); and if it will be completed on time. [15988/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe main contractor for the project to which the Deputy refers has recently entered into examinership. Department Officials will be meeting with the Court appointed examiner shortly to discuss the impact of this development on the project in question.
415. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the summer works scheme will be re-opened for applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16012/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is designed to allow schools to carry out small and medium sized building works that will improve and upgrade existing school buildings.
Funding of almost €80 million has been approved in respect of 635 schools for Categories 1 to 6 under the multi-annual Summer Works Scheme (2016-2017). Nearly 50% of all schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand. Details of successful school applicants, in respect of Categories 1 to 6 can be accessed on my Department's website www.education.ie.
The 2018 budgetary provision will allow my Department to meet the carry over costs of summer works projects already approved. The assessment of applications in the remaining categories 7-10 as well as proceeding with any future summer works scheme is reliant on the availability of funding.
416. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development and location for a school (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to demand for school places in this area and the urgent need for information for parents and schoolchildren in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16021/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy may be aware, the school to which he refers is included in my Department’s 6 year construction programme.
Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable location for the school in question and have identified a preferred site option within the relevant school planning areas Negotiations with the landowner in respect of this proposed acquisition are currently ongoing.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally, I am not in a position to provide further details at this time but the school patron is being kept appraised of developments in respect of the site acquisition process.
