Written Answers Nos. 136-150
136. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the procedures adopted under the mobility policy; if it is possible for a person to move backwards on the list; the circumstances in which such could occur; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19904/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraPhase 1A of the Civil Service Mobility scheme was launched for Clerical Officers and Executive Officers to apply for mobility in November 2017. Over 3,300 staff members have applied for mobility since its launch. As a matter of policy for the scheme, applicants are queued by date of application in the first instance, and length of service in the second instance.
It was open to applicants to enter a legacy date on their initial Mobility application from 13/11/2017 until 07/02/2018. This was to facilitate the inclusion of legacy dates from previous transfer applications made through legacy transfer lists (including the Central Applications Facility, Central Transfer Lists, and Internal Regional Transfer Lists) on a voluntary opt-in basis.
A legacy date is applicable to each public service branch (PSB) in a Mobility Zone, and requires verification from the respective owner of the legacy transfer List. Once the legacy date has been verified for a PSB in a zone, it can be applied to all of the other PSB’s within that zone. There is a period of 20 business days allocated for legacy date verification.
An applicant may see their waitlist position drop in the following circumstances:
- The legacy date which they entered on their Mobility application has not been verified within the time allocated for this; in such cases their application date will revert to the date of entering their application on the Mobility system;
- Where an applicant goes on a leave of absence, they may see their placing on the relevant waitlist drop if their length of service drops below that of another officer with the same application date;
- Where an officer’s Mobility applications have been cancelled through no fault of their own, and not in accordance with policy, they are subsequently re-entered with the original application details. When an application is re-entered, it can result in other officers on the same waitlist(s) dropping in position;
- Amendment to an officer’s application date has been allowed through specific policy provision. Examples include:
- The legacy date entered by an applicant on their initial application has not carried to all of the PSB waitlists in a zone due to a technical error which was present on the system for a number of days during the legacy date application period. When this is found to have occurred, the application is amended to reflect the legacy date entered by an applicant in good faith;
- Where an officer entered a legacy date which was later than that they were entitled to on the basis of erroneous information from the Central Application Facility;
- An officer has made an individual appeal to Mobility Policy to have their Mobility application(s) amended to include an earlier application date, and this has been facilitated. The circumstances of these cases may vary.
137. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of transfers of Department of Justice and Equality staff planned in 2018 and 2019 in zone 7 under the mobility policy section; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19905/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraPhase 1A of the Civil Service Mobility scheme was launched for Clerical Officers and Executive Officers to apply for mobility in November 2017. Over 3,300 staff members have applied for mobility since its launch.
When the Mobility system becomes operational for organisations to initiate transfers, vacant posts will be filled in accordance with the following organisational sequence.
CO – 50% Mobility : 50% Open;
EO – 40% Open : 30% Interdepartmental* : 30% Internal.
*one in every two Interdepartmental vacancies to be filled by Mobility.
The above sequencing will be applied on a nationwide basis per Department.
However it is neither possible to predict how many roles will become vacant in 2018 and 2019 or how these sequences will be applied specifically in Zone 7.
138. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if the phase 2 restoration works to a site (details supplied) will be considered as part of the recently announced Investing in our Culture, Language and Heritage 2018-2027 under the historic environment or built heritage investment programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20148/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe proposed Phase 2 of work at Maynooth Castle would, in the first instance, fall to be considered in the context of the funds recently announced in respect of Built Heritage.
The Office of Public Works (OPW) are currently working with the funding Department (DCHG) to identify where these recently announced additional resources will be allocated.
139. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated revenue in respect of events (details supplied); the arrangements to be made to reimburse the Phoenix Park to undertake reinstatement works following large crowd events; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20162/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Bloom Garden event and the proposed Papal Mass are Government- supported events and thus a facility fee is not charged in either case.
With regard to the “Ed Sheeran” concerts, the fees charged are commercially sensitive but are in line with fees charged at other similar venues. As is normal practice for such events, OPW has sought a substantial bond from the event promoter to fund any reinstatement works which may be necessary following these concerts.
140. Deputy Maurice Quinlivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will request the State Claims Agency to provide information as to whether or not any of the seven settlements made as part of the ex gratia scheme set up following the judgment in a case (details supplied) were as a result of physical abuse only. [20201/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn earlier responses to Parliamentary Questions, I explained to the Deputy that because the type of abuse suffered by an individual is personal to that individual, the information can not be disclosed by any State body or organisation holding that data.
141. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the review of career guidance services in schools, higher education institutes and colleges of further education will include special schools; and his plans to provide career guidance to the 16 to 18 year old persons attending special schools who are not in receipt of the service. [19611/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe purpose of the review of career guidance is to ensure that we are providing high quality, relevant career guidance information to students from post–primary level up to further and higher education. The review will look at the quality of information available to students and adults in relation to career guidance, the sources of this information and how the system is organised to support students and adults in this area. The review is being carried out by independent consultants and will be guided and informed by a Steering Group. As part of the consultants proposed methodological approach to the review, my Department has invited submissions from all interested stakeholders to assist in shaping the review by highlighting key issues to be considered in the course of carrying out the review. Drawing on the results of the consultation and further consideration by the Steering Group the question of the role and objectives of career guidance in supporting students in special schools will be considered further. The closing date for receipt of submissions is Friday 25th May 2018. Details surrounding the consultation process have been published on the Department’s website (www.education.ie).
In relation to career guidance for 16-18 year old persons attending special schools, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) for determining the appropriate staffing levels in special schools. Enhanced pupil teacher and Special Needs Assistant (SNA) ratios are provided to special schools to support them in dealing with pupil’s educational and care needs. Special schools are staffed based on their actual current pupil profiles and the disability category of each pupil, as opposed to primarily by school designation, in recognition that many special schools now enrol students from disability categories other than those provided for by their original school designations. This process means that it is for school authorities to determine its staffing requirements in accordance with the requirements of the cohort of students attending the school which includes how best to use that resource to cater for curricular content.
142. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the arrangements which will be made to accommodate a child (details supplied) in Dublin 9 with a place in an autism specific unit in a mainstream school in their locality; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19640/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.
Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
The greater proportion of children with Autism attend mainstream classes, but some require the environment of a special class or special school. This decision is based a recommendation contained within a professional assessment in consultation with the NCSE.
Students enrolling in specialised placements must have a report from a relevant professional or team of professionals stating that:
- S/he has a disability (in line with the designation of the special placement in question) and
- S/he has significant learning needs that require the support of a specialised setting and the reasons why this is the case.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for organising and planning provision for children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special classes in mainstream primary and post primary schools.
Since 2011, the NCSE has increased the number of special classes from 548 in 2011 to 1,304 for the 2017/18 school year. 1,048 of these are ASD special classes.
125 special schools also provide specialist education for those students with complex special educational needs, including students diagnosed with ASD.
With regard to Co. Dublin in particular, there are 37 special schools and 218 special classes attached to mainstream schools. Of these, 18 are ASD early intervention classes, 124 are primary ASD classes and 36 are post primary ASD classes. The number of ASD special classes in Co. Dublin have increased from 66 in 2011/2012 to 178 in 2017/2018.
The NCSE is aware of emerging need in Dublin from year to year, and where special provision, including special class provision, is required, it is planned and established to meet that need. This process is ongoing.
The NCSE has informed my Department that they intend to establish approx. 18 new ASD Special Classes in Co. Dublin for 2018/19 school year to meet currently identified need.
Parents/guardians who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local SENO who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.
The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools and it does not maintain details of waiting lists in schools.
Accordingly, the NCSE advises parents, to seek to enrol their child, by applying in writing, to the school/s of their choice as early as possible.
Where parents have been unsuccessful in enrolling their child in a school placement, for the 2018/19 school year, they should update their local SENO to inform the planning process. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie .
The NCSE will continue to work with schools, parents, NEPS, health professionals and other staff who are involved in the provision of services in the area referred to by the Deputy for children with special educational needs, to ensure that each child has a placement appropriate to their needs for the 2018/19 school year.
As the matter raised by the Deputy refers to a particular child, I have arranged for the Deputy's question to be forwarded to the National Council for Special Education for their attention and direct reply.
143. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the non-adjacent maintenance grant to €4,025 for full-time students at undergraduate and postgraduate level. [19646/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra144. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of increasing the adjacent maintenance grant of €2,215 for full-time students at undergraduate and postgraduate level. [19647/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra145. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of extending a non-adjacent maintenance grant of €4,025 to part-time students at undergraduate and postgraduate level. [19648/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra146. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimated cost of extending an adjacent maintenance grant of €2,215 to part-time students at undergraduate and postgraduate level. [19649/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 143 to 146, inclusive, together.
The current standard rate of full maintenance grant (non-adjacent rate) is €3,025. For the academic year 2016/17 there were 19,440 undergraduate and postgraduate students who qualified for this grant rate. If the grant was increased by €1,000 and a similar number of students qualified, the cost would be €19,440,000.
The current standard rate of full maintenance grant (adjacent rate) is €1,215. For the academic year 2016/17 there were 16,759 undergraduate and postgraduate students who qualified for this grant rate. If the grant was increased by €1,000 and a similar number of students qualified, the cost would be €16,759,000.
Students on part-time courses are not eligible for SUSI grants. As such, my Department has no means tested statistical data available to determine the number of part-time students who might qualify for student grants. The latest statistics from the HEA for the number of part-time students in publicly funded institutions, record a total of 21,988 undergraduate students and 15,645 postgraduate students. If the full maintenance grant (both adjacent and non-adjacent) were extended to part-time students, then the cost would be €4,025 or €2,215 per qualifying student.
Approximately 20% of full-time students qualify for the full maintenance grant with circa 54% on the non-adjacent rate and circa 46% on the adjacent rate. Applying these percentages to the number of part-time students would indicate that circa 4,065 students would qualify for the non-adjacent rate of maintenance grant at a cost of €16,361,625 and 3,462 students would qualify for the adjacent rate of maintenance grant at a cost of €7,668,330. However, it should be noted that qualifying full-time students also receive a fee grant of up to €6,270. If this was provided to part-time students then it could potentially add a further €47,194,290 to the costings.
147. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for funding under the summer works scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19655/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question applied for funding under the Summer Works Scheme, under Category 9 - Curricular Requirement Works. The 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.
The Summer Works Scheme (SWS) is a multi-annual Scheme. Over 1,650 schools, nearly 50% of schools, applied for inclusion under the current round of the scheme which reflects a very high demand.
Almost €80 million has been approved under the current round of the Scheme, in respect of 635 school projects, 464 primary and 171 post-primary schools, for Gas, electrical upgrades, mechanical, sanitation and roof improvement works.. Details of the successful school applicants, are published on the Department's website www.education.ie.
In relation to the Summer Works Scheme 2018, over €25 million will be spent on summer works projects in 2018. This expenditure will enable the remaining approved improvement works for 178 schools nationwide to be completed. These works will be carried out by the schools themselves on a devolved basis mainly over the summer months, so the disruption to students, teachers and other school staff will be kept to a minimum.
Furthermore, the Department intends to engage with the relevant education partners in relation to giving schools a better lead-in period for planning and delivering projects under the summer works scheme from 2019 onwards. While the Summer Works Scheme is hugely successful in enabling small scale refurbishment works to be done on a devolved basis, the Department considers that the operation of the scheme could be improved by providing a better lead-in period for schools rather than in Quarter 2 as in previous years. This will also help ensure that works done under the Summer Works Scheme fit better with any wider refurbishment/energy retrofit plans that may be done at schools under the increased funding provided in the National Development Plan. The engagement with education partners will commence shortly and will assist in developing a better timeline for the planning and delivery of summer works projects for 2019 onwards.
148. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a school (details supplied) which provides special services for autistic children is oversubscribed; his views on whether the new school that is being built in 2019 can cater for that oversubscription; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19656/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra149. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a child (details supplied) has been denied a place in a school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19657/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 148 and 149 together.
My Department provides for a range of placement options and supports for schools, which have enrolled students with special educational needs, including those with Autism in order to ensure that wherever a child is enrolled, s/he will have access to an appropriate education.
Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
My Department therefore provides for a continuum of provision which includes mainstream school placements with additional supports, or for pupils who require more specialist interventions, special school and special class placements.
This network includes 130 ASD early intervention classes, 635 primary ASD classes and 277 post-primary ASD classes in mainstream schools and 125 Special schools of which 20 are ASD special schools.
Students with ASD should be included in mainstream schools unless this is not in their best interests or the interests of those with whom they are to be educated. Some students with ASD with more complex special educational needs may be supported in a special class in a mainstream school.
Others may have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school.
This decision is based a recommendation contained within a professional assessment in consultation with the NCSE.
The NCSE, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for planning and co-ordinating the provision of education and support services to children with special educational needs.
The NCSE is aware of emerging need from year to year, and where special provision is required it is planned and established to meet that need.
Parents/guardians who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local SENO who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.
The NCSE has advised that the local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) is continuing to liaise with the parents of the child referred to by the Deputy and has identified a number of suitable school placements in which they may enrol their child for the forthcoming school year.
The school referred to by the Deputy is a special school which provides for the special educational needs of children with Autism who have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school.
The school is due to proceed to tender at the end of this month for the delivery of a new 2-storey 6-classroom base Special Needs school including a General Purpose Hall, all staff and pupil facilities and ancillary spaces.
The NCSE have informed my Department that the additional placements this project will deliver will meet the projected need for students with ASD and complex needs requiring a special school in the area.
150. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills the time limits used by SUSI when determining qualification by a person for a third level grant; the way in which a person can retrospectively gain an award they are entitled to; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19692/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn line with the provisions of the annual student grant scheme and in order to deliver an efficient service and timely outcomes for students, SUSI implements key dates relevant to the submission and processing of student grant applications.
The SUSI online student grant application system for the 2017/18 academic year opened on 3 April 2017. Students were encouraged through all SUSI communication channels, including a national media advertising campaign and via the SUSI website, social media, publications, student/college outreach events, media and stakeholder information services, to apply before the published priority application processing dates of 15 June (renewing applicants) and 13 July (new applicants); so that their applications could be received and processed with priority by SUSI in advance of the commencement of the academic year in September 2017.
Following these dates, the online system remained fully open for all application types until the closing of the system on 2 November 2017.
In advance of the closing of the system on 2 November, students who had commenced online applications for the 2017/18 academic year but who had not completed and submitted their applications were e-mailed encouraging them to complete and submit their applications before 2 November.
The decision regarding whether to accept or reject a late application is a matter for SUSI and my Department has no role in this matter. Late applications received after 2 November will only be accepted by SUSI where: a course commences after this date; a change in circumstances occurs e.g. a change to a student’s nationality; or for extenuating circumstances that adversely affected the student e.g. a serious illness, death of an immediate family member etc.
Under Article 34 of the Student Grant Scheme, no application can be accepted later than “one month before the end of the academic year to which the application relates”.
