Written Answers Nos. 160-179
160. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount available in 2018, 2019 and 2020 under the revised minor works grant scheme; the number of schools that have had funds directed to them under the revised scheme in view of the fact that there is no application process for this grant; his plans to continue to pay the grant to all schools on a yearly basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28939/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Minor Works Grant was introduced in 1997 and since then has issued to primary schools each school year with the exception of the 2012/2013 school year. The payment of the Minor Works Grant is not confined to any particular date and can be issued during any month of the school year. For the 2002/2003 school year, part of the grant was paid in May 2003, with the balance in October 2003. The grant amounting in total to almost €29m in respect of the 2017/2018 school year issued in December 2017 to 3,248 primary schools.
It is intended that the Minor Works Grant in respect of the 2018/2019 school year will issue no later than January 2019.
Circular Letter 0062/2013 which is available on the Department’s website gives full details on the grant scheme for Minor Works.
My Department recognises the importance of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools. The National Development Plan 2018-2027 signals a gradual ramping up in capital expenditure in the schools sector over the coming years. In that context, and as part of our longer term infrastructural planning, my Department would intend to put the Minor Works Grant on an annual footing and to provide greater certainty to schools on the timing of payments.
163. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the extension of a school (details supplied); the proposed start date for works to begin; the timeframe for the completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28949/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe delivery of an extension project for the school to which the Deputy refers is being devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB).
To enable this, my Department is currently preparing a Service Level Agreement for issue to the ETB.
The execution of this Service Level Agreement will allow the ETB to procure a Design Team to take the project through the various stages of architectural planning and onwards through the statutory planning requirements and construction.
The timeframe for the construction of the project will not be known until the design stages have been completed and planning permission secured.
164. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the introduction of a mandatory seasonal disconnect of gas facilities in schools in order to save money during the summer months when the schools are on summer break and do not require a gas connection; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28967/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe OGP has established a Multi-Supplier Framework Agreement for the supply of Natural Gas to Public Service Bodies in Ireland including schools. This Framework Agreement was put in place following consultations with representatives from the Education, Central Government, Local Authority, Health and the Security Services Sectors.
The OGP is currently working on the next generation Framework Agreement for the supply of Natural Gas to Public Service Bodies in Ireland, again including schools. In this regard, it has sought input from the relevant sectors. Any proposals to the OGP, including cost saving initiatives, that are put forward and that are feasible, such as that referred to by the Deputy, will be taken into consideration.
165. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the timeline for completion of a new post-primary school in Kingswood, Dublin 24. [28971/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe building project at Kingswood Post Primary School commenced on site in August 2017. The construction period for this project is approx 24 Months.
166. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the patronage process in respect of a new post-primary school announced for the Citywest area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28972/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Government recently announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next four years (2019 to 2022), including a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school to be established in 2020 as a regional solution for the Tallaght and Newcastle-Rathcoole school planning areas.
A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. This patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. Parental preferences for each patron, from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process.
An Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) website has been developed by my Department to provide objective information to all parents which will allow them to make an informed choice about their preferred model of patronage for their child’s education. Parental preferences were previously collected based on direct engagement with patron bodies. The patronage process for this new school will commence in 2019.
The patronage process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). Following their consideration of my Department’s assessment reports, the NSEG submits a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are made available on my Department's website.
167. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a matter relating to a school (details supplied) in terms of the purchase of a site from SDCC by his Department. [28973/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that the Department of Education & Skills and South Dublin County Council have recently agreed and signed contracts in relation to the transfer of ownership of the site for the school to which he refers. The full formal transfer of the ownership to my Department is expected to complete in the coming weeks.
168. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a new school building project (details supplied) in County Cork; the timeline for the completion of same; if his attention has been drawn to the substandard nature of the existing accommodation on site; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28978/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's Capital Programme.
The project for this school has been identified for delivery as part of a programme for the appointment of a Programme Manager. My Department expects to be in further contact with the school authority shortly on the matter.
169. Deputy Frank O'Rourke asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the school capitation grant levels will be reviewed with a view to restoring the standard rate of €200; his plans to implement a programme of incremental increases to take into account the year-on-year rising costs of running a school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28979/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI recognise the need to improve capitation funding for schools having regard to the reductions that were necessary over recent years.
Restoring capitation funding as resources permit is one of the actions included in the Action Plan for Education and I remain committed to achieving this. However, I must be prudent in the context of ongoing budgetary pressures and prioritise where it is not possible to do everything that I would like to do in the education sector in any one year. In that regard it is critical that any additional resources that are available in the education sector are utilised in such a way as to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.
The Deputy will be aware that Budget 2018 marked the second year of major reinvestment in the education sector, as we continue to implement the Action Plan for Education, which has the central aim to make the Irish Education and Training service the best in Europe within a decade. In 2018, the budget for the Department of Education increased by €554 million to over €10 billion. Through budget 2017 and Budget 2018, we are now investing €1 billion more in education.
Improvements have been made for the restoration of grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff. The ancillary grant was increased by €6 in 2016, €5 in 2017 and €5 in 2018, in order to enable primary schools to implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.
The level of funding provided to all schools and the drivers of costs at school level are kept under review by my Department.
170. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when proposals regarding nursing support for schools will be put in place in view of the advice given to him by the NCSE in early 2017 that proposals needed to be developed before a crisis develops within a school. [29022/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn September 2016 I requested the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to lead a comprehensive review of the Special Needs Assistant (SNA) Scheme to identify and recommend how, in the future, the additional care needs of students, over and above those needs that could be reasonably expected to be managed by teaching staff, should be met and to identify and recommend the most appropriate form of support options to provide better outcomes for students with Special Educational Needs who have additional care needs.
In May 2017 the NCSE brought forward a progress report with a number of recommendations which were urgent, the first related to the need to set up a separate review group to identify options for an alternate and improved model for providing care supports and the second, proposed a separate review of provision for children with complex medical needs.
Separate working groups undertook that work over the months since the NCSE’s recommendations and reports of those working groups have been finalised.
The full report of the SNA Comprehensive Review, informed by the Report from the Working Group to consider an alternative model of SNA allocation and the Working Group on Nursing Supports for students with complex medical needs was noted by Government on 29 May 2018 and published by the NCSE on 30 May 2018.
My Department, in consultation with the Departments of Health and Public Expenditure and Reform are currently working on the development of the Implementation Plan and the governance and accountability framework, and detailed costings of proposals with a view to bringing this to Government in the coming months.
171. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the location of the preferred site of a school (details supplied). [29025/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, the school to which she 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, the Deputy will appreciate that I am not in a position to provide further details at this time but I can confirm that the school patron is being kept appraised of developments in respect of the site acquisition process.
172. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of works for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29034/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to inform the Deputy that construction works have commenced on site for the building project at the school referred to by the Deputy. The project will take approximately 27 months to complete.
173. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the qualifications required to obtain a post as an examiner correcting the leaving certificate examination papers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29061/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
174. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reasoning behind the cancellation of the intermediate welding course in KCETB; and if provisions will be made for students to complete the course elsewhere or at a later date. [29062/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraKilkenny Carlow ETB (KCETB) offer a range of classes in the Carlow and Kilkenny area, one such course is a basic welding course. Students on the current basic welding course in KCETB were informed that progression options would be outlined to them before the end of the basic welding course. In the past, progression to Intermediate Welding was offered, however, in the past 12 months KCETB have developed a new Career Traineeship in Engineering Operative.
This traineeship has been developed with local engineering employers in Carlow and Kilkenny, and focuses on assisting trainees to develop the wide range of skills that local employers require within a welding environment and/or other general operative engineering roles. At least 30% of the programme will be spent on work placement with a local employer.
The incoming trainees will be offered the opportunity to undertake all of the training currently on offer on the intermediate welding classes whilst also developing a range of other transversal skills that are in demand within the workplace. Those who successfully complete this programme to the requisite standards will become immediately employable. All those who register their interest will be invited to an Information Session with the Training Instructor at which they will have an opportunity to get a detailed response on the content of the course. Those unable to commit to this traineeship have been informed that part-time intermediate welding classes will be made available during 2019 (subject to demand).
175. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he is taking to ensure that the providers of school furniture under the schools bundle 5 construction project will be paid in full; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that in one case a small company has provided €250,000 worth of furniture and is still not paid and that the non-payment threatens its future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29074/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Schools Bundle 5 Public Private Partnership (PPP) programme comprises five school buildings and one further education college across four sites in Bray, Wexford, Carlow and Kells. This programme has been affected by the liquidations of both Carillion Construction Ltd and Sammon Contracting Ireland Ltd (SCIL).
Like other major construction projects, school building projects involve a complex arrangement of contractual relationships between the client, the main contractor and various sub-contractors and suppliers. In general, all sub-contractors and suppliers engaged on education sector building projects are employed directly by the main contractor, or indirectly by the main contractor through other sub-contractors.
It is recognised that the liquidations in question came as a particular blow to their employees and sub-contractors. However, the Department of Education and Skills does not have visibility of the detail of the relationship between the companies and their sub-contractors. The Department is not party to these contractual arrangements and does not have any role or authority in relation to payment or other contractual issues arising.
176. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that an ASD special class requested by its local SENO has been operating out of temporary prefabricated accommodation for the past year in a school (details supplied); when a grant will be provided for a permanent structure in view of the fact that two suitable buildings have been identified; and if his attention has been further drawn to the hardship the continued use of temporary accommodation is having on the children in this class and the lack of further accommodation is having on the mainstream classes which are oversubscribed at present. [29083/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved permanent accommodation for the school in question and the school has been advised accordingly.
177. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter regarding a school bus route (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29084/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently over 116,000 children, including almost 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 at a total cost of almost €190 million in 2017.
Under the terms of the Post Primary School Transport Scheme, children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the scheme nationally.
Routes are planned so that, as far as possible, no eligible child will have more than 3.2 kilometres to travel to a pick-up point. Bus Éireann has advised that the pupils referred to by the deputy all have a service within these guidelines.
Bus Éireann also advise that if the proposed changes were implemented there would be additional cost involved and it would also inconvenience other pupils travelling on the service.
Parents are responsible for ensuring that children are brought safely to and collected safely from Bus Éireann designated pick up and set down points.
The terms of the school transport schemes are applied equitably on a national basis.
178. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the guidelines in respect of schools' voluntary contribution; if his attention has been drawn to incidents in which a school has withheld services and-or access to activities due to the non-payment and-or part-payment of the contribution; if his attention has been further drawn to instances whereby a student has not had internal and-or mock examinations corrected due to non-payment of the contribution or was excluded from taking an examination for non-payment of the contribution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29141/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraVoluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition.
The manner in which voluntary contributions are sought and collected is a matter for school management, however their collection should be such as not to create a situation where either parents or pupils could reasonably infer that the contributions take on a compulsory character.
Apart from those recognised fee-charging second level schools, recognised primary and post primary schools are precluded from charging school fees. No charge may be made, in respect of instruction in any subject of the school curriculum or for recreation or other activities where all pupils are expected to take part.
However, it is permissible for a school to seek payments in respect of extra-curricular activities provided such activities are not obligatory and individual pupils can choose whether or not to participate. My Department's Circular 0065/2010 clarifies certain charges that may be legitimately requested from pupils.
The Education (Admission to Schools) Bill 2016 which completed Report Stage in Dáil Éireann on the 30th May 2018 and is currently progressing through the Seanad contains a provision prohibiting the charging of fees or seeking payment or contributions for an application to a school or for the continued enrolment of a pupil in a school.
Where a parent is concerned about the manner in which a school is requesting payment of contributions, it is open to that parent to write to the chairperson of the board of management requesting confirmation that the contribution in question is not mandatory and that non-payment of same will not impact on their child being excluded from any part of the school curriculum or from recreation or other activities where all pupils are expected to take part.
I believe that schools need to be accountable to parents and we need greater levels of communication, engagement and transparency in how schools serve their communities. Better information for parents, including information in relation to the collection and use of voluntary contributions, is an issue that I will be looking at in the context of my Department's work on a Parents' and Students' Charter.
179. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount collected from the examination fee payment application in each year since 2008 to date by school based candidates and VTOS and analogous candidates; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29145/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
