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483 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 484[Ms Hanafin.]in the school including resource teachers, hasfallen from 22.2:1 in the 1996-97 school year to17.44:1 in 2003-’04. Over 4,000 additionalteachers have been employed in our primaryschools since 1997. These additional teachingposts have been used to reduce class sizes, totackle educational disadvantage and to provideadditional resources for children with specialneeds.Significantly smaller class sizes have beenintroduced in disadvantaged schools involved inthe Giving Children an Even Break — Breakingthe Cycle programme, with approximately 47,700pupils in 243 participating schools availing ofreduced class sizes of either 15 or 20 pupils perclass. In line with An Agreed Programme forGovernment commitment, class sizes for theunder-nines will continue to be reduced further.Educational Projects.335. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Educationand Science the funds given to communitygroups in the Dublin South-East area for afterschoolprojects; and if she will make a statementon the matter. [5841/05]336. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Educationand Science the course of action whichcommunity groups can pursue if they have notspent money received from her Department; andif she will make a statement on the matter.[5842/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): I propose to take Questions Nos. 335and 336 together.While my Department does not operate a specificnational scheme for the provision of afterschoolprojects, it supports a range of programmeswhich target additional resources atpupils from educationally disadvantaged backgroundsin order to facilitate their full participationin the education system.Eighty-two projects, 112 post-primary schoolsand 300 primary schools, participate in the schoolcompletion programme, which aims to developlocal strategies to ensure maximum participationlevels in the education process. It entails targetingindividual young people of school going age, bothin and out of school, and arranging supports toaddress inequalities in education access, participationand outcomes. Each project site mustdevise a collaborative programme of in-schooland out-of-school actions, which provide afterschool,holiday time, home, family and communitysupports to enhance the young person’sreadiness to benefit from education. There aretwo school completion programme clusters servingschools in south-east Dublin. These clusters,comprising three post-primary and seven primaryschools, have received an allocation in excess of\400,000 in 2004-05.My Department also provides funding forhomework clubs in disadvantaged areas underthe fund for the development of targetedresponses to certain children at risk. This fund isthe responsibility of my colleague, the Ministerof State, Deputy Brian Lenihan. Its purpose is todevelop preventative and supportive programmestargeted at children and young people who are atrisk of educational disadvantage and socialexclusion. Under this fund, three projects arebeing supported in Dublin South East in 2005.These projects, including the Life Centre inPearse Street and the Rathmines Information andCommunity Services Centre, have received combinedfunding in excess of \70,000 in 2004-05. Itis a general requirement that projects supportedunder the above-named programmes spend theirallocation within the relevant calendar or schoolyear. In cases where a particular group does notexhaust its full allocation within the prescribedtimeframe, this will be taken into account by myDepartment in determining the level of supportrequired by the project in the following year. Ifthe Deputy has any queries regarding particularprojects, I will arrange for a direct response toissue if relevant details are forwarded to myDepartment.Property Transfers.337. Mr. Gormley asked the Minister for Educationand Science if her Department owns anyof the school property in the Dublin South-Eastarea; the schools to which this applies; and if shewill make a statement on the matter. [5843/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): There are different management andownership structures for voluntary secondaryschools, vocational schools, community colleges,community and comprehensive schools and primaryschools. In general, voluntary secondaryschools are privately owned and managed institutions,whereas all community and comprehensiveschools are vested in the Minister for Educationand Science. Vocational schools andcommunity colleges are public schools owned andmanaged by vocational education committeeswho are responsible for the day-to-day running ofthese schools and colleges.The vast majority of denominational and multidenominationalprimary schools are owned bythe relevant patron. The sites and school buildingsprovided for Gaelscoileanna are vested inthe Minister for Education and Science.Since 1999, the State offers to provide the fullcost of sites for all new schools at both primaryand second level. Where the State bears the costof the site purchase new school buildings providedon these sites would be vested in the Ministerand leased to the school operator.If the Deputy wishes to identify a particularschool property I will arrange to have the ownershipdetails made available to him.School Staffing.338. Mr. J. O’Keeffe asked the Minister for
485 Questions— 22 February 2005. Written Answers 486Education and Science if, in view of the classroomcircumstances of Gaeltacht primaryschools, she will concede the same appointmentthresholds for additional teachers as apply inGaelscoileanna; and if the appointment of anadditional teacher will be sanctioned at a Gaeltachtschool (details supplied) in County Cork forSeptember 2005. [5865/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): Under present arrangements, theappointment requirement for mainstream classteachers in Gaelscoileanna operates to a lowerratio up to the appointment of 13 teachers, relativeto other primary schools, including thoselocated in the Gaeltacht.I am aware of the unique position of primaryschools situated in Gaeltacht areas and of theparticular problems that they experience as aresult of losing teaching posts. In this context,since the start of the 1999-00 school year, thestaffing schedule for the retention of posts inGaelscoileanna has applied to Gaeltacht schools.The staffing of a primary school is determinedby reference to the enrolment of the school on 30September of the previous year. The mainstreamstaffing of the school referred to by the Deputyfor the current school year is a principal and threemainstream class teachers based on the enrolmentof 107 pupils on 30 September, 2003. Theschool also has a resource post and the servicesof two shared learning support posts.According to data submitted to my Departmentby the board of management the enrolmenton 30 September 2004 was 110 pupils. The staffingfor the 2005-06 school year will be determinedin accordance with the agreed staffing schedulewhich is expected to be notified to boards of managementin the near future.As outlined in primary circular 19/02, an independentappeals board was established to adjudicateon appeals from boards of management onthe staffing allocations in primary schools. Theappeal board operates independently of the Ministerand my Department and its decision is final.Appeals in respect of staffing for the 2005-06school year must be submitted to primary paymentssection, Department of Education andScience, Athlone, on the standard applicationform, clearly stating the criterion under which theappeal is being made.Schools Building Projects.339. Mr. Kehoe asked the Minister for Educationand Science if her Department hasreceived an application from a school (detailssupplied) in County Wexford for additionalclassrooms urgently needed in the school; if thesewill be provided and when; if not, the reasontherefor; and if she will make a statement on thematter. [5877/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): An application for additional accommodationhas been received from the school towhich the Deputy refers. This application hasbeen assessed in accordance with the publishedprioritisation criteria, which were revised followingconsultation with the education partners. Progresson this project is being considered in thecontext of the school building programme.In this regard, the Deputy will be aware that Irecently announced the first phase of the 2005school building programme which provideddetails of 122 major school building projectscountry wide which will prepare tenders andmove to construction during 2005. Thisannouncement is the first in a series of announcementsI plan to make in the coming period inrelation to the schools building and modernisationprogramme that will include details ofschools identified as suitable for constructionunder public private partnerships; an expansionof the number of schools that will be invited todeliver their building projects on the basis ofdevolved funding; details of schools with projectsapproved under the 2005 summer works scheme;schools whose projects will further progressthrough the design process; and schools that willbe authorised to commence architecturalplanning.Special Educational Needs.340. Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Educationand Science her views on the assessmentscarried out on special needs assistants; and ifthere has been a delay in notifying applicants whowere informed that a decision would be madeafter Christmas. [5880/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): I take it that the Deputy is referring tothe review of special needs assistant, SNA, provisionin primary schools. The review commencedin September 2004 and is continuing. The reviewis concerned with the level and deployment ofSNA posts in mainstream classes. The intentionis to ensure that the level of approved SNA supportin schools, and the manner in which that supportis being allocated, are such as to ensure thatthe special care needs of pupils are being appropriatelymet.Decisions regarding the appropriate level ofSNA support in respect of applications made tomy Department will be based on the outcome ofthis review. It is my intention that decisions willissue to the schools concerned at an early date.341. Mr. Ferris asked the Minister for Educationand Science if the application for aresource teacher and special needs assistance supportfor a person (details supplied) in CountyKerry has been successful. [5881/05]Minister for Education and Science (MsHanafin): The pupil in question is currently inreceipt of 2.5 hours resource teaching support.My Department has received an application toincrease this support to five hours per week. Inaddition, the school has made an application for
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Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

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