19 May 2011

Parliamentary Questions

• School transport costs
• School employees administering medication
• Review qualifying criteria for DCA to include children with ADHD, Aspergers and dyslexia
• Monies available for improving disability access in Co. Donegal
• Advocacy course in Southeast
• Number of group residential homes that operate nationally for adults with physical and sensory disabilities

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

• School transport costs

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (SF): asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the financial implications for families of the introduction of charges for school transport; and if he will consider reviewing same.

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills (Deputy Ciarán Cannon):  The changes to school transport services were announced in the 2011 Budget by the previous Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government and derive from a recommendation in the Value for Money Review of the scheme. This review identified that, in 2008, the unit cost per primary pupil for the provision of school transport (excluding special needs pupils) was €1,020.From the beginning of the 2011/12 school year a €50 charge, which applies to eligible primary pupils, is being introduced to ensure that school transport services are fully utilised in a cost efficient manner. Eligible pupils holding medical cards and pupils with special educational needs will be exempt from paying the charge. In addition, the maximum family charge at primary level for eligible pupils will be €110 per annum. Parents will have the option of spreading the annual payments over two instalments in July and December. Given the major financial constraints facing the country, I regret that I cannot reverse the changes to school transport as announced by the previous Government. We all have to understand the legacy of economic mismanagement which the last Government gave to the country. 

• School employees administering medication

Deputy Dominic Hannigan (L): asked the Minister for Education and Skills    his policy regarding parents signing written consent that allows teachers, special needs assistants, language resource teachers or staff employed at the school to administer medicine to their pupils during the school day; if there are different policies for different types of schools; if the principal has discretion at an individual school level to set policy on the issue; 

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn):  Under the provisions of the Education Act 1998 the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school. It is important that the school management authority requests parents to ensure that the school is made aware of any medical condition suffered by any pupil attending. Where the school is aware of potential difficulties that may arise as a consequence of a medical condition suffered by one or more pupils, it may be possible for the management authorities, working in conjunction with the parents, teachers and children, to put preventative measures in place to lessen the possibility of any difficulties arising or to ensure that, if a pupil suffers from an illness requiring medication, that appropriate treatment is available. As the Deputy may be aware, the administration of medicines in primary schools is the subject of an agreement between the Irish National Teachers Organisation and the organisations representing school management at primary level. While this agreement specifies that no teacher can be required to administer medicine or drugs to pupils, it also sets out procedures that must be followed where a teacher or teachers agree to do so. The position is that either the parents of the child should make themselves available to administer medication as required or where they wish the staff in the school to administer it they should indemnify the school. It is my Department’s experience that once the matter has been discussed in detail with the Board of Management and teachers of a school, and once all parties are clear as to the procedures to be followed, arrangements can normally be made to administer the type of medicine which may be required. 

• Review qualifying criteria for DCA to include children with ADHD, Aspergers and dyslexia

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (SF): asked the Minister for Social Protection   if she will review the qualifying criteria for the domiciliary care allowance in order that a child who has been diagnosed with ADHD, Asperger’s syndrome and dyslexia may receive payment for domiciliary care allowance.

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton):  In order to qualify for Domiciliary Care Allowance a child must have a disability so severe that it requires the child needing care and attention and/or supervision substantially in excess of another child of the same age. This care and attention must be given by another person, effectively full-time so that the child can deal with the activities of daily living. The child must be likely to require this level of care and attention for at least 12 months.  Eligibility for Domiciliary Care Allowance is not based primarily on the medical or psychological condition, but on the resulting lack of function of body or mind necessitating the degree of extra care and attention required. No disability automatically qualifies or disqualifies a child for the allowance. Each application is assessed on an individual basis taking account of the evidence submitted.In the case of an application which is refused on medical grounds, the applicant may submit additional information and/or ask for the case to be reviewed by a different Medical Assessor specially designated for this task. Where a person is not satisfied with the decision of a Deciding Officer they may appeal the decision to the Social Welfare Appeals Office. 

• Monies available for improving disability access in Co. Donegal

Deputy Charlie McConalogue (FF): asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if there is any financial assistance available for a local authority (details supplied) in County Donegal;

Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government (Deputy Phil Hogan):  My Department provided over €77 million between 2005 and 2010, to assist local authorities in improving access to public spaces, buildings and services for people with disabilities.  Funding was allocated annually, for purposes of Disability Services, to local authorities, on the basis of priority areas identified by them. There is no provision for Disability Services in my Department’s estimates in 2011. 

• Advocacy course in Southeast

Deputy Dominic Hannigan (L): asked the Minister for Justice and Equality    the number of graduates who have come through the course in leadership and advocacy at a college (details supplied) since its inception; the amount of money he has funded to the course since its inception; his plans for the course for the next academic year;

Minister of State at the Department of Justice and Equality (Deputy Kathleen Lynch):  The course in question was originally funded as part of the Enhancing Disability Services (EDS) Programme launched in 2005. EDS was designed as a finite five year programme to develop innovative projects which would enhance the lives of people with disabilities and which post-EDS would generate mainstream funding. The course referred to was part of a project incorporating two courses, one based in the South-East and one in the North-East. The two courses were funded from 2006 to 2008 and during that time a total of 97 students graduated including 35 accredited by the IT cited by the Deputy. Total funding for this project from my Department during this period was €433,383. There has been no further funding by my Department since 2008.  

• Number of group residential homes that operate nationally for adults with physical and sensory disabilities

Deputy Dominic Hannigan (L): asked the Minister for Health and Children    the number of group residential homes that operate nationally for adults with physical and sensory disabilities; the locations of same; the terms of reference under which they located in these locations; if there are places in other group residential facilities for adults with physical and sensory disabilities; his plans for the opening of new locations; Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children (Deputy Kathleen Lynch):  As the Deputy’s question relates to service matters I have arranged for the question to be referred to the Health Service Executive (HSE) and I will revert to you with a reply when I receive the relevant information from the HSE.

BACK TO MAIN DÁIL DEBATES & QUESTIONS PAGE