Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 18 September 2012
365. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of agencies, authorities, boards, committees, working groups, tribunals, council services, task forces, agencies or other quangos set up by his Department since February 2011; the number abolished since then; the extra cost of quangos which were established; the savings from the abolition of quangos; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37243/12]
View answerNo new agencies have been established under the aegis of my Department since February, 2011.
The Deputy may wish to note the establishment of the following entities:
(1) Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector (established March 2011)
The Group was tasked with providing the Minister with policy advice regarding divesting of some primary schools and catering for greater diversity in schools. The report of the Group was published in April 2012. (costs of €37,500 were incurred related to the Forum's work)
(2) Working Group on Combating Bullying in Schools (established in May 2012).
The Group is tasked with developing a plan that identifies the priorities to be addressed to combat bullying in schools and how these priorities can be addressed and progress monitored. (All members are on the Working Group as part of their normal work. No fees, travel or subsistence expenses or any other expenses are paid to members of the Group - although a cost of approx. €400 has been incurred related to the consultation programme of the Group)
(3) Student Grants Appeals Board
This Appeals Board was established under Student Support Act 2011 (Student Grants Appeals Board) (Establishment Day) Order 2011, S.I. 451 of 2011, with the 8th September 2011 appointed as the establishment day for the purposes of subsection (2) of section 25 of the Student Support Act 2011. The Board is independent in the performance of its functions. Its establishment allows students who have applied for a grant under the 2011/12 student grant scheme and subsequent schemes to have any appeals determined by the Board.
Since October 2011 and up to the last meeting on 26 July €5,281.02 in travel and sub and a total of €12,750 in fees has been incurred.
(4) Implementation Advisory Group on the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy
This Group met for the first time in December 2011. The membership consists of representatives of Government Departments and agencies with implementation responsibilities as well as national and international experts in the field of literacy and numeracy. The Group will review progress and advise on the implementation of the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020. The cost of the establishment of the Group is €10,000 per annum.
(5) Advisory Group on Suitability of Qualifications for Higher Capitation Rates
This group was established in October to advise the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on the equivalence of qualifications in other disciplines to a Level 7 Qualification in early Childhood Care and Education. The composition of the group included representatives from the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, the Irish Universities Association, Ireland's Institutes of Technology and from both my Department and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The group has completed its work.
(6) National Advisory Working Group on School Self-Evaluation was established in July 2012. There are no costs involved.
(7) The EGF Construction Clearing Group formed in August 2011 and met on a number of occasions in the first two quarters of 2011. As the EGF construction programmes are now finished, there is no need for further meetings. There were no costs involved.
(8) The Talk Talk Waterford Consultative Forum was established in August 2012 to report on programme activity and promote the take-up of various interventions in the proposed EGF Talk Talk programme. It is composed key stakeholders involved in this programme and will meet 4 times a year. The cost is estimated at €300 per meeting to cover room meeting room rental and light refreshments.
(9) An Implementation Group was established for the purpose of bringing forward detailed implementation proposals on new means testing arrangements for students grants to include the value of assets for new applicants for the 2013/14 academic year. There are no costs involved.
(10) SOLAS Implementation Group
This Implementation Group is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for Training and Skills, Ciarán Cannon T.D. Membership of the Implementation Group includes representatives from the Department of Education and Skills, FÁS, the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA), the Department of Social Protection, the Department of the Taoiseach and a representative from the private training sector. The Implementation Group will develop an Action Plan to implement the changes necessary to put SOLAS, the new Further Education and Training Authority, in place following the passing of the relevant legislation in 2013.
(11) New Schools Establishment Group
In June 2011 I announced that twenty new primary schools and twenty new post-primary schools are to be established in the next six years. I also announced the establishment of new arrangements for the recognition of new primary and post-primary schools. These new arrangements included the establishment of a New Schools Establishment Group which will advise me on patronage of the new primary and second level schools . The Group has recently reported to me on patronage of new primary schools to be established in 2012 and 2013 and new second level schools to be established in 2013 and 2014, following its consideration of the report on the applications received which was prepared by the Department. The terms of reference of the New Schools Establishment Group have recently been expanded to support the divesting process, as outlined in my recent announcement on my Action Plan in response to the report of the Advisory Group to the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector.
(12) Junior cycle Implementation Advisory Group
The general remit of the Group is to advise on and progress the implementation of the proposals on Junior cycle reform. The composition of the group includes representatives from my Department, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the State Examinations Commission, School Management, Principals and Teacher unions and Parents.
The following entities were merged:
(1) The Merger of Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology and Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences into one entity - the Irish Research Council (IRC). The IRC has been established as a sub-board of the HEA. The savings from this merger amount to €100,000.
The following entities were abolished:
(1) The Educational Disadvantage Committee was abolished (provided for in the Education (Amendment) Act 2012 - S.7). The savings from this amount to €100,000 per annum.
The Deputy may also wish to note the following:
- In June 2011, the functions of the National Educational Welfare Board transferred to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.
- Since September 2011, the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) is within the remit of Dublin West Education Centre alongside the Department's largest support service, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST).
The Deputy will also be aware that there are a number of major structural reform projects and other initiatives being progressed in the Education sector (of which some are included in the Public Sector Reform Plan published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform last November). These include: The amalgamation of the 33 Vocational Education Committees (VECs)/establishment of 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The ETBs will take over the work of VECs and will have an expanded role in the delivery of further education and training across the country. A single awarding authority for student grants. City of Dublin VEC will operate as the new single student grant awarding authority to replace the existing 66 grant awarding bodies. Implementation of the new arrangements are being phased in from 2012/13 academic year. The consolidation of Higher Education provision under the Strategy for Higher Education to 2030.
The establishment of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland which involves merger of the National Qualifications Authority, FETAC and HETAC.
Following the enactment of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012, the necessary steps are being taken to establish the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board. This body will be funded from the contributions of the religious congregations offered in response to the request for additional contributions, following the publication of the Ryan Report. The legislation also provides for the dissolution of the Education Finance Board, which has almost exhausted the €12.7 million available to it, and the transfer of any remaining functions of the Education Finance Board to the new Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board.
