Written Answers Nos. 175 - 194
175. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the construction of new classrooms extension for a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 is in his Departments capital works programme. [41830/12]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is not included in the 5 year construction programme. The project is at an early stage of architectural planning. Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements it was not possible to include this project in the 5 year construction programme announced in March. School building projects, including the project referred to by the Deputy, which have not been included in the five year construction programme, but which were announced for initial inclusion in the building programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to the Department in future years.
176. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the permanent school building at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15 will be ready for opening in September 2013. [41831/12]
View answerConstruction recently commenced on Phase 1 of school building project to which the Deputy refers. This phase will provide accommodation for circa 650 pupils. Subject to no issues arising, it is anticipated that this project will be completed in time for the start of the academic year 2013/14.
177. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Education and Skills when construction of a second level school at Tyrellstown in Dublin 15 will commence [41832/12]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy was included in the 5 year construction programme announced in March. The project is at an early stage of architectural planning and is scheduled to proceed to tender and construction in 2013.
178. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the payment of allowance to teachers for masters level qualifications, in particular with relation to teachers who took up further education at their own personal expense, and who would have had a legitimate expectation to receive their increases when they began their studies prior to the abolition of degree allowance in December 2011; and if he will review a specific case in respect of a person (details supplied) [41833/12]
View answer183. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details provided) regarding remuneration for qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41864/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 178 and 183 together.
The Government announced as part of Budget 2012 that, pending completion of the public service-wide review of allowances, changes to teacher qualification allowances were being made with immediate effect. These changes affect new allowances payable to both existing teachers and to new appointees in the future.
Under Budget 2012 teachers appointed before 5 December 2011 are not paid an allowance where they acquire further qualifications after that date. Allowances for teachers first appointed between 5 December 2011 and 31 January 2012 are payable up to a maximum of €4,226 which was the rate applicable to Honours Primary Degree allowance. Allowances are not payable to new entrants from 1 February 2012. The only exceptions to this prohibition are principal and deputy principal allowances and, subject to certain restrictions, the assistant principal allowance. These decisions were taken due to the upward pressure on the cost of teacher allowances. These provisions are outlined in Circular 70/2011 and Circular 3/2012. In light of the recent Government announcement on the outcome of the public service-wide review, the position of teachers who, on 5 December 2011, were undertaking courses will be clarified as soon as possible.
179. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the withdrawal of special needs assistants in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41834/12]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of such supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. All schools, including the school referred to by the Deputy were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2012/13 school year by 16th March, 2012. All schools have now been advised by the NCSE of their SNA staffing allocation for the coming school year. Details of the allocations which have been made to each school are available at www.ncse.ie. In making allocations for SNA support for schools, the NCSE considers all of the applications made by schools for children who have been identified in medical reports as having care needs. The NCSE also reviews any existing SNA provision. In cases where children have diminishing care needs, the NCSE may reduce SNA support for those children. Where schools have enrolled new pupils with special educational needs who were not considered at the time that the allocations for the 2012/13 school year were made, or where schools are in a position to demonstrate that they cannot cater for the care needs of qualifying children from the level of SNA support which has been assigned to them, they may apply to the NCSE for additional SNA support or for a review of their SNA allocation.
180. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an audit has taken place on a number of pupils, in the primary sector, who posses the ability to speak a foreign language; if so, if he will provide the results in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41838/12]
View answerThe Department of Education and Skills does not collate data on the number of pupils at primary level who are able to speak a foreign language. At primary level, the Department's policy in relation to languages, as detailed in the Government's National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (2011), is that pupils will learn two languages, English and Irish. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment is currently developing an integrated language curriculum for primary schools in the context of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy. While the focus of this curriculum will be on English and Irish, the integrated approach should help children to transfer skills acquired in one language to other languages and so establish a sound foundation for the learning of a foreign language in post-primary school. An integrated language curriculum would enable teachers to achieve learning efficiencies by explicitly drawing children's attention to similarities and differences between their languages.
181. Deputy Aodhán Ó Ríordáin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide Dáil Éireann with a detailed breakdown, in tabular form, of foreign languages that are taught at both junior and leaving certificate level; if he will outline this by region and county; if he will provide the number of pupils who are studying each language as both a figure and a percentage, from the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41839/12]
View answerI have asked my officials to compile the information and forward it to the Deputy as soon as it is available.
182. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if further to correspondence from this Deputy (details supplied) if he will provide a definition of traversable; his views on whether the word traversable should only be applied to those roads that can be travelled by buses; his views on whether using routes that cannot be travelled by buses is appropriate for the purposes of calculating distances to the nearest school; his further views on whether selecting routes on that basis meets the intent of his Department's requirement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41854/12]
View answerFrom the outset of the scheme, the measurement of the shortest traversable route from a child's home to the relevant education centre has been used to determine whether or not a child qualifies for school transport based on the distance criteria. It is not correct to say that such a route must be capable of being traversed by a bus. On the contrary, it may be either a pedestrian or vehicular route. Any other approach could result in a situation where the State is required to provide school transport to a child living within walking distance of a school. I am satisfied with the current requirements for determining eligibility.
184. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the recognition of the bachelor of architecture degree currently accredited at Waterford Institute of Technology and University of Limerick in other EU member states to ensure that our graduates are recognised; if he has discussed the matter with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government; when the request will be submitted to the EU for further consideration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41887/12]
View answerI understand that the qualifications concerned have recently been prescribed by the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government in accordance with the Building Control Act, 2007, and that holders of those qualifications can now be registered by the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland (RIAI), the regulating body of the architecture profession, under that Act. My Department is currently preparing the documentation required to notify the European Commission and other Member States of the recognition of these qualifications in the State and to request that they are listed in the relevant Annex of Directive 2005/36 on the recognition of professional qualifications. It is intended to send this notification in the coming weeks.
185. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline details of his new initiative for effective broadband service for all schools; if he will provide an update on the situation regarding a school (details supplied) in County Cork; the efforts to improve the current ineffective satellite broadband service which they receive; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41893/12]
View answerUnder the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all primary schools that wish to avail of this service. All contracts under the Schools Broadband Access Programme were recently re-tendered. As a result of this the number of service providers has been expanded from 6 to 13 and this should lead to improvements in the quality of services available to schools. These contracts were signed in July and August 2012 and the migration of schools onto the new services is currently underway. In most instances contracts were awarded for a two year period with a provision to extend to three years. Where the only solution bid for a school was below optimum levels, such as a satellite connection or a slow DSL connection these contracts were awarded for a one year period to allow the Department to return to the purchasing framework next year to see if an improved service can be procured for these schools. This is the case in relation to Dromleigh National School where the only viable bid was for a satellite service.
186. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of international experts that were involved in a recent report commissioned by the Health Service Executive which looked at mergers in the third level sector; the names of each of the experts involved; if they were paid a fee; if so, the amount each was paid; if they received expenses; the amount of the expenses; the reason for these expenses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41920/12]
View answer187. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount spent on a report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority which looked at mergers in the third level sector; if he will provide a breakdown of the costs involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41921/12]
View answer188. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he approved the Higher Education Authority's decision to commission a report involving international experts looking at the third level sector; the date on which he gave this approval; the date on which he received a copy of the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41922/12]
View answer189. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to publish a report commissioned by the Higher Education Authority which looks at mergers in the third level sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41923/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 186 to 189, inclusive, together.
" Towards a Higher Education Landscape" published in February 2012 initiated a process of engagement by the HEA with higher education institutions with a view to providing me with advice on the future configuration and development of the higher education system. As part of this process all publicly funded institutions were asked to make submissions to the HEA on their future strategic development within the system. The HEA also commissioned inputs from a panel of 6 international experts and the ESRI. My approval to the terms of reference for these specific inputs was not sought. I received a copy of a report by the international panel on 17 September. When the process of analysing the institutional submissions against the objectives and recommendations in the national strategy is completed this analysis, the panel report and the ESRI report will be published by the HEA. Full details of all costs associated with this process will be published when it has been finalised.
190. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has assessed the impact of changes to the provision of guidance counsellors and the effect this is having on guidance counselling services in schools in the 2012/13 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41924/12]
View answerI acknowledge that the reduction in resources to second level schools will be challenging for schools. However, the budget measure that requires schools to manage the provision of guidance from within their standard staffing allocation must be seen in the context of the major challenges we have as a Government in trying to shelter public services to the greatest extent that we can in these exceptional times. The net impact on overall teacher numbers in our schools has been minimised to the greatest extent possible. Teacher allocations to post primary schools for the 2012/13 school year have effectively been settled at this stage and schools have autonomy on how best to prioritise their available resources to meet the requirements in relation to guidance and the provision of an appropriate range of subjects to students. Decisions on how this is done are taken at school level and I am confident that schools will act in the best interest of students when determining precisely how to use the teaching resources available to them.
A key priority for me is to continue to prioritise and target available funding at schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage. All 195 second-level school in DEIS have been given targeted support by a more favourable staffing schedule of 18.25:1. This is a 0.75 point reduction compared to the existing PTR of 19:1 that applies in non fee-paying second-level schools. My Department also provided some limited short-term support to schools through curricular concessions in order to help them manage within their approved teaching allocation.
It is established policy that guidance is a whole school activity and under existing arrangements each school develops a school guidance plan as a means of supporting the needs of its students. While the school's guidance planning should involve the guidance counsellor(s) in the first instance, other members of school staff and management also have key roles to play. Parents and students must be seen as an essential part of the process. Through this process schools can, for example, consider the following options for maximising the use of their available resources for the provision of guidance: Optimise the delivery of personal educational, career and vocational guidance in class group settings; Enable students to use directly the extensive range of guidance tools available through the internet from relevant websites (e.g. Qualifax, Careers Portal); Enable some of the curriculum elements of the planned guidance programme to be delivered through other teachers such as SPHE staff; Maximise the role of the pastoral care team in schools; and, Ensure that the guidance counsellor has 1:1 time towards meeting the counselling needs of students experiencing difficulties or crisis.
The support of the whole school community, parents and the relevant external agencies such as NEWB and NEPS are key to the provision of guidance and support to schools.
Psychologists from my Department's National Educational Psychological Service ( NEPS ) also provide a range of supports to schools. These include the promotion of positive mental health among the general student body and assistance in supporting pupils with particular social, emotional or behavioural difficulties.
My Department is also aiming to launch the Guidelines on Mental Health for Post-Primary Schools later this year. These guidelines aim to support schools in developing a whole-school approach to mental health promotion and suicide prevention and are of relevance to all members of the school community. In particular, they have been developed to support principals, guidance counsellors, student support teams, and teachers.
191. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether it is fair that teachers are to be disproportionately impacted by the cut to allowances for new entrants to the public service; if he accepts that qualification allowances for teachers are important in terms of ensuring we have a highly educated teaching force; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41925/12]
View answerThe Government recently approved a number of measures relating to public service allowances for new beneficiaries. This follows a public service-wide review of allowances and premium payments conducted by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The main measure affecting teachers is the withdrawal of qualification allowances for new entrant teachers. The Government has decided that the payment of allowances for the basic qualifications required for entry to the teaching profession is no longer appropriate or necessary. This allowance goes back many years to the time when a distinction was made between teaching colleges and university qualifications. It is not considered justifiable to incur a permanent cost to the public service pay and pensions bill where a public servant acquires an additional qualification. The payment of allowances, such as the Gaeltacht and island allowances, are being withdrawn or altered for all new beneficiaries in the public service, including new teachers. These allowances are no longer considered the most appropriate way to meet the business needs of public service employers or the service delivery needs of Irish language speakers. The Government was mindful of the impact of the abolition of the qualifications allowance on new teachers given that the allowances have come to be viewed as an element of basic pay. It therefore sought to ensure broad consistency of impact across sectors. In this context, it has been agreed that new entrant teachers will no longer receive qualification allowances but will start on a salary of €30,702 which is equivalent to the fourth point of the existing salary scale. They will also have the option of being paid a pensionable allowance of €1,592 for supervision and substitution, thereby bringing their starting salary to €32,294.
192. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers that will be affected by the cuts to allowances for new entrants to teaching in 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41926/12]
View answerThe information as requested by the Deputy is not available as new entrants to teaching may commence in certain categories of teaching posts until the end of the current calendar year.
193. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of second level teachers who are on temporary contracts; the number of these contracts that are for one year or less; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41927/12]
View answerThe information as requested by the Deputy is not currently available as the managerial authorities of second level schools may appoint teachers to temporary contracts until the first working day in November.
194. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of second level teachers who are on reduced or part-time hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41928/12]
View answerTeachers in secondary and community /comprehensive schools are appointed by the managerial authorities of the schools in which they are employed. Teachers in schools operated by Vocational Education Committees (VECs) are appointed by the VECs.
Regular part-time teachers in all second level schools may be appointed until the first working day in November. Accordingly, the information requested by the Deputy is not available.
