Written Answers Nos. 195-214
195. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has had any contact with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government regarding recent decisions by a number of county councils not to issue student grants to those whose families have not paid the household charge; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41929/12]
View answerOfficials in my Department were in contact with the Department of the Environment, Community and Local Government for clarification regarding the decision by some local authorities to collect information on payment of the household charge from students who had applied for student grants or their families. Legal advice from my department also suggests that county councils could not withhold the student grant pending payment of the household charge. I understand that there is no decision on the part of local authorities not to issue student grants in such cases.
196. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will respond to the most recent World University rankings which showed the universities here have slipped again; the steps he is taking to address the impact that reduced staff numbers and increasing student numbers are having on standards in our higher education sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41930/12]
View answerUnder the 2012 QS World University rankings, Ireland has 5 universities in the world's top 400 and 8 in the top 700. 3 Irish institutions were placed lower in 2012 than in 2011, 3 were placed higher and 2 showed no change in placement. There continues to be significant debate around the relative importance attached to rankings criteria and on their capacity to fully capture the quality of what is on offer in higher education institutions. A range of factors can influence an institution placement from one year to another across the various different ranking systems, having regard to the different criteria employed and the relative performance of other institutions.
Efficiency improvements across Irish higher education institutions have been a necessary part of their response to the changed economic climate. In this regard, staffing reductions have been achieved simultaneously with increases in student numbers and efficiency gains have been delivered for the benefit of Irish students and Irish taxpayers.
197. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of times the implementation body for junior certificate reform has met since it was established; the dates on which the body met; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41931/12]
View answerA consultation group on Junior Cycle reform has been established and it had its inaugural meeting on Thursday, September 27, 2012. A series of meetings are planned with the group to explore issues of implementation of the revised Junior Cycle.
198. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons studying at postgraduate level in 2012/13; the way this compares to the number that studied at postgraduate level in 2011/12; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41932/12]
View answerThe following table provides data on Postgraduate research (1st year enrolments and all postgraduate 1st year enrolments) for the years 2010/11 and 2011/12. The data show that the number of 1st year Research enrolments (Masters and Phd) increased from 1,862 in 2010/11 to 2,156 in 2011/12 which represents an overall increase of 16%. The number of 1st year postgraduates (research and taught) remained stable in the same time period. The provisional Postgraduate enrolments for 2012/13 will not be available until mid December.
1st Year Full-time Postgraduate Enrolments
|
- |
Institutes of Technology |
Universities & Colleges |
Total |
|
Research Masters & PhDs |
|||
|
2010/11 |
33 |
1829 |
1862 |
|
2011/12 |
65 |
2091 |
2156 |
|
All Postgraduates |
|||
|
2010/11 |
829 |
11665 |
12494 |
|
2011/12 |
876 |
11548 |
12424 |
199. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for a student grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Longford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41935/12]
View answerThe decision on eligibility for new student grant applications from the 2012/13 academic year is a matter for the new centralised grant awarding authority, SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). Officials in my Department have confirmed with SUSI that documentation was requested from the student on 30 July, 2012 and 24 August 2012. The requested documentation was received on 21st September 2012 and is currently under consideration by SUSI. When the analysis is complete the student will be notified directly of the outcome.
The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student should qualify for a maintenance grant.
200. Deputy Emmet Stagg asked the Minister for Education and Skills the contract price for the building on the new national school in Ardclough, County Kildare. [41950/12]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that my Department recently terminated the contractor's obligation to complete the works for the school in Ardclough. The original VAT inclusive cost of this project was circa €2.7m. Work on procuring a completion contractor to complete the works is currently under way. The value of the works to be completed by a completion contractor will not be known until the tender process is complete and a contractor appointed.
201. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a proposed building project for a school (details supplied) in County Cavan; if he proposes to restore this project to his School Building Programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41997/12]
View answerThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The design team are currently working on the completion of Stage 2(a) (Developed Sketch Design). Officials of the Planning & Building Unit of my Department held a meeting in September with a delegation from the School Authority in which the current position was fully explained to the delegation.
Due to competing demands on my 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 the project referred to by the Deputy in the five year construction programme. As the Deputy is aware, schools 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 my Department in future years. The project referred to by the Deputy remains available to be considered for progression in that context.
202. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the teacher fee refund scheme as it relates to a person (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41998/12]
View answerThe Teacher Fee Refund Scheme 2011 has yet to be finalised as there are a small number of applicants to the scheme whose eligibility may be affected by the review of allowances being undertaken by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The proportion of fees refunded depends on the number of qualifying applicants in any given year. The funding available is allocated on a pro-rata basis so that all successful applicants each receive the same proportion of their eligible fees. Based on this, it is not yet possible to calculate the amount of the refund due to each applicant.
Refunds will be made as soon as possible and all applicants will be informed as soon as a decision on refunds are made.
203. Deputy Seán Kyne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to rolling out free or subsidised courses in Irish, in the form of lifelong, continuing and or adult education, which would encourage citizens to improve their command of, or reconnect with, the Irish language, particularly as such an incentive would help achieve the stated objective of the 20 year strategy for the Irish Language of increasing the number of people who speak Irish on a daily basis from 83,000 to 250,000. [42070/12]
View answerThe Government is committed to supporting the overall thrust of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, and to the delivery of the goals and targets proposed. As part of the Adult Literacy and Community Education Scheme (ALCES) and the Back to Education Initiative (BTEI), both funded by my Department, Vocational Education Committees (VECs) provide Irish language courses to adults free of charge. VECs decide on the nature, extent and location of courses provided, including Irish language courses, from within the grant allocated. My Department also provides an annual grant to Breacadh, an initiative which supports VECs in Gaeltacht areas providing literacy tuition to Irish speakers, by creating literacy materials and providing training to VEC staff.
204. Deputy Luke 'Ming' Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list all the current positions, where the appointment was made by his Department held by retired senior civil servants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42664/12]
View answerThere are no retired senior civil servants currently appointed to positions within my Department. On occasion, my Department re-engages retired civil servants on a short-term basis to carry out certain tasks that require their particular experience and expertise. Such short-term engagements are subject to the abatement principle whereby the fees payable are set at a level that ensures that the individuals' pension plus fees do not exceed the salary level of their positions prior to retirement.
For the Deputy's information, the following retired senior civil servants have been appointed by me, or my predecessors, to non commercial bodies under the remit of my Department: John Dalton former Registrar of the Supreme Court to the position of Registrar on the Residential Institutions Review Committee (RIRC); Sean Benton former Chairman of OPW to the position of chairperson on the Education Finance Board (EFB); Paddy McDonagh former Assistant Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills to the position of ordinary member of An Foras Aiseanna Saothair (FÁS); Brigid McManus former Secretary General of the Department of Education and Skills to the position of Chairperson of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA); Paul Haran former Secretary General of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to the position of Chairperson of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI); James O'Grady former Disability Policy Advisor to the Office of the Minister for Mental Health and Disability at the Department of Health to the position of ordinary member of National Council for Special Education (NCSE).
205. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the number of former public servants recruited before the sixth of April 1995 who are currently receiving a public sector pension; if he will provide an age profile of those public servants; if he will provide, in a tabular form, the numbers of public sector pensioners in the following payment parameters; between €0 to €2,000; €2,001 to €3,000; €3,001 to €4,000; €4,001 to €5,000; €5,001 to €6,000; €6,001 to €7,000; €7,001 to €8,000; €8,001 to €9,000; €9,001 to €10,000; €10,001 to €11,000; €11,001 to €12,000; €12,001 to €13,000; €13,001 to €14,000; €14,001 to €15,000; €15,001 to €16,000; €16,001 to €17,000; €17,001 to €18,000; €18,001 to €19,000; €19,001 to €20,000; and more than €20,000. [41389/12]
View answer215. Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide the number of former public servants recruited before the sixth of April 1995 who are currently receiving a public sector pension including both pensions funded by the Exchequer and through the Local Government Fund; if he will provide an age profile of those public servants; if he will provide, in a tabular form, the numbers of public sector pensioners in the following payment parameters; between €0 to €2,000; €2,001 to €3,000; €3,001 to €4,000; €4,001 to €5,000; €5,001 to €6,000; €6,001 to €7,000; €7,001 to €8,000; €8,001 to €9,000; €9,001 to €10,000; €10,001 to €11,000; €11,001 to €12,000; €12,001 to €13,000; €13,001 to €14,000; €14,001 to €15,000; €15,001 to €16,000; €16,001 to €17,000; €17,001 to €18,000; €18,001 to €19,000; €19,001 to €20,000; and more than €20,000. [41381/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 205 and 215 together.
I as the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform have responsibility for civil service pensions and for pensions paid from the Central Fund. Statutory responsibility for other public service pension schemes is a matter in the first instance for the respective Ministers in other Departments, as appropriate. The data in the following table relate to former Civil Servants.
|
Annual Pension Range |
No of payees |
Age Range |
No of payees |
|
0 - 2000 |
75 |
Greater than 55 |
953 |
|
2001 - 3000 |
89 |
55 – 59 |
1859 |
|
3001 - 4000 |
141 |
60 – 64 |
2435 |
|
4001 - 5000 |
168 |
65+ |
6054 |
|
5001 - 6000 |
145 |
||
|
6001 - 7000 |
190 |
Total |
11301 |
|
7001 - 8000 |
183 |
||
|
8001 - 9000 |
189 |
||
|
9001 - 10000 |
235 |
||
|
10001 - 11000 |
219 |
||
|
11001 - 12000 |
201 |
||
|
12001 - 13000 |
205 |
||
|
13001 - 14000 |
194 |
||
|
14001 - 15000 |
224 |
||
|
15001 - 16000 |
243 |
||
|
16001 - 17000 |
239 |
||
|
17001 - 18000 |
234 |
||
|
18001 - 19000 |
311 |
||
|
19001 - 20000 |
190 |
||
|
20001 + |
7626 |
||
|
Total |
11301 |
206. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his views on the Governments recently announced €2.25 billion capital investment programme; the number of jobs to be created; the timeframe for same; and the sources of the required €2.25 billion funding. [41702/12]
View answerOn the 17th of July 2012, the Government announced its plans for an additional 2.25 billion euro investment in public infrastructure projects in Ireland. The stimulus package comprises two elements: 1.4 billion euro to fund the proposed new Public Private Partnerships (PPP) programme. This will come from the European Investment Bank, the National Pensions Reserve Fund, domestic banks and other potential sources of funding. The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) and the Department of Finance are leading on sourcing this funding and are liaising with my Department in this regard; 850 million euro coming from the proceeds of the sale of State assets and from the new licensing arrangements for the National Lottery, to be used as a project preparation facility for the new PPP programme and to fund additional Exchequer capital projects and other commercial and publicly needed projects.
The 1.4 billion euro investment will be directed towards projects that meet key infrastructural needs and are in line with the priorities in the Government's Investment Framework. These projects will form the first phase of a new programme of PPP's designed to stimulate economic growth and create employment. As the Phase 1 projects are progressed and as funding permits, projects that could be delivered as part of further phases will be considered.
Job creation is a critical priority for Government. This stimulus will help sustain jobs in the construction sector which has been very badly hit during the recession. The investment in this Phase 1 package is expected to generate significant numbers of jobs: previous analysis of each sector indicates that the investment will generate around 13,000 jobs. It will also create much needed social and economic infrastructure and aid economic recovery. The projects selected are from the education, health, transport and justice sectors. Further information about the stimulus package and about the PPP projects is available on the website www.ppp.gov.ie.
My Department and the NDFA are closely engaged with the relevant line Departments and their agencies to ensure that their projects are progressed promptly. It is expected that tenders will issue across the sectors in 2013 and 2014.
207. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will consider making the compulsory payment of the spouses' and children's contributory pension scheme within the Civil Service a voluntary payment thereby reducing the deductions in civil servants’ salaries; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41908/12]
View answerThere are no plans to make any changes with regard to contributions to existing spouses' and children's schemes. The Deputy may be aware that the Commission on Public Service Pensions examined the issue of compulsory pension scheme membership in its Final Report on Public Service Pensions in 2000. It did not recommend any change either in the rules providing for automatic membership of the spouses' and children's schemes or in the refund arrangements for membership contributions.
Public Service spouses' and children's schemes are generally structured on a group insurance basis and the member contribution rates take account of the fact that payment of benefits will not arise in respect of all members. It is also to be noted there is now a wider range of scheme beneficiaries under the schemes than heretofore. The Revised Spouses' and Children's Schemes, introduced in most parts of the Public Service in 1984 or shortly afterwards, provide cover for marriages and children born after retirement. Section 99 of the Civil Partnership and Certain Rights and Obligations of Cohabitants Act 2010 provides that a benefit under a pension scheme that is provided for the spouse of a person is deemed to provide equally for the civil partner (as defined in the Act) of a person.
If contributions to the scheme were to be made voluntary – or indeed if full refund of contributions was to be permitted if a person was single at retirement, as had been the position before 1984 this would weaken the integrity of the schemes and could undermine fundamentally the financing of the scheme.
208. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the re-employment of civil service staff who have taken a buy-out in receipt of pensions, which is contrary to fairness and equity, in view of the high unemployment level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41933/12]
View answerThe general policy is that staff should not be retained beyond retirement age and any re-engagement should be kept as limited as possible and should be for a very restricted period. Usually, the rehiring of retirees is related to completion of a specific task where their particular skill or experience is required in the short-term. Situations can arise where a particular issue requires a short-term specialist input in order to complete a task. In many instances the most appropriate and cost-effective way of solving a short-term problem is to bring in someone who has worked in the area and understands the background. In the vast majority of cases these re-hires are very short-term and project specific.
In all cases the salary of a retired civil servant rehired by a Department is subject to the pension abatement rules.
209. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an update on the assessment of catchments and streams and review of culverts in the Douglas area of County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41996/12]
View answerAt a meeting on 31 July between the Office of Public Works (OPW) and Cork County Council, it was agreed that the Council would appoint consulting engineers to undertake a detailed study to investigate potential mitigation options for Douglas, with funding from the OPW. The study, which will build on and develop the analysis carried out as part of the River Lee Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study, would be expected to take a number of months to complete. It is a matter for the Council to procure the consultants and progress the study.
It would be open to the Council, pending the completion of the study, to submit an application for funding under the Minor Flood Works scheme for any small-scale interim measures that may be identified subject to such measures being compatible with the CFRAM study.
210. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide an analysis of actual infrastructure and capital investment spending by Ministerial Vote Group for the year to date in 2012; and a forecast for the annual outturn for 2012 together with the annual budget for 2012. [41247/12]
View answerThe Exchequer returns were published this afternoon and are available on the website of the Department of Finance and via my own Department's website. The total net Exchequer capital spend to end September amounted to €1.7 billion. This represents 47% of the total net capital estimate (€3.6 billion) for the year, which means that €1.9 billion remains to be spent. For the same period last year, capital expenditure of €2.2 billion accounted for 50% of the 2011 net provisional outturn figure of €4.4 billion. Individual Departments are responsible for the projects and programmes in their areas and further details about spending on projects and programmes can be obtained directly from the relevant Departments. Given the uncertainties about precise issues of timing, and given the over-arching requirement to manage both capital and current expenditure within the overall allocations, it is too early at this stage to say what the final capital outturn for 2012 will be for each area.
As the Deputy will be aware, capital spending has general characteristics which influence the allocation drawdown pattern. Expenditure on capital projects typically occurs in large tranches at fixed milestones, unlike current expenditure which is generally continuous throughout the year. Obviously, this affects the phasing and profiling of capital expenditure. In addition, public financial rules require that payments are only made on foot of matured liabilities, so payments made in the later parts of the year are made on foot of work that has already been satisfactorily completed. The trend is therefore that the bulk of capital expenditure takes place in the final quarter of the year.
211. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will arrange for the Office of Public Works to investigate and examine the need for the dredging of part of the Cordal River adjacent to Cordal GAA grounds, County Kerry, in view of the fact that the playing area is affected when the river floods; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41318/12]
View answerThe Office of Public Works does not have any responsibility under the Arterial Drainage Act for the stretch of the Cordal River at the location in question. This Office is not in a position, therefore, to undertake the dredging works sought. Generally, the maintenance of rivers, which do not form part of an Arterial Drainage Scheme or a Drainage District, is a matter for the riparian landowners.
212. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a detailed progress report on remedial works carried out to date in Glanmire, County Cork, following the flooding in June; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41321/12]
View answer213. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when consultants and engineers will be put in place to carry out flood prevention measures at Glanmire, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41322/12]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 212 and 213 together.
On 4 July, Cork County Council submitted a number of applications for funding under the Office of Public Works' Minor Flood Works scheme, including an application in relation to a study of the Glashaboy River at Glanmire. At a meeting on 31 July between Cork County Council and the OPW, it was agreed that the Council would appoint consulting engineers to undertake a detailed study to investigate potential mitigation options for the town, with funding from the OPW. The study, which will build on and develop the analysis carried out as part of the River Lee Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) Study, will take a number of months to complete. It is a matter for the Council to procure the consultants and progress the study.
It would be open to the Council to submit an application under the Minor Flood Works scheme for any small-scale interim measures that may be identified, compatible with the CFRAM, pending the completion of the study.
