Written Answers Nos. 66 - 74
66. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline in tabular form, the amount of money allocated by his Department and agencies within his Department to Ballina, Castlebar and Westport Town Council between 1997 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43945/12]
View answerThe information sought by the Deputy in relation to the period prior to 2004 is not readily available and would involve a very significant amount of administrative time to compile.
Since 2004 my Department has made one payment to each of two of the Town Councils for which the Deputy sought information.
In 2010 a payment of €50,000 was made to Westport Town Council relating to a special development charge as a condition of a planning permission associated with the development of Gaelscoil na Crauiche. In 2005 the Department paid €320 to Castlebar Town Council for a utility bill in regard to an office operated by the NEPS (Educational Psychology Services) Division of the Department. In the period from 2004 to date, my Department has no record of making any payments to Ballina Town Council.
The information requested by the Deputy with regard to agencies under my Department's aegis is not held centrally by my Department. Information on budgets is available in annual reports and other documents published by agencies under my Department's aegis. Many of these reports are available in the Oireachtas library.
67. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the allocated number of teachers currently in a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will acknowledge that two teachers are necessary for this school. [43966/12]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy is a newly established school which originally projected that it would have an enrolment of 25 pupils on 30 September, 2012. Based on this projected enrolment the school was allocated a principal and 1 mainstream teaching post for the current school year. The required level of enrolment, minimum of 20 pupils, failed to materialise at 30 September 2012. This therefore results in the suppression of the second post. However, it is open to the school to submit an appeal to the next meeting of the Primary Staffing Appeals Board which will be held on Thursday 18 October, 2012. The school has been notified in this regard. The closing date for submission of appeals is Friday 12 October 2012. The application form and detail of the appeals criteria are available on the Department website. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
68. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will examine the situation whereby trades persons who formerly worked in the construction industry and who need to re-skill on FETAC courses and maximise opportunities to gain alternative employment are excluded from qualifying for the back to education allowance due to previous FÁS training which is classified as level 6 (details supplied). [43991/12]
View answerThe placing of a qualification at the appropriate level of the National Framework is solely based on the learning outcomes associated with that qualification. The rules governing qualification for the Back to Education Allowance are a matter for the Minister for Social Protection.
69. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) in County Cork is not being paid by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44007/12]
View answerThe salary and arrears due to the person referred to by the Deputy are being paid today.
70. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding grant aid in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44017/12]
View answerI wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department has received correspondence from the school in question in relation to the matter to which he refers. A response has recently issued to the school authority confirming that my Department is not in a position to increase the level of grant aid already approved.
71. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans on the completion of the Croke Park Agreement to decrease numbers and reduce wages in the public sector. [43840/12]
View answerI refer to my reply to Question No. 9 [43415/12] of 10 October.
72. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to change the retirement age in the civil service and public sector bodies in view of the fact that qualifying age for the State pension is set to increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43924/12]
View answerRules on retirement age vary across the public service and are generally set out down in legislation; any changes would therefore be likely to require amendments to various Acts.
Changes introduced in the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004 apply to new entrants from 1 April 2004 and recent changes introduced in the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 will only apply to new entrants to the civil and public service from a specific future date.
The following arrangements apply to a majority of civil and public servants. However, there are variances in the maximum retirement age set in certain sectors.
- People who joined the civil and public service prior to 1 April 2004 are, in general, required under legislation to retire at the maximum retirement age which is 65 years of age. There is no proposal at the moment to amend legislation to alter the current compulsory retirement age.
- People who joined the civil and public service on or after 1 April 2004 and are a "new entrant" as defined in section 2 of the Public Service Superannuation (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2004, are not required to retire at 65 as the maximum retirement age for such persons was removed under this Act.
- Members of the Single Public Service Pension Scheme, whose terms are set out in the Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012, will have a maximum retirement age of 70.
We are required under the terms of the Memorandum of Understanding with the EU/ECB/IMF to reduce the numbers in the public service. To change the retirement age for employees who were recruited before 1 April 2004 could adversely affect the current drive to reduce numbers and the consequent reduction in the pay bill in the Public Service.
73. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will outline in tabular form, the amount of money allocated by his Department and agencies within his Department to Ballina, Castlebar and Westport Town Council between 1997 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43952/12]
View answerNo money has been directly allocated by my Department or agencies within my Department to Ballina, Castlebar or Westport Town Council.
74. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Jobs; Enterprise and Innovation if he will outline in tabular form, the amount of money allocated by his Department and agencies within his Department to Ballina, Castlebar and Westport Town Council between 1997 and 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43950/12]
View answerFunding of Town Councils is not an area of responsibility that falls within my Department’s remit but would fall within the aegis of my colleague the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government.
The allocation of funding by the Agencies under the remit of my Department is a day-to-day administrative matter for the Agencies for which I have no direct function. However, I have referred the question to the Agencies for direct reply to the Deputy.
