Written Answers Nos. 136-149
136. Deputy John Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when legislation establishing the new education and training authority SOLAS will be published; when he expects the new authority to be up and running; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2704/13]
View answerThe passing of primary legislation is required for the establishment of SOLAS. The Heads of a Bill for the establishment of SOLAS were approved by Government last year. The Bill will, among other things, provide for the establishment of SOLAS, the dissolution of FÁS and the transfer of the FÁS training services to the Education and Training Boards that are being established under separate legislation.
The timing for establishment of the new authority is dependent on the enactment and entry into force of this legislation. Following the commencement of the relevant legislation, the transfer of training services to the Education and Training Boards will be phased through 2013 and 2014.
138. Deputy Kevin Humphreys asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the rental of prefabs is centralised or devolved to an individual school or vocational educational committee; if he has examined the potential of making savings in the budget for renting or purchasing prefabs by centralising the process with a tender process or by other means; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2538/13]
View answerIn general, the management authorities of schools are responsible for renting or purchasing prefabs. In current economic circumstances it is important that small and medium sized businesses are not hindered in competing for contracts that they are performing effectively and centralising the process would make it more difficult for these to compete.
In recent years the emphasis within my Department has been to reduce the reliance on prefabs. Schools being approved for devolved grant aid for additional accommodation are given the option to build a permanent classroom(s) rather than purchase a prefab. In 2012 from a total of 409 classrooms sanctioned, over 360 classrooms will be permanent builds.
Only 56 new rental contracts were approved last year. This compares to 266 approved in 2008 and 715 in 2007. In March of last year I also introduced a Prefab Replacement Initiative to assist schools in the removal of rented prefabs and to replace these with permanent structures.
139. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on proposals to develop a standard procedure for the recognition of professional qualifications across the EU; his views on whether such plans will be agreed during the course of the Irish EU Presidency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2425/13]
View answerDirective 2005/36/EC, which has been transposed into Irish law, provides the framework for the recognition of the qualifications of professionals moving within the EU. In December 2011, the European Commission produced a legislative proposal to modernise this Directive and it has been examined by the European Council and the European Parliament since then.
The facilitation of the mobility of professionals between member states is a key element of a package of measures to re-launch the Single Market and articulates well with the overall theme of the Irish Presidency of stability, jobs and growth. Ireland has made reaching agreement on the modernised directive a priority in its Presidency Programme.
140. Deputy Dessie Ellis asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a progress report on his literacy and numeracy strategy; the numbers of teachers and principals who are currently participating in professional development courses for teachers that are seen as essential for the development of the strategy. [2680/13]
View answerOver the period since the launch of the Strategy in July 2011, there has been significant progress under many of the 41 actions and almost 180 sub-actions.
I have increased the time spent on literacy and numeracy at primary level and the revision of the English and Irish curricula is being prioritised in Junior Cycle Reform. Major changes are being made to initial teacher training and literacy and numeracy units are now in place in the National Teacher Induction Programme. School self-evaluation is being rolled out and I have introduced new requirements on standardised testing including the return of aggregate data to my Department.
A national programme of professional development for primary and second level teachers is underway. Since September 2012 the Professional Development Service for Teachers has provided a range of professional development on Literacy and Numeracy for over 7,500 teachers and principals at primary and post primary levels.
141. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which education policy for primary, secondary, third and fourth level needs to adapt or change to meet current and future requirements in the market place; the degree to which he expects to be in a position to facilitate such changes or requirements; if he has in mind any particular objectives and/or deadlines; if he expects the educational system here to be in a position to meet the challenges in the future in an increasingly competitive market place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2612/13]
View answer278. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects the entire educational sector to achieve progress in the current year by way of enhancing the potential of the educational sector to meet the ever increasing demand and competitiveness in the international market place with a view to ensuring the ability of educational to make a major contribution in this country's economic recovery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3119/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 141 and 278 together.
A wide-ranging programme of reform is currently being rolled out across all levels of the education system to ensure the continued development of skills appropriate to enterprise, particularly through the implementation of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy and the reform of the Junior Cycle. A range of recommendations to ensure the system continues to respond to enterprise needs is being implemented through the National Strategy for Higher Education. The creation of a new further education and training authority, SOLAS, will also ensure a focus on the needs of enterprise.
The Enterprise Engagement Forum provides for bi-annual dialogue between the Department and enterprise on education policy issues. In addition, research from the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs provides a valuable input to the development of course curricula and has informed the development of new competitive funding models of provision, such as Springboard and Momentum, to address skills needs.
142. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he has taken to address the issue of students waiting many months for grants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2684/13]
View answerAll of the additional resources requested by Student Universal Support Ireland to address the delays in the processing of student grant applications were approved. I understand from SUSI that grants processing is now largely up to date and that completed applications are being dealt with as they come in. Priority continues to be given to some 3,700 students who are due payment of their maintenance grant.
SUSI is also concentrating its efforts on ensuring that any student who has yet to complete their application is given the necessary support to do so. In the case of over 9,000 online applications students have never sent in any documentation and SUSI is engaging with those students to confirm closing out these applications. Documentation is outstanding in relation to the remaining 10,000 cases. This is similar to the position in previous years and SUSI is actively contacting these students to assist them with finalising their applications.
143. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will introduce an administrative independent appeals and complaints mechanism for those students who are currently experiencing delays in students grants and who feel they have been unfairly refused a student grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2689/13]
View answerAn initial appeal to the relevant grant awarding authority is provided for under the Student Support Act 2011. This provides for a review of the decision by an appeals officer, independently of the original assessment process.
If the grant applicant is still not satisfied with the outcome of the initial appeal, a further appeal can be made to the Student Grants Appeals Board which is fully independent in the performance of its functions.
Student Universal Support Ireland operates a complaints procedure to facilitate applicants who may wish to lodge a complaint in connection with the manner in which they have been dealt with by the awarding authority or any of its support staff.
144. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who have applied for emergency funding from the student assistance fund since September 2012; and the way this compares with previous academic year. [2670/13]
View answerThe Student Assistance Fund is managed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) on behalf of my Department. As administration of the fund is devolved to the individual higher education institutions, the HEA is not currently in a position to provide the data in the format requested by the Deputy.
However, a survey conducted by the HEA in November 2012 shows that the higher education sector is experiencing a two-thirds increase in demand for the Fund over last year.
In response to the increased demand, I approved an additional €3m to supplement the Fund, which was allocated in December 2012, bringing the total allocation for 2012-13 to €11m. The Fund is expected to assist in the region of 16,000 students this academic year.
145. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has met with the teaching unions and organisations representing parents to discuss the roll out of the junior certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2710/13]
View answerI have established a group of education partners to discuss and support implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle. Bodies representing second level teachers are members of this group as well as representatives from the National Parents Councils at primary and post-primary levels. It is intended that the group will continue to meet regularly over the 8 year phasing in period of the revised Junior Cycle.
The Group has already met a number of times, most recently, this morning.
146. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he expects all grant awards to be made prior to 31 January 2013 the latest date for payment of college fees; if not, the arrangements he is making to allow students to continue their course; if students who have to drop out because of non payment of the grant/fees will have a first year course fees paid to them in future years, or if the progression rule will continue to apply to them; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2433/13]
View answerThe processing of student grant applications is up to date for all students who have submitted completed applications to Student Universal Support Ireland.
Those students who have yet to return the required supporting documentation should do so immediately to enable their applications to be processed to completion.
Higher education institutions are autonomous bodies. As such, the governing authority of each institution is responsible for its own fee payment dates, which vary from institution to institution.
Following a request from my Department, however, the Higher Education Authority requested that institutions show flexibility, as most have done in the past, to students awaiting a decision on their grant application.
Where a student leaves a course, for whatever reason, the position is the same as for any other year. They may apply in subsequent years for a grant subject to the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme including those relating to progression.
147. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he is satisfied with the recent proposals from the university presidents recommending five regional clusters; if he has sought further information from the universities detailing the way they intend to work together to improve and develop the range of educational courses available to students within each cluster; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2717/13]
View answerThe submission on system configuration of the IUA to the HEA in response to the landscape process currently underway demonstrates a welcome willingness to engage with the formation of regional clusters. Building regional collaborative clusters of all our institutions is key to the delivery of the objectives of the National Strategy including achieving a more coherent, higher quality education system that is more responsive to the needs of students and enterprise.
Regional Clusters will allow programmes of teaching and learning to be better planned and co-ordinated, resources to be used more efficiently and more flexible student pathways and better progression opportunities to be put in place. The HEA will submit their advice to me in March on an outline configuration for higher education and this will include advice on clusters and their future development. I do not propose to comment on specific proposals in advance of this.
