Tuesday, 22 Jan 2013

Written Answers Nos. 150-167

School Patronage

Questions (151, 282, 288)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

151. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he continues to engage with the authorities in smaller and-or rural schools, including those under the patronage of the Church of Ireland, with a view to ensuring that the educational needs of such communities continue to be met in a fair and equitable fashion and have ongoing and readily available access to the full spectrum of educational facilities; if his attention has been drawn to the concerns of some school patrons in this regard; if he expects to be in a position to give a reassurance in the face of such concerns; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2613/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

282. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he or his Department has received communication from the relevant management authorities at local level in regard to any rationalisation in respect of smaller rural schools; if he will continue to have regard for the local community needs and traditions with a view to meeting community requirements to the maximum extent possible in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3123/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

288. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he continues to have dialogue with the various denominational school authorities of small rural schools with a view to minimising the impact of any budgetary constraints; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3129/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 151, 282 and 288 together.

The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities. They will continue to be a feature of our education landscape. In these extremely challenging times, all public servants are being asked to deliver our public services on a reduced level of resources and teachers in small schools cannot be immune from this requirement.

How best to sustain provision for widely dispersed and small Protestant communities does present as a particular challenge especially in any locality where enrolment in their schools is declining to single figures and amalgamation is not an option because there is no other school nearby. The Government is intent in fostering pluralism in school provision. Supporting minority churches in maintaining their schools is part of that policy.

A Value for Money examination of small schools is being carried out and my Department expects to publish the analysis and findings in the near future. I hope that this report will foster constructive engagement both in the Oireachtas and among all interested parties in looking at the challenges ahead and how best to make provision for primary education in rural and dispersed communities.

My Department and I will continue to engage with the relevant education sector stakeholders, including the Church of Ireland, in relation to education provision for all areas.

Pupil-Teacher Ratio

Questions (152, 274)

John Halligan

Question:

152. Deputy John Halligan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on the impact of changes to pupil teacher ratios in terms of classroom numbers and job losses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2683/13]

Bernard Durkan

Question:

274. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he has quantified the extent of the possible deterioration of pupil teacher ratios at primary and second level or in further education in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3115/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 152 and 274 together.

The Government has protected frontline services in schools to the greatest extent possible in the recent budget and there will no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second level schools for the 2013/14 school year as a result of the budget. The DEIS scheme for disadvantaged schools is also fully protected with no overall changes to staffing levels or funding as a result of the budget. When account is taken of additional posts for demographics at primary and second level there is an estimated net increase of up to 900 posts on overall teacher numbers for the 2013/14 school year compared to the current 2012/13 school year.

The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The staffing arrangements for the 2013/14 school year at post primary level have just recently been published and the arrangements at primary level will be published shortly.

In respect of further education, while it would have been preferable not to have to make any changes, bringing the pupil teacher ratio for PLC from 17:1 into line with that of free second level schools at 19:1, ensures that our limited resources are rightly focussed on the children in our education system. The change will reduce the overall number of PLC teaching posts by 200 and may lead to some reduction in subject choices for students but not approved places. CEOs of VECs and school principals have until next September to plan how best to deal with this change so that they can continue to deliver programmes which meet the needs of students and employers.

Student Grant Scheme Reform

Questions (153)

Gerry Adams

Question:

153. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on his plans to include productive assets in the assessment of third level maintenance grants; and when a decision will be made on this matter. [2678/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

The Deputy will be aware that a dedicated capital assets test implementation group was established to bring forward detailed implementation proposals on new means testing arrangements for student grants, to include the value of assets.

I have received a draft report from the implementation group. This is currently under consideration and I will be consulting further with my cabinet colleagues in the matter in due course.

Departmental Agencies Issues

Questions (154, 236)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

154. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the administrative services in Irish of equal standard to those provided in English that the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment will be in a position to provide to An Comhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta; if he researched these Irish language services prior to the decision to merge COGG with the NCCA; if he will reconsider the decision to merge these bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2675/13]

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

236. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will list the administrative services in Irish of equal standard to those provided in English; if the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment will be in position to provide to An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta; if he researched these Irish-language services prior to the decision to merge COGG with NCCA; his views on whether it would be better to reverse this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2564/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 154 and 236 together.

In the new arrangement, I have made the decision to integrate COGG into the NCCA on an administrative basis. No immediate change will be made to the statutory functions of either COGG or the NCCA. The new arrangements will require COGG and the NCCA to work closely together on the many developments relating to the Gaeilge curricula at both primary and post-primary and the associated materials to support teaching, learning and assessment of Irish.

The new arrangements are intended to strengthen the support that the State can give to the teaching of Irish in Irish medium and other schools. The Department wants to implement the education actions within the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010 – 2030; the actions relating to the Irish language both in the Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young people 2011 – 2020 which was published in 2011 and also the actions within the Framework for Junior Cycle which I published last October.

COGG will retain its staffing complement and its identity. COGG will continue to relate to its partners and public as is current practice. Working on administrative matters with NCCA staff such as accountancy/ operational matters may require some work being carried out through the English language. The statutory functions of COGG are very demanding and the new arrangements will allow COGG to concentrate on its Irish functions while working in a collaborative way with NCCA staff on administrative / operational matters.

Departmental Agencies Issues

Questions (155, 237)

Peadar Tóibín

Question:

155. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he will ensure that An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta's budget will remain ringfenced in the future under the new arrangement based on the decision he made to merge COGG with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment; if COGG will be in a position to make its own decisions regarding its budget in the future; if the board of COGG will be responsible for the management of COGG or if the NCCA will take over; his plans to reverse this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2676/13]

Jonathan O'Brien

Question:

237. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he will ensure that An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta budget will remain ring-fenced in the future under the new arrangement based on the decision he made to merge COGG with the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment; if the COGG will be in a position to make its own decisions regarding its budget in the future; if the Board of COGG be responsible for the management of COGG or will NCCA take over; his views on whether it would be better to reverse this decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2565/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 155 and 237 together.

I have made the decision to integrate COGG within the NCCA on an administrative basis. Funding for COGG will be provided as a sub-head within the NCCA budget from 2014. It will be ring-fenced for COGG activities.

It is intended to review the legislation pertaining to both organisations in order to determine whether a more formal statutory arrangement between the two bodies is required. The Board of COGG is very large. In the context of the review of the legislation, the replacement the existing COGG Board with a smaller Board will be considered. The reporting arrangements for the new COGG Board and its relationship with the Council of the NCCA and with the Department will also be examined. No decision has been made on this yet.

Student Grant Scheme Delays

Questions (156)

Patrick Nulty

Question:

156. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of unprocessed student grant applications that remain to be dealt with by Student Universal Support Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2421/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland that grants processing is largely up to date and that completed applications are now being dealt with as they come in.

The current position on processing of grants by Student Universal Support Ireland, as at close of business on 20 January 2013 is that 47,674 applications have been processed to completion.

Of the remaining applications, 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.

Education and Training Provision

Questions (157)

Brendan Smith

Question:

157. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rationale behind reducing training allowance for further education and training participants in view of the fact that the majority of these students are disadvantaged students who should be helped to return to education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2715/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Allowances for further education and training participants are being progressively aligned to social welfare payments and accordingly, as part of Budget 2013, a number of changes were made in this area with effect from 1 January 2013.

Previously participants on Youthreach and VTOS courses and FÁS training schemes could have their social welfare entitlement increased to a maximum €188 per week, in cases where their social welfare entitlement was less than this. This arrangement was discontinued in January 2013 for new participants on these schemes aged 25 years and over. Accordingly their training allowance will not exceed their previous social welfare entitlement. In the case of new participants aged under 25, there continues to be a potential increase , but to the reduced maximum level of €160. This decision was taken as it is no longer considered appropriate to provide a financial incentive to people to take up education and training places.

It should be noted that in cases where a participant's social welfare entitlement exceeds the training allowance, a training allowance equivalent to this entitlement will be paid on receipt of certified evidence.

Questions Nos. 158 and 159 answered with Question No. 135.

Question No. 160 answered with Question No. 132.

School Patronage

Questions (161)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

161. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will publish in full the results of the 38 parental surveys on patronage; the number of schools that he expects to be divested from the catholic church this year and transferred to new patronage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2713/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy may be aware, the closing date for completion of the current phase of parental surveys on primary patronage is Friday 8 February 2013. At that stage officials in my Department will prepare a report for the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). I expect that the New Schools Establishment Group will make recommendations to me on the survey outcomes within a matter of weeks following that.

We will have to await the outcome of the parental surveys to determine the number of schools that may possibly be divested from the catholic church and transferred to new patronage.

Student Grant Scheme Delays

Questions (162)

Clare Daly

Question:

162. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of grant applications that remain unprocessed; the number of students who have had to drop out of college because of delays in awarding the grants; and the steps he intends to take to overcome the problems with Student Universal Support Ireland. [2602/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

I understand from Student Universal Support Ireland that grants processing is largely up to date and that completed applications are now being dealt with as they come in. The current position on processing of grants by Student Universal Support Ireland, as at close of business on 20 January 2013 is that 47,674 applications have been processed to completion.

Of the remaining applications, 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.

For students, affordability is just one of a number of factors that impact on continue participation in higher education. There are a range of wider factors that also impact on participation, including social and cultural issues, prior academic attainment and teacher and parental expectations.

An external review of SUSI's business processes will be undertaken to inform improvements in the system for the 2013/14 academic year.

National Educational Psychological Service Staff

Questions (163)

Clare Daly

Question:

163. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills since the withdrawal of the NEPS psychologists from carrying out testing in relation tot he awarding of readers to leaving certificate students, the process that is undertaken to ensure that anomalies in equity does not exist; if he has received any reports of serious anomalies in the system; the steps he will take to address this; and the role played by psychological assessment in the review process. [2603/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn)

I can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) has not withdrawn from carrying out testing for, or from involvement in, the scheme for Reasonable Accommodation in Certificate Examinations (RACE).

Under this scheme NEPS psychologists make recommendations annually in respect of some 5000 applications for accommodations such as readers, scribes, etc. based on criteria applied by, and agreed with, the State Examinations Commission (SEC).

Applications under the scheme are submitted by schools on behalf of students to the SEC, who in turn forward them to NEPS regional offices countrywide. Each application must include information supporting the candidate's request for a particular accommodation, including current school based testing on ability / attainments, to inform the psychologist's recommendation under the schemes' criteria.

Most requests are processed and returned, with recommendations, from NEPS to SEC upon examination of the application form and supporting information. Those applications which do not include all the appropriate data are returned through the SEC to the school for update, resubmitted and reviewed again by the NEPS psychologist and a recommendation is made. Where the information, duly submitted, does not allow for a clear determination in relation to the accommodation requested, the psychologist may visit the school concerned and carry out additional assessment with the candidate to further inform the process of establishing eligibility, or not, under the criteria for the scheme. The overall focus of the process applied by NEPS is designed to ensure consistency in the application of the scheme's criteria and fairness and objectivity in reaching a recommendation for the candidate. Candidates who are not satisfied with the determination reached in the process may appeal the decision though a process moderated by the SEC under the scheme.

Neither I, nor my Department, is aware of the anomalies to which the Deputy alludes in her question.

Teacher Recruitment

Questions (164)

Martin Ferris

Question:

164. Deputy Martin Ferris asked the Minister for Education and Skills when his Department will conclude an investigation into schools which are in breach of his Department's rules by hiring retired primary teachers as substitutes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2681/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Circular 31/2011 details teacher registration and qualification requirements for appointment as a teacher in the primary and post primary sector.

Schools are required to prioritise registered teachers over unregistered persons, appropriately qualified teachers over teachers qualified in another sector and unemployed teachers over those in receipt of a pension. It may be the case that appropriately qualified and registered teachers who are not in receipt of a pension are simply unavailable either due to the notice period involved or due to geographical or role specific needs.

Schools are required to keep a list of appropriately qualified registered teachers who are available for substitute work at short notice. I would encourage unemployed teachers to ensure that they are registered with their local school / VEC for this purpose.

School Staffing

Questions (165, 235)

Gerry Adams

Question:

165. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the publication of a survey carried out by Life Care Psychological Services on behalf of the Institute of Guidance Counsellors National Survey that examined the implications for schools arising from the decision to exclude school guidance counsellors in the teacher quota allocation. [2677/13]

Finian McGrath

Question:

235. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will investigate the impact of the 51% reduction in the time available for one to one school counselling in schools and colleges when suicide rates are increasing. [2520/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 165 and 235 together.

It is important to note that the issues raised in the survey referred to by the Deputies are best dealt with at local school level. Such surveys give an insight into how schools exercised the enhanced discretion or autonomy that they had because the reduction in posts was done by bringing guidance in quota. If the alternative (a worsening of the basic schedule) had been done then any impact survey conducted would have shown greater impact in all other curricular areas identified in this survey other than guidance. The bottom line is the budget measure allowed schools deal with the reduction on an individual basis according to their own judgement of what was best.

I have already acknowledged to the House and indeed previously to the Institute of Guidance Counsellors that bringing guidance provision within quota is challenging for schools. All of us in the public sector have to do more with less and teachers including those who are assigned as guidance counsellors cannot be exempt from this requirement.

It is important to note that the provision of guidance in schools is a whole school activity and it does not just involve the guidance counsellor. All teachers in the school have an important role including Year Heads and this would not be captured in surveys of this type.

The budget decision actually sheltered the impact for all the DEIS post-primary schools by improving their standard staffing allocations.

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Questions (166)

Mary Lou McDonald

Question:

166. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that the percentage of children attending primary school is increasing annually, if the cap on special education assistants leading to a shortage of essential classrooms supports for children with special needs. [2671/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including the allocation of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) to schools. SNAs are allocated to schools in order to provide for the care needs of children with special educational needs attending such schools. The policy of my Department in relation to the SNA scheme is set out in Circular 07/02, which also provides details regarding the role and duties of an SNA.

The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department.

I wish to advise the Deputy that SNAs are not allocated to individual pupils. The NCSE allocates a quantum of SNA support for each school annually taking into account the care needs of all of the qualifying children enrolled in the school, and on the basis of the assessed care needs of the children, rather than solely by reference to a pupils' disability categorisation.

SNAs should then be deployed by schools in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated. It is a matter for schools to allocate support as required, and on the basis of individual need, which allows schools flexibility in how the SNA support is utilised.

There has been no reduction in the number of Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) available to schools this year, with 10,575 posts remaining available for allocation.

The fact that the number of special needs assistant posts are being maintained at current levels is a reflection of this Governments commitment to prioritising supports for children with special educational needs, at a time when there is a requirement to make expenditure savings across a range of areas.

All children who have qualified for such support this year have been provided with access to SNA support. Notwithstanding the fact that there is potential for demographic growth in the pupil population over the coming years, there has been no indication to date that there are insufficient SNA posts to cater for the care needs of all children with special educational needs who qualify for SNA support.

It should also be noted that the total number of posts which are available for allocation, which is 10,575 posts, remains significantly greater than the number which were allocated to schools in recent years, for example, 10,342 posts at the end of 2009 and 10,442 posts at the end of 2008.

Literacy Levels

Questions (167)

Brian Stanley

Question:

167. Deputy Brian Stanley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the date on which the findings of a reassessment into the amount of time that is allocated to subjects in the Irish curriculum are to be published; his views on the disappointing results obtained by students in mathematics and science compared with other EU countries that has been attributed to the time that is spent studying those subjects [2682/13]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

In December 2012 the most recent international results were published. These were PIRLS (Progress in International Reading Literacy Study) and TIMSS (Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study) which involved pupils from 4 class in our primary schools.

In reading, Irish pupils were ranked 10 out of 45 participating countries. Ireland was placed 17 out of 50 participating countries in Maths and 22 out of the 50 participating countries in Science. I welcome the fact that Irish pupils are performing above average in all three tests and especially in reading. However, we cannot be complacent. In all three tests, pupils in a number of other countries are performing significantly better than the Irish pupils.

There are a number of initiatives currently underway to improve the quality of teaching and learning in our primary schools so as to ensure that the outcomes for our pupils continue to improve. These initiatives include my publication of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy in 2011, the introduction of Project Maths and the introduction of Standardised Testing at 2nd & 4th classes, and now I have also introduced them at 6th Class.

I have asked the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment to provide advice on a recommended timeframe which should apply to each area of learning in the primary curriculum.