Written Answers Nos. 141-151
141. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the full cost of ministerial transport and the breakdown of this cost between salaries, mileage allowance and other travel costs for Ministers and Ministers of State in his Department for 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15671/13]
View answerThe tabular statement gives details of the costs associated with the provision of ministerial transport in 2012 at my Department.
A review of ministerial transport was initiated by the current Government and it was decided that state cars would only be provided for An Taoiseach, An Tanáiste and the Minister for Justice & Defence. The other members of cabinet now use their own car similar to the practice that applies to Ministers of State.
I understand from the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform that the new arrangements will save the exchequer in the region of €4m per annum when contrasted with the former practice whereby each cabinet minister was provided with a state car and 2 drivers from An Garda Siochána.
The following is a tabular statement of costs associated with the provision of Ministerial Transport for the 31 st Dáil in 2012.
Mr. Ruairí Quinn, T.D.
Minister for Education & Skills
|
Payment Type |
Amount |
|
Drivers Remuneration (including Employer’s PRSI) 2012 |
€77,681.00 |
|
Drivers Subsistence Expenses 2012 |
€1,978.00 |
|
Ministerial Mileage/Travel Expenses 2012 |
€12,125.00 |
|
TOTAL |
€91,784.00 |
Mr. Ciaran Cannon, T.D.
Minister of State
Department of Education & Skills
|
Payment Type |
Amount |
|
Drivers Remuneration (including Employer’s PRSI) 2012 |
€77,384.00 |
|
Drivers Subsistence Expenses 2012 |
€11,223.00 |
|
Ministerial Mileage/Travel Expenses 2012 |
€18,209.00 |
|
TOTAL |
€106,816.00 |
142. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will sanction an application for a second teacher by board of management at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15683/13]
View answerTeacher allocations are approved annually in accordance with established rules based on recorded pupil enrolment. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The allocation process for the 2013/14 school year is currently underway in my Department and the staffing arrangements, including the appeals process, for primary schools have been published on the Department website. The final staffing position for all schools will not be known until later in the year when the allocation process will be fully completed and all appeals to the Staffing Appeals Board will have been considered.
As part of the Budget 2012 decisions, the number of pupils required to gain and retain a classroom teaching post in small primary schools is being gradually increased between September 2012 and September 2014. During this period the pupil threshold for a 2-classroom school is being increased to 20 pupils. 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. The phasing of these measures can provide the schools concerned with time to consider the potential for amalgamation with other schools where this is feasible. If amalgamations do take place, they will be voluntary and follow decisions taken by local communities and not by the Department.
The Government recognises that small schools are an important part of the social fabric of rural communities and my Department has expanded the existing appeals process so that it is accessible to the small schools that are affected by the budget measure. In this regard small schools will not lose their classroom post if they are projecting sustainable increased enrolments in September 2013 that would be sufficient to allow them to retain their existing classroom posts over the longer term.
The detailed arrangements in relation to the appeals process are set in the Department's Staffing Circular 0013/2013. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
143. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide in tabular form the shortest, longest and average waiting time yearly between 2006 and 2012 for student grant applications. [15702/13]
View answerThe process of assessing eligibility for student grants between 2006 and 2012 was carried out by 66 grant awarding authorities.
The process management reporting systems in the grant awarding authorities do not collate the information requested by the Deputy.
144. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of student grant applicants who are waiting over three months, six months, nine months and 12 months for their claims to be processed. [15703/13]
View answerThe Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) process management reporting system does not collate the information requested by the Deputy. However, the waiting time for processing a student grant application by SUSI varies depending on a number of factors including the volume of applications received at any given time, the complexity of the grant applicant's circumstances, and time taken by the applicant to submit all the required documentary evidence to enable a final decision to be made on an application. Every effort is made to ensure that students get decisions on their grant applications and are paid as soon as possible.
145. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide all circulars issued to primary and secondary schools in 2012 relating to the payment of allowances to teachers. [15715/13]
View answerThe following Circulars relating to the payment of allowances to teachers issued to primary and secondary schools in 2012:
- Circular 3/2012: Public Service-Wide Review of Allowances and Premium Payments
- Circular Letter 19/2012: Revised rates of Pay in respect of Supervision/Substitution for the 2011/2012 school year.
- Circular Letter 28/2012: Payment in respect of Substitution for the academic year 2011/2012 in Prisons
Copies of the circulars are below.
Circular Letter 0028/2012
To: The Chief Executive Officer of each
Vocational Education Committee
Payment in respect of Substitution for the academic year 2011/2012 in Prisons
1. Introduction
I am directed by the Minister for Education and Skills to refer to the arrangements for substitution in Prisons. This Circular Letter sets out the arrangements for payment of eligible teachers for the school year 2011/2012.
2. The Arrangements
2.1 The arrangements provide for the provision of funding for substitution duties for 16 hours substitution per annum. The arrangements for the 2012/2013 academic year will be communicated by way of a separate circular letter.
3. Eligibility for payment
3.1 Permanent, CID, fixed term whole time, temporary whole time and eligible part-time or regular part-time teachers who served in a Prison during the 2011/2012 school year are eligible to claim payment. Permanent, CID, fixed term whole time and temporary whole time teachers who have been certified as having engaged in voluntary substitution over and above timetabled hours for the full school year will qualify for a payment. The full school year payment is as follows;
2011/2012 €765
3.2 Eligible part-time teachers, regular part-time and job-sharing teachers will qualify for payment on a pro-rata basis to be calculated by reference to the weekly contracted hours.
3.3 For new appointees (as defined in Circular 40/2011) i.e. those who were appointed between 1st January 2011 and 31st January 2012, the pro-rata payment should be calculated by reference to the full school year payment for new appointees ie. € 689.
4. Arrangements for teachers who become eligible for payment of the Substitution allowance on or after 1 st February 2012.
In accordance with the terms of Circular 003/2012, pending the outcome of a review by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, allowances including the Substitution payment are not payable to new beneficiaries i.e. those who became eligible for receipt of the allowance in question on or after 1 February 2012.
5. Arrangements for Payment
The following arrangements for payment have been agreed.
5.1 A claim form should be completed by each teacher who wishes to apply for payment. A copy of the claim form is attached at Appendix 1 .
5.2 Valid claims should be certified by the Co-ordinator/Director and forwarded to the Chief Executive Officer for payment.
6. Circulation
6.1 A copy of this Circular should be made available to Prison Co-ordinators and teachers in Prisons.
This Circular letter has been published on the web and can be accessed at www.education.ie .
Matthew Ryan
Principal Officer
31 July 2012
Appendix 1
Claim for payment for voluntary Substitution in the school year 2011/2012
To: __________________________________ Principal
From: __________________________________Applicant
( Block Capitals)
I hereby claim payment for voluntary Substitution outside timetabled hours on the basis that I have demonstrated a willingness to co-operate with and have assisted in Substitution as defined in the offer
Signed: ___________________________ Applicant
Date: ___________________
Certified: _____________________________________ Co-ordinator/
Director
Date: _____________________
Circular 0003/2012
To: The Managerial Authorities of Recognised Primary, Secondary,
Community and Comprehensive Schools
and
The Chief Executive Officers of Vocational Education Committees
Budget 2012 – Public Service-Wide Review of Allowances and Premium Payments
Introduction
1. The Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, in his address to Dáil Éireann on the Expenditure Estimates on 5 December last, announced that public service bodies will have to achieve a reduction of 5% in the cost of allowances and premium payments in 2012.
2. In order to facilitate the required 5% reduction in 2012, it is necessary to complete a review of allowances and premium payments early this year. To this end, this Department is providing the requisite information on allowances to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and it is understood that it is intended to complete the review by the end of February 2012.
Allowances payable to Teachers, Principals and Deputy Principals
3. Pending the outcome of the review by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, allowances are not payable to new beneficiaries; ie those who became eligible for receipt of the allowance in question on or after 1 February 2012. No additions to the common basic pay scale may be paid to new beneficiaries. Examples of such additions include any form of qualification allowance or the supervision and substitution payment paid to teachers, and the secretary to Board of Management allowance paid to Principals.
4. The only exceptions to the prohibition in paragraph 3 are Principal and Deputy Principal allowances.
5. This Circular supersedes previous circulars, notices, letters, etc on these matters, including most recently Circular 70/2011 Payment of Qualification Allowances to Registered Teachers in Recognised Primary and Post Primary Schools.
Allowances payable to non-teaching staff:
6. Pending the outcome of the review by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, allowances or premium payments are not payable to new beneficiaries; ie those who became eligible for receipt of the allowance in question on or after 1 February 2012.
Circulation
7. Please ensure that copies of this Circular are provided to the Board of Management/Vocational Education Committee and its contents are brought to the attention of all teachers in your employment including those on leave of absence.
8. This Circular can be accessed on the Department’s website under http://www.education.ie .
Philip Crosby
Principal Officer
External Staff Relations
31 January 2012
Rannán Párolla, Payroll Division,
An Roinn Oideachais agus Department of Education Scileanna and Skills,
Cor na Madadh, Cornamaddy,
Baile Átha Luain, Athlone,
Co. na hIarmhí. Co. Westmeath.
090 64 83600
Circular Letter Pay 0019 /2012
To: The Management Authorities of Primary, Secondary, Community and Comprehensive Schools and the Chief Executive Officer of each Vocational Education Committee.
Re: Revised Rates of Pay in respect of Supervision
/Substitution for the 2011/2012 school year.
1. I am directed by the Minister for Education and Skills to convey sanction for
(a) Payment for supervision/substitution duties carried out by teachers.
(b) Payment for personnel employed solely as supervisors by Boards of Management.
2. The hourly rate payable to teachers whose first appointment predates 1/1/11 for supervision in the 2011/2012 school year is €47.82.The hourly rate payable to teachers whose first appointment was later than 1/1/11 is €43.04.
3. The annual rate payable to teachers for the 2011/2012 school year in respect of 37 hours supervision is €1,769.00 for teachers whose first appointment predates 1/1/11. The annual rate payable to teachers for the 2011/2012 school year in respect of 37 hours supervision is €1,592.00 for teachers whose first appointment was later than 1/1/11.
4. The hourly rate payable to personnel employed solely for the purpose of supervision in the 2011/2012 school year is €21.31. The hourly rate payable to personnel employed solely for the purpose of supervision in the 2011/2012 school year is €19.18 for personnel appointed after 1/1/11.
5. In accordance with the terms of Circular 003/2012, pending the outcome of a review by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, allowances including the S&S payment are not payable to new beneficiaries i.e. those who became eligible for receipt of the allowance in question on or after 1 February 2012.
6. For Primary schools only
A grant payment issued to the Boards of Management, of 1, 2 and 3 teacher schools and schools where a teacher has opted not to undertake supervision duties, in March 2012. This is to facilitate the payment of supervisors for the 2011/12 school year.
7. For Post Primary schools only
The advance payment for undertaking supervision/substitution duties in the 2011/2012 school year was paid to eligible teachers in March, 2012. The rates payable are
(a) Whole-time teachers - €620.00 (subject to statutory deductions)
(b) Job-sharing and Regular Part-time teachers - on a pro-rata basis.
8. A copy of this Circular should be made available to the members of Boards of Management, teachers and supervisors.
This Circular can be accessed on this Department’s website at www.education.ie under the heading Circulars.
P. Maloney,
Principal Officer,
May, 2012.
146. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills when young student nurses are going on to their next year and seeking grant assistance from his Department, the reason for such a short period of notice for their parents to supply a full set of accounts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15735/13]
View answerThe means test for a grant application is normally based on income in the last full financial year. Therefore, eligibility for a student grant for the academic year 2012/13 is assessed on income from the 2011 financial year. The administrative arrangements for the submission of accounts in place by awarding authorities are the same for all students attending approved courses, including student nurses attended approved courses.
147. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is considering including the natural environment as a category for financial support in the upcoming national lotteries Bill. [15638/13]
View answerThe categories for the disbursement of National Lottery funds provided for in section 41 of the National Lottery Bill 2012 include national culture and heritage (including the Irish language) and youth, welfare and amenities. These categories are quite wide and would not prohibit the funding of community projects which have an environmental dimension. Consequently, I am of the view that a specific category called the Natural Environment is not required.
Furthermore, the inclusion of a new category would inevitably lead to demands for the inclusion of other specific categories, thus leading to greater demands on the amount of funding available and the dilution of the effectiveness of those funds. Accordingly, I do not propose to alter the categories of good causes specified in the Bill.
148. Deputy Shane Ross asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total cost to the taxpayer of paying the aggregate fees, salaries and any other remuneration to directors of all State bodies, to include majority State owned banks, all public interest directors, all semi-State bodies, all State agencies and so on; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15413/13]
View answerIn response to the Deputy’s question the position in respect of the agencies under the remit of my Department is that there is no cost to the taxpayer in respect of paying directors fees, salaries or any other remuneration.
149. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has finalised all negotiation with unions with regard to Croke Park 2, or if he intends re-engaging with those who removed themselves from the talks. [15439/13]
View answerThe negotiations which took place on proposals to extend the current Public Service Agreement concluded last month with a Labour Relations Commission draft Agreement as the outcome.
These proposals represent a compromise between the parties, which the Government believes will achieve its core objectives of:
- securing additional savings of €1 billion in the pay and pensions bill by 2016;
- delivering sustainable increases in productivity across the public service;
- securing further important workplace reform.
Those unions who remained in the process argued strongly for and secured changes to the initial Government’s proposals in relation to a number of measures, including, for example, the scale of reductions in overtime rates, Sunday and Saturday payments. Unfortunately, some unions chose to leave the negotiation process before its conclusion and, consequently, were unable to shape the outcome in the interests of their members.
Public service unions and associations are currently submitting the proposals to ballot in accordance with each union’s own rules. If the Agreement is ratified then management will act to implement the measures in respect of all public servants. However, if following ratification, unions continue to remain outside the process, they will have the benefits of the process removed from them and the people that they represent.
150. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the total cost of property maintenance of Garda stations owned by the Office of Public Works on a station basis for 2012. [15442/13]
View answerThe Commissioners for Public Works are compiling the information requested and a response will issue directly to the Deputy shortly.
151. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the full cost of ministerial transport and the breakdown of this cost between salaries, mileage allowance and other travel costs for Ministers and Ministers of State in his Department for 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15678/13]
View answerIn response to the Deputy’s question the following is a list of costs regarding Ministerial cars in 2012:
|
Type of Expenditure |
Number of Staff |
Amount |
|
Minister |
||
|
Drivers Salaries |
2 |
€65,929.42 |
|
Drivers Expenses |
2 |
€24,171.01 |
|
Mileage Payment to Minister |
1 |
€12,826.92 |
|
Total |
€102,927.41 |
|
|
Minister of State |
||
|
Drivers Salaries |
3 |
€71,663.84 |
|
Drivers Expenses |
3 |
€6,879.28 |
|
Mileage Payment to Minister of State |
1 |
€19,364.14 |
|
Total |
€97,907.26 |
