Written Answers Nos. 10-14
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Written Answers Nos. 10-14
10. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he intends that the higher education system be reconfigured into five regional clusters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17531/13]
View answer32. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to reconfigure the higher education system into five regional clusters; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17546/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos.10 and 32 together.
As you are aware, the Higher Education Authority last year published "Towards a Future Higher Education Landscape". They invited submissions from institutions and commissioned expert analyses with a view to providing me with formal advice on an outline future configuration of the higher education system. This will include advice on regional clusters of higher education institutions which 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. I am expecting to receive that advice shortly.
11. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a Millward Brown survey that found that in addition to losing classroom subject teachers, many schools have also lost specialist teachers and that 40% of schools have lost learning support/resource teaching hours, while 37% have lost English-language support teaching hours; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17567/13]
View answerI acknowledge the challenges faced by schools in managing the overall impact on teacher allocation to schools as a result of budgetary measures over the last 4 years. In the most recent budget the Government confined such measures to the fee-charging sector and protected schools in the free scheme from any changes in pupil-teacher ratios. It is also worth noting that, unlike almost all other parts of the public sector, up to 900 additional teachers are being recruited this year to accommodate the demographic growth in our primary and secondary schools. To put the survey quoted by the Deputy in a wider context, total teacher numbers at post-primary level in the coming school year are expected to be less than 2% below 2008 levels although I do acknowledge that pupil numbers will be just over 7% higher. All public servants are being asked to do more with less and teachers in our schools, although better sheltered than other sectors, cannot be immune from this requirement.
Each school is required to manage its subject provision from within its approved allocation from the Department. If a school has particular short-term issues in relation to managing its subject provision there are standard arrangements in place for considering applications for some limited short term support.
13. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the recent IMPACT study which indicated that 60% of special needs assistants in schools say they have been assaulted by the pupils with whom they work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17535/13]
View answerThe health and safety of school staff and pupils is a fundamental aspect of the day-to-day management of schools. My Department has a role in supporting schools in relation to how they discharge those responsibilities.
The survey conducted by IMPACT can be valuable in informing best practice in schools and I hope it will be made available to my Department and others. On receipt of the survey I will ask my Department to bring it to the attention of the various organisations who represent school management. This will enable the management of schools who employ special needs assistants to take the findings of this survey into account when preparing or reviewing their school safety statement and arrangements.
14. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the VEC sector has employed retired public servants to sit on interview boards between the years 2010-2012; and if he will provide, in tabular form, the payments and fees paid to retired public servants sitting on the interview boards during that time. [17563/13]
View answerThe persons to whom the Deputy refers were paid by each of the 33 VECs and the information requested is held by each VEC, not centrally by my Department. Officials from my Department have contacted the VECs and will forward the information to the Deputy as soon as possible.
