Written Answers Nos. 23-31
23. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures, if any, he intends to implement in response a report into the 55 private fee-charging schools in the State which have more than €81m in discretionary income to spend on extra teachers, ancillary staff, state-of-the-art facilities and extra-curricular activities; and his plans to reduce or end the paying of State subsidies to these schools. [17562/13]
View answer
I commissioned the report in question in order to inform future budgetary decisions on the allocation of teachers to schools in particular. I do not propose at this stage to anticipate any specific decisions the Government might take in respect of the next budget. It is important to look at the context in which Exchequer funding to fee charging schools must be approached.
Ireland faces further budgets where a reduction in public expenditure across all areas of public provision, including education, will be necessary. Teacher allocation to all primary and second level schools will remain in focus throughout the period of fiscal adjustment because it represents a significant proportion of my Department's overall budget. The extent to which teaching posts can continue to be allocated to fee-charging schools must remain under consideration in that context.
25. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that funding is immediately made available for a refurbishment and building project (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [17589/13]
View answer
The major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an early stage of architectural planning. The design team is currently working on the completion of the Stage 2(a) submission. When Stage 2(a) is approved, the project will then progress to stage 2(b) which includes applications for planning permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and the preparation of tender documents.
Due to competing demands on the Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements, it was not possible to include this project in the five-year construction programme. School building projects previously initiated but not included in the current five-year construction programme will continue to be progressed to final planning stages in anticipation of the possibility of further funds being available to the Department in the future.
26. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will increase the number of special needs assistants, resource teachers or learning support teachers in a manner commensurate with the increase in the school-going population; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17549/13]
View answer
Expenditure supporting pupils with special educational needs in 2013 is expected to be in line with that provided in 2012, at some €1.3bn, which is approximately 15% of the entire budget of the Department.
Despite the current economic difficulties, the number of Special Needs Assistants and Resource and Learning Support Teachers has been maintained. Specifically, 9,950 posts have been provided for Resource and Learning Support Teachers for the current school year and 10,575 posts have been provided for Special Needs Assistants. These are at the same levels as last year. The position for the coming school year will be considered in light of the number of applications for support received by the National Council for Special Education and the need to remain within the staffing limits set by the Government's Employment Control Framework.
27. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the impact of Croke Park II on the education budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17533/13]
View answer
In relation to estimates of savings arising from the LRC proposals, the Revised Estimates Volume for 2013 is expected to be published very shortly. This document will set out the revised allocations for Votes arising from the proposals made. The Revised Estimates Volume for 2013 will be submitted to the Oireachtas for consideration in due course. Following the publication of the 2013 Revised Estimates Volume, my Department will be in contact with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform regarding the overall allocations for the period 2014-2016, including the ongoing effect of the LRC proposals and staffing ceilings.
28. Deputy Seamus Kirk asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the efforts he has made to ensure that schools will continue to be able to purchase stationery supplies from small local businesses if they can offer similar or better value to that available from the national suppliers designated under new procurement guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17539/13]
View answer69. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the action he has taken to ensure that schools will continue to be able to purchase stationery supplies from small local businesses if they can offer similar or better value to that available from the national suppliers designated under new procurement guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17554/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 28 and 69 together.
Given the potential benefits that can be realised across the public sector, public procurement is one of the major projects of key strategic importance under the Government's Public Service Reform Plan. The Public Service Reform Plan, published in November 2011, provides for the development of a new policy framework for procurement. This work is now being led by the newly appointed Chief Procurement Officer, Paul Quinn. Under his leadership a new national procurement office for the public sector is being established. Paul is currently working with officials across the public sector to put in place new sectoral and centralised procurement arrangements.
My colleague Minister Howlin has highlighted the importance of ensuring that the public sector is achieving maximum value for money and operational efficiency in its approach to public procurement. Centralising the procurement of commonly used goods and services can deliver significant benefits which include: cash savings; administrative savings from reduced duplication of tendering; greater purchasing expertise; improved consistency and enhanced service levels. In addition, given the financial constraints within which we must all now work, cost reductions and savings can go some way to helping Exchequer funded bodies, such as schools, manage within reducing financial budgets.
The Deputies may be aware that the National Procurement Service (NPS) is supporting Small and Medium Business Enterprises (SMEs) to participate in public sector procurement competitions through its education and guidance strategies. All of the NPS tender documents explicitly seek to encourage the participation of SMEs in competitions, by encouraging them to explore the possibilities of forming relationships with other SMEs or with larger enterprises.
I understand that Irish SMEs have been successful in winning NPS frameworks and about three quarters of existing NPS contracts/frameworks are held by SMEs. These SMEs may, in turn, source many of their services and products from local manufacturers and agents. However, I do appreciate the concerns being raised by small school supply companies and I have asked relevant officials here in the Department, who are coordinating procurement reform in the Education and Training sector, to take these concerns into consideration in the context of the work being undertaken on procurement reform.
30. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if changes to the school building programmme will be made based on exceptional circumstances whereby the accommodation needs of schools were not fully evident at the time of publication of the programmme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17448/13]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, it was anticipated in the announcement of the five year construction programme in March last year that adjustments might be made in relation to the scheduling of projects included in the programme on a year to year basis within the lifetime of the Plan. Decisions on these matters are made following consideration of a number of criteria, such as the overall annual funding available, the urgency and prioritising of competing projects to meet demographic requirements, multi-annual contractual commitments created by individual projects and the technical readiness of projects to proceed to tender and construction.
However there were also a number of school building projects which simply could not be included in the five year plan I announced in March last year. However, as the Deputy is aware, my Department has continued to progress projects outside the five year plan to the final planning stages in anticipation of further funding becoming available to my Department in future years. As 2013 progresses, projects scheduled to proceed to construction in the later years of the plan will be assessed in the context of the criteria that I have outlined above and can only be considered for advancement if there is the financial scope to do so.
31. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reverse the decision to impose a 19 to 1 student teacher ratio for further education colleges which deal with the creative arts, such as Ballyfermot College of Further Education, Dublin 10, in order to ensure that courses are not lost and students denied an opportunity to develop their creative potential. [17449/13]
View answer72. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on concerns expressed regarding the impact that the increase in the pupil teacher ratio from 17:1 – 19:1 in the FET sector will have on a college (details supplied) in Dublin 10, resulting in the possible loss of 10 teaching posts, or 20% of teachers who are employed on a part-time basis at the college and the ending of specialised courses in animation, the fine arts, crafts, graphic design and film studies. [17564/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 31 and 72 together.
The college referred to by the Deputies is operated as an approved Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) centre by City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee (CDVEC). Resources are allocated by my Department under the PLC programme to CDVEC and further distribution of these resources to colleges under its remit, is a matter for CDVEC.
As you are aware all VECs will have until next September to plan for the reduced allocation across their schools/colleges so that they can continue to deliver programmes which closely meet the needs of both students and employers. My Department has received an impact statement from CDVEC on the effect of the regression in the PLC pupil teacher ratio on each of its PLC centres. This is currently being considered along with impact statements from a number of other VECs.
