Written Answers Nos. 96-103
96. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding redeployment within vocational education committees (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24570/13]
View answerI understand that the Deputy is referring to the redeployment of non-teaching staff in the VEC to which he refers.
The Deputy should note that redeployment is only intended to be used where a post has been declared surplus. The position in the case of this VEC is that it has not been required to identify non-teaching staff for redeployment, as it has been operating within its Employment Control Framework (ECF) target.
Redeployment in the first instance takes place by means of reassignment within an employee's own employing organisation, either to a suitable post at his/her grade or at an analogous grade for which the person has the necessary skills, qualifications and competencies. If no suitable post exists within the organisation, redeployment is to another employer within the education sector to a suitable post at his her own grade or at an analogous grade. If no suitable post exists within the education sector, redeployment is to a suitable post within the wider public service on no less favourable basic pay and pension terms.
Following the establishment of the Education and Training Boards (ETBs) the ECF targets for individual ETBs will be determined. At that point, an ETB may be required to identify staff for redeployment and, where necessary, my Department will communicate in this matter with the ETB concerned.
97. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 303 of 5 February 2013, if a matter raised in correspondence in respect of a student (details supplied) in Dublin 15 regarding their registration fees will be examined; if the student's concerns can be addressed in detail; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24575/13]
View answerAs advised previously, under the terms of my Department's Free Fee Initiative the Exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees in respect of eligible students who are pursuing full-time undergraduate courses of study which are a minimum of two years duration in an approved institution. The Scheme does not extend to students who are studying on a part-time basis and I have no plans at present to amend the rules of the Scheme in this regard.
As the Deputy is aware, where students are not eligible for free tuition fees, including students studying on a part-time basis, they are liable to pay the appropriate tuition fee as determined by the third level institution. Tax relief is available at the standard rate of taxation in respect of expenditure on fees associated with part-time higher education.
98. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 117 of 20 December 2012, the position regarding same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24583/13]
View answerI am pleased to inform the deputy that this case has been resolved and arrears owed to the person will be paid on the 6th June 2013.
99. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on the fact that a person who spent six years in college and received a masters degree, is being refused job positions in the public sector, due to the fact that they do not have their leaving certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24596/13]
View answerIt is unclear from the content of the question the precise position or positions within the public sector that the Deputy is referring to. I would ask the Deputy to forward me the details of the position(s) in question and I will be happy to make further enquiries in the matter.
100. Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the proposed Education (Admission to School) Bill 2013 proposes to enact legislation that will prevent Gaelscoileanna from having an admissions policy that gives priority to children being raised through Irish; if he considers that this legislation will have an adverse effect on the Irish language; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24599/13]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, I announced at the recent Teacher Union Conferences that I will shortly bring to Government draft heads of a bill – the Education (Admission to School) Bill 2013. I will seek to publish the Bill in draft form to allow a full public discussion, including inputs from the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Education and Social Protection and the education partners. I also intend to publish draft regulations that I plan to make when the Bill is enacted.
In bringing forward these proposals, it is not my intention to unnecessarily intrude into how schools do their business. My policy objective is to ensure that the way in which schools decide on applications is structured, fair and transparent. As the Bill and the Regulations will be published in draft form, they will also be subject to a lot of detailed scrutiny before becoming law. I will be reflecting carefully on the views expressed in the consultation process to ensure they strike the right balance between school autonomy and fairness in our education system.
101. Deputy Nicky McFadden asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school building work and emergency accommodation works in 2013 in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24604/13]
View answerI am pleased to inform the Deputy that emergency funding to address Health and Safety issues in two classrooms at the school in question was approved on 8th May, 2013. Details of all Emergency Works approvals are published on my Department's website on a weekly basis.
102. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the target of his Department and subsidiary offices throughout the country regarding employment of persons with disabilities in the special category; if the target is being achieved; the total number of employees in that category currently and the percentage of the total workforce in his Department that it represents; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24612/13]
View answerThe target under the Disability Act 2005 for the employment of persons with a disability in Public Service Bodies is 3%.
As required under Part 5 of the Disability Act 2005, my Department reported 3.6% employment of persons with a disability or 43 members of staff for 2012. The Civil Service Agencies covered by the Act reported for 2012 as follows:
National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) 7% of staff with a disability (2 staff with a disability)
National Council for Special Education (NCSE) 4.85% of staff with a disability (5 staff with a disability)
State Examinations Commission (SEC) 3.25% of staff with a disability (5 staff with a disability)
An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG) 0% of staff with a disability (COGG's total staffing compliment is 3).
It should be noted that only staff who have disclosed a disability to the Disability Liaison Officer are counted in these statistics.
103. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress his Department has made in eliminating the problem of work arising from his Department's school building project falling into the hands of the black economy as detailed in correspondence to him from a person (details supplied) [24675/13]
View answer114. Deputy Joe Higgins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made in eliminating the problem of work arising from his Department's school building project falling into the hands of the black economy as detailed in a letter to him from a person (details supplied) [24793/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 103 and 114 together.
Following a tender process, my Department has recently appointed Contractors Administration Services (CAS) to conduct random audits on school building projects to verify compliance with the relevant Pay and Conditions clauses in the Public Works Contracts. In addition to random audits, CAS will be requested to carry out detailed audits of employment records on a number of projects. Should irregularities be uncovered in terms of non-compliance with relevant pay and condition clauses, enforcement and prosecution falls under the remit of NERA. My Department will liaise with NERA on the progress of the random audits by CAS and will report any discrepancies found to it. If an audit uncovers any other matters of concern regarding tax compliance or social welfare fraud, such matters will be referred to either the Revenue Commissioners and/or the Department of Social Protection as appropriate.
