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Tuesday, 18 Jun 2013

Written Answers Nos. 122-140

Institutes of Technology Issues

Questions (122)

Michael Creed

Question:

122. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills the role his Department has in the proposed restructuring of the department of science at Cork Institute of Technology and the course offerings at the institute; if his attention has been drawn to these changes; his views on the the level of consultation that has been carried out regarding these changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28790/13]

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Written answers

Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006 and the governance and management of their academic affairs, including programme provision and organisational structures are matters for which the Governing Body and the management authorities of the Institute are responsible. Neither I nor my Department has any function in relation to such matters.

Student Support Schemes Issues

Questions (123)

Joe McHugh

Question:

123. Deputy Joe McHugh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will advise Irish families who support third level students of the financial supports available where reckonable household incomes exceed €44,000. [28793/13]

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Written answers

Grant applications are means tested on gross income from all sources earned inside and outside the State within a specified reference period. Various income thresholds for a grant apply depending on the number of dependent children in a family and/or the number of children attending further and higher education. Any applicant, below these thresholds and who meets all of the other terms and conditions of the student grant scheme will qualify for a grant.

In addition to the student grant tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners on www.revenue.ie. A table outlining the income thresholds for the 2013/14 academic year follows.

SCHEDULE 1

Reckonable Income Limits for maintenance and fee grants for the 2013/14 academic year

Part A

1. Reckonable income limits:

The period 1 January 2012 to 31 December 2012 is the reference period for the academic year 2013/14.

The income limits that apply to tuition students relate to the fee elements only. A tuition student does not qualify for any maintenance grant .

Income limits for Maintenance and Fee grants — Table A

-

Maintenance

Maintenance

Maintenance

Maintenance

Maintenance

Maintenance

Maintenance

Maintenance

-

Special Rate*

100% Standard

Rate

75% Standard

Rate

50% Standard

Rate

25% Standard

Rate

Not payable

Not payable

Not payable

-

Fee elements:

Fee elements:

Fee elements:

Fee elements:

Fee elements:

Fee elements:

Fee elements:

Fee elements:

To qualify for

100% Tuition

Fees

100% Tuition

Fees

100% Tuition

Fees

100% Tuition

Fees

100% Tuition

Fees

50% Tuition Fees

Tuition Fees —

Not payable

Tuition Fees —

Not payable

-

100% Student

Contribution

100% Student

Contribution

100% Student

Contribution

100% Student

Contribution

100% Student

Contribution

100% Student

Contribution

50% Student

Contribution

50% Student

Contribution —

Not payable

-

Field Trip

Field Trip

Field Trip

Field Trip

Field Trip

Field Trip — Not

payable

Field Trip — Not

Payable

Field Trip — Not

payable

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Postgraduate Fee

Contribution:

No. of dependent

children

-

-

-

-

-

-

-

Payable

Less than 4

€22,703

€39,875

€40,970

€43,380

€45,790

€49,840

€54,240

€31,500

4 — 7

€22,703

€43,810

€45,025

€47,670

€50,325

€54,765

€59,595

€34,615

8 or more

€22,703

€47,575

€48,890

€51,760

€54,630

€59,455

€64,700

€37,580

Additional increments that may be applied to the income limits in Table A for Maintenance and Fee Grants — Table B**

+ increment for each additional relevant person

€0

+ €4,830

+ €4,670

+ €4,670

+ €4,670

+ €4,830

+ €4,830

+ €4,980

*To be eligible for the special rate of maintenance an applicant’s reckonable income on 31 December 2012 must include an eligible payment listed in Schedule 2.

**Increments which may be applied to the relevant income limits:

Public Relations Contracts Expenditure

Questions (124)

Billy Kelleher

Question:

124. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will detail in tabular form, the names of all external public relations, communications consultants and organisations used by his Department since 9 March 2011; the details of the services supplied by each; the expenditure on each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28809/13]

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Written answers

My Department has not incurred any expenditure on external public relations, communications consultants and organisations since 9 March, 2011.

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Questions (125)

Eoghan Murphy

Question:

125. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider extending the eligibility of the July educational programme to children diagnosed with dyspraxia (details supplied). [28825/13]

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Written answers

The Deputy will be aware that the July Education Programme is available to all special schools and mainstream primary schools with special classes catering for children with autism that choose to extend their education services through the month of July. My Department also provides for a July Programme for pupils with a severe/profound general learning disability. Where school based provision is not feasible, home based provision may be grant aided. It is not proposed to review the expansion of the eligibility criteria for the programme at this time.

I have recently requested the NCSE to prepare Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The National Council for Special Education has a formal role under the EPSEN Act to advise the Minister in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities.

Departmental Agencies Staff Recruitment

Questions (126)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

126. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta works concurrently and co-operatively providing resource materials to support the teaching of the Irish language both in schools teaching through Irish and in schools teaching through English, if additional staff will be made available to COGG in view of the fact that there are only three members of staff currently on the team undertaking the wide scope of work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28833/13]

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Written answers

I am aware that COGG has a core staff of three. COGG has, in fact, a budget of €1.55m currently. The topics and the areas of research that COGG deals with are very varied. With its budget COGG has the flexibility to contract out work to experts in the field, as necessary. This allows COGG to benefit from the wide range of Irish language and teaching expertise which is available. I believe this is an appropriate approach to adopt to address the wide scope of its work. As COGG co-locates with the NCCA, this approach will continue to be taken.

School Funding

Questions (127)

Derek Keating

Question:

127. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline his plans to meet the needs of students who attend Protestant schools, the plans to support families from such groups and, similar to his policy on Educate Together schools, if he will consider setting up a forum in conjunction with the leadership of the Protestant community to examine the needs of Protestant faith families going forward; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28888/13]

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Written answers

I have no plans to establish a Forum along the lines suggested by the Deputy. This Government recognises the importance of ensuring that students from a Protestant or Reformed church background can attend a school that reflects their denominational ethos while at the same time ensuring that funding arrangements are in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution.

With regard to the fee-charging Protestant schools, an arrangement exists whereby funding is provided by my Department to the Secondary Education Committee (SEC), an organisation run by the churches involved in managing the Protestant secondary schools. The SEC then disburses funds to the Protestant fee-charging schools on behalf of pupils who would otherwise have difficulty with the cost of fees and who, in the absence of such financial support, would be unable to attend a second level school of a reformed church or Protestant ethos. Funding amounts to €6.5 million annually. This fund ensures that necessitous Protestant children can attend a school of their choice. 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.

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.

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 Protestant or Reformed churches, in relation to education provision for all areas.

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Questions (128)

Derek Keating

Question:

128. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the growing knowledge regarding the autism condition and the demands on individual schools and on the education system, if he will consider setting up a special unit to address, advise and examine resources in relation to the needs of children in the primary school sector who are diagnosed with autistic conditions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28889/13]

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Written answers

My Department is conscious of the need to adapt existing policies and to develop new policies as new research or learning becomes available.

The National Council for Special Education has a formal role under Section 20.1(j) of EPSEN to advise the Minister 'in relation to any matter relating to the education of children and others with disabilities'. I have now requested the NCSE to prepare Policy Advice on the Educational Provision for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. The NCSE has commissioned research which will not be finalised until mid to late 2014 and I expect that this research will inform much of the work in preparing the policy advice. Accordingly it is not expected that the report will be finalised until early 2015.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (129)

Peter Mathews

Question:

129. Deputy Peter Mathews asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will outline any plans he has to replace the two prefab buildings of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24 with a permanent structure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28892/13]

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Written answers

A major school building project for both the junior and the senior schools referred to by the Deputy is on the 5 year construction programme and is scheduled to commence construction in 2014/15.

A tender exercise to appoint the design team is currently nearing completion. Once appointed, the design team will take the project through the stages of architectural planning to tender and construction.

State Examinations Commission

Questions (130)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

130. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will examine the circumstances of the mistakes that were reported in the leaving certificate maths papers; if his Department has carried out an investigation into what happened; if he has taken steps to ensure that the issue does not arise again; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28905/13]

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Written answers

The State Examinations Commission (SEC) has indicated that Question 8, on Monday's Leaving Certificate Maths, Higher Level, Paper 2 contained an error. The SEC has advised me that there were also errors on 3 other Mathematics papers, both Leaving and Junior Certificate, provided to candidates this year. The SEC acknowledges that these errors may have caused confusion and distress for some candidates and has apologised publicly.

One of the key objectives of the SEC is the provision of an examinations system of the highest possible quality. Although the SEC has in place a range of procedures to enhance reliability and to minimise error, it is an unfortunate fact that errors can occur on examination papers from time to time. When errors occur, the SEC must focus on two issues. First, it seeks to ensure that no candidate is disadvantaged as a result of the error. Therefore, the impact of these errors on students' answers will be taken into account by the Chief Examiner when finalising the marking schemes for these exams. The marking schemes will, as usual, be published along with those in all other subjects after the issue of results, in mid-August in the case of the Leaving Certificate and mid-September for Junior Certificate. Leaving Certificate students can view their marked examinations scripts to see how the published marking scheme has been applied to their work, while all students have the option of appealing their results. Then, in the context of the specific error, the SEC reviews its existing processes and procedures in order to implement measures to strengthen the quality assurance underpinning the preparation of examination papers.

I have asked the SEC to report to me on this issue.

Student Support Schemes Issues

Questions (131)

Ann Phelan

Question:

131. Deputy Ann Phelan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide confirmation as to whether any of the recommendations as outlined in the Accenture report on 17 May 2013 in relation to Student Universal Support Ireland have been taken into consideration; if he will confirm if the inferred increase in staffing will be in place within his Department in the upcoming year to cater for such a high influx of applications, as was the case in the academic year gone by; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28916/13]

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Written answers

The Accenture Report contained a series of recommendations, many of which are already being implemented by SUSI. In line with these recommendations and in preparation for the 2013/14 academic year, both the online application system and the application assessment process have been further developed to enhance their effectiveness and to deal with the difficulties experienced in year one.

A number of new initiatives will make the application process more efficient this year including: direct information sharing between SUSI and Government agencies such as the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social Protection, the General Register Office and the Central Applications Office. These links should significantly reduce the number of documents required from applicants themselves. In addition the staff resources recommended by the review have already been sanctioned. The resources include three additional management posts and some 23 (whole time equivalent) additional processing staff. This will help to ensure that qualifying students have their applications assessed as quickly as possible. SUSI has also significantly developed its training programme to meet the training needs of new and existing staff.

In addition, the closing date will be a month earlier to facilitate earlier application and decision on a grant application. Also SUSI is working closely with all third level institutions to improve the payment process for the 2013/14 academic year.

The principal recommendations of the review can be broken down as follows:-Process:- Reduce the volume of documentation sought from applicants;- Develop an online renewal application system;- Set key calendar dates for the SUSI application process;- Further segregate applications into specialised sections;- Collect key data from applicants earlier in the process;- Improve training and scripts for the SUSI support desk;- Develop an eligibility estimator for applicants use;- Further develop operational KPI (Key Performance Indicator) and Reporting systems.

Management and Resources:- Enhance management resources;- Increase staff resources;- Develop core staff;- Re-employ experienced temporary staff.ICT Systems:- Develop the SUSI grants system, to be a fully web-based integrated automated system;- Develop data information sharing links with Government bodies and agencies-Continue investment in IT development and capacity;- Develop an online self service tracker system for applicants;- Continue to develop the Management Information Service capacity.

Communications:- Develop a dedicated www.susi.ie website;- Enhance the communications strategy across the education stakeholders;- Improve the content of standard correspondence templates to applicants;- Develop a more targeted communications strategy for applicants from different sectors;- Set up a cross-Departmental stakeholders advisory group.

Physical Education

Questions (132)

Seán Ó Fearghaíl

Question:

132. Deputy Seán Ó Fearghaíl asked the Minister for Education and Skills the proportion of the estimated 500,000 primary school pupils currently in the system who avail of swimming lessons and instructions in water safety; if he will indicate the strategies his Department is using within the primary and post-primary systems with a view to ensuring a high level of awareness of water safety; if he will indicate if his Department incurs any expenditure in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28920/13]

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Written answers

My Department does not maintain statistics on the proportion of primary school pupils that avail of swimming lessons and instructions in water safety. This is a matter for each individual school.

All schools are expected to deliver the Physical Education curriculum. My Department encourages schools to make every effort to deliver the aquatics strand as one component of a comprehensive Physical Education programme at both primary and post-primary level.

The aquatics strand aims to support children in developing water confidence, basic swimming skills and an acute awareness of water safety. The development of these skills enables children to enjoy and to engage safely in water-based activities. Awareness of potential hazards and how to respond appropriately to incidents that threaten personal and group safety are an integral element of the aquatics strand.

My Department does not incur any additional expenditure in this regard.

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Questions (133)

John McGuinness

Question:

133. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application for retention of three special needs assistants at a school (details supplied) in County Kilkenny; if the application will be expedited and approved based on the fact that another child has enrolled and requires an SNA; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28938/13]

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Written answers

I wish to advise the Deputy that the 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 resource teachers and Special Needs Assistants to schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's established criteria for the allocation of Special Education supports and the staffing resources available to my Department. 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.

All schools were advised to apply to the NCSE for resource teaching and SNA support for the 2013/14 school year by 15th March 2013. The NCSE are currently processing these applications and schools will be notified by SENOs of their resource teaching and SNA allocation for 2013/14 in advance of the coming school year, based on the number of valid applications received. All schools have the names and contact details of their local SENO. Parents may also contact their local SENO directly to discuss their child's special educational needs, using the contact details available on www.ncse.ie.

School Curriculum

Questions (134)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

134. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider providing additional resources to a school (details supplied) in County Donegal to enable it to extend its Irish stream to the senior cycle; the reasons he has not done so to date; if he recognises that the uptake of the Irish stream at junior level is being affected by the lack of an Irish stream at senior level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28949/13]

View answer

Written answers

An aonad has been established in the school referred to by the Deputy since 2006 to provide education through Irish at junior cycle. In the case of the school in question, my Department has provided resources in response to demonstrated demand and will continue to review whether the level of demand is sufficient to warrant the resources that have been provided.

In relation to the provision of Irish medium education at senior cycle level in this school, my Department will continue to review the situation. A demonstrated and consistent pattern of a reasonable level of demand for Irish medium education at junior cycle is a clear indicator of whether there will be a sufficient potential intake to an aonad at senior cycle level to warrant the allocation of the necessary resources to such an aonad. Although this school has had an aonad for the junior cycle since 2006, the number of students attending the aonad at junior cycle is very small. In this context there is currently not a reasonable number of students participating in the aonad and therefore its extension to Senior Cycle would not be a viable option.

Question No. 135 answered with Question No. 115.

Special Educational Needs Services Provision

Questions (136)

Andrew Doyle

Question:

136. Deputy Andrew Doyle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow has only received sanction for a special needs unit as opposed to a completely furnished model, in line with other public private partnership arrangements and as per other schools in similar categories; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28953/13]

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Written answers

The school referred to by the Deputy was allocated over 500m² of accommodation for special needs pupils as part of a new building that contains 8550m² of accommodation in total. Funding of €6,500 for a dedicated special class was provided in addition to €7,000 to purchase equipment for the school's multi-sensory room. This level of funding is in accordance with the Department's current guidelines on funding special needs units and is provided to all primary and post-primary schools irrespective of the delivery methodology used.

In addition, grant aid may also be made available to schools to fund the purchase of special items of furniture for special needs pupils. This scheme applies to all children who are diagnosed as having special needs. Schools must apply directly to the Department with applications required to be supported with a report prepared by a professional who has assessed the pupil's needs. Only furniture approved by the Department in such cases will be funded.

I would again stress that in this specific school in addition to over 500m² of dedicated accommodation provided in an entirely new school, €13,000 of dedicated furniture and equipment was also provided in the new facility for special needs pupils.

Teacher Redeployment

Questions (137)

Brendan Griffin

Question:

137. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will clarify the position of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry and requirements for a position on the 2014 supplementary teaching panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28956/13]

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Written answers

The core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers to other schools that have vacancies. The redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers is key to the Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers. The application process for the supplementary panels was introduced for the 2012/13 school year.

The arrangements for panel access for fixed term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers for the 2013/14 school year are set out in Department Circular 0038/2012 which was published on 9 November 2012 on the Department website. The period for submitting applications was between 9 November 2012 and 14 December 2012.

The individual referred to by the Deputy submitted an application in January 2013. The circular made clear that late applications would not be considered. The Department has received a number of applications after the closing date which will not be processed.

Appointments to State Boards

Questions (138)

Niall Collins

Question:

138. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of appointments made to State boards under his Department's remit since March 2011; the number of positions that have been advertised; the number of applications to the boards; the number of appointments to the boards that were drawn from the applications; the current number of vacancies on each board; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28974/13]

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Written answers

Details of Membership of Boards and appointment dates can be downloaded from my Department's website; this information is updated when any relevant changes occur. www.education.ie. It should be noted that Board appointments, while made by me as Minister, are not in all cases made at my sole discretion. Individuals may be nominated for appointment by various organisations as specified in the relevant statute of the body concerned. The Deputy should further note that in making any direct Ministerial appointments, I am not necessarily confined to those who make such expressions of interest but will ensure that all of those appointed have the relevant skills and competencies for the positions.

The information requested on the number of appointments made to State boards since March 2011 is outlined in the following table.

Name of Board

Number of appointments made to state boards since March, 2011

Number of positions advertised over which the Minister can directly  appoint

Number of Applicants via PAS

Appointments made from members of the public who applied through the PAS process

Year

Advertised

Current number of vacanices

Year appointments made

An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG)

2

0

0

0

-

0

2012

An Foras Áiseanna Saothair (FÁS)

3 (Note 1)

0

0

0

-

0

2011/2013

Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA)

14

6

17

3

2012

0

2012

Higher Education Authority (HEA)

10

9

81

2

2011

0

2012

Irish Research Council

11 (Note2)

0

0

0

-

0

2012

Léargas

10 (Note 3)

10

49

0

2011

1

2012

National Centre for Guidance in Education (NCGE)

5

1

-

-

2013

0

-

National Council for Curriculum & Assessment (NCCA)

25

3

29

2

2012

0

2012

National Council for Special Education (NCSE)

13

13

11

2

2012

0

2013

Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI)

10

8

60

3

2011

0

2012

Residential Institutions Statutory Fund (RISF)

9

9

37 (Note 4)

3

2012

0

2013

Skillnets Ltd

4

0

0

0

-

0

2011/2012

State Examinations Commission (SEC)

5

5

19

2

2012

0

2012

Teaching Council

37

3

14

0

2012

0

2012

Note 1: Three interim appointments were made to the Board of Foras Áiseanna Saothair (FÁS) in January 2013 as the agency is expected to be replaced by SOLAS, the new Further Education & Training Authority in the coming months. As a result, these vacancies were not published on PAS. Appointments to the Board of FÁS were made after consultation with the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

Note 2: The Irish Research Council was created in 2012 following the merger of the Irish Research through the merger of the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) and the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET). The merger was announced in the government’s Public Sector Reform Plan in November 2011. - See more at: http://www.education.ie/en/The-Department/Agencies/Irish-Research-Council.html#sthash.uVEqFMF0.dpuf. The boards of the two agencies were merged so no new appointments arose when it was created.

Note 3: Léargas figure includes overall number of appointments made subsequent to several resignations occurring during the period in question.

Note 4: A number of applications for the RISF were sent directly to the Department on foot of the public notices. Overall there were 43 expressions of interest, of which 6 were appointed to the board.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (139)

Joe Carey

Question:

139. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will report on progress made in relation to the provision of a new school building (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28986/13]

View answer

Written answers

My Department is currently finalising the accommodation brief for the proposed project in relation to the school referred to by the Deputy.

The next stage will involve the commencement of the architectural planning process and my Department will be in contact with the school at the appropriate time. My Department is also in ongoing liaison with the school in relation to its interim accommodation needs.

Education and Training Provision

Questions (140)

Sandra McLellan

Question:

140. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that SOLAS develops an adult literacy and numeracy strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29035/13]

View answer

Written answers

I recognise that further education and training as it is currently delivered covers a broad spectrum that ranges from basic adult literacy and numeracy courses to courses that are certified at level 6 and above on the National Framework of Qualifications. Section 9 of the Further Education and Training Bill 2013 provides that SOLAS, once established, will prepare and submit, to the Minister, a strategy in respect of further education and training.

The issue of including a provision in the Bill for the development of a national adult literacy and numeracy strategy was raised at Dáil Committee Stage. The Bill was amended at Dáil Report Stage to include a provision for the development of a literacy and numeracy strategy.

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