Written Answers Nos. 63-71
63. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance if Revenue has made an assessment of declared values under the local property tax compared to the estimated value placed by the Revenue Commissioners; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51282/13]
View answerI am advised by the Revenue Commissioners that yield and compliance data for the Local Property Tax (LPT) for 2013 are compiled on the basis of the number of properties and broken down by city and county councils nationally. The most up to date figures are published on the Revenue Commissioners website at: http://www.revenue.ie/en/tax/lpt/lpt-stats-11-2013.pdf. LPT Returns for 2013 are still being filed and work is on-going to refine the LPT Register. More detailed data and analysis, including analysis in relation to a comparison of the Revenue Estimates with self-assessed valuations, will be published in due course. The Deputy will be aware that the Pay and File campaign for LPT 2014 is underway and this is Revenue’s current priority in relation to LPT.
64. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a person (details supplied) has not been facilitated with a third level grant; if he will arrange to have the case reviewed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51180/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy was assessed as a dependent mature student and that the reckonable income, including parent(s)' income exceeded the upper limit of €31,500 for a postgraduate fee grant. Where an individual applicant considers that she has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI. Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down, in writing, by SUSI, and remains of the view that SUSI has not interpreted the scheme correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the Student Grants Appeals Board. The relevant appeal form is available to download from http://www.studentfinance.ie/downloads/1375344221/2013_SGAB_appeal_form.pdf.
Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended. The fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis. 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.
65. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he took the decision to treat teachers who are not members of a trade union as if they were; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the practical result of this decision is that teachers who work in union-designated schools and who are not members of unions have their pay altered as if they were members of the predominant union in that school; if there are any legal implications in de facto designating them as though they were union members; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51192/13]
View answerThe Haddington Road Agreement is being implemented in line with the general approach taken in the public service. Where only one union has members in a sector the Agreement is either applied or not applied to everyone, depending on whether or not a collective agreement is reached with that union. In ETB schools, where TUI is regarded as the representative union, the HRA applies to all teachers. In Voluntary Secondary schools, where ASTI is regarded as the representative union, the FEMPI Act 2013 applies to all teachers. My Department is considering the position of TUI members in Voluntary Secondary schools. The HRA applies to teachers who are TUI members in schools with dual union representation, such as Community & Comprehensive schools and Designated Community Colleges. The FEMPI Act 2013 applies to other teachers in Community & Comprehensive schools and Designated Community Colleges. My Department is considering the position of non-unionised teachers in these schools.
66. Deputy Tom Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will expedite a mature student grant application in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51216/13]
View answerOfficials in my Department have confirmed with Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) that the student referred to by the Deputy applied as a mature independent student and supporting documents are still awaited to show that she was living independently. When this information is received and considered, the student will be notified directly of the outcome.
67. Deputy David Stanton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress made on the provision of a new primary and a new second level school in Carrigtwohill, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51241/13]
View answerOn 26 September 2013 I announced my decisions regarding the patronage of new primary schools due to open in 2014. That announcement advised the deferral of the establishment of the proposed new primary school for Middleton/Carrigtwohill in Cork pending further reviews of the demographics of the area by my Department. Further to my announcement today in relation to my decisions regarding the patronage of the new post-primary schools set to open in 2015 and 2016, I can confirm that the patron of the new post-primary school for the Midleton/Carrigtwohill area will be the Cork Education and Training Board with the involvement of the Catholic Bishop of Cloyne. The new school is expected to commence operation in the 2016/17 school year.
68. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total salary of the chair of the Teaching Council; if he receives more than one salary for the role, that is, from the Department of Education and Skills and the Teaching Council. [51271/13]
View answerThe current Chairperson of the Teaching Council is a retired teacher and is an elected member of the Council. No fees or salary are payable by my Department or by the Teaching Council for the role of Chairperson. Council members are entitled to be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses in line with public sector rates.
69. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has received representations on concerns regarding the retrospective application of the public sector sick pay scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51111/13]
View answer70. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he or his Department has calculated the number of staff who had serious illnesses in the past three years and who, from 1 January, will either be placed on half pay or pension-related pay in the event of becoming ill in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51141/13]
View answer71. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if there have been any changes to the public sector sick pay scheme and the way it will be applied since the Haddington Road agreement was finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51161/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 69 to 71, inclusive, together.
As the Deputies will be aware, in July 2012 sick leave arrangements for all public service employees were the subject of a Labour Court Recommendation relating to the introduction of a reformed Sick Leave Scheme. The rationale for the new scheme was the need to reduce the unsustainable cost of sick leave for the public service overall which is to be achieved through a substantial reduction in the period of time for which paid sick leave will be available from one year at present (comprising six months at full pay and six months at half pay – subject to certain conditions) to six months (i.e. three months full pay and three months half pay). Under the Labour Court recommendation special arrangements were to be put in place, through the development of a Critical Illness Protocol, under which staff with serious illnesses of specified severity might be able to benefit from extended paid sick leave on an exceptional basis. The finalisation of this protocol was recently the subject of conciliation at the Labour Relations Commission which aimed at securing agreement on it as soon as possible to facilitate the introduction of the new sick leave arrangements from 1 January 2014.
The issue of transitional arrangements and specifically how employees who are on sick leave at the time of commencement of the new scheme as well as the approach taken to employees’ prior sick leave record was addressed by the Labour Court in its recommendations. It was recommended by the Labour Court that anyone who is on sick leave at the time of the introduction of the new scheme will continue to avail of the current sick leave scheme and will be provided with access to six months full pay and six months half pay (over a four year rolling period) for the duration of that particular illness.
In relation to the issue of retrospection it was agreed by the Labour Court that an employee’s sick leave records over the last four years will, as is currently the case, be used to determine whether an individual has access to sick pay or not. In the case of a non-critical illness there will, however, be a reduction in the number of days sick leave absences in the preceding four year period above which there will be no entitlement to paid sick leave – other than Temporary Rehabilitation Pay - from 365 days to 183 days. The changes in sick leave arrangements clearly represent a significant change in the terms and conditions of staff. It was, therefore, decided that the introduction of the scheme should take place in 2014 to provide all public service employees with sufficient advance notice of the sick leave scheme.
Sick leave statistics in the public service are calculated on the basis of certified and non-certified sick leave. Statistics for serious illness are not collected on the basis that there is not at the present time a consistent or agreed definition of serious illness. However, the significant lead in time to introducing changes in the sick leave scheme was intended to provide staff with extended time to understand the impact of the revised scheme on their own circumstances. The new sick leave arrangements were agreed under the Croke Park Agreement and did not form part of the Haddington Road Agreement. The parameters of the new sick leave scheme are contained in the Labour Court Recommendation and the scheme will be implemented in accordance with this recommendation.
