Tuesday, 25 Feb 2014

Written Answers Nos. 239-261

Public Sector Staff Career Breaks

Questions (239, 240, 241)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

239. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers at primary level on career break. [9038/14]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

240. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary teachers on career break. [9039/14]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

241. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of post-primary teachers on career break. [9040/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 239 to 241, inclusive, together.

The information obtained from my Department Databases indicate that there are currently 350 teachers employed in Secondary and Community/Comprehensive schools on career break.

There are 1,345 teachers employed in primary schools currently on career break.

Questions Nos. 242 and 243 answered with Question No. 229.

School Staffing

Questions (244)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

244. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the employment implications for employment for teachers who are declared bankrupt in another jurisdiction should they return to teach here. [9043/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012).

School Discipline

Questions (245, 246)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

245. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of section 29 appeals initiated at primary level in 2013 under the categories of refusal to enrol, suspension and expulsion and the outcome of those appeals. [9044/14]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

246. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of section 29 appeals initiated at post-primary level in 2013 under the categories of refusal to enrol, suspension and expulsion and the outcome of those appeals. [9045/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 245 and 246 together.

In 2013, 403 section 29 appeals were lodged to my Department, 140 at primary level and 263 at post primary level.

Out of the 403 appeals lodged 203 of these were heard by a section 29 committee. My officials have provided a full breakdown of these figures on the table below.

Section 29 Appeal Administration Unit: 2013 Statistics

Section 29
-							Went to hearing
-		Withdrawn	Local Resolution	Facilitator Resolution	Upheld at Hearing	Not Upheld at Hearing		Totals
-	Permanent Exclusion
Post Primary		14	0	1	15	37		67
Primary		2	0	1	1	5		9
Total		16	0	2	16	42		76
Refusals to enrol
Post Primary		89	4	16	21	62		192
Primary		64	2	5	30	29		130
Total		153	6	21	51	91		322
Suspensions
Post Primary		2	0	0	2	0		4
Primary			0	0	1	0		1
Total		2	0	0	3	0		5
Total for all Appeals		171	6	23	70	133	0	403
Total Appeals Proceeding to Hearing			203			Total Primary	140
						Total Post Primary	263
						Total Appeals	403

School Inspection Reports

Questions (247, 248)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

247. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of appeals initiated in 2013 under section 13(9) of the Education Act 1998 at primary level and the outcome of those appeals. [9046/14]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

248. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of appeals initiated in 2013 under section 13(9) of the Education Act 1998 at post-primary level and the outcome of those appeals. [9047/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 247 and 248 together.

The Procedure for Review of Inspections on Schools and Teachers under Section 13(9) of the Education Act 1998 provides for an informal and formal review process. In 2013, there was one request for a formal review of an inspection in relation to a special school. The outcome of this review was that the appeal was upheld and the inspection report was withdrawn. There were no requests for formal reviews at post-primary level in 2013.

School Staffing

Questions (249, 250)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

249. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of cases of unsatisfactory teaching referred to the schools inspectorate under section 24 of the Education Act at primary level; and the outcome of those referrals. [9048/14]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

250. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of cases of unsatisfactory teaching referred to the schools inspectorate under section 24 of the Education Act at post-primary level; and the outcome of those referrals. [9049/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 249 and 250 together.

To date the Chief Inspector has received two requests from boards of management of primary schools to conduct reviews under Section 24 of the Education Act (1998). The requests were acceded to in both cases and inspections of the work of both teachers were completed in line with the Section 24 procedures. It is my understanding that in one case, the teacher in question retired before the board of management made its final determination. In the case of the second teacher, the review is still ongoing and so I am not in a position to comment any further.

At post-primary level, the chief inspector received one request from a board of management to conduct a review under Section 24 of the Education Act. This case was acceded to and inspections of the work of the teacher were completed. It is my understanding that the teacher in question resigned before the board of management made its final determination.

Departmental Equipment

Questions (251, 252)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

251. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the numbers of laptops, tablets and mobile phones provided to employees of his Department in 2013. [9050/14]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

252. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the numbers of laptops, tablets and mobile phones provided to employees of his Department that were reported as lost or stolen in 2013. [9051/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 251 and 252 together.

In 2013 20 laptop computers and 241 new and renewed mobile phone subscriptions were provided to employees of my Department. No tablet devices were provided to employees. Over the course of 2013 3 encrypted laptop computers and 4 mobile phones were reported as lost or stolen to my Department.

Teaching Qualifications

Questions (253, 254)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

253. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students in each of the colleges of education due to graduate with a B.Ed. degree in 2014. [9052/14]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

254. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students in each of the colleges of education due to graduate with a postgraduate diploma in education in 2014. [9053/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 253 and 254 together.

The number of students due to graduate in 2014 are set out in the table.

Colleges	Estimated Graduates 2014	Estimated Graduates 2014
Primary State Funded ITE Providers	Bachelor of Education	Post Graduate
Mary Immaculate College of Education	449	66
Church of Ireland College of Education	28	0
St.Patricks College of Education	461	68
Froebel Department of Primary & Early Childhood Education,NUIM	60	30
Marino Institute of Education	107	59
	1105	223
Private Provider
Hibernia College		558

School Supervision and Substitution Scheme

Questions (255)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

255. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of days where a substitute has been paid by his Department as a result of primary teachers being absent on assault leave in 2013. [9054/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The information obtained from my Department Databases indicate that no substitute teachers were paid as a result of primary teachers being absent on assault leave in 2013.

School Supervision and Substitution Scheme

Questions (256)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

256. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of days where a substitute has been paid by his Department as a result of post-primary teachers being absent on assault leave in 2013. [9055/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The information obtained from my Department Databases indicate that no substitute teachers were paid as a result of post primary teachers being absent on assault leave in 2013.

Departmental Staff Training

Questions (257)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

257. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of financial assistance given to employees of his Department in respect of third or fourth level course fees in each of the past three years. [9056/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Civil Servants are encouraged to pursue further education during their own time in order to build and develop workplace skills and expertise. In order to foster this in accordance with the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform' circular notice E109/82/97 Government Departments are permitted to meet the cost or to refund fees where the course concerned leads to: a second or third level qualification; are provided by a recognised educational institution or professional body; and are related to the official's duties or broader Civil Service functions. My Department's expenditure on refunding fees in 2011, 2012 and 2013 was €238,786, €220,628 and €171,932 respectively.

Teaching Qualifications

Questions (258, 259)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

258. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of assistance given to primary teachers in respect of third or fourth level course fees in each of the past three years. [9057/14]

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

259. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of assistance given to second level teachers in respect of third or fourth level course fees in each of the past three years. [9058/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 258 and 259 together.

The Refund of Fees Scheme is administered on behalf of my Department by the Marino Institute of Education.

For 2012 the total funding provided was €496,000 and this amount was allocated to 171 primary teachers and 270 post primary teachers. This relates to study undertaken in the academic year 2011/12.

For 2011 the total funding provided was €493,000 and this amount was allocated to 238 primary teachers and 306 post primary teachers. This relates to study undertaken in the academic year 2010/11.

For 2010 the total funding provided was €485,000 and this amount was allocated to 231 primary teachers and 301 post primary teachers. This relates to study undertaken in the academic year 2009/10.

Marino Institute of Education will shortly be accepting applications for the refund of fees scheme for teachers who have successfully undertaken a course in the 2012/13 academic year. The closing date will be announced soon.

Teacher Training Provision

Questions (260)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

260. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the training that will be provided to teachers in advance of the requirement to implement new anti-bullying policies in schools. [9059/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Under the terms of Circular 045/2013, issued in September 2013, all Boards of Management were required to immediately commence the necessary arrangements for developing and formally adopting an anti-bullying policy. Such policy must comply with the procedures as set out in my Department's Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools and should be completed by each school as early as possible in the current school year but, in any event, by no later than Easter.

The Well-being team within the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) undertook a design process to produce a range of support materials to assist schools in the policy development process. The support will be made available in two phases.

Phase1: Principal teachers from primary and post-primary schools will attend a 2.5 hr workshop during which the PDST facilitators will mediate the 2013 Anti-Bullying Procedures, review bullying as a behaviour including its characteristics and impact, and provide detailed guidance on the development of an Anti-Bullying Policy within the school. The legal framework will be explored and relevant documents will be referenced. Examples of these include:

- Anti-Bullying Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools (2013) - Circular 045/2013

- The Department's Template for Anti-Bullying Policy 2013

- Education Act (1998)

- Equal Status Acts, 2000 to 2004

- Education (Welfare) Act, 2000

- NEWB Developing a Code of Behaviour: Guidelines for Schools 2008

- Child Protection Guidelines and Procedures for Primary and Post-Primary Schools, 2011

Key to the success of the school's anti-bullying policy is the creation of a positive school culture and climate. Therefore, in order to ensure that all school personnel would be supported, the PDST team created a webcast platform where the support material can be access by all school personnel. The initial webcast will be broadcast next week for primary schools and for post-primary schools in early March. All support materials are to be made available in both Gaeilge and English.

Phase 2: During Autumn 2014 the PDST will provide a one-day seminar for principals where the focus will be on prevention and intervention strategies at whole-school level.

The support provided by the PDST will help ensure schools meet their obligations under the new procedures, in particular, the promotion of the anti-bullying policy among the school community and the measures in place to develop a positive and inclusive climate in the school.

Employment Rights

Questions (261)

Charlie McConalogue

Question:

261. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to repeal section 37(1) of the Employment Equality Act. [9060/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The programme for Government contains a commitment that "People of non-faith or minority religious backgrounds and publicly identified LGBT people should not be deterred from training or taking up employment as teachers in the state."

In this regard the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) designate has been asked to consider and provide advice in relation to amending Section 37 of the Employment Equality Acts 1998 - 2011.

When this advice is received my colleague the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform will bring forward the necessary amendments to the legislation.