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Wednesday, 9 Apr 2014

Written Answers Nos. 85-90

Teacher Data

Questions (85)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

85. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he expects to be in a position to retain the required complement of teachers at primary and second level throughout the country during the current year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16993/14]

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Written answers

The Government has protected frontline services in schools and there will be no reduction in teacher numbers in primary schools and in free second level schools for the 2014/15 school year as a result of the budget. The DEIS scheme for disadvantaged schools is also fully protected with no overall changes to staffing levels or funding as a result of the budget. Teacher allocations are approved annually in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The staffing arrangements at primary and post primary level for the 2014/15 school year have been published and are available on the Department website.

Normally, the staffing of schools is determined by the enrolments of the previous September. However, the staffing arrangements also include provision for schools that are projecting significant increases in their enrolments for the start of the school year to be allocated additional posts. At post primary level, where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department considers applications for additional short term support i.e., curricular concessions.

The allocation processes at both primary and post primary level also include an appeals mechanism under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. The Appeal Boards operate independently of the Department and their decisions are final. The final staffing position for all schools at primary and post primary level will ultimately not be known until the Autumn. At that stage the allocation process will be fully completed and any appeals to the Staffing Appeal Boards will have been considered.

Education and Training Provision

Questions (86)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

86. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which his Department is satisfied regarding the availability of facilities in respect of upskilling to meet current and future employment requirements, either directly or in conjunction with other Departments or agencies including Solas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16994/14]

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Written answers

The policy basis which informs the Government's education and training provision includes the National Skills Strategy, the Strategy for Science Technology and Innovation, the Report of the Task Force on Innovation, the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, the Action Plan for Jobs and Pathways to Work. In addition to the wide range of cross-cutting policy structures and forums for engagement on enterprise skills needs, such as the National Competitiveness Council, and the Innovation Task Force; direct advice from enterprise informs the development of education and training policy on an ongoing basis. The work of the Expert Group on Future Skills Needs also informs the development of education and training provision. The theme of meeting current and future skills needs is strongly taken up in the Higher Education Strategy and will form a core part of the forthcoming Further Education and Training Strategy which has been developed by SOLAS.

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Questions (87)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

87. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which he will re-examine the structures of Student Universal Support Ireland and the inadequacy of the existing structures to deal with the volume of applications; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16995/14]

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Written answers

For the 2013/14 academic year the grants administration process has undergone significant development to enhance its effectiveness and deal with the difficulties experienced in its first year of operation. SUSI implemented a number of initiatives recommended by an independent review. These included direct information sharing with Government bodies and other agencies including the Revenue Commissioners, the Department of Social Protection and the CAO. I understand that these links significantly reduced the number of documents required from students in processing grant applications compared with the 2012/13 academic year. SUSI has been operating considerably more efficiently and has been meeting its targets in respect of processing grants on schedule in 2013/14. There will be an ongoing focus on work to continually improve the system, particularly relating to the processes and systems in operation. In this regard, SUSI is currently developing a programme of further changes and improvements to provide enhanced services to grant applicants for the coming academic year.

The measures under consideration are: earlier opening of the grants online system to facilitate earlier acceptance of grant applications, enhanced application form functionality, improvements to workflows and streamed processing for the different types of applications received by SUSI, improved website information, enhanced direct communications and information exchange between applicants and SUSI using new technology and the further extension of data-sharing arrangements between SUSI and Government Departments and agencies to reduce the amount of documentation sought from applicants.

Student Grant Scheme Applications Data

Questions (88)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

88. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of student higher education grant applications received by Student Universal Support Ireland in respect of the 2013-2014 academic year; the number approved, refused or pending to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16996/14]

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Written answers

At the close of business on 6th April 2014, SUSI has provided the following data in relation to new applications for the 2013/2014 academic year. A total of 68,570 applications were received, of which 68,221 assessments were completed. 42 applications are awaiting assessment. SUSI are awaiting documentation in relation to 307 applications. In relation to the 68,221 assessments, 39,014 are awarded/provisionally awarded with 29,207 applications either refused or cancelled.

Bullying in Schools

Questions (89)

Bernard Durkan

Question:

89. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of incidents of school bullying, including cyberbullying, reported to his Department by the primary and-or post-primary sectors in each of the past three years and to date this year; the extent to which it has been found possible to address the issue to date; his intentions for the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16997/14]

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Written answers

In January 2013, my colleague, the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, and I published the Action Plan on Bullying. Since then good progress has been made on implementing actions designed to prevent and tackle bullying in schools. These actions focus on support for schools, teacher training, research and awareness raising and aim to ensure that all forms of bullying, including cyber bullying, are addressed. New National Anti-Bullying Procedures, which include a specific reference to cyberbullying, were published last September. These will be adopted and form the basis for anti-bullying policies in all schools during this school year. The new procedures are available on my Department's website www.education.ie and include reporting and oversight arrangements.

The recommended approach is for schools to aim to prevent bullying in schools and, where it does happen, to take the steps required to address the issue at local level. There is no obligation on school authorities to report incidents of bullying to my Department and my Department does not collate data on individual bullying incidents. Central to promoting safer use of the Internet by young people is a strong commitment to changing behaviour and raising the knowledge, skills and attitudes around preventing, responding to and reporting cyber bullying incidents. The continued implementation of the Action Plan on Bullying will increase capacity in these areas and build on my Department's current strategy to ensure that internet safety is mainstreamed throughout schools' teaching, learning and other practices. Resources are available on www.webwise.ie and include guidelines on developing Acceptable Use Policies.

Awareness raising initiatives on cyberbullying, including "Up2Us", a new resource to tackle cyberbullying, are provided through the internet safety initiative, Webwise. In 2013 and 2014, my Department supported Safer Internet Day, an initiative that addresses internet safety issues, including cyberbullying, for young people. Training materials for parents, teachers and Boards of Management are also being developed and rolled out.Implementation of these and the other actions identified in the Plan will continue in 2014.

Third Level Admissions Entry Requirements

Questions (90)

Arthur Spring

Question:

90. Deputy Arthur Spring asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 355 of 25 March 2014, and based on the response (details supplied), if he will encourage third level institutions which require mature student applicants with previous degrees to complete the MSAP examination, to consider changing their admission policy in the future. [17017/14]

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Written answers

The MSAP (Mature Students Admission Pathway) is designed to assess a range of competencies considered important for success in tertiary study. I understand that mature students applying for specific courses in UCC, UCD and NUIG are required to have a MSAP result. Universities are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the management of their academic affairs, including admissions criteria, are matters for the individual institutions concerned. My Department has no function in relation to such matters, it would not be open to me therefore, to request a university to consider changing their admissions policy.

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