Written Answers Nos. 79-85
79. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the inspectorate’s role in improving literacy and numeracy in schools and its development of self-evaluation materials for schools on these issues. [20529/14]
View answerIn accordance with the measures outlined in the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, the Inspectorate supports the improvement of literacy and numeracy in schools as part of its evaluation and advisory role within the educational system. School inspections include evaluation of the quality of learning in literacy and numeracy. Evaluation reports identify good educational practice in relation to literacy and numeracy development and provide advice to teachers and schools as to how the quality of provision for these skills can be improved.
The Inspectorate also supports schools in the development of their school self-evaluation (SSE) processes in relation to literacy and numeracy. Since 2012, the Inspectorate has developed Guidelines, tools, materials and a dedicated website to support SSE. During 2012/13, it facilitated whole-staff advisory SSE visits to 3029 primary and 666 post-primary schools. In its advisory capacity, the Inspectorate works with the national support services on the design and content of professional development supports that are delivered to schools and teachers in relation to literacy and numeracy. It also contributes to the development of new specifications for English, Maths and Irish at primary and post-primary level.
80. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the provisions that have been made to cater for the 29 children on waiting lists to attend a school (details supplied) in County Meath; the options available to the parents of these children; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20532/14]
View answerIt is the responsibility of the managerial authorities of all schools to implement an enrolment policy in accordance with the Education Act, 1998. In this regard a Board of Management may find it necessary to restrict enrolment to children from a particular area or a particular age group or on the basis of some other criterion. The criteria to be applied by schools in such circumstances are a matter for the schools themselves. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. Under section 15 (2) (d) of the Education Act 1998, each school is legally obliged to publish its enrolment policy.
I have published a draft General Scheme for an Education (Admission to Schools) Bill, 2013 as well as Draft Regulations on Content of Policy and Draft Regulations on Admission Process for discussion ahead of enacting legislation. These are available on the Department's website. The Government recently gave approval for drafting the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2014.
I have stated that my aim in bringing forward legislative proposals in relation to school admission is to improve the admissions process and to ensure that the way schools decide on applications is structured, fair and transparent. The framework also proposes a mechanism for ensuring that every child receives a school place. The Child and Family Agency, is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. They can be contacted at 01 6352854 or by E-mail at info@tusla.ie.
81. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown on social inclusion spending in his Department for each of the past four years. [20543/14]
View answerA key goal for my Department is the provision of a quality and inclusive school and early year's education system with improved learning outcomes for all. There are social inclusion elements to the Department's expenditure across the education continuum and these are funded under specific measures to tackle educational disadvantage. These measures include key areas of service delivery at Early Years Education; Compulsory School Age under DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools), the Action Plan for Educational Disadvantage which focuses on addressing and prioritising the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities; Equity of Access to Higher Level and a range of programmes in Further Education & Training including compensatory measures for adults and early school leavers.
Overall funding in respect of the years in questions is as follows:
|
Year |
€ |
|
2011 |
755.66 million |
|
2012 |
682.56 million |
|
2013 |
685.44 million |
|
2014 |
675.82 (Allocation) |
It should be noted that my colleagues the Minister for Social Protection and the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs also provide funding for measures designed to combat educational disadvantage through the Schools Meals Programme and for the School Completion Programme, respectively. Considerable resources are also deployed to support the education of children and young people with Special Educational Needs. In 2014, €1.3 billion - approximately 15% of the Department of Education and Skills budget - is being allocated to supporting children with special educational needs. The equivalent spends for 2011, 2012 and 2013 were €1.2bn, €1.26bn and €1.3bn respectively.
As already noted there are social inclusion elements to the Department's expenditure across the education continuum, accordingly, the foregoing figures do not necessarily reflect the full extent of my Department's expenditure in this area.
82. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown on spending of the strategic innovation fund during each year since 2011. [20544/14]
View answerThe Strategic Innovation Fund (SIF) was established in 2006 with a major emphasis on promoting inter-institutional collaboration in bringing about substantial change, reform and quality improvement within the higher education system. The SIF was a dedicated and ring-fenced multi-annual fund and it funded projects in the areas of access and lifelong learning, teaching and learning, research, and institutional restructuring. A breakdown of the 2011 and 2012 SIF funding by thematic area from funding issued by the Department is included below. No funding was provided by the Department to the SIF after 2012.
SIF Funding 2011 & 2012
|
- |
2011 Funding |
2012 Funding |
|
Teaching & learning |
4,975,860 |
500,000 |
|
Institutional restructuring |
1,529,964 |
0 |
|
Graduate education & research |
2,393,220 |
0 |
|
Widening access |
1,992,943 |
0 |
|
Lifelong learning |
3,048,947 |
250,000 |
|
Total |
13,940,934 |
750,000 |
83. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of public private partnerships in which his Department is currently engaged; the companies involved; the value and purpose of each of the contracts; and the cost to the State of each venture. [20545/14]
View answerMy Department has in place six Public Private Partnerships contracts details of which are set out in the table. Separately my Department has a further three PPP projects that currently are at planning stage namely Schools Bundle 4, Schools Bundle 5 and Grangegorman. Contracts have not yet been executed for these latter projects.
The purpose and scope of the existing contracts entails designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining the educational facilities involved. The cost is spread over a 25 years period through inflation-linked unitary charge payments. It is consequently not possible to indicate precisely the total cost of these contracts over the course of their lifetimes or the ultimate value attached to the operation, maintenance and lifecycle elements of these contract. However contained in the following table are details of the cost of these contracts to date, as well as the estimated values of the remaining unitary charges on these projects.
Details of PPP Projects as at 1 st May 2014
|
PPP Project |
PPP Company |
Commencement Date |
Cost to Date |
Projected Remaining UC |
|
PPP Pilot Schools |
Schools Public/Private Partnership (Ireland) Ltd |
2003 |
€132,514,350.97 |
€174m |
|
National Maritime College |
Focus Education (NMC) Ltd |
2004 |
€91,196,911.30 |
€166m |
|
Cork School of Music |
CSM PPP Services Ltd |
2007 |
€63,296,997.40 |
€105m |
|
Schools Bundle 1 |
MPFI Schools Bundle 1 |
2010 |
€39,490,093.80 |
€226m |
|
Schools Bundle 2 |
Pymble Schools |
2011 |
€42,537,891.67 |
€310m |
|
Schools Bundle 3 |
BAM PPP Co. |
2013 |
€2,551,019.71 |
€400m |
84. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students in receipt of third level grants during each year since 2010; the total spend on third level student grants during each of these years; and the total number of students in third level education during each of these years. [20546/14]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is detailed in the following table.
|
Data |
2010/11 |
2011/12 |
2012/13 |
|
Total Higher Education Grantholders* |
61,456 |
67,650 |
70,393 |
|
Full-time Students in Higher Education (approved Institutions) |
160,972 |
162,786 |
164,498 |
|
Expenditure on Student Grants Financial Year (2009/10 = 2009)** |
€361,991,807.83 |
€355,057,000.00 |
€336,350,735.99 |
*Grantholder numbers do not include grantholders attending further education courses
**Expenditure includes all expenditure in relation to student grants including further and higher education
85. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the work of the school improvement group; the number of schools with which it has engaged to date; the number of times it has met during each year since 2010; the membership of the group; and the level of funding allocated to it. [20547/14]
View answerThe School Improvement Group monitors the process of follow-up by schools where significant weaknesses have been identified in the overall quality of teaching and learning; leadership and management; compliance with statutory requirements or regulations or codes of practice; or capacity to implement a programme of improvement. 76 schools have been referred to the group since its establishment in 2008. 32 of these cases remain active while 44 cases have closed due to sufficient improvement being noted or closure of the school by the patron. The group generally meets about 3 or 4 times a year. A total of 18 meetings of the group have taken place since 2010. This does not include meetings held with individual schools.
The group comprises senior officials drawn from the Department's School Governance Section and the Inspectorate and involves officials from other sections of the Department, as necessary. The Group works within the Department's existing policies and budget and does not therefore have a separate budget assigned to it.
