Written Answers Nos. 1269-1297
1269. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the ESRI report "Leaving School in Ireland: a longitudinal study of post-school transitions"; and her position regarding the class divisions evident in the study and implications for Government policy. [33410/14]
View answerAs the deputy is aware, the ESRI's report "Leaving School in Ireland" highlights that young people from working-class backgrounds were less likely than their middle class peers to go on to higher education. Young people who attended socially mixed schools and middle-class schools were more likely than those from working class schools to go on to some form of further education and training or higher education.
The DEIS programme is my Department's main policy initiative aimed at addressing educational disadvantage. All 849 primary and post primary schools, with a combined enrolment of over 160,000 pupils, participating in DEIS receive a range of additional resources including additional staffing, funding, access to literacy and numeracy programmes and assistance with activities such as school planning.
Ongoing evaluation of the DEIS Programme shows that these supports are achieving improved learning outcomes with continuing gains in literacy and numeracy evident in longitudinal testing as well as improved attendance rates. Second level attainment levels are also improving in DEIS schools. The key DEIS supports of the Home School Community Liaison Scheme and the School Completion Programme, now delivered by TUSLA, promote child and family engagement with education and thereby achieve greater levels of participation and retention.
In addition, for almost two decades, there has been a strong focus in Ireland on achieving equity of access to higher education. Initiatives include the student grant system; the Fund for Students with Disabilities; the Student Assistance Fund; and the inclusion in the HEA funding allocation model of metrics which recognise and encourage institutional performance in relation to access. Estimated participation by target socio-economic groups has increased from 27% to 30% for those from non-manual worker backgrounds and from 33% to 36% for those from semi and unskilled worker backgrounds between 2005 and 2013.
The Report also highlights the importance of guidance provision. My Department recommends that guidance is a whole school responsibility, with guidance counsellors playing a key role within the overall school team approach. Where possible, group work and class based activity should be used so as to maximise the time available for those students who are most in need of one to one support.
1271. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the situation regarding the building of new school premises for a school (details supplied) in County Cork; the extent to which her Department is monitoring the construction project; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33414/14]
View answerThe School Authority is the client for the project referred to by the Deputy and has a contract in place with the Building Contractor. The Department is not a party to that contract.
My Department is aware of the delays which have been encountered in reaching completion of the works and the School Authority continues to keep the Department informed of progress in that respect.
1272. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to reverse the cuts in the third level maintenance grant over the past several years in recognition of the dramatically increasing rates of rent for student accommodation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33478/14]
View answerThe Deputy will appreciate that the current economic circumstances of the country are such that I am not in a position to reverse changes to third level maintenance grants at this time.
However, I do understand the concerns of students in this regard and I will take account of these in considering any future changes as part of the budgetary process for 2015 and beyond, having regard to the position of the public finances.
1273. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost to the State to ensure a pupil-teacher ratio of 15:1 in all primary schools for children aged nine and under, and 20:1 for children above that age category in primary school; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33514/14]
View answer1343. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reducing the ratio for a fourth teacher in Gaeltacht schools from 86:4 to 76:4; the number of extra teachers that would need to be employed to do same; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33770/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1273 and 1343 together.
A significant amount of analysis would be required to provide an indicative estimate for the costings requested by the Deputy. It is not possible in the time available, to undertake such an analysis. This information will be provided to the Deputy as soon as it can be gathered.
Given the current budgetary environment there is no scope in the short term to consider improvements to pupil teacher allocation ratios. My Department's focus for the forseeable future is on targeting any additional resources to cater for the continuing increase in demographics at all levels in the education system.
1274. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total amounts in Student Universal Support Ireland grants issued to students during each of the past five years; the number of students who received grants during each of those years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33515/14]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) have processed all new applications since it began operation in the 2012/13 academic year. The details below in relation to SUSI's expenditure on student grants and the number of students who were awarded a grant in 2012/13 and 2013/14 academic years are compiled from information supplied to my Department by SUSI.
My Department is currently analysing the data received in the 2013/2014 Annual Statistical Return from SUSI and the final number of awards will be available in the coming weeks. The expenditure in relation to the 2013/14 academic year is also currently being finalised and relates to both maintenance and fee grants.
|
Academic Year |
No. of Students Awarded |
Expenditure |
|
2012/13 |
40,611 |
€149m |
|
2013/14* |
59,753 |
€240m |
*Provisional statistics and expenditure in respect of the 2013/14 academic year
1275. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of funds allocated for reform of State exams; if she will provide a breakdown of the way these funds will be managed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33516/14]
View answerAs the reformed Junior Cycle is implemented over the coming years, the role of the State Examinations Commission will change and its involvement will be less extensive than it has been to date in the Junior Certificate. It is, nevertheless, expected that some transitional costs may arise. To date there have been no additional costs to the SEC. Costs arising in 2015 and subsequent years are part of the estimates process and will not be finalised until after the budget in the relevant year.
At Senior Cycle, the SEC will be involved in the trialling of possible new practical procedures in the Leaving Certificate sciences and this is currently being costed. Most of the actual trial work will commence in 2015.
Funding has been ring-fenced for the implementation of the reformed Junior Cycle. The combined costs of curriculum and CPD support in a full year will be of the order of €10 million.
The NCCA has prioritised the Junior Cycle in its workplan and is currently working on a number of subjects that will be phased in over the next number of years. A Junior Cycle for Teachers' Support Service has been established under the directorship of Dr. Pádraig Kirk and will, in this academic year, be working with school leaders and with English and Science teachers in particular.
The NCCA is also prioritising work at senior cycle with its development of new specifications, for example, in the sciences, in physical education and in economics.
1276. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost to the State for funding registration fees for students in September 2013. [33517/14]
View answer1277. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the projected cost if the State had funded all registration fees for students in higher level institutions in September 2013. [33518/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1276 and 1277 together.
The position is that the exchequer meets the cost of tuition fees, through my Department's free fees schemes, in respect of full-time undergraduate students who meet the terms of the schemes. Student who qualify for free fees funding must pay a Student Contribution however those students who qualify under my Department's Student Grant Scheme have the Contribution paid on their behalf by the Exchequer.
There was a total of 129,200 students who qualified for free fees funding in 2013/14 and it would therefore have cost my Department a total of €323m to fund the Student Contribution for those students in 2013/14.
The Deputy will appreciate that the exact spend on Student Contribution in relation to the 2013/14 academic year under the Student Grant Scheme is not yet finalised, however, it is estimated that the spend will be some €160m.
1278. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has conducted any research on payment of voluntary contributions by parents to schools during the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33519/14]
View answer1280. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will instruct her Department to collect and record information on the level of voluntary contributions collected by schools; the reason this information is not recorded; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33521/14]
View answer1281. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department have conducted a feasibility study on preventing schools from charging voluntary contributions to schools. [33528/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1278, 1280 and 1281 together.
Apart from those recognised fee-charging second level schools, recognised primary and post primary schools are precluded from charging school fees. Voluntary contributions by parents are permissible provided it is made absolutely clear to parents that there is no question of compulsion to pay and that, in making a contribution, they are doing so of their own volition.
It is not my Department's policy to prohibit the practice of schools seeking contributions from parents so long as it is made absolutely clear that the contributions concerned are voluntary. I have no plans to alter this position provided schools ensure that the contributions are sought in a manner that makes this clear to all concerned. It is also important that schools are cognisant of the financial pressures that many parents are currently experiencing and that such fundraising is carried out in a manner that is sensitive to these difficulties. Decisions in relation to such contributions are dealt with at local school level and my Department therefore does not hold data centrally in relation to the amounts involved.
The Deputy may also be aware that the Government gave approval in March of this year for drafting the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2014 and the General Scheme has since been referred to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government for drafting.
The 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 legislative proposals will, inter alia, prohibit the charging of any fees or contributions as part of the school admission process.
1279. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the projected cost to the State for introducing a completely free book scheme for primary school students that would not require payment of a rental fee by parents; the projected cost to the State of introducing a completely free book scheme for secondary school students that would not require payment of a rental fee by parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33520/14]
View answerThe information sought is not readily available to my Department, however one estimate from publishers' sources suggests that the Irish school book market is worth approximately €60 million per annum.
My Department provides some €15 million in book grants annually to primary and secondary school students and it would cost an estimated €45 million to cover the full cost.
In addition Budget 2014 provided funding of €5 million for three years to support the establishment of book rental schemes in primary schools that did not operate such schemes
1282. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding college grant support in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33536/14]
View answer1297. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is any scheme or grant to assist a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33610/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1282 and 1297 together.
For student grant purposes, students are categorised according to their circumstances either as students dependent on parents or a legal guardian, or as independent mature students.
For a dependent student, the reckonable income for grant purposes includes both his/her own income and that of his/her parents/legal guardians. An applicant's class is defined at his/her first point of entry to an approved higher or further education course and will continue to apply for the duration of his/her studies.
A student may be assessed as an independent mature student if he or she has attained the age of 23 on the 1st January of the year of first entry to an approved course or of re-entry following a break in studies of at least three years and is not ordinarily resident with his/her parents from the previous October. Otherwise he or she would continue to be assessed on the basis of parental income.
Officials of my Department have contacted Louth/Meath ETB, the relevant grant awarding authority in this case, who confirmed that in the case of the student referred to by the Deputy he was awarded a fee grant of 50% student contribution in the 2013/2014 academic year having been assessed with reference to his parents reckonable income details. The awarding authority also confirmed that they have not to date received an application from the student to renew his grant application in the respect of the 2014/2015 academic year.
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. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
1283. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse the decision to reduce teacher and special needs assistant numbers at St. Michael’s House, Baldoyle, Dublin 13 as a matter of urgency; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33537/14]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for the allocation of staffing in special schools. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.
The NCSE is currently examining the current staffing allocation in the school to which the Deputy refers, with reference to its current enrolment and student profile.On completion of this examination, the school will be notified of the outcome.
1284. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there is a mechanism available to a mature student to recommence a course at degree level, if they already have a masters qualification, to improve their employment prospects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33541/14]
View answerTo satisfy the terms and conditions of the student grant scheme in relation to progression, a student must be moving from year to year within a course, having successfully completed the previous year or be transferring from one course to another, where the award for the subsequent course is of a higher level than the previous course.
The objective of this policy is to help as many students as possible to obtain one qualification at each level of study. Given the level of demand on the student grant budget from first time students and students that are progressing with their studies to a higher level, there are no plans at present to change the arrangements in place.
A student holding a postgraduate Level 9 Master's qualification would not satisfy the progression requirements of the Scheme on commencing an undergraduate Level 8 degree programme.
1285. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school transport in respect of a child (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33548/14]
View answerUnder the terms of my Department's Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 3.2 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
Distance eligibility is determined by Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from the child's home to the relevant school.
For measurement purposes the shortest traversable route between the child's home and the relevant school may be either a pedestrian or vehicular route, and it is not necessarily the route that a school bus might take.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that there are in fact two nearer national schools to the family referred to by the Deputy.
1286. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding teachers' pay conditions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33562/14]
View answerInternationally comparable data on educational indicators such as teachers' salaries and instruction time in schools are compiled and published annually by the OECD Directorate for Education and Skills. The report, "Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators" provides authoritative information on the state of education and the performance of education systems in more than 40 countries including Ireland. "Education at a Glance 2014" was published on 9th September 2014 and can be accessed on the OECD website www.oecd.org. In addition, my Department has published a summary of information relevant to Ireland's education system on the website www.education.ie.
1287. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of any legal counsel who provided services to Quality and Qualifications Ireland since its establishment; the services they provided; and the costs of these services. [33598/14]
View answer1288. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of any consultants who have provided services to Quality and Qualifications Ireland since its establishment; the services they provided; and the costs of each of these services. [33599/14]
View answer1289. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 24 June 2014 if she will provide a breakdown of how the €54,796 was spent by Quality and Qualifications Ireland on public relations and media management; the names of consultants contracted and what was provided in exchange for this payment. [33600/14]
View answer1290. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 24 June 2014 if she will provide a breakdown of how the €54,769 was spent by Quality and Qualifications Ireland on policy development and implementation support; the names of consultants contracted; what was provided in exchange for this payment and the policies which were developed and implemented. [33601/14]
View answer1291. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 24 June 2014, if she will provide a breakdown of how the €18,250 was spent by Quality and Qualifications Ireland on branding and design services; the names of consultants contracted and what was provided in exchange for this payment. [33602/14]
View answer1292. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 24 June 2014 if she will provide a breakdown of how the €385,532 was spent by Quality and Qualifications Ireland on ICT services; the names of consultants contracted and what was provided in exchange for this payment. [33603/14]
View answer1293. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 24 June 2014 if she will provide a breakdown of the €9,328 spent by Quality and Qualifications Ireland on hotels; the names of hotels and what training events they were used for. [33604/14]
View answer1294. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 198 of 24 June 2014 if she will provide a breakdown of the €16,017 spent on educational assistance for staff in Quality and Qualifications Ireland; and what courses were funded or partially funded for these staff. [33605/14]
View answer1295. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of any professional speakers who addressed Quality and Qualifications Ireland staff events. [33606/14]
View answer1296. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total cost to Quality and Qualifications Ireland for commissioning professional speakers to address staff, including the speaker’s fee and cost of travel and accommodation. [33607/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 1287 to 1296, inclusive, together.
My Department has been liaising with QQI to collate the information requested by the Deputy. Given the level of detail involved, I propose to write to the Deputy to provide the detailed information sought.
