Written Answers Nos. 187-197
187. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the lack of adequate apprenticeships has been identified as an obstacle to economic recovery and access to the jobs market; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39645/14]
View answerThe Government recognises the importance of a modern well-functioning apprenticeship system in meeting skills needs and supporting economic growth. As part of the Government's Action Plan for Jobs initiative my Department undertook a review of the Irish Apprenticeship system to determine whether the current model should be retained, adapted or replaced. The review was tasked with taking into account the needs of both learners and industry and to ensure that we have a value for money system that is cost effective and sustainable into the future.
An independent Review Group undertook a substantial consultation process with all major Stakeholders as well as inviting submissions from members of the public. Some 69 written submissions were received by the review group in that context. The report of the Independent Review Group made a number of recommendations regarding a new structure for Apprenticeship, which is envisaged as being relevant to a much wider group of enterprise sectors. Recommendations were also made in relation to current apprenticeships.
Following on from the Review an Apprenticeship Implementation Plan was published on 30 June 2014. As part of this plan a new Apprenticeship Council is in the process of being established. The Council will be enterprise led and have representatives from business, trade unions, further and higher education bodies. The first job of work of the new Apprenticeship Council will be a call for proposals from industry for new apprenticeships. This call for proposals is expected to be made before the end of 2014.
188. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of vacancies for language teachers throughout the State; the schools in which same are located; the language subject for the position advertised; her views on the shortage of language teachers; and her plans to rectify this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39515/14]
View answerTeacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school management annually and are available on the Department website. In accordance with these rules each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation.
As education at post-primary level is on the basis of subjects, the situation is complex and therefore difficult to predict and plan for. Post-primary teachers are generally qualified to teach more than one subject but may not be deployed to teach these in equal measures at school level. School management authorities have the flexibility to deploy teachers to meet demands. Schools are also responsible for deciding what subjects and programmes to offer and this can vary from school to school in accordance with local need. This in turn, determines the type of teacher competencies/specialisms required. While the numbers of PDE (formerly the H.Dip) places have remained fairly constant over recent years, there can be particular subjects which, over time, become more or less in demand and this can lead to a surplus or deficit of teachers of that discipline.
While teaching posts funded by the state continue to increase I understand that there are newly qualified teachers not yet holding teaching positions in schools. The selection processes required of schools, and the commencement of Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act last January depend on there being a supply of suitable individuals within the marketplace.
The Teaching Council, the professional standards body for teachers, is currently working to provide me with advice on the matter of teacher supply with the overall goal of ensuring that there is timely information to inform the system generally and for planning in my Department. I expect to receive an initial report from the Teaching Council later this year and a final report in 2015. The Teaching Council also intends to establish a Consultative Forum for stakeholders which will offer advice and feedback on proposals developed by its Technical Working Group on this matter.
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).
The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.
189. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the return to stability in the economy, her plans to abolish the cap on special needs assistants; her future plans to allocate resources on the basis of need and not budgetary limitations as per the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39527/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Government committed, as part of the budget announcements which were made on Tuesday of this week, to providing 480 extra new Resource Teachers and 365 new Special Needs Assistant posts to support children with special educational needs in schools in 2015. This is in addition to 6,225 Resource Teaching posts which are currently available to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) to allocate to schools for the 2014/15 school year, which in itself is in itself an increase of 480 posts on the preceding year, and 960 posts more than were available for allocation to schools by the NCSE in the 2012/13 school year. With regard to Special Needs Assistants (SNAs), the increase of 365 posts proposed for next year is also additional to the increase of 390 posts which this Government announced in December 2013, which had raised the previous cap from 10,575 available posts to 10,965 posts.
This Government has been resolutely committed to protecting, and in some instances increasing, the level of investment being made to support children with special educational needs at a time when there has been a requirement to make expenditure reductions across a range of areas. It is an area of spending which has been prioritised above most other areas by this Government, despite the enormous pressures on all areas of public spending.
The increases which have already been provided, and which are being proposed for next year, will ensure that children with special educational needs can continue to participate in education and be supported in a manner appropriate to their needs, in accordance with the principles of inclusiveness which are set out in the Education for People with Special Needs Act 2004.
190. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to the fact that significant articles contained in the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 have not been implemented ten years after enactment of the legislation; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that Ireland remains in breach of its commitment under the terms of the European Social Charter; her views that Ireland is in direct violation of the rights of people to live in an integrated society; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39528/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that a significant number of sections of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act have been commenced, principally those establishing the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) and those promoting an inclusive approach to the education of children with special educational needs. Section 2 of the EPSEN Act, which has been enacted, is designed to provide for the maximum inclusion of students with special educational needs in schools, in accordance with the principles of inclusivity set out in the European Social Charter, and the desire to ensure that people can live in an integrated society. In light of the very difficult economic situation and the significant costs involved in fully implementing the EPSEN Act, the previous Government deferred the full implementation of EPSEN.While awaiting the full implementation of the EPSEN Act, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has made a number of recommendations aimed at developing a better or more effective alternative to the current resource allocation model, which aims to move the system towards ultimate implementation of the EPSEN Act. It is intended to bring into effect many of the good ideas contained in the EPSEN Act, on a non-statutory basis initially, through policy developments across a range of areas, in conjunction with NCSE policy advice.
191. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to introduce cover particularly in special needs schools (details supplied) where a teacher's absence is not covered by a substitute teacher that is first day of uncertified sick leave and family leave, which results in the pupils in classes being divided out among the remaining teachers who already have a full class; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39538/14]
View answerThe terms of the supervision and substitution arrangements for primary and second level schools were revised under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013-2016 (Haddington Road Agreement). Under the terms with effect from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, each teacher is required to provide 43 hours supervision and substitution per annum. This includes providing substitution cover for all uncertified sick leave absences and the first day of illness in family leave. The full terms of the arrangements are outlined in Circular 33/2013. It is a matter for the managerial authority of each school to implement these arrangements.
Teachers absent on certified sick leave should submit medical certification documentation to the managerial authority for their absences. If medical certification is submitted the managerial authority can employ a substitute teacher to cover the certified absence. The substitute teacher employed to cover certified sick leave absences in primary, voluntary secondary and community/comprehensive schools are paid by my Department. Substitute teachers employed in Education and Training Board schools are paid by the ETBs.
192. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will ensure that persons who have a safe pass certificate will have same recognised in Britain with the same status as the construction skills certificate; if her attention has been drawn to the fact that many Irish emigrants seeking employment in Britain who have their safe pass certificate have to undertake an additional course resulting in substantial costs even though both courses are of similar standard; if her attention has been further drawn to the fact that Irish representative organisations in Britain are anxious that this matter should be dealt with at an early date as they are familiar with this additional financial burden being placed on many emigrants, particularly younger persons, seeking employment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39569/14]
View answerThe safe pass programme is operated by SOLAS and they are aware of the issue. I understand that SOLAS are in contact with their UK counterparts on the issue of recognition and I have asked them to contact the Deputy to update him on developments.
193. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills in view of the fact that both secondary school unions the TUI and ASTI are opposed to the introduction of the new junior certificate and that the joint managerial body has called on her to drop school based assessment for the terminal exam for a five-year period; if she will engage with the unions and the JMB, joint managerial body, and issue a public response. [39572/14]
View answerSince I have come into office I have met with parent, teacher and school management representatives and discussed Junior Cycle reform with all these groups. At my invitation, the teacher unions have outlined to me their concerns in relation to aspects of the proposed reforms. In doing so, the unions underlined teacher support for the reforms that will lead to better quality teaching and learning experiences and thence outcomes for students I am currently considering the concerns which were raised by teacher representatives, and what different forms of engagement might be considered to facilitate an overall agreement. I look forward to meeting with the teaching unions again later this month, to further progress these discussions. I am also happy to meet management bodies to discuss any concerns they may have. As the Deputy will appreciate, out of respect for the process, I do not intend that engagement with stakeholders should be pre-empted in a public setting.
194. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 471 to 475, inclusive, of 7 October 2014, in view of her reply that her Department has facilitated parents who have sought alternative arrangements by putting such arrangements in place, the reason there is no mention of this option within her Department’s circular 0048/2014, dated June 2014; and the way all parents of children with autism who apply for the home tuition scheme are supposed to find out about this possible option especially if they live in a part of the country where the one private commercial organisation is not operating. [39606/14]
View answer195. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 471 to 475, inclusive, of 7 October 2014, in view of her confirmation that her Department was aware of other groups of parents of children receiving home tuition who were seeking similar arrangements at the same time as the exception was made for the one private commercial organisation over five years ago, if she will confirm the number of other groups of parents came to the attention of her Department at that time; and if she will confirm the number of those groups of parents who subsequently received a similar agreement to that concluded with the private commercial organisation and the date upon which those agreements were concluded. [39607/14]
View answer196. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 471 to 475, inclusive, of 7 October 2014, if she will confirm that the agreement with the one private commercial provider was made over five years ago and renewed annually thereafter; if she will further confirm that for over five years up until 1 July 2013 no other organisation was offered a similar agreement by her Department; and the reason this situation was allowed to continue for over five years. [39608/14]
View answer197. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 471 to 475, inclusive, of 7 October 2014, the statutory basis for engaging the services of one private commercial provider over the past five years in view of the reply that her Department has no contract in place with the provider and in view of the fact that the terms of the agreement with that private commercial provider are not in line with the published terms of operation for the home tuition scheme. [39609/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 194 to 197, inclusive, together.
As previously outlined, parents of children who are eligible for home tuition who sought alternative arrangements to be put in place for the tuition were facilitated and arrangements were put in place with private commercial organisations which provide group tuition to children in a class type setting. Payment in these cases is made directly to the service provider and is calculated on a group rate basis. However such arrangements are not a feature of the scheme and therefore not referenced in the annual Home Tuition Circular.
Where parents of children who are eligible for home tuition have sought alternative arrangements my Department has responded. I wish to clarify for the Deputy that my Department is not aware of other groups of parents having come to the attention of my Department over five years ago in relation to group arrangements for home tuition. There are now arrangements in place with 6 private commercial organisations which provide group tuition in a class type setting for children for whom home tuition has been approved.
The Home Tuition Scheme does not have a separate statutory basis and is not an alternative to school. It is provided for children with a special educational need seeking an educational placement, as an interim measure, until a school placement has been identified. The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is available to assist parents experiencing difficulties in this regard. The arrangements in place with private providers are clear that where school placements are found for participating children the providers will support the child's integration into the school setting.
