Written Answers Nos. 161-168
161. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason this Deputy's correspondence (details supplied) has not been replied to, notwithstanding its having been furnished to Bus Éireann school transport services on 8 September 2014; if steps will be taken to ensure that an appropriate reply is furnished; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45709/14]
View answerBus Éireann, which operates the school transport scheme on behalf of my Department, is responsible for the negotiation and awarding of school transport contracts to private operators and has advised that the correspondence in question was overlooked in error by the local office in question. Bus Éireann has advised that a response will issue within the next week.
162. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to address WIT's preference to become a university outside the terms of her proposed technological universities Bill and the breakdown in talks with IT Carlow. [45417/14]
View answerI have made it very clear that there is no avenue for an institute of technology to become a university other than that which has been established through the four stage process and criteria to become a technological university. The legislative framework for this process is being put in place through the Technological Universities Bill. I have now established a new process to reinvigorate the technological university of the South East project. I have appointed Michael Kelly to lead a process of consultation to explore with all parties the future of a technological university in the South East. The Government has made a strong commitment to explore the establishment of a multi-campus technological university in that region. I believe such an institution will make an enormous contribution to the social and economic fabric of the south-east. I expect to receive Mr. Kelly's report early in the new year.
163. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to lift the moratorium on filling posts of responsibility in primary schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45574/14]
View answerWhen the moratorium on the filling of posts of responsibility was introduced in 2009, the Government exempted Principal and Deputy Principal posts in all primary and post-primary schools. These posts continue to be replaced in the normal manner. The impact of the moratorium was therefore limited to the Assistant Principal and Special Duties posts of responsibility. The alleviation arrangements set out in Circular 0004/2014 provide a floor by which schools acutely affected at AP level by the impact of the moratorium can fill their AP vacancies as they arise to the level of the thresholds set out in that circular. It continues to be a matter for each individual school authority to re-organise and prioritise the appropriate duties for post of responsibility holders in the context of implementing the moratorium. However, I think it is fair to say that before the moratorium, notwithstanding the fact that one out of every two teachers held a management allowance, the workload issue and the pressures on Principals and Deputy Principals existed. Simply lifting the moratorium as extra funding becomes available in future years is not the best way of improving how school leadership is distributed in our schools. Economic constraints and the moratorium on recruitment, albeit alleviated to some extent for schools, have presented challenges within the education sector. They also provide an opportunity to review the role of the principal so that our principals are leaders of learning, and to reconfigure the middle management structure to support principals in their role, ensuring ownership of responsibility rather than tasks, thereby building expertise and supporting a career path within the profession. The Department, in consultation with the representative bodies has commenced an exploration of the opportunities to support and thereby advance our understanding of the needs of school leaders and how they might be addressed.
164. Deputy Billy Kelleher asked the Minister for Education and Skills if grant aid will be made available to assist primary schools with the ever-increasing requirements of her Department in compiling the pupil online database; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45575/14]
View answerThis matter is currently under consideration by my Department. A decision will be relayed to schools in the coming weeks.
165. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 178 of 1 July 2014, the number of relief teaching days allocated to teachers on a departmental pension in the latest available figures at primary and post-primary respectively; the steps being taken to reduce this number; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45611/14]
View answerThe information provided to the Deputy on 1 July 2014 in the most recent information available in my Department. Information relating to the period April to June 2014 should be available in my Department in mid December. I will arrange for the information to be forwarded to the Deputy at that time.
The policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the managerial authorities of schools give priority to the employment of unemployed registered teachers who are fully qualified when filling vacant teaching posts.
My Department has issued a number of circulars addressing this issue in recent years. Under the terms of these circulars school Principal's must maintain a list of unemployed registered teachers who are available for substitute work at short notice and report to the Board of Management on any exceptional occasion where they have to engage a registered teacher who is retired.
A retired teacher who returns to teaching on or after 1 February 2012 commences at the first point of the incremental salary scale. Incremental credit for service prior to 1 February 2012, qualification allowances and certain job role allowances are also not payable. These measures represents a significant financial disincentive for teachers who retired at the top of their salary scale, often with a post of responsibility allowance, to return to teaching.
166. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will confirm plans for the development of permanent school accommodation for a school (details supplied) currently housed in temporary accommodation in a centre in Tallaght, Dublin 24; if she will confirm the schedule now being followed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45617/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has recently acquired a site for the school to which he refers. It is my Department's intention to provide a permanent building for the school on the site and my Department will be in contact directly with the school in this regard.
167. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to provide additional second level school accommodation in the Firhouse area, Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45618/14]
View answerMy Department is currently examining the extent and location of additional post-primary places that will be needed on a nationwide basis from 2017 onwards. This process includes an examination of the Firhouse area, Dublin 24. When this exercise has been completed, arrangements will be made to make additional accommodation available where it is needed.
168. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a further update on plans for the development of permanent school accommodation for a school (details supplied), the all-Irish primary school currently housed in the school complex at Knockmore Avenue, Tallaght, Dublin 24; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45619/14]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that planning permission has been granted by the Local Authority for the major building project for the school in question. However, a 3rd party appeal on the planning application was lodged with an Bord Pleanála in late September of this year. My Departments design team has made a submission to An Bord Pleanála in response to the appeal. The decision of An Bord Pleanála is currently awaited. In advance of receiving that decision it would be inappropriate for the Department to comment on the further progression of the project at this time.
