Written Answers Nos. 447 - 462
447. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will intervene to address the anomaly in the case of a secondary school teacher (details supplied) in Dublin 15 who attained a postgraduate diploma in education, qualified as a teacher and registered with the Teaching Council in 2011 but was placed on post-2012 pay scales as they had to complete some extra modules relating to their original bachelor degree. [45810/14]
View answerThe Teaching Council, the professional regulatory body for teachers, is the body with statutory responsibility since 2006 for the registration of teachers. I as Minister for Education and Skills have no direct function in relation to the registration of individual teachers.
I understand the person referred to by the Deputy was conditionally registered by the Teaching Council as a Post Primary teacher on 15th August, 2013 and became eligible for the qualified rate of pay from that date. Thus the person was placed on the February 2012 incremental salary scale.
448. Deputy Michael Creed asked the Minister for Education and Skills the support available in respect of a school that has been deemed ineligible for the emergency works scheme that needs to urgently remove trees overhanging the school that are a clear risk to health and safety; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [45905/14]
View answerThe school referred to by the Deputy has applied for funding under my Department's Emergency Works Scheme for the removal of trees. The application is currently being assessed and the school authority will be notified of the outcome of this assessment as soon as possible.
449. Deputy Billy Timmins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding payment for contract work in respect of a company (details supplied); if this payment will be made as a matter of urgency in view of the seriousness of the situation for this company; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46037/14]
View answerA building project is a complex arrangement of contractual relationships between the client, the main contractor, specialist sub-contractors, domestic sub-contractors, suppliers of materials, suppliers of plant etc. In general all sub-contractors employed on education sector building projects are employed directly by the Main Contractor or indirectly by the Main Contractor through other sub-contractors. It is a matter for all sub-contractors to agree terms and conditions and a schedule of payments with the Main Contractor as their direct employer.
The specific issue outlined in the details provided by the Deputy involves a contractual matter between two private companies. As such my Department has no legal authority to intervene in this matter.
You will be aware of the commitment in the Programme for Government 2011-2016 to "introduce new legislation to protect all small building subcontractors that have been denied payments from bigger companies". In this regard the Construction Contracts Act 2013 is intended to provide statutory arrangements for payments under construction contracts. The Act, when commenced, will then provide certain protections for companies and individuals, including sub-contractors, engaged in construction related activities who enter into construction contracts covered by the Act. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is the lead Department in respect of this legislation.
450. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to correspondence sent to her by a person (details supplied) regarding the home tuition scheme dated 6 October 2014; her plans to respond to this correspondence; her views that the home tuition scheme was operated in a consistent and equitable manner; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46056/14]
View answerThe correspondence in question has been brought to my attention and I have issued a response to it. I have also requested my officials to respond directly in detail on some of the issues raised in the letter and subsequent related e-mail; I am advised that this response will issue presently.
It is, in my view, reasonable to conclude that the Department has maintained a consistent position in relation to the development of group arrangements and direct payment arrangements for home tuition and that the scheme is operated in a consistent and equitable manner.
451. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the practice of the deduction of sick days from participants on further education and training courses; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46092/14]
View answerAn Absence and Sickness Policy is in place for participants on training courses. The policy makes provision for trainees to be paid for periods of illness where appropriate. There are no plan to review the policy at this stage.
452. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the difficulties that young primary school teachers are experiencing finding employment, probation and substitute work; her plans to address problems in this area; if her Department has issued circulars on best practice relating to the recruitment of teaching staff; if concerns have been conveyed to her regarding the general recruitment process in the primary sector; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46105/14]
View answerSection 30 of the Teaching Council Act, which became operational on 28 January this year provides that teachers in recognised schools must be registered with the Teaching Council, the professional standards body for teachers, to be paid by the State.
Alongside Section 30, the Education Act 1998 (Unregistered Persons) Regulations 2014 were also put in place. This allows schools only in urgent or unforeseen cases to engage an unregistered person for up to 5 days at a time. Circular 52/2013 issued by my Department provides details of the procedures to be followed by school managerial authorities following commencement of section 30 of the Teaching Council Act.
A number of measures have been taken in recent years to facilitate newly qualified teachers in achieving full registration with the Teaching Council. The minimum service requirement for probation for primary teachers has been reduced from 170 days to 100 days. Furthermore in certain circumstances the Teaching Council will facilitate teachers who have to travel overseas to secure employment by removing the condition of Probation if they successfully complete a comparable process overseas, provided that this process is certified by the competent authority in the state in question e.g. a teaching council or Ministry of Education.
New teachers may avail of the Department of Social Protection's JobBridge National Internship scheme to gain experience and to undertake necessary teaching duties to complete the process of probation and fulfil the requirements for full registration with the Teaching Council. The Work Placement Programme also provides opportunities for graduates to gain work experience in employment in public, private and voluntary sectors.
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 Constitution of Boards and Rules of Procedure document 2011 sets out the procedures for appointment of teachers and special needs assistants at primary level.
Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising unemployed registered teachers over retired registered teachers and registered teachers over unregistered persons.
Each principal must report to his or her board of management on a regular basis on the fact that a list of unemployed registered teachers is being maintained, and the circumstances in which he or she has had to engage a registered teacher in receipt of a pension under a public service pension scheme or an unregistered person.
The allocation of additional funding for the employment of teachers due to the increase in numbers of pupils in the 2015 Budget will assist in creating additional positions which will further assist newly qualified teachers to obtain positions.
453. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on student grant applications in respect of persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46125/14]
View answerAs part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making enquiries about their grant applications.
This service compliments the established channels provided by SUSI which include online application tracking, a dedicated website, a telephone helpdesk, email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
Enquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
454. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will issue on a student grant application in respect of a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46126/14]
View answerAs part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making enquiries about their grant applications.
This service compliments the established channels provided by SUSI which include online application tracking, a dedicated website, a telephone helpdesk, email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
Enquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
455. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will issue on student grant applications in respect of persons (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46129/14]
View answerAs part of a comprehensive customer service and communications strategy provided by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI), to ensure that all necessary avenues are open to applicants to receive the information they need, a dedicated email and phone line service is provided by SUSI for Oireachtas members. This was established to meet an identified need for applicants who choose to engage the assistance of their public representatives in making enquiries about their grant applications.
This service compliments the established channels provided by SUSI which include online application tracking, a dedicated website, a telephone helpdesk, email and social media, including Facebook and Twitter.
Enquiries may be emailed direct to SUSI at oireachtas@susi.ie. SUSI are responding to email queries within a matter of days.
If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a student grant, or that the rate of grant awarded is not the correct one, she/he may appeal, in the first instance, to SUSI.
Where an individual applicant has had an appeal turned down in writing by SUSI and remains of the view that the scheme has not been interpreted correctly in his/her case, an appeal form outlining the position may be submitted by the applicant to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board.
456. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an appeal in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Kilkenny relative to their application to retire on grounds of ill health; if the outcome of the oral hearing will be expedited; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46134/14]
View answerThe person to whom the Deputy refers made an application for retirement on ill-health grounds. The statutory basis for Ill Health Retirement pension benefit for members of the Teachers' Superannuation Schemes in Primary, Secondary, Community and Comprehensive Schools is contained in the Secondary, Community and Comprehensive School Teachers Pension Scheme 2009 and the Primary School Teachers Pension Scheme 2009 as appropriate.
Detailed information in relation to ill health retirement applications is contained in the documentation provided to applicants and is available on my Department's website: www.education.ie. The person to whom the Deputy refers has had their application processed through the system and has recently been notified of the decision.
457. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views in respect of correspondence (details supplied) regarding sick leave entitlements; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46145/14]
View answerFollowing a review of sick leave arrangements, a new Public Service wide sick leave scheme has been introduced across the Public Service.
The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) (Amendment) Act 2013, provided the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform with the power to make regulations that set out the specific details of the Public Service Sick Leave Scheme. These regulations are contained in SI 124 of 2014 and set out the terms for the granting of sick leave and came into effect in the education sector on 1 September 2014.
The Regulations set out the provisions which relate to the interaction of pregnancy related illness with sick leave limits and detail how the time on half pay due to pregnancy related illness is protected.
Circular Letter 0059/2014 issued by my Department outlines in detail the pregnancy related illness provisions for teachers arising from the introduction of the Public Service Wide Sick Leave Scheme.
458. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of part-time teachers employed in the 16 ETBs. [46154/14]
View answer473. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers working in the 16 education and training boards who are on contracts of indefinite duration; and the number in permanent positions. [46257/14]
View answer474. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers working in the 16 education and training boards who have been appointed to permanent positions since July 2013. [46258/14]
View answer475. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers in part-time work in the 16 education and training boards. [46259/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 458 and 473 to 475, inclusive, together.
The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on my Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level for the current school year is the pupil enrolment at 30 September 2013. There are currently 9,700 WTE (whole time equivalent) posts allocated to the ETB sector.
The information requested by the Deputy in relation to teachers employed in the ETB sector and the status of their posts is not available in my Department as it is held at individual ETB level. It is a matter for the individual ETB scheme, as employer, to determine whether a teacher is entitled to hold a contract of indefinite duration.
459. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department made for the running of Education and Training Boards Ireland in 2013. [46155/14]
View answer460. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department made to the running of IVEA in the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive. [46156/14]
View answer476. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department makes to the running of Education and Training Boards Ireland for 2013. [46260/14]
View answer477. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department made to the running of the Irish Vocational Education Association in the years 2010 to 2013, inclusive. [46261/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 459, 460, 476 and 477 together.
The Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) represented the interests, at a national level, of the thirty three Vocational Education Committees (VECs) until the commencement on 1 July 2013 of the Education and Training Boards Act, which dissolved the VECs and established the sixteen Education and Training Boards (ETBs). IVEA retitled itself as Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) at this time and it represents ETBs and promotes their interests at a national level.
My Department provides an annual grant to ETBI, as well as funding for the post of ETBI General Secretary on a non-recoupment basis. These arrangements are in line with the practice adopted for the other school managerial bodies. Details of this funding to ETBI are set out on the table.
The Deputy should note that, from time to time, my Department facilitates secondment arrangements to ETBI for particular areas of work.
Financial contribution to the running of the IVEA/ETBI
|
Purpose of Funding |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
|
Salary of General Secretary |
€141,701 |
€142,159 |
€142,568 |
€137,970 |
|
Annual Grant |
€177,532 |
€177,532 |
€168,656 |
€168,656 |
|
Total |
€321,243 |
€321,702 |
€313,236 |
€308,639 |
461. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department made to the running of NAPD in the years 2008 to 2013, inclusive. [46157/14]
View answer479. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the financial contribution her Department made to the running of the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals in the years 2008 to 2013, inclusive. [46263/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 461 and 479 together.
The National Association for Principals and Deputy Principals (NAPD) is a recognised representative body for Principals and Deputy Principals at post-primary level.
Funding provided by my Department to the NAPD relates to a non-recoupable secondment in respect of the position of Director and funding in respect of the provision by NAPD of supports, training & seminars for principals and deputy principals, including newly appointed principals and deputy principals. The NAPD works in collaboration with the Professional Development Service for Teachers to provide leadership programmes and continuous professional development opportunities. The funding given to the NAPD supports my Department's national priorities in the areas of Literacy & Numeracy and Leadership for schools. The total funding by my Department in this regard for the years 2008 to 2013 was approximately €1.5 million. The table outlines the total funding for each year.
Department of Education and Skills funding to the NAPD
|
Organisation |
Year |
Total |
|
2008 |
200,830 |
|
|
2009 |
220,056 |
|
|
2010 |
219,056 |
|
|
2011 |
261,405 |
|
|
2012 |
261,515 |
|
|
NAPD |
2013* |
347,611 |
*In 2013 the Department entered into a joint venture co funded with the Department of Arts, Heritage & Gaeltacht to provide an annual grant to fund a specific Creative Arts project run by the NAPD.
462. Deputy Michael Colreavy asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on an Irish Independent Millward Brown opinion poll of 19 May 2014 which revealed that parents have overwhelmingly backed teachers in their opposition to proposals to have them marking their own pupils' junior certificate papers and that 60% of those polled also said that teachers should not assess their own pupils; her further views that this opposition is highest among women and young persons between the ages of 18 and 24, who have just emerged from the secondary school system. [46158/14]
View answer480. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her attention has been drawn to an opinion poll (details supplied) on 19 May 2014 that reveals parents have overwhelmingly backed teachers in their opposition to proposals to have them marking their own pupils' junior certificate papers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [46264/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 462 and 480 together.
Since my appointment as Minister, I have consulted widely with all education partners on the proposed reform of the Junior Cycle, including with representatives of parents. I have listened to their concerns and reflected on how I could present the necessary reforms to address their concerns and those of other partners. I am aware of and noted the findings of the Irish Independent /Millward Brown opinion poll which was published in May, though I note that this poll only included one question on junior cycle within a much broader opinion poll relating to levels of support for party politics and a range of public policy issues.
On November 10th I presented my revised proposal to the Teacher Unions. This included the reinstatement of the State certificate on completion of junior cycle and the 60: 40 balance between final assessment set and marked by the State Examinations and the school based assessment of skills exhibited through, for example, portfolios, projects, oral examinations which will be monitored by the SEC.
I welcome the support that the National Parents Council Post Primary has given to my proposal and the Council's request to the Teacher Unions to reconvene discussions.
