Written Answers Nos. 190 to 197
190. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the projected cost of reinstating teaching qualification allowances for new beneficiaries in the public sector which were removed in January 2011. [2883/15]
View answerQualification allowances were abolished with effect from 1 February 2012 following a Government Decision.
Qualifications details of teachers are now held by the Teaching Council which is the statutory body with responsibility for registering teachers. Projected costs of reinstating teaching qualification allowances for new beneficiaries are not readily available in my Department.
191. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse the cut-off date of 5 December 2011 for graduate teachers who were completing their honours degree; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2887/15]
View answer192. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will reverse the cut-off date for the honours degree allowance from 5 December 2011 to 1 September 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2888/15]
View answer193. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will back-pay affected teachers for their honours degree allowance who were not working on the cut-off date of 5 December 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2889/15]
View answer194. Deputy James Bannon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will address the pay inequality being experienced by the students of Marino Institute of Education who commenced their honours degree during the 2011 to 2012 academic year and are unable to receive their full honours degree allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2890/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 191 to 194, inclusive, together.
In 2012 a public service-wide review of allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As a result of the review, qualification allowances were abolished with effect from 1st February 2012. Department of Education and Skills Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this decision on teachers.
In Paragraph 12 of Circular 0008/2013 an exception is made in the case "where as at 5 December 2011, a teacher in employment on that date and eligible for receipt of a qualification allowance in respect of the post they held on that date, was actively undertaking a course of further study leading to an additional qualification, provided that the teacher does not cease to be a registered student on that course before its completion. Such individuals may apply to the Department/VEC (now ETB) as appropriate for a derogation from the general position within 3 months of the date of receipt of the award." Teachers who were not in employment in an Oireachtas funded post on 5 December 2011 and not eligible for receipt of a qualification allowance in respect of any teaching post on that date, do not qualify for payment of an allowance in respect of the qualification related to the course being undertaken at that time.
The Teachers' Conciliation Council (TCC) is part of the scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for Teachers, the purpose of which is to provide a means of dealing with claims and proposals relating to the salaries and terms and conditions of teachers. The Council is composed of representatives of the teacher representative bodies, school management, the Department of Education and Skills, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is chaired by an official of the Labour Relations Commission.
The issues raised by the Deputy have been brought to the TCC by representatives of the teachers concerned and it would therefore not be appropriate to comment further until the issues have been deliberated on by that forum.
195. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the survey conducted by the Educational Research Centre at the request of her Department that required the collection of PPS numbers could have been done without collecting PPS numbers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2915/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published its Report on a Proposed New Model for Allocating Teachers for Students with Special Educational Needs on 18th June 2014. The report recommends that a new allocation model should be developed, based on a school's educational profile, while providing a baseline allocation to every mainstream school to support inclusion.
My Department, in conjunction with the NCSE, asked the Educational Research Centre (ERC) to conduct a social context survey of schools to assist with the development of an educational profile for schools, as recommended by the NCSE report.
The data which schools were requested to return as part of this survey was non-personal, anonymised data.
Schools were not asked to return data in relation to the circumstances of individual pupils, or to return details of pupils Personnel Public Service numbers, as part of this survey.
196. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the reduction in junior infant intake in a school (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2920/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that the matter of enrolment in individual schools is the responsibility of the patron/managerial authority of those schools.
I also wish to clarify for the Deputy that the school in question is recognised by my Department as a two-stream national school i.e. its annual intake comprises two junior infant classes and grows incrementally each year. As a once off arrangement, the patron approved an intake of a third junior infant class for the 2014/2015 school year only and my Department provided funding for a classroom for this purpose.
I further wish to advise the Deputy that my Department is in contact with the patron of the three schools in the area in question in relation to enrolments for the forthcoming school year. My Department understands that the Patron is consulting directly with the schools concerned relating to the enrolment matters raised. My Department will continue to liaise with the Patron, who has ultimate responsibility for the governance and management of the schools concerned.
197. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason 30 teachers who have completed an honours degree are being penalised in respect of the further degree allowance (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [2949/15]
View answerIn 2012 a public service-wide review of allowances was carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As a result of the review, qualification allowances were abolished with effect from 1 February 2012. Department of Education and Skills Circular 0008/2013 outlines the effect of this decision on teachers.
In Paragraph 12 of Circular 0008/2013 an exception is made in the case "where as at 5 December 2011, a teacher in employment on that date and eligible for receipt of a qualification allowance in respect of the post they held on that date, was actively undertaking a course of further study leading to an additional qualification, provided that the teacher does not cease to be a registered student on that course before its completion. Such individuals may apply to the Department/VEC (now ETB) as appropriate for a derogation from the general position within 3 months of the date of receipt of the award." Teachers who were not in employment in an Oireachtas funded post on 5 December 2011 and not eligible for receipt of a qualification allowance in respect of any teaching post on that date, do not qualify for payment of an allowance in respect of the qualification related to the course being undertaken at that time.
The Teachers' Conciliation Council (TCC) is part of the scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration Scheme for Teachers, the purpose of which is to provide a means of dealing with claims and proposals relating to the salaries and terms and conditions of teachers. The Council is composed of representatives of the teacher representative bodies, school management, the Department of Education and Skills, Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is chaired by an official of the Labour Relations Commission.
The issues raised by the Deputy have been brought to the TCC by representatives of the teachers concerned and it would therefore not be appropriate to comment further until the issues have been deliberated on by that forum.
