Jonathan O'Brien
Question:24. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans for accompanying regulations to the Education (Admissions to Schools) Bill 2015. [15475/15]
View answerProposed Legislation
Questions (24)
Written answers
I recently published the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill.
The Bill is on the Government's legislative programme for enactment in this session. The Bill will provide an over-arching framework to ensure that how schools decide on who is enrolled and who is refused a place in schools is more structured, fair and transparent.
The Bill will clarify the power of the Minister to make regulations and sets out clearly matters relating to enrolment that regulations may address.
A draft set of regulations were published with the General Scheme of the Bill in September 2013.
Following enactment, the associated regulations will be updated and published in draft form for further consultation with the relevant education stakeholders.
Departmental Functions
Questions (25)
Clare Daly
Question:25. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps she has taken to bring science policy within the ambit of her Department in view of the fact that scientific research, particularly basic research, is inappropriately served when it falls under the aegis of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, which, by definition, is committed to short-term job creation, rather than long-term educational goals. [15464/15]
View answerWritten answers
The Strategy for Science, Technology & Innovation 2006 to 2013 (SSTI) was a broad based strategy which covered funding for research and innovation across all disciplines and across the full continuum of research from basic to applied, as well as commercialisation of research. The Government remains committed to the further development of our research ecosystem given the key role that it plays not only in underpinning economic recovery and maintaining Ireland's competitiveness, but also given its centrality to the quality of our higher education system and the broader societal developments that research drives.
As the Deputy will be aware, the process of developing a successor strategy to the SSTI is under way. The formulation of the new Strategy provides a clear opportunity for Ireland to develop a new whole-of-Government strategy for research and innovation that can build on the progress made to date and is timely as Ireland moves into a new phase of economic growth and societal development. An Interdepartmental Committee, under the chairmanship of the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation, which has the lead responsibility for science policy, has been tasked with developing proposals for this new Strategy. I am represented on this Committee by officials from my Department and they are closely engaged with the process. An important element of this process is stakeholder and public consultation and some 75 submissions have been received including from the higher education sector. The issue of future funding for all areas of research will be considered in the context of the completion of this work.
Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board
Questions (26)
Clare Daly
Question:26. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her promised review of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund will take place; and if she will consider including a provision to allow funding to be received by children or partners of victims of abuse, in view of the fact that without such funding, particularly for children, it will be very difficult to break the inter-generational cycle of hardship begun by State failures with regard to these persons, and that the awarding of such funding is the biggest need that some of the survivors have. [15465/15]
View answerWritten answers
Caranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund, supports survivors of residential institutional child abuse in the areas of health, education and housing in particular. Eligibility for assistance is confined to those who received awards from the Redress Board or equivalent Court awards or settlements.
Eligibility is confined to former residents because of the limited funds available and the potential pool of some 15,000 applicants. To date just over €80 million of €110 million pledged has been lodged to the Fund. By end-February 2015, Caranua had made payments, valued at €14.8 million, to 1,476 applicants and had received over 4,000 applications. Applications continue to be received on an ongoing basis.
I intend to consider the question of a review of the Fund's arrangements later this year by which time a clearer picture should have emerged regarding the uptake of the funding available.
State Examinations Reviews
Questions (27)
Bernard Durkan
Question:27. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which she expects to be in a position to reach agreement with the relevant unions in respect of reform of the junior certificate cycle; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15466/15]
View answerWritten answers
I have accepted Dr. Paraic Travers' revised and clarified proposal of 23rd February as the basis for agreement on the implementation of Junior Cycle reform. It addresses previous principal concerns expressed by the union side while retaining many of the important benefits for learners. My acceptance of the proposal required further compromise and movement from me, which I considered to be in the best interests of students.
I have a mandate to act responsibly on behalf of our junior cycle students, their parents and our wider society. That is why I have signalled my intention to now proceed with implementation of Junior Cycle reform on the basis of the Travers proposals. And it is my intention to work with all interested partners in advancing that agenda.
I remain open to the two post-primary teacher unions coming on board and working with my Department and the other education partners in implementing the new programme. This requires an acceptance by them that the Travers proposal provides a basis for agreement and a willingness, therefore, to suspend their current industrial action.
Third Level Institutions
Questions (28)
Jonathan O'Brien
Question:28. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the report of the Comptroller and Auditor General on the National College of Art and Design; if she will provide an update on changes that need to be made within the college; if she has any concerns over the management of the college; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15478/15]
View answerWritten answers
I would like to assure the Deputy that the matters identified by the Comptroller & Auditor General (C&AG) in their Special Report on Accountability and Governance at the National College of Art and Design (NCAD), which was published in December last year, are of serious concern to my Department and my officials have been working with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in order to have the concerns dealt with.
The Report outlined ongoing delays in the preparation of financial statements, governance failures with regard to procurement, the absence of annual reviews on the effectiveness of the system of internal financial control by An Bord of the College and the role of the Audit Committee. NCAD is currently working on implementing a number of changes and improvements in its systems and processes in order to address the issues identified. This process is being continually kept under review by the HEA who are keeping my Department informed of developments.
Special Educational Needs Staff Remuneration
Questions (29)
Stephen Donnelly
Question:29. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on whether special needs assistants in the early childhood care and education sector should be funded by the State; if so, her plans in this regard; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15511/15]
View answerWritten answers
The inclusion of children with additional needs at all levels of the education system is an integral element of government policy.
'Better Outcomes, Brighter Futures', the Children and Young People's Policy Framework, contains a commitment to develop a plan for the inclusion of children with a disability in mainstream pre-school and early years settings.
The Department of Children and Youth Affairs has lead responsibility for the implementation of this commitment. My Department and the Department of Health are working closely with the Department of Children and Youth Affairs to make progress in this area.
Government investment in early childhood care and education services is funded primarily through the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. The Early Childhood Care and Education programme, which is funded by that Department, includes a number of provisions that are intended to support the inclusion of children with special needs in the free pre-school year.