Written Answers Nos. 706-720
706. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedure for making a complaint against a principal of a school; the role of her Department in a complaint against a principal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23257/15]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that, under the Education Act 1998, legally, all schools are managed by the school Board of Management, on behalf of the schools patrons or trustees or Education and Training Board (known as the management authority). It is the management authority that employs the school principal, teachers and other staff members. In ETB schools, the ETB is the employer.
Accordingly, whereas I provide funding and policy direction for schools, neither I nor the Department have legal powers to instruct schools to follow a particular course of direction with regards to individual complaint cases, or to investigate individual complaints except where the complaint involves a refused enrolment, expulsion or suspension, in accordance with Section 29 of the 1998 Education Act.
In dealing with parental complaints, my Department's role is to clarify for parents how their grievances and complaints against the school can be progressed. Where a parent feels that the school's board of management has failed to investigate or adequately investigate their complaint, they should contact the Ombudsman for Children.
The Office of the Ombudsman for Children may independently investigate complaints about schools recognised with the Department of Education and Skills, provided the parent has firstly and fully followed the school's complaints procedures.
Section 28 is the section of the Education Act 1998 that provides for parental complaints in schools. It expresses a desirability of determining appeals and resolving grievances in the school.
I am not satisfied with the current provisions of Section 28. I plan to revise it and to provide in law for a Parent and Student Charter. Changing how schools engage with, listen and respond to parent concerns will be an important part of a Charter. Providing parents with the rationale for any decision is important. If schools help parents to understand the basis for a decision parents are more likely to accept the fairness of decisions.
707. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding measures to discourage the employment of retired and pensioned teachers in substitute positions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23300/15]
View answerThe policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the Managerial Authorities of Primary and Post Primary schools give priority to unemployed registered teachers who are fully qualified when filling vacant teaching posts. It is schools that employ teachers and not my Department. However, my Department has issued a number of Circulars addressing this issue in recent years.
Under these Circulars School Principals 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 had to engage a registered teacher who is retired. Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for the recruitment of teachers, prioritising registered teachers over retired registered teachers and unregistered people.
A retired teacher who returns to teaching on or after 1 February 2012 will commence at the first point of the incremental salary scale (i.e. the lowest point or starting salary for teachers).
Incremental credit for service prior to 1 February 2012, qualification allowances and certain job role allowances are also not payable. This measure 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.
708. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will facilitate a meeting between her officials and representatives of a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23327/15]
View answerThe Major Building Project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b - Detailed Design, which includes applications for Planning Permission, Fire Safety Certification, Disability Access Certification and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been received.
A Brief Change Request Submission was received by my Department from the School and their Design Team. It was necessary for my Department to request further information and clarification in relation to this request and this is awaited. Upon receipt of this further information and clarifications and subject to no further issues arising, the Board of Management and their Design Team will be authorised to complete the Stage 2(b) report.
When the response from the School and their Design Team to this request for further information and clarifications is received and assessed my Department will advise the school authority whether or not a meeting might be warranted.
709. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will facilitate a meeting between her officials and representatives of a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23328/15]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing arrangements for the coming school year 2015/16 are set out in Circular 0015/2015 which is available on the website. A staffing appeals process is available to schools under certain criteria. Details of the appeals criteria are set out in Circular 0005/2015. The final meeting of the Appeals Board will take place in October, 2015. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
The school referred to by the Deputy is due to have two posts suppressed for the 2015/16 school year due to falling enrolments. The school has not submitted an appeal to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board to date.
My officials will make contact with the school in relation to the request for a meeting with representatives of the school.
710. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a school building (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23352/15]
View answerI can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has recently applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to provide a new school building.
My Department has been in recent contact with the School in respect of their proposal and will be in a position to assess the proposal further when a response to the queries raised is received.
711. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of providing training for all teachers at post-primary level in the mental health and emotional wellbeing aspect of the Social, Personal and Health Education Curriculum, in order to ensure that teachers are skilled to deal with the problems faced by students; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23353/15]
View answerMy Department adopts a holistic and integrated approach to supporting the work of schools in promoting positive mental health and to supporting those with a broad range of problems - behavioural, emotional and social who might be considered within the broad term of mental health difficulties.
The processes span the curriculum in schools, whole-school ethos, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, student support and pastoral care and the provision of professional development for teachers. It also involves other supports such as educational psychological services, guidance and counselling services, and the interface with other agencies, both nationally and locally.
Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) is supported by comprehensive teacher guidelines and curriculum support services which provide training and advice for schools. My Department has also issued guidelines to schools on the development of whole-school policies in areas such as anti-bullying, relationship and sexuality education, substance misuse, managing critical incidents and whole-school guidance planning which are also important in promoting positive mental health.
Well-being in Post-Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention (2013) were launched in January 2013. The Guidelines are for all members of the school community, boards of management and in-school management teams who play a central leadership role in mental health promotion. The Guidelines provide practical guidance on how post-primary schools can promote mental health and well-being and school connectedness in an integrated way. The Guidelines also provide evidence-based advice on how to support young people who may be at risk of suicidal behaviour. Information is also provided on accessing support from external agencies and support services.
The Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST), has a dedicated team of ten full-time personnel focusing on health and well-being, with the goal of helping schools to develop and promote students' mental, emotional, social, sexual, personal and physical health and well-being in the context of a positive health-promoting school environment.
The suite of support available to post-primary teachers include three seminar days on Mental Health:
- Day One 'Introduction to promoting positive mental health and well-being' addresses mental health and the supports available to young people.
- Day Two 'Change, loss and bereavement' looks at how these issues affect young peoples wellbeing and addresses ways of supporting young people.
- Day Three 'Mental health issues affecting young people' includes topics such as body image, self harm, eating disorders, phobias and depression.
These courses are available to post-primary teachers through the Education Centre network at a regional level.
Schools can also request support in this area directly from the PDST.
712. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Louth was allocated a second deputy principal for the 2014-15 academic year; if this is a permanent post; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23379/15]
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 managements annually and are available on the Department website. Under these arrangements an ex-quota Deputy Principal Post is allocated to each post primary school with an enrolment of at least 500 recognised pupils (such posts are filled in-quota in smaller schools). A second ex-quota Deputy Principal post is allocated to each school with a minimum enrolment of 1,000 or more recognised pupils or in DEIS schools with a minimum enrolment of 900 or more recognised pupils.
At post primary level and in accordance with existing arrangements, where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department considers applications for additional short term support i.e., curricular concessions. Short term support is needed (normally for one year but not exceeding 2/3 school years) to enable the school authority to respond to the identified problem.
As part of the curricular concession process, school management can apply for a Deputy Principal concession in cases whereby a schools enrolment is falling under or moving close to the Deputy Principal threshold. The school referred to by the Deputy was granted a concessionary Deputy Principal post in 2014/15 school year. The post will continue for the coming school year.
713. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of staff in her Department currently on a sabbatical or career break, broken down by zero to six months, six months to 12 months, one year to two years, two years to three years, four years to five years and five years or more; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23402/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is laid out in the following table.
|
Grade (Admin) |
0-6 months |
6-12 months |
1-2 years |
2-3 years |
4-5 years |
5 years plus |
|
PO |
||||||
|
AP |
1 |
|||||
|
HEO |
1 |
|||||
|
AO |
1 |
|||||
|
EO/SO |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|||
|
CO |
1 |
|
Grade (Non Admin) |
0-6 months |
6-12 months |
1-2 years |
2-3 years |
4-5 years |
5 years plus |
|
Primary District Inspector |
1 |
|||||
|
Educational Psychologist |
1 |
|||||
|
Senior Psychologist |
1 |
|||||
|
Services Officer |
2 |
714. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, by year, the total photography costs for her Department since coming into office, inclusive of the costs incurred from use of the ministerial allowance; if she will provide the list of occasions for which photographers were booked; the photographers used; the breakdown of costs associated with each occasion that a photographer was used; if there is a policy regarding the booking of photographers within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23418/15]
View answerSince my appointment, no photographers have been booked or costs incurred for Ministerial events by the Department or through the Ministerial Allowance.
For the Deputy's information, a sum of approximately €7,400 was paid in July and August 2014 by my Department for the restoration, framing and installation of photographs in order to establish a permanent photo gallery of Ministers and Secretaries General who have served in the Department. 2014 marked the 90th anniversary of the Department in its modern form since the establishment of the Ministers and Secretaries Act, 1924. The project has been in train for some time.
My Department adheres to appropriate procurement guidelines when procuring the use of photography services. The attached tabular statement provides a breakdown of the details requested. The following table provides a breakdown of the details requested:
|
€7,386.78 |
Reproduction, framing and installation of permanent gallery of previous Ministers for Education and Secretaries General of the Department - July and August 2014 - Irish Photo Archive Ltd., Lensmen and Associates, and Maurice Ward and Co. Ltd. |
|
€17.22 |
Jpeg – Minister Jan O’Sullivan, Seal of Office on 15th August 2014 – Maxwell Photography |
715. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, by year, the use of external public relations firms employed by her Department since coming into office; if she will provide the list of uses of the external public relations firm, and the internal Department policy with regard to employing external groups; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23434/15]
View answerMy Department has not incurred any expenditure in respect of the use of external public relations services since coming to office.
When engaging external support services, my Department does so in accordance with the provisions of the Department of Finance "Guidelines for the Engagement of Consultants and other External Support by the Civil Service".
716. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total amount spent on external information technology consultants by her Department in each of the years 2010 to 2014 and in 2015 to date. [23450/15]
View answerIn addition to the spend on IT consultancy services, the IT Unit of my Department engages contract staff and external service providers to provide specialist technical support and deliver specific projects where needed.
The total spend on external staff (consultancy, contractors and external service providers) was as follows: 2010 - €1,353,466; 2011 - €1,486,158; 2012- €1,507,434; 2013 - €1,403,874; 2014 - €1,218,068; 2015 to date €485,832.
717. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills the protocols in place, since March 2011, to set standards in replies to parliamentary questions; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23498/15]
View answer718. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied that parliamentary questions are adequately replied to within her Department; the steps she has taken, since March 2011, to ensure parliamentary questions are fully responded to within her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23514/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 717 and 718 together.
The preparation of replies for Parliamentary Questions is a high-priority task in my Department. In providing replies, officials seek to ensure that responses are timely and comprehensive and, in general, I am satisfied that adequate responses are provided to Deputies. In order to ensure comprehensive replies it is of course important that there is clarity on the information being sought by the Deputy.
There are standard protocols in place in dealing with Parliamentary Questions which include ensuring that they are cleared at senior management level. In late 2014 an office notice on processing parliamentary questions issued to officials. The office notice outlines the timescales and procedures for processing written and oral Parliamentary Questions.For the Deputy's information 3786 Parliamentary Questions were answered in 2014. This figure includes 286 Parliamentary Questions that were transferred into the Department from other Departments, but does not include 132 Parliamentary Questions that were transferred from the Department to other Departments.
719. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a report by the contractors administration services regarding the Carrickpherish, Waterford school building public works contract has been forwarded to her Department and to the National Employment Rights Authority; and the action that has been taken. [23560/15]
View answer720. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the number of audits the contractors administration services has conducted since its appointment; the names and locations of the publically funded school building projects where irregularities have been uncovered; if a report has been forwarded to National Employment Rights Authority on each occasion; if a prosecution was sought on any occasion; and if a conviction followed. [23561/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 719 and 720 together.
To date Contractors Administration Service (CAS) has been requested to carry out 26 audits of building projects, as well as 2 full monitoring services. (The full monitoring service at Carrickpherish Campus is for the final six months of the building contract which is due to be completed in July 2015). CAS has completed the 26 audits and the 2 monitoring services are on-going.
As a result of these audits, information in relation to 10 projects has been referred to the Revenue Commissioners, mainly dealing with queries regarding individuals on site being self-employed workers or employees. Information in relation to 1 project has been referred to the Department of Social Protection and information in respect of 1 project has been referred to the National Employment Rights Agency. Any follow-up action taken by those agencies in the individual cases referred is a matter for those agencies and my Department is not informed of the outcome.
