Written Answers Nos. 721-733
721. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has renegotiated external information technology consultancy contracts and costs since March 2011; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23567/15]
View answerIn late 2013, my Department commenced an open procurement exercise for admission to a multi-supplier Framework Agreement for the supply of temporary contract ICT personnel, replacing the previous Framework Agreement which expired in early 2014. The current Framework Agreement came into effect in February 2014 and is in place for an initial two-year period. As and when a specific requirement for resources arises during the life of the Framework Agreement, the Department issues mini-tenders to participants on the Framework, inviting them to submit competitive bids. This reduces the time taken for the Department to respond to business demands while ensuring value for money on an ongoing basis.
The Office of Government Procurement (OGP) which commenced operations in 2014, is scheduled to have a Framework in place by end-2015, for the engagement of ICT Professional Services (including contractors). My Department will avail of the OGP's Framework, upon expiry of its current Framework in February 2016.
722. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in respect of State boards under her Department's remit, the number of appointments to State boards; the number of vacancies in State boards; the number of vacancies in State boards publically advertised; and the number of appointments to State boards drawn directly from the public advertisement process in period March 2011 to 2015 to date. [23583/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy will be compiled and forwarded to him as soon as possible.
723. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the additional courses or qualifications that teachers with specific United Kingdom teaching qualifications and experience (details supplied) require to be able to teach here; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23599/15]
View answerSince 2006 the Teaching Council is the statutory regulator and standards body for the teaching profession. One of the functions of the Council is to register teachers in Ireland. Accordingly, this matter should be raised directly with the Council. School managerial authorities and Education and Training Boards employ registered teachers.
724. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, for each of the years 2009 to 2014 and for 2015, to date the total number of freedom of information requests received by her Department; the total number refused, granted, part-granted; successful appeals, part-successful appeals and refusals of appeals; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23606/15]
View answerThe following table gives details of FOI requests from 2009 to date received by my Department. The total number of FOI requests for each of the years includes requests that were withdrawn, handled outside FOI or transferred to another public body.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND SKILLS
Freedom of Information requests - 1st January 2009 – 10th June 2015
|
Year |
Total received |
- |
Requests |
- |
Appeal - Internal Review (IR) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Appeal - Office of the Information Commissioner (OIC) |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
|
Granted |
Part-granted |
Refused |
Total |
Annul |
Vary |
Affirm |
Withdrawn |
Pending |
Total |
Annul |
Vary |
Affirm |
Settled |
Withdrawn |
Pending |
||
|
2009 |
569 |
113 |
206 |
149 |
8 |
4 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
||||||||
|
2010 |
796 |
127 |
254 |
167 |
13 |
3 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
2 |
||||
|
2011 |
1170 |
83 |
237 |
318 |
15 |
5 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
||||||
|
2012 |
417 |
85 |
240 |
191 |
20 |
3 |
16 |
1 |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
|||||
|
2013 |
328 |
30 |
110 |
114 |
25 |
6 |
19 |
8** |
1 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
|||||
|
2014 |
303 |
39 |
101 |
84 |
14 |
2 |
12 |
||||||||||
|
2015 |
199 |
35 |
46 |
36 |
8 |
2 |
5 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
725. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the number, name and date of Bills initiated in her Department that have been subject to the pre-legislative scrutiny procedure in the Oireachtas. [23637/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy has been compiled and is laid out in the following table.
|
Bill |
Date Pre-Legislative Scrutiny Completed |
|
Education (Admission to Schools) Bill |
March 2014 |
|
Technological Universities Bill |
April 2014 |
|
Retention of Certain Records Bill |
May 2015 |
726. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a Student Universal Support Ireland grant in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 3; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23657/15]
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.
Inquiries 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.
727. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the number, name and date of Bills initiated in her Department since September 2013. [23663/15]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy has been compiled and is laid out in the following table.
|
Bill |
Date First Added to Government Legislation Programme |
|
Retention of Records Bill |
September 2013 |
|
Technological Universities Bill |
September 2013 |
|
Teaching Council (Amendment) Bill |
January 2014 |
|
Apprenticeship Bill |
January 2015 |
728. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, the total amount spent in each of the years 2011 to 2014 and in 2015 to date on staff subsistence payments and staff taxi payments; if her Department has been audited for tax compliance on these payments and other benefits-in-kind; if these processes have been revised in view of the Revenue Commissioners concerns over practices in other State bodies; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23679/15]
View answerTravel and subsistence payments made to Department staff are subject to regular internal and external review and audit. Travel and subsistence payments formed part of an audit of the Department by the Office of the Revenue Commissioners. Issues arising from audit and review, including Revenue Commissioner audits, have been taken into account by my Department when reviewing its travel and subsistence guidelines for staff of the Department.
|
Year |
Total Domestic and Foreign Subsistence & Hotel Costs |
Total Taxis (inclusive of Domestic & Foreign related taxi expenditure) |
Total |
|||
|
€ |
€ |
€ |
||||
|
2015 (to date) |
287,934.98 |
8,225.49 |
296,160.47 |
|||
|
2014 |
685,511.59 |
19,351.50 |
704,863.09 |
|||
|
2013 |
704,828.75 |
21,168.59 |
725,997.34 |
|||
|
2012 |
734,780.92 |
26,179.10 |
760,960.02 |
|||
|
2011 |
709,993.01 |
39,706.69 |
749,699.70 |
Please Note: Expenditure figures shown above are in respect of all staff in the Department of Education & Skills, including Ministerial posts and field officers in the Inspectorate and the National Educational Psychologist Service (NEPS). In addition, the expenditure figures are in respect of payments made within each year as shown, which may also include payments relating to a previous year.
729. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide, in tabular form, by year, all external consultant reports commissioned by her Department since March 2011; the costs per report; the company involved; the title of the report; and publication date. [23695/15]
View answerDetails in relation to consultants engaged by my department are compiled annually in respect of the previous year and in this regard the following tables provide details in respect of the years 2011 to 2014 inclusive. Details in respect of consultants engaged in 2015 will not be compiled until the end of 2015 in order to ensure accuracy of information.
YEAR 2011
|
Start date |
Completion date |
Status of Report |
reports/reviews/studies |
Total Cost 2011 |
|
October-11 |
December-11 |
* |
2011 annual review paper on Northern Ireland Postgraduate Courses |
€2,420.00 |
|
February-11 |
April-11 |
No Report |
Recommendations to the Minister on the preferred proposal for designation of a single awarding authority together with recommendations considered necessary in relation to modification or development of the preferred proposal for implementation purposes |
€1,927.86 |
|
October-11 |
October-14 |
No Report |
Subscription for provision of ICT research, advice, guidance & related services 1/10/2011 - 30/09/2012 |
€35,150.49 |
|
May-10 |
November-10 |
* |
Review in an appeal against an inspection under section 13 (9) of the Education Act 1998 |
€920.00 |
|
January-11 |
March-11 |
Published by the HEA June 2011 |
Criteria for the proposed re-designation of amalgamated institutes of Technology Universities arising from the recommendations of the National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030 |
€9,075.00 |
|
October-10 |
June-11 |
Completed |
Advice on necessary redactions and initial advice on possible updated accounting arrangements |
€8,410.71 |
|
April-11 |
January-12 |
Published April 2012 |
Report to the Minister on the Forum on Patronage & Pluralism in the Primary Sector. |
€20,000.00 |
|
December-10 |
March-12 |
Published March 2012 |
Evaluation of the Special Education Support Service. |
€97,866.01 |
|
April-11 |
December-11 |
Published February 2012 |
Evaluation of the Initial Implementation of Síolta, the National Quality framework for Early Childhood Education |
€31,280.92 |
|
July-11 |
November-11 |
Published November 2011 |
Evaluation of the training and education programmes for the unemployed delivered under LMAF 2010 |
€52,003.38 |
|
February-11 |
August-11 |
Published ESF website August 2011 |
Mid term Evaluation of the Human Capital Investment Operational Programme 2007-2013 |
€61,589.00 |
|
March-11 |
April-11 |
* |
Audits of the national agencies for the Lifelong Learning Programme in Ireland to serve as the basis for the submission of Declarations of Assurance from International Section to the European Commission |
€13,212.99 |
|
June-10 |
June-11 |
* |
Pensions advisory work relating to the establishment of a pension scheme for staff of the NCTE |
€4,791.60 |
|
July-11 |
April-12 |
* |
Commercial Financial & Technical Procurement advice for Schools Broadband Tender |
€63,632.51 |
|
September-11 |
October-11 |
* |
External audit of Dell and Waterford Crystal EGF programmes |
€5,445.00 |
|
* Internal reports -not for publication |
2011 Total: |
€407,725.47 |
YEAR 2012
|
Consultants, Experts, Advisors |
Start date |
Completion date |
Status of Report |
Reports/Reviews/Studies |
Total Cost 2012 |
|
Analysys Mason |
July-11 |
March-13 |
* |
Commercial, financial and technical advice on the procurement of broadband services for schools |
€52,040.42 |
|
Goodbody Economic Consultants |
April-11 |
December-11 |
Published |
Evaluation of the Initial Implementation of Síolta, the National Quality framework for Early Childhood Education |
€16,747.68 |
|
Mazars |
2012 |
2012 |
* |
IT Security Audit of the EUSF IT Database |
€5,063.91 |
|
Mazars |
July-11 |
June-12 |
* |
Audit of Labour Market Activation Fund (LMAF) |
€9,839.14 |
|
Version 1 |
April-12 |
December-12 |
No Report |
Provision of Oracle Financials training support along with training documentation in the implementation of Performance Budgeting |
€2,070.00 |
|
Mokum Change Management Ltd |
April-12 |
December-12 |
No Report |
Provision of Oracle Financials training support along with training documentation in the implementation of Performance Budgeting |
€17,302.88 |
|
Seamus O'Dwyer-Consulting and Training |
July-12 |
January-13 |
No Report |
Training and expert advice relating to the Public Service Pensions Bill and training and advice in relation to the Legal Framework and Family Law |
€2,700.00 |
|
Sydney Blain |
October-11 |
February-12 |
* |
Review of an appeal against an inspection under section 13(9) of the Education Act |
€718.75 |
|
Mokum Change Management Ltd |
April-12 |
December-12 |
No Report |
Provision of Oracle Financials functional & accounting advice in moving from a four vote operating unit to a single operating unit |
€11,606.90 |
|
Sir Jim Rose |
December-12 |
2020 |
No Report |
Provision of international expertise on Literacy & Numeracy to the Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Advisory Committee |
€3,870.13 |
|
Gartner |
October-11 |
October-14 |
No Report |
Subscription for provision of ICT research, advice, guidance & related services |
€36,788.67 |
|
Sion Quality Healthcare Solutions |
October-12 |
October-12 |
* |
Completion of a workplace assessment for staff member with a disability and resulting report |
€370.00 |
|
Pat McLoughlin |
February-11 |
April-11 |
No Report |
Costs relating to Recommendations to the Minister on the preferred proposal for designation of a single awarding authority together with recommendations considered necessary in relation to modification or development of the preferred proposal for implementation purposes which were paid in 2012 |
€83.66 |
|
The Centre for Cross Border Studies |
October-12 |
December-12 |
* |
2012 annual review paper on Northern Ireland Postgraduate Courses |
€1,845.00 |
|
Deloitte |
March-12 |
April-12 |
* |
Audits of the national agencies for the Lifelong Learning Programme in Ireland to serve as the basis for the submission of Declarations of Assurance from International Section to the European Commission |
€16,568.10 |
|
* Internal reports -not for publication |
2012 Total: |
€177,615.24 |
YEAR 2013
|
Status of Report |
Reports/Reviews/Studies |
Total Cost 2013 |
|
* |
Review of an inspection report under Section 13(9) of the Education Act 1998. |
€460.00 |
|
No Report |
2013 annual review paper Northern Ireland Postgraduate Courses |
€1,845.00 |
|
No Report |
Consulting services in relation to the Management Framework Agreement between City of Dublin Education & Training Board and the Department of Education & Skills for the centralised Administration of Student Grants. |
€5,904.00 |
|
Feb-15 |
Review of Visiting Teachers for children with hearing & Visual Impairment (VTHVI) Service, Ireland |
€10,947.00 |
|
Feb-15 |
Review of Visiting Teachers for children with hearing & Visual Impairment (VTHVI) Service, Ireland |
€0.00*** |
|
No Report |
Post Performance Budgeting Support- Consultancy |
€2,169.14 |
|
No Report |
IT Leaders Advisor Subscription 07/2013 to 06/2014 including credit in respect of 07-08/2013. Provision of ICT Research, advice, guidance and related services. |
€41,061.50 |
|
* |
External Review of historic funding and financial arrangements for Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) centres funded by the Department. |
€0.00*** |
|
No Report |
To assist in development of a new organisational design for Education & Training Boards (ETBs) and SOLAS |
€0.00*** |
|
Report due May 2014 |
Provision of external expert assistance for the development of a Cost Benefit Analysis (CBA) and implementation roadmap for an integrated payroll shared service for the ETB/SOLAS sector in accordance with the shared services commitments set out in the Government's Public Service Reform Plan. |
€0.00*** |
|
* |
Consultancy Services to provide input to ICT Census of Primary, Post Primary and special schools and analysis of census data |
€0.00*** |
|
No Report |
Pensions Advisory work relating to the establishment of a pension scheme for the staff of the NCTE |
€2,152.50 |
|
1st report April14 final report June/July 14 |
Ex-Ante Evaluation of the ESF Operational Programme in preparation for the period 2014-2020 |
€0.00*** |
|
* |
External Audit of EGF Talk Talk Programme |
€0.00*** |
|
* |
Audits of the national agencies for the Lifelong Learning Programme in Ireland to serve as the basis for the submission of Declarations of Assurance from International Section to the European Commission. |
€14,475.34 |
|
No Report |
Provision of training & advice relating to the Public Service Pensions Bill |
€200.00 |
|
No Report |
Provision of customised Business Process Improvement training to include coaching (with provision of advice) of relevant staff |
€4,428.00 |
|
No Report |
Shared Financial Services Project - provision of Oracle Financials support to set up purchasing module |
€7,595.25 |
|
Audits of the national agencies for the new Erasmus+ Programme in Ireland to serve as the basis for the submission of the ex-ante compliance assessment from International Section to the European Commission. |
0.00*** |
|
|
* Internal reports not for publication |
2013 Total: |
€91,237.73 |
*** Consultancies engaged in 2013 but where no payment had been made by year end
YEAR 2014
|
Status of Report |
Purpose of Consultancy |
Total Cost 2014 |
|
No Report |
Provision of ICT research, advice, guidance and related services to the IT Unit |
42,435.00 |
|
Not Known |
Review of the Visiting Teachers service for blind and visually impaired and deaf and hard of hearing (VTVHI) |
€15,363.24 |
|
* |
External Review of funding and financial arrangements for Applied Behavioural Analysis (ABA) centres funded by the Department. |
€4,000.00 |
|
No Report |
Accessibility audit of the Department's website |
€4,850.00 |
|
No Report |
Creation of brand guidelines and logo re Springboard, ICT Skills Conversion, Momentum, the Skillnets Jobseekers Programmes, Job Bridge and Jobs Plus |
€5,412.00 |
|
No Report |
SUSI Review - Phase 1. Review of the learning gained from the establishment of the Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). |
€7,000.00 |
|
No Report |
Review Paper on Southern Irish Postgraduates in Northern Ireland, to comply with Section 8(5) of the Student Support Act 2011. |
€1,845.00 |
|
No Report |
Consultancy Service provided to MAC in relation to Planning Activities. |
€2,892.50 |
|
Affidavit to Court of Appeal |
Specialist expert advice on the application by STS Ltd to adduce new evidence to the Court of Appeal in its appeal of the HC judgement of 23rd October, 2012 |
€35,842.20 |
|
No Report |
Provision of Oracle Financials consultancy services to support the proof of concept phase of the preparation of the move to the Financial Shared Services Project |
€34,557.50 |
|
Published Jan 2015 |
Report on the Evaluation of DEIS |
0*** |
|
No |
New organisational design for ETBs and Solas |
11,623.50 |
|
No |
Provision of support for the development of the Business Case for ETB Shared Services Payroll Project |
81,549.00 |
|
Jun-14 |
Leading a Working Group on proposals for a new model for allocating teaching resources for students with special educational needs to mainstream schools. |
€9,880.00 |
|
No |
Audits of the national agencies for the Lifelong Learning Programme in Ireland to serve as the basis for the submission of Declarations of Assurance to the European commission |
€14,975.25 |
|
No |
Audits of the national agencies for the Erasmus + Programme in Ireland to serve as the basis for the submission of Declarations of the ex ante compliance assessment to the European commission |
€10,455.00 |
|
Jan-15 |
Ex Ante Evaluation of the ESF Operational Programme |
€53,218.00 |
|
No |
External Auditing Services |
€3,195.39 |
|
No |
Advice and guidance on the development and implementation of the Digital Strategy for schools. |
€33,517.50 |
|
No |
As part of the development of the Digital Strategy for schools, the running of focus groups, conducting analysis and summarise the data, and reporting findings |
€19,000.00 |
|
The provision of input to ICT census of primary, post-primary, and special schools and analysis of census data |
€24,624.00 |
|
|
No |
Business Process Improvement Training (BPI) |
€23,899.65 |
|
No |
Provision of Guidelines relating to best practice approach by management regarding delegation, meeting and coaching skills. |
€2,447.70 |
|
* Internal reports not for publication |
2014 Total: |
€442,582.43 |
*** Consultancies engaged in 2014 but where no payment had been made by year end
730. Deputy Jim Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if her Department has a policy regarding the attendance of special needs assistants at meetings to prepare individualised education programmes for students with special learning needs; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [23707/15]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) are allocated to schools by the National Council for Special Education in order to provide for the care needs of children with special educational needs attending such schools. The policy of my Department in relation to the SNA scheme is set out in Circular 0030/2014, which also provides details regarding the role and duties of an SNA.
The Circular explains that the role of the SNA includes assistance with the development of Personal Pupil Plans for children with special educational needs, with a particular focus on developing a care plan to meet the care needs of the pupil concerned and the review of such plans.
Once an SNA allocation has been made to a school, the recruitment and deployment of SNAs within schools are matters for the individual Principal/Board of Management of a school. SNAs should be deployed by the school in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school for whom SNA support has been allocated, and in accordance with the terms of the scheme as set out in my Departments Circular.
In circumstances where a parent may have a concern about the manner in which an SNA is being deployed in a school, they should raise this matter with the school Principal/Board of Management of the school in the first instance.
731. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the plans for her Department to take over the responsibility for food provision in schools from the Department of Social Protection. [23722/15]
View answer733. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to introduce a national standard for food provision in schools, or if she has discussed the potential for this with the Department of Social Protection. [23724/15]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 731 and 733 together.
The main programme for food provision in primary and post primary schools is the School Meals Scheme. The operation of that scheme is an issue for the Minister for Social Protection. There are no plans for responsibility for food provision to schools to transfer to my Department.
My Department's main responsibility in this area is to equip students with the key skills and knowledge to enable them to make informed and healthier choices in a range of areas, including nutrition. This is addressed in schools through subjects such as Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), and Home Economics as well as in PE.
Schools are performing strongly in this area. For example, the data from the latest Lifeskills survey, 2012, indicate that almost all primary schools provide information to students on the importance of a balanced diet and on the food pyramid. The data from the 2015 survey are currently being analysed.
My Department is currently finalising guidance for schools about measures to promote healthy lifestyles. This guidance encompasses measures to promote healthy eating, healthy vending, as well as the promotion of P.E. and Physical Activity. The guidance has been drafted in consultation with the Department of Health and the HSE. It will issue in September 2015, to post primary schools initially. The issue of this guidance will coincide with the publication by the Department of Health of updated guidelines for post primary schools on the development of healthy eating policies.
In cooperation with schools my Department is also promoting physical activity in schools through the P.E. curriculum, supporting extra-curricular physical activities, and through initiatives such as the Active Schools Flag. This emphasis on physical activity is an important complement to the measures in place to promote healthy eating among our students.
732. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason she has not met with the Irish Heart Foundation to discuss the matter of food provision in schools. [23723/15]
View answerI have received correspondence from the Irish Heart Foundation which seeks a meeting to discuss issues relating to healthy eating in schools.
I have asked my office to arrange a suitable date for such a meeting. Officials in my office will be in touch with the Irish Heart Foundation on this issue shortly.
