Written Answers Nos. 800 - 814
800. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of implementing the junior cycle reform package to date and the estimated final cost, by item, such as teacher training costs, curriculum development, etc. [1081/16]
View answerThe information sought is currently being compiled, and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
801. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will clarify her reply to Parliamentary Question No. 197 of 10 December 2015 regarding the religious criteria for admission to non-denominational schools; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1099/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the model schools have their origin in the set of instructions drawn up by Chief Secretary Stanley in 1831 and they initially operated as schools for the purpose of training teachers. From about 1883 onwards this role ended and the schools have functioned as ordinary schools since that time. While I am patron by virtue of the 1998 Education Act, the schools have historically catered for local Catholic or Protestant communities. In this respect they are de facto denominational schools. I do not envisage any change to the status of these schools without engaging with the school communities concerned.
802. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will give approval to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 5 for an extension, including two classrooms, a staircase and a special needs water closet to cater for an already sanctioned additional teacher from September 2016 and another expected new teacher in September 2017; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1110/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved funding to the school in question for additional accommodation. This decision was conveyed to the school in November 2015.
803. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills to clarify the issue of teachers paying registration fees to the Teaching Council prior to 2014; how a person (details supplied) can obtain a refund of such fees; if there is a standard refund form; if the documentation is available online; the evidence that is required etc; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1111/16]
View answerSince 2006, under the Teaching Council Act, the Teaching Council is the independent self regulator of the teaching profession in Ireland. In accordance with Section 23 of that Act, the Council charges a fee for registration.
The fee for renewal of registration, which was already low in comparison with that for registration as a member of other professions, was reduced to €65 per annum from 1 January 2013. It has since remained at that level.
If a person received registration as a teacher with the Teaching Council the issue of refund of the fee would not arise.
804. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if fees will be refunded to a person (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1112/16]
View answerSince 2006, under the Teaching Council Act, the Teaching Council is the independent self regulator of the teaching profession in Ireland. In accordance with Section 23 of that Act, the Council charges a fee for registration.
The fee for renewal of registration, which was already low in comparison with that for registration as a member of other professions, was reduced to €65 per annum from 1 January 2013. It has since remained at that level.
If a person received registration as a teacher with the Teaching Council the issue of refund of the fee would not arise.
805. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of prefabricated units which are no longer required by a school (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1133/16]
View answerGenerally my Department does not hold prefabs that are no longer required as a result of a permanent building being provided under the School Building Programme.
Under the Prefab Replacement Initiative rented prefabs are returned to the rental companies from whom they were rented. In the case of purchased prefabs, these are relocated to schools requiring additional accommodation, if in good condition, or demolished if deemed not suitable for further use.
In a small number of cases prefabs may be stored pending their relocation to a new school site.
806. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills how many new primary school teachers will have to be employed in each of the next five years, from 2016-2017 to 2021-2022, to maintain the 27:1 pupil-teacher ratio. [1156/16]
View answerThe 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 deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance a matter for the school management authorities.
We have a growing population of young people in this country and despite the difficult financial circumstances we face as a country, we prioritised education so that the number of teachers we have in the system has also grown in order to protect pupil teacher ratios. This has involved an increase of around 3,100 teaching posts in our primary and post-primary schools over the last two years. This is a very significant investment at a time of scarce resources.
The Deputy will be aware that I have made provision in Budget 2016 for some 2,260 additional teaching posts for our primary and post primary schools next year. This includes an estimated 440 posts at primary level to cater for increased demographics.
At primary level there will be a one point improvement to the primary staffing schedule to be implemented for the 2016/17 school year. This will see the primary staffing schedule operate on the basis of a general average of 1 classroom teacher for every 27 pupils. Lower thresholds apply for DEIS Band 1 schools. The estimated additional post requirement in 2016 for this improvement is 300 posts. The improved staffing schedule is currently available on the Department website.
Increasing demographics at primary level are expected to peak in 2018 with an annual estimated requirement of circa 350 posts per annum to maintain the 27:1 general average. Declining enrolments at primary level in the following three years could potentially reduce the post requirement by circa 800 posts over the three year period.
807. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the additional expenditure her Department will need to incur from 2017 to 2022 to deal with demographic pressures, with a breakdown of the areas in which this spending will be incurred. [1158/16]
View answerThe announcement on 29 September 2015 of the Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital investment 2016-2021 specifies an investment of €4 billion to the Education sector through direct exchequer provision and the PPP programme. In excess of €3 billion of the investment is in respect of the School sector and in the order of 75% of this amount will be expended on the provision of permanent school places.
Last November, I announced a new programme of over 300 major school building projects for the period 2016 to 2021 - details available on my Department's website. These projects together with approvals under the devolved Additional Accommodation Scheme are designed to meet the increases in pupil numbers that will arise in both the primary and post-primary school sectors.
808. Deputy Seán Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount of funding she provided to a school (details supplied) in Dublin 13 in 2014 and 2015; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1167/16]
View answerMy Department provides funding to the school referred to by the Deputy on a budget basis that is based on pupil numbers, but also take into account additional factors which vary from school to school such as condition of buildings, size of school etc.
The amount of funding provided by my Department to the school was €608,843 in 2014 and €1,440,005 in 2015. The increase in funding for 2015 was due to a building project.
These amounts do not include the salaries of Teachers and Special Needs Assistants who are paid on a payroll operated by the Department.
809. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the tendering process has been completed and contract documents prepared in respect of two schools (details supplied) in County Kildare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1227/16]
View answerThe Tender Report for the Campus to which the Deputy refers has very recently been received in my Department and it is currently being examined.
The local Education and Training Board is delivering the project and my Department will be in contact with it when the examination of the Tender Report has been completed.
810. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for additional accommodation by a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; if it will be prioritised due to the poor condition of existing facilities; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1229/16]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for additional school accommodation. The application is currently being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority shortly.
811. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason University College Dublin did not submit for taxation the costs it was awarded by the Circuit Court and High Court (details supplied) between 12 March 2007 and 29 January 2013; and the magnitude of these costs. [1254/16]
View answerUniversity College Dublin is a party to ongoing litigation arising from and in connection with these named proceedings. Accordingly it is not appropriate to make any comment on these proceedings at present.
812. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which discussions continue to take place regarding the provision of facilities for life-long education, as put forward by Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board in conjunction with the private sector at Maynooth, County Kildare; when she expects final approval to issue; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1264/16]
View answerOfficials in my Department, along with officials in SOLAS, are considering the business case submitted by Kildare Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB). This consideration will include engagement with KWETB to clarify a range of issues around the business case. This is a proposal for substantial investment where additional information will be required to evaluate it on its merits and in the context of competing demands from the Further Education and Training sector for investment.
813. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which progress continues in the acquisition of payroll and administration facilities for Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board at Maynooth, County Kildare, with particular reference to the urgent need; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1265/16]
View answerThe Department of Education and Skills is not involved in the acquisition of payroll and administration facilities for Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board at Maynooth, County Kildare. As part of the Departments Shared Services plan for 2014-6, the Department is implementing payroll shared services for the ETB sector and work is ongoing on that project at this time.
814. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills the component of capital investment spent in the past five years and the component to be spent in the next five years on Gaelscoileanna. [1286/16]
View answerCapital funding provided to Gaelscoileanna (primary sector) in the period 2011 to 2015 is as follows:
2011 - €23.6m
2012 - €22.6m
2013 - €19.9m
2014 - €30.9m
2015 - €33.6m
I refer the Deputy to the announcement last September of the Building on Recovery: Infrastructure and Capital Investment 2016-2021. Over the next six years some €3.8bn in direct funding will be invested in education projects. An additional €200m in PPP funding over the life time of the capital programme will result in more than €4bn in public investment.
As the investment in the primary and post-primary sectors over the period 2016-2021 will involve the provision of permanent school places under the Large Scale Projects Programme, the Additional Accommodation Programme and the Prefab Replacement Initiative as well as expenditure on site acquisitions, ICT investment, summer works schemes, emergency works, the issue of the minor works grant and other smaller programmes, it is not possible over such a range of programme delivery to determine likely expenditure in next five years on Gaelscoileanna.
