Written Answers Nos. 692-705
692. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding teachers who have applied for redeployment; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6653/16]
View answerThe core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of surplus permanent and CID holding teachers to other schools that have vacancies. The redeployment of all surplus permanent teachers is key to my Department's ability to manage within its payroll budget and ceiling on teacher numbers.
The pilot voluntary redeployment scheme at second-level operated in the Munster region last year and was used if it facilitated the compulsory redeployment of a teacher from a school with teachers in excess of its allocation. In 2015, of the 300 applications for the pilot voluntary redeployment, 49 teachers received an offer of redeployment. 43 teachers accepted the offer and were redeployed to their chosen location.
The voluntary redeployment scheme will operate again this year, details of which are available on my Department's website.
693. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of each statutory instrument signed, each contract entered into, each tender issued, each tender awarded and each State board appointment made by her or by an agency of her Department from 1 January 2016 to date in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6689/16]
View answerFor the Deputy's information: Statutory Instruments are a matter of public record and all S.I.s are published at http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/statutory.html.
Tenders for goods and services for a value greater than €25,000 are published on the eTenders website and can be viewed at the following link https://irl.eu-supply.com/ctm/Supplier/PublicTenders. All contracts awarded above the value of €25,000 must be published on the eTenders website in accordance with Circular 10/14 and can be viewed at the following link: https://irl.eu-supply.com/app/adm/adm_publications.asp/UsID=2554
My Department does not currently centrally collate details of all contracts awarded, however a contracts database for goods and services is currently under development with the ICT unit and it is anticipated that a list of all contracts above €25,000 for goods and services will be available on the Department's website by the third quarter of this year.
To date in 2016, one appointment was made to The Dental Council. The Dental Council is under the aegis of the Department of Health and the Minister for Education and Skills makes one appointment to the Council under the Dentist Act 1985. The details of this appointment are set out in the attached document. In addition, I confirmed appointments to the Teaching Council to replace the former Council whose term of office expired at end March 2016. The appointees were elected by the teaching profession and nominated by professional bodies in accordance with Teaching Council legislation.
With regard to bodies under the aegis of my Department, the information sought is a matter for each agency and is not collated centrally. If the Deputy has an interest in a particular agency, officials will request the agency concerned to provide the relevant information. The Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies outlines the responsibilities of state bodies with regard to procurement and the need to achieve value for money while conducting procurement exercises. The Department regularly updates the aegis bodies on developments in relation to public procurement policy and practices.
For the Deputy's information details of agencies under the remit of my Department can be downloaded from my Department's website. http://www.education.ie/
|
Board |
Name |
Appointment/Nomination Date |
Duration |
Method of Appointment |
CV |
|
The Dental Council |
Mr. Bryan Maguire |
27/01/2016 |
12/11/2020 |
Appointed by Ministerial Letter |
Head of qualifications services at QQI. (Applied through Public Appointments Service PAS). |
694. Deputy Seán Canney asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason children born in the US who are Irish citizens face prohibitive costs by comparison with children born here in respect of accessing student grants and free fees; her plans to amend this situation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6704/16]
View answerTo be eligible for a grant, a "student", as defined in Section 14 of the Student Support Act 2011, must demonstrate that he/she has been resident in the State for at least 3 years out of the 5 year period ending on the day before the start of his/her approved course of study. The Free Fees Initiative (FFI) has a similar residency requirement.
However, it is possible for students, who did not meet the residency requirement at the commencement of their studies, to have their eligibility reviewed if they meet the residency requirement during the course of their studies.
Similar and in some cases more restrictive residency requirements apply in other EU Member States.
695. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 670 of 6 April 2016, to request the Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board to consult parents and the wider community on the proposed development of a sports hall and community centre at Adamstown Community College in advance of any new planning applications being submitted; and to ensure that when planning permission is secured, this development will be prioritised in order that it is opened as soon as is possible. [6757/16]
View answerAs outlined in my response to the Deputy's previous Parliamentary Question, the developer in question is currently in the process of appointing a design team in respect of the project to provide sports and community facilities at Adamstown.
Dublin and Dún Laoghaire ETB is liaising with the developer in respect of the preliminary designs for the sports facilities and the delivery programme for the project and arrangements will be made to consult with the relevant school representatives regarding these prior to the submission of the planning application.
696. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the student welfare supports available to students of third level institutions; the resources, training and back-up support services provided to colleges and universities from the various State agencies and bodies responsible for overseeing the provision of both welfare services and mental health services; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6788/16]
View answerThe range of services for students in HEA funded higher education institutions, include the supports provided by Access Offices. In particular these offices co-ordinate pre and post-entry pastoral and academic supports for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, as well as for mature student entrants. Among the supports administered by the access offices, in conjunction with student services is the Student Assistance Fund.
The Student Assistance Fund is managed by the Higher Education Authority on behalf of my Department. The Fund is allocated annually to the universities, the institutes of technology, the colleges of education and a number of other higher education institutions. The objective of the Fund is to provide financial assistance to full-time undergraduate or postgraduate students in need of such support. The Fund is intended to support students whose participation in higher education would otherwise be at risk as a direct result of financial difficulties.
The Fund is designed to support students from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds with ongoing needs for financial support and students with other circumstances giving rise to short or longer-term financial difficulties, including family responsibilities, bereavement, family difficulties, accidents or health problems. In all cases, institutions are responsible for targeting the available resources at those students most in need.
Also, the Higher Education Authority manages the Fund for Students with Disabilities on behalf of the Department. The purpose of the this Fund is to enable students with disabilities to fully access and participate in approved programmes in Further and Higher education. The scheme covers the costs for education institutions of putting in place a range of accommodations, assistance and equipment required to enable participation.
In addition, Core funding for access and disability services is allocated by the HEA as part of the overall annual budget of each higher education institution. In conjunction with the overall core grant, this funding supports the infrastructure of staff, services and supports for students with disabilities, school leavers from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds and mature entrants.
697. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will review the rules governing eligibility to the school transport scheme in which access to school transport is determined whereby applicants satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school with due regard given to ethos and language; if she has considered the benefit which a relaxation of these rules would yield for students by allowing school-goers to have a greater degree of choice as to where they receive their schooling; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6790/16]
View answerThe purpose of my Department's School Transport Schemes is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
Under the terms of my Department's Schemes children are eligible for school transport where they reside not less than 3.2 or 4.8 kilometres from and are attending their nearest national school or post primary centre as determined by my Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language.
While it is the prerogative of parents to send their children to the school of their choice, it makes sense that eligibility for school transport is to the nearest school or education centre.
The terms of the School Transport Schemes are applied equitably on a national basis and I am satisfied with the current criteria for determining eligibility.
698. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in processing an application for a student grant by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6803/16]
View answer699. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills to clarify when Student Universal Support Ireland will be allowed to make a decision on an application by a person (details supplied) in County Donegal; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6804/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 698 and 699 together. The applicant to which the Deputy refers, applied for a SUSI grant and was refused following appeal, based on the rules of progression.
The Appeals Officer's determination issued to the student on the 3rd of November 2015. The student subsequently lodged an appeal with the independent Student Grants Appeals Board on the 18th of March 2016.
Under Section 21(2) of the Student Support Act 2011 an applicant has 30 days from the date of the Appeals Officer's decision to submit his/her appeal to the independent Student Grants Appeals Board. Under Section 21(3) of the Act the Board may extend this period by a further 30 days if it is satisfied that the applicant has given reasonable cause to do so.
The applicant failed to submit her appeal to the Board within the time provisions allowed for in the Student Support Act 2011. The independent Student Grants Appeals Board does not have any discretion to extend the time period beyond that allowed for in the Act.
700. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is satisfied as to the legal permissibility and enforceability of a third level institute enforcing a reduction in the pay of rehired retired staff to an arbitrary level on foot of non-binding written advice from the Higher Education Authority but in the absence of a circular from her advising as to the appropriate level at which such staff should be paid; whether, in the absence of a public sector union agreement as to the appropriate pay level for such staff; she will direct the authority to rescind its advice (details supplied) to higher education institutes on this matter pending a negotiated agreement with unions and the issuing of a circular by her; and if she will direct third level institutions to maintain pay rates until such time as a negotiated agreement has been put in place and a circular issued. [6805/16]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, since the introduction of the moratorium on public sector recruitment, an Employment Control Framework (ECF) has been in place for the higher education sector which provides institutions with considerable flexibility to fill vacancies, through recruitment or promotions on the basis of meeting an overall ceiling of posts. Under this Framework the re-employment of retired staff should only occur in very limited exceptional circumstances and in these cases the salaries offered may not exceed 20% of the full-time salary of the post of the individual at the time of their retirement, adjusted to reflect the application of Government pay policy in the period since their date of retirement – including in particular the application of salary adjustments imposed under the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest (No. 2) Act 2009.
In Budget 2015, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform announced that the existing ECFs and associated moratoriums would be lifted and replaced with a system of delegated sanction for recruiting and promoting up to Principal Officer level, subject to adherence by Departments to binding pay ceilings and ongoing compliance with Workforce Planning requirements. In light of this announcement a new ECF for the higher education sector will be put in place shortly, and the Department will be liaising, along with the Higher Education Authority, with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on the provisions of the new agreement, including the requirements in respect of salary levels payable to rehired retired staff.
701. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school-based programme focuses on the mental health and well-being of pupils; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6816/16]
View answerMy Department is strongly supportive of the promotion of positive mental health awareness in both primary and post-primary schools and provides support and resources in this area. The 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.
The process spans 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 and guidance and counselling services, and the interface with other agencies, both nationally and locally. Schools are assisted by Well-Being in Post-Primary Schools: Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention (2012), which was developed to implement Action 2.1 of Reach Out: the National Strategy for Action on Suicide Prevention 2005-2014 (HSE, 2005).
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. They are also useful for parents' associations, student councils, health and other personnel who are seeking an understanding of how to work in and with schools.
It is also important that this message is conveyed to pupils at an early age. To this end, Wellbeing Guidelines for Primary Schools have been recently produced by my Department in conjunction with the Department of Health and the Health Service Executive. The guidelines are informed by consultation with key Education and Health partners and by the findings of current research. They provide practical guidance to schools on how they can promote mental health and well-being in an integrated school-wide way and they also provide evidence-based advice on how to support young people who may be at risk of suicidal behaviour.
The Guidelines build on the significant work already taking place in primary schools, including through the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum, the whole-school guidance plan, the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) continuum of support model and the HSE , Health Promoting Schools Process. Information is also provided on how to access support from the SPHE Support Service and other external agencies and support services.
The new Framework for Junior Cycle (2015) also places a clear emphasis on overall student health and well-being. This Framework is underpinned by eight principles, one of which is "Well-being". It also has eight key skills which are to be embedded in every new Junior Cycle subject and short course including the key skills of "Managing Myself" and "Staying Well". In addition, the 24 'Statements of Learning' that a student should experience during their Junior Cycle programme involve the student taking action to safeguard and promote their own well-being and that of others. One of the innovative features of the Framework for Junior Cycle is the introduction of short courses that schools can choose to implement. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has developed a new short course in SPHE, which may be delivered for reporting purposes and will involve an increase in the time allocation for SPHE at Junior Cycle up to 100 hours over the three year cycle. The new short course is now available to implement in post-primary schools, should they wish to do so, as part of their Junior Cycle programme. It includes strands such as "Minding Myself and Others" and "My Mental Health", and deals with issues such as mental health and mental ill-health, dealing with tough times, loss and bereavement.
My Department is also working with the Department of Health to promote participation by primary and post-primary schools in the 'Health Promoting Schools' initiative, which is supported by the Department of Health. This European-wide programme aims to strengthen schools' capacity to be a healthy setting for learning and working by focusing at whole-school level on all the conditions that affect health and well-being.
702. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the implementation of the recommendations in the report by the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism; if there is a roadmap for furthering the recommendations; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6818/16]
View answerThe Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the primary school sector, which issued its report in 2012, recommended steps that could be taken to ensure that the education system can provide a sufficiently diverse number and range of primary schools to cater for children of all religions and none.
The Report's recommendations covered four broad areas:
- those dealing with planning towards future patronage arrangements and having a more diverse range of patronage types for new schools in areas of rising population;
- those dealing with the practicalities of achieving divesting of patronage where there is a stable population and a demand for diversity of school types;
- those dealing with Irish language provision; and
- those dealing with the creation of more inclusive schools.
An Action Plan in response to the Forum report was produced in June 2012 and work on implementation has been advanced by my Department in consultation with relevant stakeholders.
A follow-up paper, entitled "Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector: Progress to Date and Future Directions", was published in 2014. The paper gave an update on the progress made to date on implementing the Forum's recommendations, with a particular focus on the issue of inclusion and diversity in schools. The paper outlined good practice and options for promoting diversity in schools, in particular in relation to:
- The right to opt out of religion classes;
- Scheduling of Religion Classes and other Religious Activities;
- Options for Pupils in relation to Religious Ceremonies of the Ethos of the School;
- Celebration of Religious Festivals; and
- Display of Religious Artefacts
Officials in my Department have continued to engage with stakeholders on these matters.
It has been a priority for a number of years to expand diversity of provision in the primary school network. Since 2011, twenty-four new primary schools have been established in areas of demographic need and all of these have involved consultation with parents as to their preferred type of school. Of these new schools, twenty-three have a multi-denominational ethos, and the remaining school has an inter-denominational ethos.
In line with the recommendations of the Forum, it has also been a priority to expand diversity of patronage in the existing primary school network. Given that most of the existing primary schools are under the patronage of the Catholic Church, there has been an ongoing engagement with the Catholic Church with regard to transferring patronage of schools in particular areas. Following surveys of parents in 43 areas of stable population, which aimed to establish the level of parental demand for a wider choice in the patronage of primary schools, including the demand for Irish medium schools, there was sufficient parental demand supporting change in 28 of these areas. To date, eight new primary schools have opened under the patronage divesting process. Work is on-going to deliver further options for school patronage diversity in other areas as quickly as possible and I have undertaken a round of consultations with the principal patron bodies over the last number of months with the aim of reinvigorating the process in an effort to achieve greater diversity of school provision.
Since 2008, a new model of primary school patronage, Community National Schools (CNS), has been piloted in response to the increasing demand for parental choice in the patronage of primary schools. The distinguishing feature of CNSs is that they are multi-denominational schools which allow for the provision of faith formation during the school day. The aim of the model is to cater for the diversity present within the community in a single school setting, rather than in more than one school. There are now a total of eleven Community National Schools.
In relation to the development of a curriculum for Education about Religions and Beliefs (ERB) and Ethics in primary schools, as recommended by the Forum, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment recently completed a consultation process on proposals for such a curriculum. A final consultation report on the development of the curriculum is due in the summer.
703. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in assessing a person (details supplied) in Dublin 7 for dyslexia; and when they will receive a date for their assessment. [6825/16]
View answerI can inform the Deputy that my Department's National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides educational psychology service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA). Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
In common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution focused consultative approach to maximise positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.
This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.
I would advise that if there are concerns in relation to the educational development of the student referred to in Deputy's question these should be raised, in the first instance, with the Principal of the school she is attending, with a view to Principal discussing the situation with the assigned NEPS psychologist.
705. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills to examine urgently and allow an appeal for current staffing levels to be retained at a school (details supplied) in County Kerry, given the school's enrolment numbers are at the level required to maintain its six class teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [6834/16]
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 process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. Circular 0007/2016 provides details for schools wishing to make an appeal.
The Primary Staffing Appeals Board meets three times per year, in March, May and October. The school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an appeal to be considered at the May meeting. The school will be notified of the Appeals Board's decision by the end of May.
The Appeals Board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final.
