Written Answers Nos. 313-336
313. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills to ensure that the application for full planning permission for a school (details supplied) would reflect the current demand of enrolment, that is a nine-classroom rather than an eight-classroom extension. [10320/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which he refers was included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme which was announced last November.
My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places. In this regard, my Department is currently reviewing the demographic demand in the area serviced by the school referred to. This review will advise on the appropriate level of accommodation required for the proposed building project.
314. Deputy Michael D'Arcy asked the Minister for Education and Skills why a consultant's letter is needed to claim reasonable accommodations at the certificate examinations for a person (details supplied). [10388/16]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate Examinations. Full details of the scheme are available from their website: www.examinations.ie/candidates/reasonableaccommodations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
315. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a person (details supplied) to be on the supplementary panel; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10407/16]
View answerThe core function of the redeployment arrangements is to facilitate the redeployment of all surplus permanent/CID holding teachers to other schools that have vacancies. Thereafter, schools are required under the panel arrangements to fill permanent vacancies from supplementary panels comprised of eligible fixed-term (temporary/substitute) and part-time teachers.
Arrangements for panel access for fixed-term (temporary), substitute and part-time teachers to the Supplementary Redeployment Panel for the 2016/17 school year are set out in Circular 0058/2015 which is available on the Department's website.
Applicants must meet all of the published criteria in order to gain access to the Supplementary Redeployment Panel.
The teacher referred to by the Deputy failed to meet the criteria and is therefore ineligible to be included on the Supplementary Redeployment Panel for the 2016/17 school year.
316. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide reasonable accommodations to a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10431/16]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
The State Examinations Commission operates a scheme of Reasonable Accommodations in the Certificate Examinations. Full details of the scheme are available from their website: www.examinations.ie/candidates/reasonableaccommodations
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
317. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his progress in providing the proposed two new schools at Maynooth Education Campus on Moyglare Road, Maynooth, County Kildare; if the tenders have been assessed and approved; when work will begin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10432/16]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the Kildare and Wicklow Education and Training Board (KWETB).
The project has been tendered by the KWETB and an assessment of the Tender Report is at an advanced stage in the Department. In this regard, the Department recently sought clarifications from KWETB on aspects of the Tender Report and these are awaited. When these have been received and evaluated the Department will be in direct contact with KWETB with regard to the next steps for the project.
318. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondary school pupils who avail of the school transport scheme in County Kildare and the cost of providing this in each of the years 2011 to 2015, inclusive, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10459/16]
View answerBus Éireann has advised that it is not possible to breakdown the costs for post primary children availing of school transport in Co. Kildare as double runs are a feature of the Scheme.
Bus Éireann has also advised that at the end of the school year the numbers of tickets issued for the post primary children in question was as follows: 2011, 1,948; 2012, 2,023; 2013, 2,174; and 2014, 2,352.
The number of tickets issued for the current year is 2,756 but this number cannot be finalised until the end of the school year.
319. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the planned extension of a school (details supplied), including a timeline for the work; if he will expand this school into a two-stream school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10468/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which she refers was included in my Department's 6 Year Capital Programme announced last November. It is envisaged that the project will be tender/construction ready in 2018 as outlined in the Programme.
The school is recognised as a single stream school and current data indicates that demand at junior infant level peaked in the area in question for the current school year (2015/16) and is estimated to decline thereafter. My Department will however continue to analyse demographic trends and monitor enrolments in all areas, including the area in question. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places in the area.
My Department will be in contact with the school authorities in due course regarding the commencement of the architectural planning process to deliver the building project.
320. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions Nos. 405 and 406 of 26 April 2016, the date of the first time Bus Éireann informed his Department and the subsequent dates in each year since 2005 that it had made no profit from school transport in a particular financial year, in tabular form, and to clarify his understanding of the definition of profit in answering my question. [10472/16]
View answerThe arrangements under which the school transport scheme operates are set out in a document of 1975 which provides the basis for payment to Bus Éireann.
The Department receives a copy of the Statement of Account for School Transport, prepared by the CIE Group auditors, each year which confirms that, in the opinion of the auditors, the Statement of Account has been prepared, in all material respects, in accordance with the Summary of Accounting Arrangements relating to the Transport Scheme for Primary and Post-Primary School children dated 1 January 1975 and with the bases and assumptions disclosed therein.
Bus Éireann has provided assurances to my Department that the Company does not make a profit on school transport and that any surplus that may arise in the operation of school transport services in any one year is ring-fenced exclusively for reinvestment in the school transport scheme.
The Statements of Account are published on my Department's website at www.education.ie
321. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills to designate island status to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10488/16]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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 provide for a reduced enrolment required for the retention of the first and second classroom teaching post in an island school, where the school is the only remaining primary school on the island. The school referred to by the Deputy is accessible by bridge from the mainland and does not therefore have island status for the purpose of its staffing arrangements.
322. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the proposed new development for a school (details supplied) which is included in the capital programme; to permit the project to undertake the pre-qualification of the contractors stage; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10492/16]
View answerThe major building project for the school in question is included in my Department's six year construction programme 2016-21 and is scheduled therein to commence construction in 2017.
The project is at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2(b), which includes the applications for the Fire Certificate and Disability Access Certificate and the preparation of Tender Documents. Planning Permission and the Disability Certificate have been secured. The Design Team recently responded to a further information request from the Local Authority in respect of the Fire Certificate application.
Once all statutory approvals have been secured the Design Team will complete the Stage 2b process and submit the report to my Department for review. Assuming no significant issues arise from the review my Department will then consider authorizing the design team to undertake the pre-qualification of contractors in a timeframe which will be commensurate with the progression of the project to the tender and construction stages.
323. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to a previous parliamentary question and the definition of a "distinct locality", the minimum number of ten children to form the basis of creating a school transport route and the importance to the very fabric of rural communities; to provide a clear definition by reference to measurable, quantifiable criteria such as distance within a certain amount of meters or kilometers by public road networks, or within a parish, or a townland and or within a measurable radius, or line of road and not use terminology such as "this definition is commonly understood" when it is not commonly understood and is a subjective test as there is in fact no definition in place that can be said to be within a rule or outside a rule and that could be subject to review by the courts and or the Ombudsman; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10506/16]
View answerThe purpose of my Department's School Transport Scheme is, having regard to available resources, to support the transport to and from school of children who reside remote from their nearest school.
In general, children are eligible for school transport if they meet the distance criterion and are attending their nearest school. Distance eligibility is determined by Bus Éireann by measuring the shortest traversable route from the child's home to the relevant school. It may be either a pedestrian or vehicular route, and it is not necessarily the route that the school bus takes.
A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
For school bus operating purposes a "distinct locality" is a cluster of eligible children who reside in the same general area, in the same general direction from the school attended, as determined by Bus Éireann taking cognisance of the local road network. A service to convey a group of children whose homes are at scattered points in a school district would not be considered.
The terms of the Scheme are applied in a fair and transparent manner on a national basis, and I remain satisfied that the eligibility criteria are commonly understood.
Should the Deputy have a specific case or area in mind I will request Bus Éireann to provide more detailed information.
324. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills to publish the review of the delivering equality of opportunity in schools scheme commissioned by his predecessor; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10508/16]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, a process to review DEIS, the Action Plan for Social Inclusion, is ongoing. The majority of the review work programme is scheduled for completion by the end of the current school year.
The overall scope of the review is to assess the existing DEIS Programme in the context of evaluations to date and any relevant policy and other developments, in order to inform future policy on educational disadvantage.
The review project involves a number of strands:
- Stakeholder consultation is a key component of the process and, at the outset, the education partners were invited for their views on both the current and future operation of the programme. Comprehensive submissions were received and are being considered as part of the review. Further stakeholder engagement will take place over the coming weeks, including an Education Partners Forum which is to take place on 23 May 2016;
- An internal DEIS Advisory Group within my Department is considering the make-up of the current DEIS School Support Programme in the context of the learning from the implementation of the programme to date and the input of education stakeholders;
- An Interdepartmental Group is considering current and potential future supports to tackle educational disadvantage provided by other Government Departments and agencies in order to ensure greater cohesion and cross-sectoral cooperation for future service delivery;
- A Technical Advisory Group is examining available data sources in order to develop an improved identification process for the inclusion of schools in any future resource allocation framework to tackle educational disadvantage.
During this process, all aspects of the DEIS programme are being considered including the identification of schools.
325. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Skills to re-examine the enrolment situation for 2016-17 in a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10524/16]
View answerThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts for the 2016/2017 school year is set out in Circular 0007/2016. 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 30 September 2015.
The staffing arrangements at primary level also include an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to the Primary Staffing Appeals Board.
The school referred to by the Deputy submitted an application for consideration by the Appeals Board at its March meeting. The Appeals Board determined that the appeal did not satisfy all of the published criteria as set out in Circular 0007/2016. The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
326. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to expand the safe pass tutor accreditation programme so that the pool of accredited safe pass training establishments may be broadened, given that in the absence of such a programme the pool of accredited tutors is small and relatively monopolised. [10534/16]
View answer327. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills why a company (details supplied) has been repeatedly declined approval from Solas to deliver the Solas safe pass training programme. [10535/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 326 and 327 together.
Training establishments may apply at any time to SOLAS for approval to deliver Safe pass programmes. The approval of tutors following evaluation against the eligibility criteria for the programme is an operational matter for SOLAS and I have asked SOLAS to reply directly to the Deputy on the position relating to the training company in question.
328. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills what the mission of new technological universities is proposed to be and how this differs from both a traditional university and from an institute of technology. [10549/16]
View answer330. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the institutes of technology which have formally submitted an expression of interest to the Higher Education Authority in applying for designation as a technological university. [10553/16]
View answer331. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the institutes of technology which meet or are close to meeting the institutional profile criteria, the staff profile criteria or the student profile criteria for potential designation as a technological university. [10554/16]
View answer343. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the development of a technological university for the south east including a definite time line for its progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10700/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 328, 330, 331 and 343 together.
The National Strategy for Higher Education to 2030, published in 2011, provides a framework for the development of the higher education sector to 2030. With regard to the institute of technology sector, the Strategy recommended significant reforms to position the sector to meet national strategic objectives. In particular, the Strategy recommended consolidation within the sector and a pathway of evolution for those consolidated institutes of technology, to allow them to demonstrate significant progress against robust performance criteria and to apply to become technological universities.
Mission of Technological Universities
These institutions will be distinctly different from traditional universities and institutes of technology by virtue of their mission. This differentiated mission includes:
– a systematic focus on the preparation of graduates for complex professional roles in a changing technological world,
- the advancement of knowledge through applied research and scholarship and the dissemination of this knowledge to meet the needs of society and enterprise, and
- the particular contribution the university will make to the needs of the region in which it is located.
The development of technological universities has the potential to deliver greater opportunity to students in these regions, to staff working in the institutions, and to the broader local economy and society.
I would also like to underline that this is much more than a rebranding exercise – the institutions concerned are required to achieve high standards across a range of areas before being designated as technological universities. These include standards relating to the qualifications of staff, the quality of research output, the proportion of students engaged in lifelong learning, and other relevant issues.
The mission and vision for each proposed technological university is developed by the consortia, in consultation with stakeholders including staff and students, and is contained in the implementation plans subsequently developed.
Consortiums who have applied
As part of the implementation of the Strategy, the Higher Education Authority in 2012 published a four-stage process and criteria for applicant groups of institutes of technology wishing to apply to become technological universities.
The designation process consists of four stages as follows –
- an expression of interest,
- the preparation of a plan to meet the criteria,
- an evaluation of the plan, and
- an application for designation.
There are currently four consortia engaged with the process to become designated as TUs. These are TU4Dublin (Dublin Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Tallaght and Institute of Technology Blanchardstown), Technological University for the South-East (TUSE – consisting of Waterford Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Carlow), Munster Technological University (MTU – consisting of Cork Institute of Technology and Institute of Technology Tralee) and the Connacht Ulster Alliance (CUA – consisting of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Institute of Technology Sligo and Letterkenny Institute of Technology).
Status of Consortia
At the end of 2014, two consortia successfully passed stage 3 of the four-stage process. These are the TU4Dublin consortium and the Munster Technological University consortium.
In early 2015 the Connacht-Ulster Alliance also expressed an interest in merging and in applying to become a technological university. This application was approved to proceed to the next stage. In line with the process for designation as a Technological University, Stage 2 of this process involves the preparation of a plan by the Connacht-Ulster Alliance, to meet the criteria for designation as a Technological University.
With regard to the Technological University for the South-East, consisting of Institute of Technology, Carlow (ITC) and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT), following the publication of the Kelly report, a preliminary facilitation process, which was underway since September 2015, has recently been completed and a Report of the process was received by my Department on 13 May 2016. There was strong engagement in the process by both parties. This facilitation process has been an important building block in terms of building trust between the parties and in developing a strong working relationship between the Presidents and Chairs of both institutions. As part of this process, the Presidents of the two institutions, have jointly developed an initial work-plan to support the development of a joint TU proposal.
In addition to this both Institutions made a joint presentation and submission to the Higher Education Authority last week, seeking funding to underpin the next phase of engagement. This was part of the latest call issued by the Higher Education Authority regarding the restructuring of the higher education landscape. The call sought submissions for funding support in respect of the costs arising from mergers as part of the implementation of the National Strategy for Higher Education.
329. Deputy Pat Breen asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a college (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10552/16]
View answerI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for additional accommodation. My Department is considering the long term projected pupil enrolment position of the school in question which will advise on the appropriate level of accommodation. My Department expects to be in further contact with the school concerned as soon as this process has been finalised.
Questions Nos. 330 and 331 answered with Question No. 328.
332. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Education and Skills to immediately address the unequal salary position for teachers who entered the profession post-February 2012 (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10565/16]
View answerAs a consequence of the financial crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country's public finances. A previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable to all new entrants to public service recruitment grades (including teachers) by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011. This decision also required that such new entrants would start on the first point of the applicable salary scale, which in the case of teachers had the effect of reducing their starting pay by a further 4-5%. Later in 2011, the Government placed a cap on the overall level of qualification allowances that could be earned by teachers.
Subsequently in 2012, following the public service-wide review of allowances, the Government withdrew qualification allowances for new teachers altogether. However, the Government partially compensated for this by deciding that new entrant teachers would henceforth commence on a new salary scale which had a starting point higher than the starting point of the old scale. Overall, the removal of qualification allowances had the effect of further reducing the pay of new entrant teachers by between 5 and 7 percent.
The measures above – which applied to new entrants only and which were in addition to the pay reductions imposed on public servants generally - were implemented at a time of extraordinarily difficult financial and budgetary circumstances for the State. It is estimated that some 6,700 teachers who entered the profession since 2011 have been affected by the measures.
The Haddington Road Agreement re-aligned the pay scale for teachers who entered teaching between 1 January 2011 and 31 January 2012 with that of pre-2011 entrants. An improved pay scale for post-1 February 2012 entrants was also agreed and implemented under the terms of that Agreement. The Lansdowne Road Agreement will begin the process of restoring the reductions to public service pay which were implemented over recent years. The flat-rate increases contained in the Agreement are proportionately more favourable to new entrants to teaching (who are lower on the pay scale) than to longer serving teachers.
In addition, the Government has committed to establishing a Public Service Pay Commission to examine pay levels across the public service, including entry levels of pay.
333. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number and percentage of teachers who have fully engaged in training for the new junior cycle curriculum and assessment; the number of schools that are not currently in a position to implement the new junior cycle English classroom assessment due to the ban by the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland on teacher participation; and the number of students who will not be able to participate in the classroom-based assessment if the ban continues. [10585/16]
View answerContinuing professional development for Junior Cycle is given by the dedicated Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) team which is funded by my Department.
As an initial step in the Junior Cycle CPD process, schools are requested to register their teachers with JCT in the relevant subject area. JCT records indicate that in 2013/14, 4,814 teachers attended CPD for teachers of Junior Cycle English, representing 89% approximately of such teachers registered with JCT as of June 2014. The Deputy should note that in 2013/14 teachers of English from all post primary school sectors (ETB, community and comprehensive, and voluntary secondary) registered for and attended CPD. Figures for subject specific CPD for the current school year are in the attached table.
For non-subject specific CPD (e.g. whole school, short courses etc) schools rather than individual teachers register with JCT. Accordingly, in 2014/15, CPD for Level 2 Learning programmes was provided for 80 schools. In the current school year non-subject CPD was provided as follows: whole school 179 schools; short courses 22 schools; level 2 learning programmes 55 schools; Subject Learning and Assessment Reviews (SLARs) 175 schools (one teacher nominated by each school).
In addition, CPD was provided for 1,240 school leaders in 2013/14 and for 369 school leaders in 2015/16.
Significant resources are available both on the NCCA and on the JCT websites for teachers and others, including students, to access.
Currently students in second year who may not have completed their first classroom-based assessment will, as agreed with both of the teacher unions in 2015, have the opportunity to complete this early in the autumn term of the 2016/ 2017 school year.
My Department remains willing to provide the ASTI with any further clarifications to the agreement their leaders signed last May so as to ensure that all students can complete all aspects of the new Junior Cycle programme.
Junior Cycle Subject Specific CPD (2015/16)
|
Subject |
No. of teachers |
No of teachers registered with JCT for subject |
% of registered teacher attending |
|
English |
1286 |
5612 |
23% |
|
Science |
945 |
3413 |
28% |
|
Business |
625 |
1486 |
42% |
334. Deputy Eoghan Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills to assist with an issue (details supplied) regarding the permanent location of the school. [10596/16]
View answerAs the Deputy may already be aware, the project to deliver a new school building for the school to which he refers was announced to go to construction in 2017.
A suitable permanent site has been identified for the school and the acquisition process is underway.
Given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further details at this time. I can, however, assure you that the acquisition of a new site for the school is a priority for the Department and that the patron body, Educate Together, will be informed of the location for the school as soon as it is possible to do so.
335. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a national school (details supplied) will open in September 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10599/16]
View answer336. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has secured accommodation for a national school (details supplied); if not, the efforts under way to secure this accommodation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10600/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 335 and 336 together.
In relation to the school to which the Deputy refers, my Department is continuing to work closely with the Local Authority and in consultation with the school Patron to secure accommodation to facilitate the opening of this school as soon as possible.
