Written Answers Nos. 290-308
290. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide costing for the estimated full-year savings for 2017 by reducing education and training board chief executive officer pay by 10%. [13659/16]
View answerThe current annual paybill for the Chief Executives of the 16 Education and Training Boards is in the region of €1.95m. Therefore at present a 10% reduction in pay would yield savings of approximately €195,000 per annum.
The Deputy might wish to note that ETB Chief Executives' pay was reduced in line with the pay cuts for public servants earning €65,000 and over as required by the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest legislation. This involved a reduction of 5.5% in respect of salary up to €80,000 and a reduction of 8% in respect of salary over €80,000.
291. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set down the number of persons who have left the public service in his Department in each of the past five years to date, either by way of natural retirement or redundancy; the extent to which the national pay bill has been affected as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13622/16]
View answerMy Department operates payrolls for teachers serving in primary, secondary, community and comprehensive schools and for certain non-teaching staff. It also operates a payroll for payment of pension to retired school staff. The number of teachers and other school staff who retired on pension in the years from January 2011 to December 2015 total 7,000 approximately. The cost of lump sum gratuity payments made to the retiring staff in that period totals circa €691 million. A breakdown by calendar year of the number of retirees and the gratuity costs is set out in Table 1.
There are in excess of 26,000 retired teachers and other retired school staff in receipt of pension from my Department. Expenditure on pension is of the order of €3.4 billion for the above categories for the 5 year period. A yearly breakdown is set out in Table 2. It is not possible to readily dis-aggregate the separate pension cost of those who retired in each of the last 5 years. However the average gross annual pension is of the order of €30,750.
Table 3 sets out the number and value of Redundancy payments made by my Department to teachers and special needs assistants in the period 2011 to 2015.
Teacher and special needs assistant vacancies that arise in schools due to retirements or otherwise are one of the few areas of the public service that have been exempted from the Government's moratorium on recruitment. Resultant vacancies continue to be filled in the normal way. In addition and notwithstanding budgetary pressures, teacher numbers are increasing due to the on-going and significant increases in demographics at primary and post-primary level. Budget 2016 provided for an additional 2,260 teaching posts for the 2016/17 school year.
The Statistics Section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to schools at primary and post-primary level, including the number of teaching posts allocated to schools. The most recent published information relates to the 2014/2015 school year. Data in relation to the 2015/16 school year will be published later in the current school year.
TABLE 1 - School Staff - Retirement numbers and cost of gratuities - 2011-2015
|
- |
- |
Teachers (Primary) |
- |
Teachers (Secondary/C&C) |
Non-Teaching Staff (Primary/Secondary/C&C) |
|
|
- |
Numbers |
Gratuity total (€000) |
Numbers |
Gratuity total (€000) |
Numbers |
Gratuity total (€000) |
|
2015 |
654 |
€65,375 |
378 |
€37,868 |
117 |
€2,537 |
|
2014 |
794 |
€77,290 |
629 |
€61,204 |
101 |
€2,041 |
|
2013 |
465 |
€45,261 |
376 |
€36,117 |
78 |
€1,442 |
|
2012 |
877 |
€99,368 |
666 |
€75,133 |
100 |
€2,267 |
|
2011 |
1002 |
€107,736 |
693 |
€76,286 |
67 |
€1,278 |
TABLE 2 Expenditure on Pensions paid to school staff who retired from Primary, Voluntary Secondary, Community and Comprehensive Schools - 2011 to 2015
|
Year |
Expenditure (€000) |
Annual increase in Pension Costs (€000) |
|
2015 |
€739,032 |
€30,029 |
|
2014 |
€709,003 |
€17,171 |
|
2013 |
€691,832 |
€5,937 |
|
2012 |
€685,895 |
€63,048 |
|
2011 |
€622,847 |
TABLE 3 Number and value of Redundancy payments made by Department of Education and Skills to school staff from Primary, Voluntary Secondary, Community and Comprehensive Schools - 2011 to 2015
|
- |
- |
Teachers (Primary) |
- |
Teachers (Secondary/C&C) |
- |
Non-Teaching Staff (Primary/Secondary/C&C) |
|
- |
Numbers |
Amount paid (€000) |
Numbers |
Amount paid (€000) |
Numbers |
Amount paid (€000) |
|
2015 |
2 |
€12 |
0 |
€0 |
261 |
€2,270 |
|
2014 |
7 |
€70 |
1 |
€1 |
340 |
€2,825 |
|
2013 |
1 |
€8 |
0 |
€0 |
634 |
€4,992 |
|
2012 |
0 |
€0 |
0 |
€0 |
1252 |
€10,139 |
|
2011 |
0 |
€0 |
0 |
€0 |
658 |
€4,926 |
292. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills to re-open the redress board to investigate cases from a school (detrails supplied). [12503/16]
View answerThe Residential Institutions Redress Scheme was established under the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 to administer a redress scheme to persons who as children were abused in any of 139 scheduled institutions. Awards under the scheme were made following applications from and evidence provided by the survivors, including evidence of having been a resident in one or more of these institutions and evidence of injury arising out of abuse suffered while in residence.
The original closing date for applications was 16th December 2005. The Act allowed the Residential Institutions Redress Board to accept applications after that date in exceptional circumstances. The Board's power to accept late application submissions ceased on 16th September 2011 in accordance with the provisions of the Residential Institutions Redress (Amendment) Act 2011. The September 2011 date was almost 6 years after the original closing date.
While the redress scheme has been closed since September 2011, victims of sexual assault, like other injured persons, may bring personal injury cases for compensation through the courts for the injuries and loss they have suffered.
293. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the supports available for persons (details supplied). [12507/16]
View answerUnder the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The Deputy will appreciate that, in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application form and supporting documentation, it is not possible to say whether or not a particular student(s) would qualify for a grant.
The eligibility of the individuals to which the Deputy refers is a matter for SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland) to determine upon receipt of the relevant application form and supporting documentation.
The SUSI online application process for 2016/17 is now open. Prospective students are advised to apply before the priority closing date of the 8th of July.
Other possible supports include:
1) Tax Relief on Tuition Fees - Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners on www.revenue.ie; and
2) The Student Assistance Fund - Students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
294. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will issue a reply to an interim response (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12533/16]
View answerFunding available to the Department is used in mainstream education initiatives.
However, if a school decides to invite any music group to their school, then it is a matter for the school in question and for them to fund such an initiative.
I am aware of the excellent work being done by the group Seo Linn to promote music and song in the Irish Language.
I will be responding shortly to your query about funding relating to resources that external providers wish to offer to schools.
295. Deputy Seán Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills to extend the Student Universal Support Ireland grant scheme to third level students who attend non-State-owned colleges, given that these colleges are State-approved, applied for through the Central Applications Office and award State-approved Quality and Qualifications Ireland degrees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12686/16]
View answerUnder my Department's student grant scheme, eligible candidates may receive funding provided they are attending an approved course at an approved institution as defined in the scheme.
The definition of an approved institution is set out in Section 7 of the Student Support Act 2011 and Regulation 3 of the Student Support Regulations 2016.
There are no plans to amend the definition of an approved institution. However, tax relief on tuition fees may be available for students attending courses in institutions which are not approved for the purposes of grant support, such as private colleges. Details in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners on www.revenue.ie.
296. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills if and when he will provide an information and communications technology grant to primary schools (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12688/16]
View answerThe new Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 (Enhancing Teaching, Learning & Assessment), launched in October 2015, sets out a clear vision for the role of ICT in teaching, learning and assessment in primary and post primary schools. The Strategy is focused on realising the potential of digital technologies to transform the learning experiences of students by helping them become engaged thinkers, active learners, knowledge constructors and global citizens who participate fully in society and the economy.
The Strategy recognises that schools require public investment in their ICT equipment and infrastructure and accordingly a fund of €210m to support the implementation of this Strategy has been committed beginning with an investment of €30m in the next school year (2016/2017) rising to €50m a year towards the end of the Strategy. Oversight and consultative structures for the implementation of the strategy are currently being finalised and my Department will be in communication with schools on its progress.
297. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills to examine the provision of a new post-primary school in the Ongar Hansfield Littlepace area of Dublin West; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12691/16]
View answerIn identifying the requirement for additional school places in a school planning area, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection, local authorities and the Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. The outcome of the latest demographic exercises was that on 17 November 2015, 4 new primary schools and 9 new post-primary schools were announced to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs.
For school planning purposes, the areas of Ongar, Hansfield and Littlepace fall within the Blanchardstown West school planning area. In relation to these areas, my Department is satisfied that there is sufficient post-primary capacity to cater for the students living in these areas. The existing two post-primary schools located within this planning area, Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School and Phibblestown Community School, can between them cater for the demand for places in the area.
In addition, among the 13 new schools (4 primary and 9 post-primary) announced to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs, is a new post-primary school which will open in 2017 in the Carpenterstown/Castleknock school planning area, which is adjacent to the Blanchardstown West area. When fully developed, this school will provide an additional 1,000 pupil places, supplementing provision in the wider area.
My Department's priority is to ensure that all schools in an area can between them cater for all students seeking a school place. This may, however, result in students not being offered a place in the school of their first choice. As with other school planning areas nationwide, the demographic data for the area outlined by the Deputy will be kept under ongoing review by my Department to take account of updated enrolment data and capacity increases in this and adjoining school planning areas.
298. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for three additional classrooms and other refurbishment works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12729/16]
View answerI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department approved a grant to the school in question in June 2015 for the construction of additional accommodation. The project has been devolved to the school authority for delivery.
299. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the reasons each of the 37 applications for student support under the scheme aimed at making third level education accessible for young persons in the direct provision system were rejected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12807/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the Pilot Support Scheme was introduced last year for students who are in the Protection System or at the Leave to Remain (but not deportation order) stage. The scheme was intended to provide supports to qualifying students which were similar to those available in the statutory based Student Grant Scheme.
A total of 39 applicants applied for the pilot scheme with 2 qualifying for support. Most applicants who did not qualify for support, failed to qualify under two or more criteria. The reasons why applicants did not qualify for a grant were as follows:
- Did not have five years in the Irish Education system;
- Did not meet the criteria for permission to reside under the scheme;
- Did not complete the Leaving Certificate;
- Did not have residence in Ireland for five years prior to their application to the pilot scheme;
- Attending a private college; and
- Did not meet the progression criteria.
300. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 398 of 20 April 2016, when a written decision will issue to a school (details supplied) in County Donegal regarding the building of a new classroom; if he will permit this classroom to be built as part of the main school building rather than a stand-alone building; if not, the reasons for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12811/16]
View answerI am pleased to advise the Deputy that the school to which he refers has been allocated funding under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme to provide an additional mainstream classroom and a Special Education Teaching (SET) classroom. The project approved is intended to provide the accommodation concerned in the most cost effective way. The final approval letter issued on the 17th May last.
301. Deputy James Lawless asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his upcoming three year strategy, which will include increasing after-school hours, will take into consideration the after-school care providers; the impact these changes will have on this sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12821/16]
View answerThe upcoming strategy reflects the key commitments in the Programme for a Partnership Government (May 2016). The Programme includes commitments assigned to the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs relating to improving the range and quality of options for parents for afterschool care for school-age children. We have undertaken to consider how to facilitate the use of school buildings as part of the range of options available to parents.
The two Departments now propose to build on their existing collaborative partnership to deliver those commitments in a coherent way and to align relevant bodies of work under their respective areas of responsibility.
Within two weeks, senior officials will meet to agree terms of reference for a cross-departmental working group. The two Departments will develop a joint proposal for my consideration and the consideration of my colleague in government, Minister Zappone, T.D, within 100 days.
As part of this work, the Group will consider and assess the following, using existing and new material and consulting with partners as appropriate:
- Capacity and demand for services
- Children's views on afterschool care
- An appropriate quality and standards framework
- The development of criteria for the capital scheme to be funded by DCYA under Budget 2016
- Estimated existing use of school buildings
- Collaborative models with existing community/private service providers
- Potential funding incentives for provision of services.
302. Deputy Eoin Ó Broin asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out in tabular form the amount of money spent by his Department on media advertising from March 2011 to February 2016 by media organisation, newspaper, radio, television or any other form of media to which advertisement fees were paid by his Department; and the amount of money paid per year to each media organisation. [12884/16]
View answerFor the Deputy's information, the following table lists, by organisation, expenditure from my Department's administrative budget on advertisement fees. Expenditure on public advertisements is incurred in connection with a wide range of educational programmes and schemes including staff appointments in the education sector, invitations to attend local hearings, invitations to forward submissions on education-related schemes/projects, and invitations to tender for school building projects. Every effort is made to keep advertising costs as low as possible.
For the Deputy's information, the total expenditure in this area was reduced significantly in recent years. By way of comparison, €2,138,000 was spent in this area in the period 2006 to 2010, while the total expenditure in the period 2011 to 2015 was €374,000 a reduction of approximately 80%.
|
- |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
2016 |
|
Organisation |
||||||
|
- |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
€ |
|
BRINDLEY ADVERTISING |
95,000 |
25,976 |
42,679 |
616 |
0 |
0 |
|
OPW |
0 |
476 |
468 |
483 |
585 |
20 |
|
PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS SERVICE |
0 |
9,667 |
3,221 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
IRISH PRIMARY PRINCIPALS NETWORK |
0 |
0 |
1,800 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
MEDIAVEST |
0 |
0 |
0 |
84,389 |
76,469 |
7,029 |
|
PH MEDIA |
0 |
0 |
0 |
19,184 |
13,287 |
0 |
303. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline how parents can make a submission to his Department regarding the patronage of new second level schools in the Dublin 15 area; if he is aware of the new second level school to be built in the Carpenterstown-Castleknock area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12942/16]
View answerThe criteria used in relation to patronage of new schools places particular emphasis on parental demand for plurality and diversity of patronage, with parental preferences at the centre of the process. In this regard, patron bodies and prospective patrons applying for the patronage of a new school announced by my Department must collect and demonstrate evidence of parental demand for the model of provision proposed as part of their application under the patronage process. Expressions of parental preference are not submitted directly to my Department by parents.
As you may be aware on 26 April 2016 applications were invited for the patronage of nine new post-primary schools to be established, six in 2017 and a further three in 2018. This included a proposed new school to serve the Carpenterstown/Castleknock area of Dublin 15.
The closing date for receipt of applications for this process is Wednesday 8 June 2016 and in line with the arrangements referred to above, patrons must submit with their application a parental preference template in which parents have been requested to declare their preference for their child(ren) to be educated through that patron's school model and also their preference with regard to education through the medium of English or Irish.
Following the closing date, my Department will carry out an analysis and draft a report based on the applications received for the consideration of the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG) which will submit a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision.
I will announce the successful patrons and the language medium of instruction for these new post-primary schools in due course. All of the relevant information in relation to the post-primary patronage process is available on my Department's website.
304. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline his plans for the provision of new post-primary schools in the Ongar and Littlepace areas in Dublin 15 in the five-year school building programme for 2016-21; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12943/16]
View answerIn identifying the requirement for additional school places in a school planning area, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The GIS uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection, local authorities and the Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises to determine where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level. The outcome of the latest demographic exercises was that on 17 November 2015, it was announced that 4 new primary schools and 9 new post-primary schools will open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs.
For school planning purposes, the areas of Ongar and Littlepace fall within the Blanchardstown West school planning area. In relation to these areas, my Department is satisfied that there is sufficient post-primary capacity to cater for the students living in these areas. The existing two post-primary schools located within this planning area, Hansfield Educate Together Secondary School and Phibblestown Community School, can between them cater for the demand for places in the area.
In addition, among the 13 new schools (4 primary and 9 post-primary) announced to open in 2017 and 2018 to cater for increased demographic needs, is a new post-primary school which will open in 2017 in the Carpenterstown/Castleknock school planning area, which is adjacent to the Blanchardstown West area. When fully developed, this school will provide an additional 1,000 pupil places, supplementing provision in the wider area.
My Department's priority is to ensure that all schools in an area can between them cater for all students seeking a school place. This may, however, result in students not being offered a place in the school of their first choice. As with other school planning areas nationwide, the demographic data for the area outlined by the Deputy will be kept under ongoing review by the Department to take account of updated enrolment data and capacity increases in this and adjoining school planning areas.
305. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline his plans for Montessori teaching; if he will retain regulation 3; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12968/16]
View answerSince 2006, the Teaching Council is the body with statutory responsibility and authority for regulation of the teaching profession, including the registration of teachers under the Teaching Council Acts 2001-2015.
Under the Teaching Council [Registration] Regulations 2009, Regulation 3 (Montessori and other categories), graduates with certain Montessori qualifications (Level 8 on the National Framework of Qualifications) are allowed to be registered as teachers to teach in certain restricted settings in recognized schools.
Lengthening and reconfiguring the programmes of initial teacher education is a key component of the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020. These changes were incorporated into the Teaching Council's Policy Paper on the Continuum of Teacher Education, which set the criteria for providers of initial teacher education.
A revision to the registration regulations is required to provide for the recognition of graduates of the 59 reconceptualised programmes of initial teacher education which are accredited by the Council as qualifying persons to teach in Ireland. The revised regulations will also give effect to changes made in the Teaching Council (Amendment) Act 2015, such as the placing of the garda vetting of new teachers on a statutory footing. Revised regulations have recently been approved by the Teaching Council and will shortly take effect.
Further to significant stakeholder engagement following publication of draft revised registration regulations in 2014, the new regulations will provide for persons currently registered with the Council under Regulation 3 on the basis of holding a level 8 Montessori qualification. The Regulations will also allow for the registration of persons who obtain a level 8 Montessori qualification, where the course is commenced on or before 1 October 2016 and the qualification is obtained before the end of 2021.
The Department has no plans to change the current position whereby teachers who are registered with a level 8 Montessori qualification under Regulation 3 (or its equivalent in the new regulations) are eligible for employment as teachers of pupils with special education needs in recognized mainstream primary schools and special schools.
306. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 333 of 17 May 2016 if he will provide figures on the number of schools that are not currently in a position to implement the new junior cycle English classroom assessment for second year English due to the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland ban on teacher participation; to provide figures on the number of students in second year during 2015-16 who will not be able to participate in the junior cycle English classroom-based assessment if the ban continues; and the number of teachers who have registered but who have attended less than 50% of the continuing professional development training courses or otherwise have not participated in CPD training. [13121/16]
View answerMy Department does not keep information relating to union membership of teachers and therefore I am not in a position to furnish the Deputy with the information sought.
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. I wrote to the ASTI on 26 May indicating that arrangements for a meeting will be progressed. I look forward to engaging positively with them.
Details of teachers registered for Continuing Professional Development are set out as follows.
2015/16 school year: subject teachers registered/attended JC CPD (as of 27-5-16)
|
Subject |
No. teachers registered for CPD |
No. teacher invited to CPD (ETB & C+C schs) |
No. teachers attended CPD |
|
Business |
1496 |
945 |
625 |
|
English |
5618 |
1734 |
1286 |
|
Science |
3415 |
1209 |
945 |
|
Art, Craft & Design |
323 |
0 |
0 |
|
Gaeilge |
992 |
0 |
0 |
|
Modern Languages |
|||
|
French |
664 |
0 |
0 |
|
German |
237 |
0 |
0 |
|
Italian |
15 |
0 |
0 |
|
Spanish |
143 |
0 |
0 |
307. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a site has been identified for a secondary school (details supplied) in County Dublin as the school is currently located in Kilternan Rugby Club, which is not conducive to the school's long-term accommodation needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13123/16]
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 2018.
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.
308. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills to allow a school (details supplied) to maintain its existing pupil-teacher ratio; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13127/16]
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 school referred to by the Deputy will have a mainstream teaching post suppressed for the 2016/17 school year due to falling enrolments. The staffing process includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Primary Staffing Appeals Board. My Department has not received a staffing appeal from the school referred to by the Deputy.
The configuration of classes and the deployment of classroom teachers are done at local school level. My Department's guidance to schools is that the number of pupils in any class is kept as low as possible taking all relevant contextual factors into account (e.g. classroom accommodation, fluctuating enrolment etc.). School authorities are also requested, where possible, to use their autonomy under the staffing schedule to implement smaller class sizes for junior classes.
