Wednesday, 8 Jun 2016

Written Answers Nos. 230-247

Teachers' Remuneration

Questions (230)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

230. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on entitlements for a teacher (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14717/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to set out the sequence of policy and budgetary measures in relation to appointees to teaching and their pay entitlements that have occurred over the last number of years.

The first measure took effect on 1 September 2010. It requires that, in order to be eligible to receive the qualified rate of pay and allowances, a person on their first appointment to teaching must be registered with the Teaching Council and appropriately qualified for that position. This was introduced for the purpose of ensuring quality and promoting professional standards in teaching and this goal has been strongly supported by the teacher unions.

The second measure was taken as part of Budget 2011. The last Government applied a reduction in the pay of new entrants to the public service. In the case of new teachers, a reduction of 10% was applied to pay and certain allowances and all new teachers were required to start on the first point of the scale rather than the third point as had previously been the case for most teachers. The new pay rates applied to all teachers who were new appointees or who became qualified on or after 1 January 2011.

In 2012 a public service-wide review of allowances was also carried out by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and, pending its outcome, the payment of qualification allowances was suspended with effect from 1 February 2012. As a result of the review, the Government abolished qualification allowances with effect from that date and a new salary scale was created with a starting point equivalent to the fourth point of the previous scale for all entrants to teaching. This reduced the impact of the ending of the qualification allowances and ensured a broad consistency across the public service.

The effect of the above measures with regard to salary for teachers is explained below.

1. A person first appointed to an Oireachtas funded teaching post before 1 January 2011 whose date of first qualified Oireachtas funded teaching service is–

(a) before 5 December 2011, will be paid on the pre-2011 qualified pay scale and the qualification allowances applicable to that scale,

(b) between 5 December 2011 and 28 April 2013, will be paid on pre-2011 pay scale and qualification allowances applicable to that scale subject to the maximum value of the honours primary degree allowance applicable to that scale, or

(c) on or after 29 April 2013, will be paid on the 1 February 2012 pay scale with no qualification allowances.

2. A person first appointed to an Oireachtas funded teaching post between 1 January 2011 and 31 January 2012, whose date of first qualified Oireachtas funded teaching service is–

(a) before 5 December 2011, will be paid on the 1 January 2011 qualified pay scale and the qualification allowances applicable to that scale,

(b) between 5 December 2011 and 28 April 2013, will be paid on the 1 January 2011 pay scale and qualification allowances applicable to that scale subject to the maximum value of the honours primary degree allowance applicable to that scale, or

(c) on or after 29 April 2013, will be paid on the 1 February 2012 pay scale with no qualification allowances.

3. A person first appointed to an Oireachtas funded teaching post on or after 1 February 2012 whose date of first qualified Oireachtas funded teaching service is on or after that date will be paid on the 1 February 2012 pay scale with no qualification allowances.

According to the records available within my Department, the person referred to by the Deputy was first appointed to an Oireachtas funded post on the 16th April 2007 with Co. Louth VEC. He was subsequently appointed to an Oireachtas funded post within a post primary school on my Department's post primary payroll on the 12th September 2007 and he was employed as an unqualified substitute teacher. In order to be eligible to receive the qualified rate of pay in a post primary school on my Department's post primary payroll the employee must have the relevant qualifications which include a degree and a higher diploma in education. The person referred to by the Deputy qualified as a post primary teacher in 2013 and he is registered with the Teaching Council since the 11th October 2013. His first qualified appointment to an Oireachtas funded teaching post on the post primary sector is 07th March 2014. As this date is later than 29th April 2013, and as set out at number 1(c) above, he is entitled to be placed on the 1st February 2012 pay scale with no qualification allowances.

Unqualified service in the post primary sector, prior to completing the Higher Diploma in Education, is not eligible for consideration when assigning a teacher to the relevant pay scale. In relation to his employment with the VEC /ETB, if he was employed in a qualified capacity by the VEC/ETB, his previous service may be considered when assessing the entry scale. He should apply to the appropriate ETB authority for a statement setting out the capacity in which he was employed, the period of time, the scale point he was placed on and submit the information to the Post Primary Payroll Section of my Department for review.

The Single Public Service Pension Scheme (SPS) was introduced in January 2013 for all new teaching appointees and for staff re-entering service after a break of six months or greater. The teacher in question was not paid on my Department's payrolls for a period in excess of 6 months in the 2012 /2013 school year and he was placed in the new scheme on his appointment. If he worked in any other public service body during that period and did not have a break of 6 months or more from public service employment, he should submit documentation to that effect to the Post Primary Payroll Section of my Department so that his pension scheme membership can be reviewed and amended if appropriate.

Special Educational Needs Staff

Questions (231)

Eamon Scanlon

Question:

231. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to employ a second special educational needs teacher or a special education assistant in a school (details supplied) in which there are four children with special educational needs but only one special educational needs teacher; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14726/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating special educational needs supports, including Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) and Resource Teaching support to schools to support children with special educational needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support.

This year, 12,040 SNAs are available for allocation to primary and secondary schools, to the end of the 2015/16 school year, which is an increase of almost 14% in the number of posts available since 2011. In the same period the number of children accessing SNA support has grown from approximately 22,000 to some 30,000 by the end of 2015.

The increase in SNA numbers has been supported by a very significant increase in the Budget for SNAs, rising from €332 million in 2011 to €402 million by the end of 2015.

This is a higher level of SNA support than ever before, and has ensured that all children with special educational needs who qualify for access to SNA support, in accordance with the terms of my Departments criteria, as set out in DES Circular 30/2014, have been able to access such support.

Separately, the NCSE allocates resource teaching hours to schools for children who have been assessed within the low incidence, or more complex, category of special need. Budget 2016 made additional provision, increasing the number from 6705 at the end of 2015 to 6852 at the end of June 2016, which is an increase of 29% over the numbers allocated since 2011. Provision has been made for 7452 posts to the end of 2016.

This additional provision has meant that resource teaching allocations have been provided to schools in respect of all children who have qualified for resource teaching support, in accordance with the terms of my Departments criteria which are set out in DES Circular 02/05.

All schools were asked to apply for Resource Teaching and SNA support for the 2016/17 school year by 29th February, 2016. The NCSE continues to accept applications in recognition that enrolments may not have been completed or where assessments were not completed. The NCSE will consider these applications and make further allocations to schools in respect of valid applications which have been received to September.

The NCSE advised schools of their resource teaching allocations for the 2016/17 school year in May of this year and will advise all schools of their allocations for SNA support for 2016/17 as soon as possible in advance of the coming school year.

Details of the manner in which a school or parent may appeal the level of SNA or resource teaching allocation which has been made to support a child in school, to the NCSE, is set out on the NCSE website.

As the Deputy's question relates to the resource hours and SNA support provision for a particular school I have referred this question to the NCSE for their consideration and direct reply to the Deputy.

Schools Building Projects Applications

Questions (232)

Eamon Scanlon

Question:

232. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Skills when he will provide funding which has been granted to a school (details supplied) for an autism unit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14729/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application for additional accommodation.

The application concerned is currently being assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been finalised.

Student Accommodation

Questions (233)

Ruth Coppinger

Question:

233. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills to provide assistance to the Dublin students union in the National University of Ireland in its proposed publicity campaign related to rent-a-room accommodation. [14745/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Government is very conscious of the concerns regarding the availability of accommodation for students. The reality is that dealing comprehensively with this issue will only take place as part of a more general programme to address the major housing and homelessness issue, and the new Government has appointed a specific Minister for Housing with a commitment to develop an Action Plan for Housing within 100 days. The Dáil has also established a Committee on Housing and Homelessness to review the implications of these problems and to make recommendations in that regard. My Department has made a submission to this Committee specifically in relation to the issue of Student Accommodation.

In relation to student accommodation, the report, Student Accommodation: Demand & Supply, which was published last year by the Minister for Education and Skills sets out clearly that the demand for student accommodation outstrips supply in certain areas and will continue to do so in the coming years.

The full report can be accessed at:

http://www.education.ie/en/Publications/Education-Reports/Report-on-Student-Accommodation-Demand-and-Supply.pdf.

There are 13 useful recommendations in this report some of which include capital financing, tax considerations and planning issues, as well as support for the rent-a-room scheme. Specifically in relation to Taxation, one of the recommendations contained in the Report is that consideration should be given to tax measures to develop on-campus accommodation for HEIs.

The previous Minister for Education and Skills introduced two immediate actions to begin this work.

Firstly, funding was provided by the HEA to the Union of Students' (USI) in Ireland to progress short-term solutions for students in need of accommodation. This funding will allow USI to develop their homes.usi.ie website, to communicate more effectively to student and homeowners, and to carry out research into this important issue.

Secondly, the establishment of an inter-departmental steering group to examine the recommendations contained in the HEA Report and to provide a coordinating mechanism to ensure that the higher education institutions have access to information on new potential funding and delivery models.

In addition to this, I should point out that a number of our Higher Education Institutions have Student Accommodation projects ongoing, or in the pipeline, with a number of additional on-campus Student Accommodation bed-spaces to come online from September 2016. Maynooth University have 296 new on-campus bed spaces, and UCD have 350 new on-campus bed spaces, which are due to come on stream in Autumn 2016.

In addition to this six other Higher Education Institutions are currently engaged in, or going through the planning phases for student accommodation projects, namely National University of Ireland Galway, Trinity College Dublin, University of Limerick, Dublin City University, University College Cork and Dublin Institute of Technology.

My Department is also examining other potential options for funding projects in conjunction with relevant stakeholders.

Given the similar nature of the UCD Students' Union proposal to that advanced by the USI, it would appear that the appropriate next line of communication for UCD Students' Union would be for them to discuss their proposal directly with the USI.

Question No. 234 answered with Question No. 163.

Schools Building Projects Applications

Questions (235)

Niall Collins

Question:

235. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for funding and the go-ahead in respect of adaptation works required, including when he will make a decision; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14749/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy recently submitted an application for additional accommodation.

The application is being assessed and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been finalised.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (236)

Carol Nolan

Question:

236. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a school building project (details supplied), including when he will commence and complete the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14767/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the project for the school she referred to commenced on site on the 30th May 2016 and subject to no issues arising will take approximately 18 months to complete.

Pleananna Oideachais

Questions (237)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

237. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén uair atá sé i gceist Beartas Oideachais don Ghaeltacht a fhoilsiú; cad iad na bearta a chaithfear a dhéanamh sula bhfoilseofar é; an bhfuil costáil déanta ar chur i bhfeidhm an phlean; an bhfuil soláthar airgid curtha ar fáil chuige seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [14815/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Tá obair idir láimhe faoi láthair chun an polasaí deiridh don oideachas Gaeltachta a thabhairt chun críche ag tabhairt san áireamh torthaí an phróisis chomhairliúcháin. Tá na roghanna polasaí agus poitéinseal na ngníomhaíochtaí éagsúla á scrúdú le hais na costais agus na tairbhí, agus i bhfianaise thorthaí an phróisis chomhairliúcháin ar na moltaí polasaí, ach go háirithe na roghanna polasaí a rachadh chun tairbhe na teanga agus an oideachais Ghaeltachta.

Tá sé aitheanta ag an Rialtas go bhfuil bearta acmhainní breise ag teastáil chun cur chuige, de réir mar atá léirithe sna Moltaí Polasaí, a chur i bhfeidhm, ach tá cinneadh le déanamh fós maidir le líon na n-acmhainní a bheidh i gceist. Beidh an polasaí Gaeltachta á chur faoi bhráid an Rialtais ag an Aire in 2016.

Gaelscoil Issues

Questions (238)

Éamon Ó Cuív

Question:

238. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna an bhfuil sé i gceist Gaelscoil bhreise a chur ar fáil i gceantar Dhroim Conrach/Marino; cad iad na critéir a úsáidtear le haghaidh aitheantas a thabhairt do Ghaelscoil nua agus cén beartas atá ann lena chinntiú go mbeidh dóthain Gaelscoileanna ann chun freastal ar an éileamh ar Ghaelscoileanna ar fud na tíre; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [14816/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Ó 2011 ní gnách scoileanna nua a thógáil ach amháin i gceantair ina bhfuil méadú ar an daonra. Tá próiseas oscailte cinnte pátrúnachta i bhfeidhm ag an Roinn maidir le cé a bheidh mar phatrún ar na scoileanna. Is faoi gach patrún agus patrún ionchasach atá sé iarratas a dhéanamh faoin bpróiseas seo agus is é éileamh ó thuismitheoirí an rud is tábhachtaí.

Tá Córas Faisnéise Geografaí in úsáid ag an Roinn chun na ceantair ar fud na tíre is mó atá faoi bhrú déimeagrafach a aithint. Sa chóras seo úsáidtear sonraí ón bPríomh-Oifig Staidrimh, ó Shuirbhéireacht Ordanáis na hÉireann, ón Roinn Coimirce Sóisialaí agus ón bhunachair shonraí na Roinne seo. Leis an bhfaisnéis seo, déanann an Roinn seo againne cleachtaí déimeagrafacha ar fud na tíre lena fháil amach cá háit a bhfuil gá le cóiríocht bhreise scoile ar leibhéal bunscoile agus iarbhunscoile araon.

Maidir le mo chinneadh ar phátrúnacht cheantar Dhroim Conrach/Marino, rinne an Roinn seo measúnú ar na hiarratais a fuarthas agus d'ullmhaigh tuarascáil le cur faoi bhráid an Ghrúpa um Bunú Scoileanna Nua, a chur a dtuarascáil siúd agus a gcuid moltaí ar aghaidh chugamsa le go mbreithneoinn iad agus cinneadh deireanach a dhéanamh. Ghlac mé lena moladh agus beidh an phátrúnacht mar a fógraíodh í. Cé go léirítear sa tuarascáil mheasúnaithe pátrúnachta atá foilsithe ar shuíomh idirlín mo Roinne go raibh tacaíocht shubstaintiúil ann do scoil lán-Ghaeilge, léirítear go raibh beagnach a dhá oiread sin de chéadroghanna bailí ann do scoil faoi phátrúnacht Ag Foghlaim le Chéile sa cheantar seo. Mar sin féin, rinne an Grúpa tagairt don éileamh láidir ar oideachas Gaeilge i gceantar Dhroim Conrach/Marino agus mhol siad an t-ábhar a choimeád faoi athbhreithniú i gcleachtaí déimeagrafacha a dhéanfar amach anseo.

Mar is eol don Teachta, b'fhéidir, is é an príomhchúram atá ar an Roinn seo ná a chinntiú go bhfuil slí sna scoileanna in aon cheantar ar leith do na daltaí uile a iarrann áit iontu. De bharr brúnna déimeagrafacha, b'fhéidir nach bhfaigheadh gach dalta áit sa scoil is céadrogha leis nó léi.

Tá sonraí faoi na critéir do scoileanna nua a bhunú le fáil ar shuíomh idirlín mo Roinne ag:

http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Establishing-a-New-School.

Leis na próisis cinnte pátrúnachta arna reáchtáil ag mo Roinnse agus leis an mbéim ar leith a gcuirtear dá réir ar chéadrogha na dtuismitheoirí maidir leis an gcinéal scoile atá le bunú, cinntítear go dtugtar freagairt dhíreach ar an éileamh ó thuismitheoirí ar Ghaelscoileanna nó ar chineálacha eile scoileanna nuair a bhíonn scoileanna nua á mbunú.

Since 2011 new schools are generally only being established in areas of demographic growth. The Department runs an open patronage determination process to decide who will operate the schools. It is open to all patrons and prospective patrons to apply under this process and parental demand is key to this process.

The Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify the areas under increased demographic pressure nationwide. The system uses data from the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and information from my 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.

With regard to the decision on the patronage for the Drumcondra/Marino area my Department assessed the applications received and prepared a report for the consideration of the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG) who then submitted their report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The patronage assessment report which is published on my Department website, while indicating substantial support for an Irish medium school, reflects nearly twice as many valid preferences for an Educate Together school in this area. I accepted their recommendation and patronage will remain as announced. The NSEG did note the strong level of demand for Irish medium education in the Drumcondra/Marino area and recommended that this should be kept under review in the context of future demographic exercises.

As the Deputy may be aware, my Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking places due to demographic pressures. This may result, however, in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

Details of the criteria for the establishment of new schools is available on my Department's website at:

http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Information/Establishing-a-New-School.

The patronage determination processes run by my Department which place a particular emphasis on parental demand/preference for the type of school to be established, ensure that there is a direct response to demand from parents for gaelscoileanna or other school types, where new schools are being established.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (239)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

239. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an extension at a school (details supplied); why it is not going ahead; if he will provide extra funding for it to proceed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14909/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The school building project for the project to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. All statutory approvals have been obtained and the Stage 2b submission has been approved by my Department.

However, on 1st January 2016 there were 66 major projects under construction. Since the start of this year 14 more major projects have been progressed to construction and there are currently 36 projects authorised to progress through the tender process with a view to starting on site in the coming months. That represents a total of 116 major projects either under construction or progressing to commence construction in 2016. The existing contractual commitments for 2016 now fully account for the funding allocation available in 2016.

My officials will continue to closely monitor expenditure on existing contractual commitments over the coming months and, as funding allows, other projects, including the project for the school in questions, will be considered for progression through the tender process with a view to starting on site as soon as possible.

Question No. 240 answered with Question No. 198.

Access to Higher Education

Questions (241)

Carol Nolan

Question:

241. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the schemes he is running to promote access to third level education by lower socioeconomic groups, disabled students and mature students; the funding his Department has allocated to each in each of the years 2011 to 2016 to date; if any of the schemes are on a statutory footing or if they are initiatives by a body or institution of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14992/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department provides supports to facilitate greater levels of participation by students from lower socio-economic groups, mature students and students with disabilities. The principal support is provided for under the statutory based student grant scheme, which makes available means-tested financial assistance to students in further and higher education by Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI).

Other targeted access supports include the Student Assistance Fund (SAF) and the Fund for students with Disabilities (FSD). The SAF and the FSD are components of the Third Level Access Measure (TLAM) co-financed by the European Social Fund and managed by the HEA on behalf of the Department. The HEA allocate funding to participating institutions to support students with a disability, mature students and those from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds to participate in third level education. Details on the amount allocated to participating institutions for eligible students over the past five academic years are attached.

Table 1: Funding allocated to institutions under the TLA Funding programmes

Academic Year	FSD	SAF
2011-12	10.8m	9m
2012-13	10.6m	11m
2013-14	10.3m	8.35m
2014-15	10.4m	6.6m
2015-16	10.4m	6.34m

Special Educational Needs Expenditure

Questions (242)

Carol Nolan

Question:

242. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to carry out a full costing of the implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14993/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that, Section 2 of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act 2004, providing for the inclusive education of children with special educational needs and the sections of the Act which placed the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) on a statutory footing, were commenced in 2005.

The remaining sections of the EPSEN Act have yet to be commenced. Legal advice indicates that the EPSEN Act, as it is currently constituted, may not be implemented on a phased, or age cohort, basis.

The NCSE has published a Plan for the Implementation of the EPSEN Act. This report, which was published in 2006, made recommendations which suggested that additional investment over a period of years of up to €235m per annum, across the education and health sectors, would be required to fully implement the EPSEN Act. The estimate of costs did not desegregate costs which related only to the introduction of Individual Education Plans.

My Department's opinion is that the level of investment required could be significantly greater than that envisaged in the NCSE report. However, a total estimate of this amount has not been quantified.

Revised estimates of the amount of additional expenditure required to fully implement remaining sectors of the EPSEN Act have not recently been conducted. The level of additional expenditure required would have to take into account annual demographic growth and service developments in the area of special educational needs, pricing adjustments and salary cost differentials on an ongoing basis.

Estimates would also have to be made as to the number of pupils who might qualify for the statutory service provisions envisaged by the EPSEN Act.

While awaiting the full implementation of the EPSEN Act, the NCSE has published a number of policy advice papers which make recommendations aimed at developing a better or more effective alternative to the current resource allocation model, and which aims to move the system towards ultimate implementation of the EPSEN Act.

It is therefore intended to bring into effect many of the good ideas contained in the EPSEN Act, on a non-statutory basis initially, through policy developments across a range of areas, in conjunction with NCSE policy advice. In such circumstances, I do not propose, at present, to carry out a full recosting exercise for the implementation of the statutory provision of the EPSEN Act.

Under the Programme for a Partnership Government I have also committed to consulting with stakeholders to see how best to progress sections of the EPSEN Act that were introduced on a non-statutory basis.

Third Level Institutions

Questions (243)

Carol Nolan

Question:

243. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the third level institutions that are running at a deficit; the amount of the deficit by institution; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14994/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Details of the Institutes of Technology that are showing a deficit in their draft financial statements for 2014/15 are set out in the attached table.

All of the institutes listed with the exception of two - Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) and Waterford Institute of Technology (WIT) - have reserves which can be used to meet their deficit. DKIT and WIT have submitted financial plans to the Higher Education Authority (HEA) which will see the institutions return to an operating surplus within three years.

The HEA are closely monitoring the financial position of all of the IoTs and in particular are working closely with those operating in deficit to ensure appropriate mechanisms are put in place to eliminate the deficits as quickly as possible.

Details of the Institutes of Technology showing a deficit according to the 2014/15 draft Financial Accounts are as follows: .

Institute	Deficit
Athlone Institute of Technology	(€528,000)
Cork Institute of Technology	(€2,393,000)
Dundalk Institute of Technology	(€1,295,000)
Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology	(€2,463,000)
Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art Design & Technology	(€69,000)
Letterkenny Institute of Technology	(€1,345,000)
Limerick Institute of Technology	(€130,400)
Institute of Technology Tralee	(€1,004,000)
Waterford Institute of Technology	(€849,000)

School Services Staff

Questions (244)

Carol Nolan

Question:

244. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding his Department allocated to schools to cover ancillary services such as the employment of a school secretary or caretaker in each of the years 2006 to 2016 to date in tabular form; the cost of restoring this to 2008 levels taking increases in demographics into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14995/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The table attached contains the breakdown of ancillary services grant to primary and voluntary secondary schools from 2007 to 2016.

The rate of grants in 2016 are at or above the rate of grants in 2008.

The rate of grant reached its highest level in 2010 and were subsequently reduced in line with budgetary measures.

Table of grants paid to Voluntary Secondary and Primary Schools 2007- 2016

Voluntary Secondary Schools	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016 estimated
Amount paid	€41,776,284	€41,558,946	€43,057,427	€43,256,380	€41,081,728	€41,276,992	€41,600,844	€42,108,144	€42,678,021	€44,470,449
Primary Schools	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016
Amount paid	€65,549,683	€70,406,628	€73,659,244	€75,128,143	€72,331,526	€74,015,595	€75,579,772	€77,070,575	€78,823,180	€83,439,633

Third Level Staff Recruitment

Questions (245)

Carol Nolan

Question:

245. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of reducing the academic staff to student ratio at third level to 1:15 in each of the years 2017 to 2021, taking forecasted increases in student numbers into account; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14996/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

In the 2014/15 academic year, there were just over 18,000 core staff across the higher education system (whole-time equivalents). This figure encompasses some 9,800 academic staff and 8,300 non-academic staff. These figures do not include contract research staff. There were just over 190,000 students (whole-time equivalents) enrolled in 2014/15 giving an average academic staff:student ratio across the higher education system of 1:19.6.

The attached table provides estimated costs for reducing the academic staff:student ratio to 1:15 over the next five years. These costs factor in projected increases in student numbers, which my Department has projected will increase by 8.7% by 2021 compared to 2014/15 enrolment levels. The costs are based on a continuation of the current academic:non-academic staffing ratio of 1:0.85 and an average salary (including PRSI costs) of €63,000.

Estimated cost of reducing the academic staff student ratio at third level to 1:15 over each of the next five years, taking account of projected demographic increases

Year	Cost (€m)
2017	€395
2018	€420
2019	€447
2020	€474
2021	€504

*Baseline Year – 2014/15

School Transport Data

Questions (246)

Carol Nolan

Question:

246. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of empty seats on school transport buses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14997/16]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

Currently, some 22,000 spare seats on school transport services have been allocated on a concessionary basis to children who are not eligible for school transport.

Bus Éireann advise that in addition to these there are other spare seats on services but the actual overall number is not readily available.

Third Level Staff Remuneration

Questions (247)

Carol Nolan

Question:

247. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the budget for salaries and for non-salary-related activities by third level institution in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14998/16]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Details of estimate 2016 pay and non-pay budgets for Higher Education Institutions funded by the HEA are detailed in the table that follows. These figures are based on budget submissions received from the institutions to the HEA earlier this year. These costs are funded from public and private funding streams.

2016 Pay and Non-Pay Budgets of Higher Education Institutions

HEI	Pay	Non-Pay	Total
	€000	€000	€000
UCD	€217,405	€76,479	€293,884
UCC	€146,637	€60,981	€207,618
NUIG	€114,122	€49,028	€163,150
Maynooth University	€57,259	€23,200	€80,459
TCD*	€183,800	€116,500	€300,300
UL	€96,815	€37,576	€134,391
DCU**	€50,613	€21,691	€72,304
Mary Immaculate College	€20,168	€6,421	€26,589
St. Patrick's, Drumcondra	€17,486	€5,862	€23,348
St. Angela's	€7,520	€1,447	€8,967
NCAD	€9,756	€3,316	€13,072
Mater Dei	€3,191	€770	€3,961
AIT	€33,092	€8,585	€41,677
ITB	€17,361	€5,834	€23,195
ITC	€27,385	€8,637	€36,022
CIT	€68,214	€25,137	€93,351
DIT	€110,142	€34,557	€144,699
DKIT	€33,896	€9,148	€43,044
IADT	€13,284	€4,507	€17,791
GMIT	€42,337	€10,856	€53,193
LYIT	€22,555	€5,524	€28,079
LIT	€40,601	€11,883	€52,484
ITS	€29,451	€10,437	€39,888
ITTD	€24,668	€7,265	€31,933
ITTra	€21,167	€6,240	€27,407
WIT	€63,837	€24,099	€87,936

* Based on consolidated financial statements

** Estimate based on 2014/15 accounts