Written Answers Nos. 259-266
259. Deputy Hildegarde Naughton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will publish his departmental policy as regards directing schools to include up-to-date nutritional education in the curriculum, with an emphasis on education on sugar; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20779/16]
View answerThe issue of promoting healthy eating is addressed in schools through subjects such as Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE), and Home Economics as well as in Physical Education. With such skills and knowledge, it is hoped that our young people will make appropriate choices so that this informed approach will help to reduce the incidence of obesity in our young people.
The SPHE syllabus at both primary and post-primary levels contains modules which educate students on the elements of a balanced diet and the importance of healthy eating for physical and mental well-being.
Wellbeing is a new area of learning which is a priority for the new Junior Cycle. It will provide learning opportunities that enhance the physical, mental, emotional and social wellbeing of students, and will enable students to build life skills and develop a strong sense of connectedness to the school and to their community.
The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has developed Guidelines to support schools in planning their Wellbeing Programmes, and is currently looking for feedback which will inform the final version of the Guidelines, due for publication in September 2016.
260. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills to grant an additional funding request to facilitate the alteration of bathrooms and assist the amalgamation process of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20792/16]
View answerI can confirm that the newly amalgamated school referred to has sought funding from my Department for remedial works to its bathroom facilities. My Department has sought further information from the management of the school in relation to the works proposed. When this information is received and considered, a decision will be conveyed to the school authority.
261. Deputy Bobby Aylward asked the Minister for Education and Skills to reconsider the refusal of a concessionary post following the approval of the amalgamation request of a school (details supplied) and to assist in the amalgamation process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20793/16]
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.
Under the current amalgamation arrangements, there is a provision for the allocation of a concessionary mainstream teaching post in cases where the approved number of mainstream teachers serving in the schools at the time of amalgamation exceeds the number of mainstream posts warranted by the total enrolment of the newly amalgamated school on the basis of the staffing schedule.
In the case of the school referred to by the Deputy the number of approved mainstream posts at the time of the amalgamation will not exceed the approved mainstream staffing for 2016/17.
262. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for an increase in capitation grants to schools, particularly in counties Cavan and Monaghan (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20801/16]
View answerIn 2015 the first increase in education spending was secured in recent years and a further increase in education spending was achieved in 2016.
I am determined to continue pressing the case for increased investment, including grant funding in education.
In relation to capitation levels for future years, the recently published Programme for a Partnership Government is committed to investing an extra €500 million in education by 2021 through various staffing and grant based measures including annual increases in primary and secondary capitation rates.
The commitments in the Programme, including to increased capitation funding, will be considered in the context of the budgetary process.
263. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills to abolish value added tax on education books bought on e-readers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20813/16]
View answerI have consulted my colleague the Minister for Finance on this matter. The VAT rating of goods and services is subject to the requirements of the EU VAT Directive with which Irish VAT law must comply. The VAT Directive provides that all goods and services are liable to VAT at the standard rate, currently 23% in Ireland, unless there is a provision in the VAT Directive that permits a lower rate. The EU VAT Directive does not make provision for a reduction in the VAT rate to e-books.
Any changes to VAT rates outside of what is currently permitted by the EU VAT Directive must be negotiated at EU technical working groups and ultimately agreed by the EU Council of Finance Ministers. The EU Commission recently published an Action Plan on the future of VAT "Towards a single EU VAT Area - Time to decide", which sets out the Commission's pathway for modernising the VAT system and contains a proposal in 2016 to remove VAT obstacles to cross-border e-commerce including e-publications and in 2017 there is a proposal to look at VAT rate policy across the EU.
The Action Plan's proposals may offer Member States more flexibility in the future in determining VAT rates applicable to goods and services. This forum will provide an opportunity to discuss VAT rates applicable to goods and services including e-books as referred to by the Deputy. However, the Deputy will be aware that any proposed changes to the current EU VAT Directive would require unanimous agreement from all Member States.
The concerns of my Department have also been brought to the attention of the Department of Finance.
The 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.
Under this Strategy, my Department is committed to considering all options that will facilitate the process of embedding ICT in Teaching, Learning and Assessment, and the role of e-books will be considered in that context. In particular the Strategy seeks to engage with publishers on the provision of digital content and services to support the curriculum, and to raise awareness regarding the potential under the book grant scheme to purchase a range of digital resources.
264. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has implemented the structures and systems necessary to certify expenditure under the European Union regulations and have them verified by a designated body, to a level acceptable to the European Commission, in order to draw down funding from the youth employment initiative; and if this has not been done, the reason why. [20873/16]
View answer265. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Ireland has complied with the relevant regulatory requirements of making interim claims under the European Union youth employment initiative since its inception; and if not, the reason why. [20874/16]
View answer266. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Ireland has complied with the relevant regulatory requirements of making interim claims under the European Union Youth Employment Initiative since its inception; and if it does not, the amount of funding Ireland has been unable to access each year, in tabular form. [20875/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 264 to 266, inclusive, together.
The EU co-financed Youth Employment Initiative (YEI), which aims to tackle youth unemployment and implement the Youth Guarantee, is integrated into European Social Fund programming and is being delivered in Ireland as a dedicated priority axis within the ESF Programme for Employability, Inclusion and Learning (PEIL) 2014-2020. The specific YEI funding allocation for Ireland of €68m is matched by equal amounts from our ESF allocation and from the Exchequer, giving an overall allocation of €204m.
The rules governing the ESF provide for initial pre-financing of EU support at 1% (or 1.5% for Member States under financial assistance in 2014 and 2015) of the full programme support, payable for each year from 2014 to 2016, together with annual pre-financing of 2% payable in 2016. However, in order to mobilise faster YEI actions on the ground, the initial pre-financing of the YEI EU support was exceptionally increased to 30% in 2015. Accordingly Ireland has received €23.5m YEI pre-financing to date.
The Regulations providing for the exceptional increase specified that where a Member State did not submit an interim payment application by 23 May 2016 for at least 50% of the additional pre-financing amount, the Member State must reimburse the Commission the total YEI pre-financing contribution. The ESF regulations provide that annual prefinancing for any year in which an interim payment application is not made in that year must also be reimbursed.
As work on the designation of the relevant ESF authorities, including the provision of a national computerised accounting and information system for EU funds to meet the 2014-2020 functionality requirements, is continuing, Ireland did not comply with the requirement to submit an interim YEI payment application by the due date. In accordance with the relevant Regulations, the €19.8m additional pre-financing received and currently held in a Suspense Account, is due to be reimbursed to the Commission. My Department is liaising with the Commission in this regard. Similarly, as it is not intended that there will be a YEI application made this year, the annual prefinancing for 2016 will be reimbursed also, as set out in the following table.
However, it should be noted that the reimbursement of these amounts will not result in any loss of EU monies to the Exchequer, as the full YEI allocation of €68m to Ireland will still be available for drawdown before year-end 2018, and it is expected that this funding will be fully drawn down. Furthermore, as the activities concerned are fully funded up-front by the Exchequer there is no resulting reduction or delay in the funding available to those activities.
Table YEI Pre-financing Position
|
Category of Funding |
Amount Received |
Amount to be reimbursed |
|
2014–2016 Initial Pre-financing |
€2,385,089.67 |
€0 |
|
Additional Pre-financing |
€19,762,171.51 |
€19,762,171.51 |
|
2016 Annual Pre-financing |
€1,362.908.38 |
€1,362.908.38 |
