Written Answers Nos. 104 to 127
104. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the money allocated for guidance counsellors in schools has been ring-fenced to ensure it is used to fund only that service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29870/16]
View answerBudget 2016 provided an improved staffing allocation to second level schools for the purpose of enhancing guidance provision. This improvement took effect last month. It brought the basis of allocation from 19:1 to 18.7:1 for the 2016/17 school year. The improvement of 0.3 in PTR allocation was a restoration of 50% of the teaching resources that were removed when the allocation of guidance posts was brought within quota.
The delivery of the 50% restoration through a change in the staffing schedule allowed each school to determine how best to allocate the additional resources to meet the guidance needs of the school. The circular issued earlier this year by my Department outlining the allocation of teaching resources clearly stated that this additional resource is to complement existing resources in order to best meet the guidance needs of the school in line with the school's guidance plan.
105. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has drawn down the Youth Guarantee EU funding for 2016; if not, the reason this money has yet to be drawn down; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29872/16]
View answerThe Youth Employment Initiative (YEI) is a European Union financial package to co-finance measures implemented by Member States to tackle youth unemployment and to assist the implementation of the Youth Guarantee. The YEI 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 YEI funding allocation for Ireland is €68m and is matched by equal amounts from Ireland’s ESF allocation and from the Exchequer, giving a total of €204m.
Seven specific actions are being funded under the YEI, namely -
- the Back to Work Enterprise Allowance,
- JobBridge,
- JobsPlus Incentive Scheme,
- Tús,
- Youthreach,
- the Social Inclusion and Community Activation Programme (SICAP), and
- Momentum.
All of these activities are fully funded up-front by the Exchequer and are now well underway.
While it is normal practice, under the relevant ESF Regulations, for the EU to provide initial pre-financing of the order of 2.5% to 3.5% for Member States' Operational Programmes, in the case of YEI the initial pre-financing rate was increased to 30% of the YEI allocation in response to the urgent need to address youth unemployment. However, in an attempt to ensure that the funding was used for the immediate implementation of the YEI, the Regulation provided that if 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.
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. Accordingly, we were required to reimburse to the Commission €19.8 million pre-financing for YEI. However, it is very important to note that the activities are fully funded up-front by the Exchequer, so there is no resulting reduction or delay in the funding available to those activities.
Neither will the reimbursement 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.
106. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the initiatives in place to increase female job upskilling and female training and apprenticeship opportunities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29537/16]
View answerFemale participation in further education and training is generally strong with more women than men enrolling on many of the full time programmes, including traineeships and Post Leaving Certificate programmes. The situation on apprenticeship, as set out below, is different. Female participation is also strong in higher education, although there are specific issues in the STEM area, including ICT. The Smart Futures initiative, managed by Science Foundation Ireland, promotes STEM-related careers to both males and females. Resources are available through their smartfutures.ie website, including content using strong female role models.
SOLAS are currently conducting research into barriers to participation in Further Education and Training. This will cover issues such as childcare, which impact on female participation. I understand that this study is expected to be completed by the end of this year.
The 2014 Review of Apprenticeship in Ireland acknowledged that the number of women employed in craft apprenticeships is low as they operate in sectors that have traditionally low levels of female employment. SOLAS offers a bursary to employers to encourage women to take up apprenticeships in these areas. Despite this the number of female apprentices remains low.
Currently the Apprenticeship Council is overseeing the expansion of the apprenticeship system into a range of new areas, following a call for proposals from employers and education and training providers. 25 proposals have been prioritised by the Council for development. The first of these new apprenticeships, the Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship, was launched last month with further new apprenticeships to be launched later this year and early next year.
Many of these new apprenticeships are in sectors where there is a different gender balance in the workplace and I am confident that this will lead to a strong increase in female participation when these new apprenticeships are launched in the coming months.
Accompanying the renewal and expansion of apprenticeship in Ireland will be a new branding and marketing campaign. SOLAS will examine how this campaign can assist with promoting apprenticeship to women and to their potential employers.
107. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a person (details supplied) can have a psychological report done; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29228/16]
View answerMy Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides an educational psychological service to all primary and post primary schools through an assigned NEPS psychologist and in some cases through the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA), full details of which are in the NEPS section of my Department's website. Under this scheme schools can have an assessment carried out by a member of the panel of private psychologists approved by NEPS, and NEPS will pay the psychologist the fees for this assessment directly.
In common with many other psychological services and best international practice, NEPS has adopted a consultative model of service. The focus is on empowering teachers to intervene effectively with pupils whose needs range from mild to severe and transient to enduring. Psychologists use a problem solving and solution focused consultative approach to maximize positive outcomes for these pupils. NEPS encourages schools to use a continuum based assessment and intervention process whereby each school takes responsibility for initial assessment, educational planning and remedial intervention for pupils with learning, emotional or behavioural difficulties. Teachers may consult their NEPS psychologist should they need to at this stage in the process. Only in the event of a failure to make reasonable progress, in spite of the school's best efforts in consultation with NEPS, will the psychologist become involved with an individual child for intensive intervention or assessment.
This system allows psychologists to give early attention to urgent cases and also to help many more children indirectly than could be seen individually. It also ensures that children are not referred unnecessarily for psychological intervention.
If there are concerns in relation to the educational development of the child, the subject of the Deputy's question, I would advise in the first instance that the child's parents or guardians bring the matter to the attention of the Principal of the school concerned with a view to him or her raising the matter with the assigned NEPS psychologist.
108. Deputy John Paul Phelan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the positions relating to the appointment of caretakers and cleaners to schools will be filled (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29266/16]
View answerThe majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme receive capitation grant assistance to provide for caretaking, cleaning and/or secretarial services. Within the capitation grant schemes, it is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs and the Department does not stipulate how such services are to be obtained. Where a school uses the capitation grant funding to employ a caretaker, cleaner or secretary, such staff are employees of individual schools. My Department therefore does not have any role in determining the pay and conditions under which they are engaged or the process for their appointment.
109. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a walkway being developed (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29279/16]
View answerI can confirm that my Department received a revised proposal for funding towards the works in question in the school to which the Deputy refers.
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that these works have now been approved and this decision has recently been conveyed to the school authority.
110. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the report by his Department on the barriers to lone parents accessing higher education will be published prior to the budget 2017. [29282/16]
View answerThe independent review on the barriers to lone parents accessing higher education is currently being finalised. This is a complex policy area that involves three Government Departments.
Given the complexity of the issues involved, it is now expected that the review will be completed in Q4 2016.
However, the review is sufficiently progressed to inform relevant budgetary discussions relating to this policy area.
111. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new school principals coached per annum since 2010. [29283/16]
View answerTo date, continuing professional development support for newly appointed school principals has been provided through Department funded teacher support services as well as through representative professional bodies including the Irish Primary Principals' Network (IPPN) and the National Association of Principals and Deputy Principals (PD).
The new Centre for School Leadership (CSL), involving my Department, IPPN and PD, was established in 2015 on a partnership basis for an initial three year pilot period. My Department has committed to an investment of €3m for this pilot.
The Centre's responsibilities cover the continuum of professional development for school leaders, from pre-appointment training and induction of newly appointed principals, to continuing professional development throughout leaders' careers. Priorities for the Centre include the introduction of a mentoring programme for newly appointed principals and coaching support for serving principals experiencing professional challenges.
CSL has now trained over 200 experienced school leaders as mentors. All newly appointed post-primary principals are included in the new mentoring programme. The first phase at primary level caters for all newly appointed principals in the Leinster area and will be fully rolled out in all areas from September 2017.
In relation to coaching, a tender competition has taken place and it is expected that a framework agreement for this service will be in place before the end of this year.
Up to 400 principals per annum may access this coaching service.
112. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of continuing professional development, CPD, units which were delivered in each year from 2010 to date in 2016. [29284/16]
View answerOverall Statistics on CPD Units provided:
|
Year |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
2013 |
2014 |
2015 |
|
Attendance |
146,862 |
122,385 |
130,679 |
129,702 |
167,939 |
170,719 |
183,061 |
113. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost estimates for the expansion of the incredible years programme to 646 schools; the nature of the expansion; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29285/16]
View answerBy way of background I would inform the Deputy that the Incredible Years Teacher Classroom Management Programme (IY TCM) focuses on strengthening those teacher classroom management strategies which have been shown to promote children’s social, emotional and academic competence and foster positive teacher-parent relationships. The IY TCM programme addresses multiple school risk factors associated with later anti-social and conduct problems. As well as developing teachers’ classroom management skills the programme also equips teachers to develop tailored responses to the needs of specific groups or individual children in their classrooms.
The programme is delivered by the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) psychologists to teachers over 6 workshops, delivered one month apart. Teachers are supported between workshops in implementing new strategies and in this way the programme supports real and lasting change in teacher practice and school climate. Randomised controlled studies carried out in the US, UK and in Ireland all support the effectiveness of the programme in significantly improving child behaviour, classroom environment and teacher skills and confidence.
The proposal to expand the provision of training to teachers in the use of Incredible Years TCM takes place in the context of my Department’s recently published strategy statement “An Action Plan for Education 2016-19”. It is envisaged, subject to the provisions of the forthcoming Budget process, that an expanded NEPS service would provide a number of supports to schools in the implementation of the Wellbeing in Post-Primary school Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention (2013) and the Wellbeing in Primary School Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion (2015).
As part of this expansion it is planned to prioritise the delivery of the Incredible Years TCM programme to teachers in all primary DEIS schools in the period in the period from early 2017 to the end of 2019 offering the programme to a potential estimated 4,800 teachers in these school who have not heretofore undertaken such training. As stated previously the programme involves 6 days input by participants and is delivered by trained NEPS psychologists to groups of 20. The programme is delivered in the network of Education Centres nationally and it is estimated that the direct costs of staging the training is in the region of €3,000 per course covering venue and course materials outlay.
114. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works scheme funding will be announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29318/16]
View answerThe normal practice is for the Minor Works Grant to be announced late in the year if funding permits. The issue of the Minor Works Grant 2016/2017 will be considered in the context of my Department's overall capital position later this year.
115. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school secretaries employed by boards of management and paid from the ancillary services grant; the number who are on the 1978-79 scheme and paid directly by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29366/16]
View answerThe Boards of Management of schools are responsible for the employment of school secretaries and it is a matter for each school to determine the level of secretarial needs required for the school. Funding to cater for these needs is made available from my Department under two separate schemes.
One is the 1978/79 scheme under which the school secretaries are paid directly through the payroll operated by my Department. The 1978/79 scheme is being phased out as posts become vacant and no new posts are being created. There are currently 186 secretaries currently employed under this scheme.
The 1978/79 scheme has been superseded by a more extensive capitation grant scheme towards the funding of ancillary services in schools. Within the grant programme, the level and extent of services provided is a matter for the school authorities who, through the discretion afforded by the scheme, apply their own arrangements for secretarial services as resources permit. My Department does not have any direct role in the pay and conditions under which they are engaged. Given that employment of school secretaries is dealt with at local school level, my Department does not have a central record of the number of school secretaries funded by the ancillary services grant in each of the over 3,000 primary schools.
116. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Skills with reference to circular number 0076/2015, if his attention has been drawn to the fact that €20,000 per annum disparity exists between the highest and lowest paid school secretary for the same job; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29367/16]
View answerA scheme was initiated in 1978 for the employment of Clerical Officers in primary and secondary schools. While a small number of these staff remain in schools, the schemes are being phased out and have been superseded by a more extensive capitation grant scheme. The majority of primary and voluntary secondary schools in the Free Education Scheme now receive capitation grant assistance to provide for secretarial (and caretaking and cleaning services). Within the capitation grant schemes, it is a matter for each individual school to decide how best to apply the grant funding to suit its particular needs and the Department does not stipulate how such services are to be obtained. Where a school uses the capitation grant funding to employ a secretary (or caretaker or cleaner), such staff are employees of individual schools. My Department therefore does not have any role in determining the pay and conditions under which they are engaged. These are matters to be agreed between the staff concerned and the school authorities.
Notwithstanding the above, in 2015 my Department agreed to engage with the union side in relation to the pay of School Secretaries and Caretakers who are employed using grant funding and to enter an arbitration process if necessary. The Arbitrator recommended a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 for School Secretaries and Caretakers comprehended by the terms of the arbitration process and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 for such staff be phased in over the period 2016 to 2019.
The Arbitrator's recommendations were accepted by both sides. My Department issued Circulars to schools which gave effect to the measures which applied from 1 January 2016 (i.e. an increase of 2.5% in the hourly pay rate and the introduction of a minimum hourly rate of €10.25) to School Secretaries and Caretakers comprehended by the terms of the arbitration process and also revised grant rates. Staff who were not comprehended by the Arbitrator's recommendations will benefit from the pay restoration measures contained in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2015.
117. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the development of a new secondary school (details supplied); if he will update the issue of patronage of the new secondary school planned for the area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29369/16]
View answerIn April 2016 applications were invited for the patronage of nine new post-primary schools to be established in 2017 and 2018, including the new post-primary school to serve the Carpenterstown and Castleknock areas. The closing date for receipt of applications for this process was 8 June 2016. Patrons submitted with their application a parental preference template in which parents have been requested to declare their preference for their child to be educated through that patron's school model and also their preference with regard to education through the medium of English or Irish.
Applications received are currently being assessed by my Department. The assessment process is detailed and rigorous and numerous applications have been received in respect of each of the nine proposed new post-primary schools.
The final assessment reports will be forwarded for the consideration of the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). The NSEG is an external independent advisory group set up to oversee the process. Following the Group's consideration, they will submit a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. I will then announce who the successful patron of each school is. I expect to receive this report in the coming weeks.
The assessment reports and the recommendations of the NSEG will be available on my Department's website following the announcement.
118. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for the building of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29380/16]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the Programme for a Partnership Government reflects the Government's objective of strengthening parental choice and further expanding diversity in our school system. The desire of parents for diversity in education is primarily being pursued by increasing the number of non-denominational and multi-denominational schools with a view to reaching 400 by 2030. I am progressing the patronage divesting/reconfiguration programme as a priority in this context. I plan to announce the new approaches which will be pursued in that regard within the timeframe indicated in the Action Plan for Education.
In the context of the patronage divesting process, New Ross Educate Together National School opened in September 2015 in temporary accommodation. With regard to the potential future use of the building referred to by the Deputy, my Department has worked with the relevant authorities to progress securing it as permanent accommodation for New Ross Educate Together National School. The building project to provide new accommodation for the amalgamated school which will free up this school property for alternative educational use is currently under construction with an anticipated substantial completion date of December 2016.
119. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will consider allocating funding to a third level college (details supplied) for a new library to replace the existing building, constructed in 1978 to accommodate 750 students and accommodate only 250 study spaces, while the college population now exceeds 3,400 students; his views that the college requires extra library space; if his attention has been drawn to the impact that the lack of library facilities can have on the progression of students through college; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29381/16]
View answerThe Department of Education and Skills has been made aware of the challenges faced by the third level institution in question with respect to its current library facilities.
There are many competing demands on the limited capital budget for higher education and the library development proposal will be considered within the context of competing demands. I am not in a position to commit to a funding allocation at this point.
120. Deputy Seán Haughey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will make the Student Universal Support Ireland grant scheme, the disability access route to education scheme and the HEA student assistance fund scheme available to students of private third level colleges such as Griffith College in Dublin; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29395/16]
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.
The Student Assistance Fund which is part financed by the European Social Fund, is not available to students attending private colleges.
The Disability Access Route to Education (DARE) is a third-level admissions scheme for students with a disability. The scheme is operated by a number of higher education institutions and not by my Department. Any requests for more detailed information about DARE should be directed to the Irish Universities Association (IUA) who coordinate the scheme for participating institutions.
Decisions in relation to the future funding of student supports will be informed by the consideration of the options contained in the Report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education, published in July. As committed to in the Programme for Government, I have referred the report to the relevant Oireachtas Committee as part of the process for building political consensus on the most sustainable approach for funding the higher education sector in the future.
It is open to higher education institutions that operate on a 'for profit' basis to use their own resources to provide financial supports to any of their students that they consider to be in particular need.
121. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the pedestrian lights facilitating pupils getting to and from a school (details supplied) have still not been turned on; his views that this is a significant safety hazard for pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29399/16]
View answerMy Department has been made aware of the issue with regard to the pedestrian lights located at the school to which the Deputy refers. My Department understands that there is a computer fault with the pedestrian lights which is currently being addressed and the matter is expected to be resolved in the coming days.
122. Deputy Eamon Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has identified a permanent site for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29400/16]
View answerThe project to which the Deputy refers was announced as part of the Six Year Capital Programme last year. A suitable site for the school has been identified and agreement in principle in respect of its proposed acquisition has been reached with the landowner.
Due to the commercial sensitivities which attach to property acquisitions generally, I am unfortunately not in a position to provide further details at this time. However, the patron body will be informed of the school's permanent location as soon as it is possible to do so.
123. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of applications by a school (details supplied) for special needs assistants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29427/16]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE), which is an independent statutory agency, is responsible, through its network of Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports, including S support.
The NCSE allocates S support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in my Department's Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie in order that students who have care needs can access S support as and when it is needed.
Responsibility for deciding on the quantum of educational supports and resources to be allocated to schools to support individual pupils rests with the NCSE.
It should be noted that S allocations are not made to individual children, but are made to schools to support the care needs of children with assessed special educational needs in the school.
Where a school wishes to appeal the S support allocation which has been made to them, they may do so through the NCSE appeal process, details of which are set out at www.ncse.ie. The option to invoke the NCSE appeals process is open to the school in question.
All schools have the contact details of their local SENO. Contact details are also available on the NCSE website. The local SENO is also available to discuss any concerns that parents have about the present or future educational needs of their child.
As the question to which the Deputy refers relates to a particular school, the matter has been referred to the NCSE for direct reply.
124. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the construction of the new national school in Kanturk, County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29429/16]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware the delivery of a new primary school in Kanturk has been devolved to the Office of Public Works (OPW).
The OPW is currently preparing tender documentation and as soon as this work is completed approval will be given to the OPW to seek tenders.
125. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way he plans to address, for the student, the discrepancy between those on the junior cycle who are being assessed by classroom based assessment, CBA, and those who are not being assessed due to action by the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland, ASTI; the alternative his Department will put in place to ensure that those students will be marked fairly compared with those being assessed. [29434/16]
View answerA key element of the new Framework are Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs). These assessments will be undertaken by students across the junior cycle, one in 2nd year and one in 3rd year.
The second CBA will be followed by a written Assessment Task which will be externally marked by the State Examinations Commission. The assessment task is worth 10% of the marks for the final examination.
However, teachers of English who are members of ASTI have been directed by their union that, while they are to teach the new specification, they are not to undertake the Classroom Based Assessments (CBAs) with their students. Therefore, students who are taught by a teacher who is a member of the ASTI will not receive a grade for their CBAs. Since the second CBA is linked to the written Assessment Task these students cannot complete the Assessment Task.
Officials from my Department recently met with the ASTI on this matter, where the position regarding the written assessment task was made very clear. In cases where the assessment task is not completed the State Examinations Commission cannot award any marks in respect of this mandatory component. Therefore, candidates for Junior Cycle English in 2017 who do not complete the assessment task can only be marked and graded based on a maximum of 90% of the available marks.
I recently requested the ASTI to provide an immediate derogation from their directive for current teachers of English, while talks between my Department and the union on the Junior Cycle proceed, in order that current Third Year English students of ASTI members are no longer unfairly and unjustifiably disadvantaged. A response is awaited.
126. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to fund the development of the physical infrastructure of a college (details supplied) as has been promised by his predecessors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29454/16]
View answerThere are many competing demands on the limited capital budget for higher education.
The Department of Education and Skills is aware of the proposed development referred to by the Deputy and it will be considered within the context of competing demands. I am not in a position to commit to a funding allocation at this point.
127. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will expedite the construction of a new school (details supplied). [29456/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school in question is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme (2019/21). My Department will be in contact with the school authority in due course in the context of progressing the project into the architectural planning process.
