Written Answers Nos. 237-255
237. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department is considering extending borrowing rights to institutes of technology, particularly in view of the recent HEA financial review of the institute of technology sector; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37587/16]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, Institutes of Technology (IoTs) are classified as within General Government Balance for Eurostat purposes. This arises primarily due to the smaller level of income received by IoTs from non-State sources as against the Universities which have a higher proportion. The Deputy will appreciate the recent economic crisis and continuing constraints on Government as a result of EU fiscal rules on expenditure and debt levels has to date prevented the agreement of a borrowing framework for the IoTs.
However, my Department is continuing to discuss with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform the possibility of agreeing a borrowing framework as part of broader deliberations arising from the report of the Expert Group on Future Funding for Higher Education and the recently published Financial Review of the IoTs by the Higher Education Authority (HEA).
I can assure the Deputy that the HEA has been closely monitoring the financial position of all of the IoTs and in particular are working closely with those Institutes that are experiencing financial difficulties in order to ensure appropriate mechanisms are put in place to eliminate any deficit as quickly as possible.
The Financial Review of the Institutes was carried out by the HEA in order to provide an overview of the financial health of the IoT sector, to consider capacity issues and to examine the challenges for the institutions given their respective plans for the future. The report makes a number of recommendations on how some of the issues which contribute to funding problems in the IoT sector can be addressed, including the introduction of a borrowing framework to facilitate campus development in IoTs. All of the policy recommendations will feed into the work currently being undertaken on developing a sustainable funding model for the sector.
238. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if savings will be made by his Department by the introduction of the new resource allocation model for special educational needs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37588/16]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has a statutory role under the Education of Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 to provide me with policy advice in relation to matters concerning the education of persons with special educational needs.
The NCSE identified that the current model for allocating resource teachers to schools is potentially inequitable, because access to the range of professional assessments required for the diagnosis of low incident disabilities is not always readily available to those who cannot afford to access them privately. The NCSE has also advised that the current model can lead to unnecessary labelling of children from a young age.
The NCSE has proposed a new resource teaching allocation model which will, when introduced, remove the formal requirement for diagnostic assessment to access additional support and which will provide resources to schools based on school profiles.
As part the recent Budget announcements, I announced that following development and piloting over the past number of years, a new model for the allocation of teaching resources for children with special educational needs will be implemented from September 2017.
An additional €18 million will be provided in 2017 to provide for around 900 resource teacher posts to support the introduction of this model.
Savings will therefore not be made by my Department by the introduction of the new resource teaching allocation model. Rather, additional provision is being made to support the introduction of the model, which is aimed at improving outcomes for the students involved. The total number of resource teachers which will be provided will be known when the school profiling exercise has been completed.
Further details regarding implementation of the new model will be announced in the coming months.
239. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a review has taken place of the procurement practices within the education sector, particularly in the higher education sector; if such a review is proposed; if concerns have been raised with his Department in relation to procurement practices in the higher education sector or other bodies within the remit of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37589/16]
View answerMy Department in conjunction with the Higher Education Authority (HEA) has decided to commence a series of Corporate Governance Compliance Reviews utilising a centralised procurement framework to deliver reviews which will evaluate the effectiveness of governance in organisations against stated policy, best practice, national and international standards.
The first such ‘rolling review’ which has commenced is looking at governance compliance practices in relation to procurement across the higher education sector. I understand that the final report will be submitted to officials of my Department shortly.
As the Deputy will be aware higher education institutions are bound by public procurement procedures in relation to their spending. The tender process and legal arrangements are a matter for the individual institutions as autonomous bodies.
240. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on maintaining history as a core subject for the junior certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37592/16]
View answerIn line with the philosophy of the Framework for Junior Cycle, no subject or short course will be deemed compulsory apart from Irish, English and Mathematics, and the new area of learning of Wellbeing. Thereafter schools will have the flexibility and autonomy to choose from 18 other subjects, including History. Schools will be given flexibility to shape their own junior cycle programme by including a selection of subjects, short courses and other learning experiences that will allow their students to meet the requirements of the twenty-four statements of learning outlined in the Framework.
Overall, I am in favour of leaving the decision on what is offered at the discretion of the school. Curriculum choice is important in motivating students to learn and to remain in school to completion of senior cycle. The vast majority of schools already offer History and Geography and the vast majority of students choose these subjects although they are currently compulsory in only half our schools. The popularity of subjects depends on the quality of teaching, the passion of the teachers for their subjects and the engagement of their students. I see no reason why the popularity of History will change in the future.
The new specification for History will be available to schools from September 2017.
My Department met with representatives of the History Teachers' Association of Ireland in early 2012 and the discussion at that meeting helped to inform the design of the JC Framework. I have every confidence that the changes envisaged in Framework will ensure that the place of historical study will be retained and given a new impetus across the junior cycle curriculum. Such an impetus should help to improve take up of History at senior cycle also.
241. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the refusal of funding for a school (details supplied) in County Donegal; if his Department will reconsider its application in view of the circumstances facing the school if funding is not allocated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37603/16]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that an application for additional accommodation received in 2015 was not approved for funding on the basis of sufficient accommodation being available to the school in question.
In recent days the school contacted my Department to advise that their accommodation requirements had changed in the intervening period due to an increase in the allocated resource hours. In that regard, my Department advised that an application for additional accommodation may be submitted. Once this application is received, the matter may be considered further.
242. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a commitment given in the programme for Government (details supplied) was published in advance of the budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37614/16]
View answerThe Programme for Government contains a commitment to commission an independent examination to identify the supports and barriers to accessing higher education for lone parents, and examine measures to increase participation.
In line with this commitment, my Department engaged a multi-disciplinary team in NUI Maynooth to undertake the independent review.
The review is being overseen by a steering committee comprising officials from my Department and from the Departments of Social Protection and Children and Youth Affairs, as well as the Higher Education Authority.
The review will examine existing data and describe the supports that are currently available for lone parents with a view to identifying the specific challenges faced by lone parents in accessing higher education. The intention is to identify measures and best practice that will address those challenges in the future.
The review is currently being finalised. This is a complex policy area that involves three Government Departments. However, the review was sufficiently progressed to inform policy discussions between the relevant Departments in advance of Budget 2017.
In this context, I secured additional funding in Budget 2017 to support more lone parents to participate in higher education. This new funding will be used to respond to the recommendations contained in the review.
243. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department, or the agencies that report to his Department, entered into any non-disclosure or confidentiality agreements with any organisation due to court action or a threatened court action; and if so, the persons or groups with which these agreements exist. [37626/16]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. It is currently being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.
244. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will investigate the case of a person (details supplied) in County Tipperary who is waiting on a decision for a school transport grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37653/16]
View answerSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently over 114,000 children, including some 10,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in approximately 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
The child referred to by the Deputy is eligible for school transport under the terms of my Department's School Transport Scheme for Children with Special Educational Needs.
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes and endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service.
In this regard Bus Éireann has advised that this child can be accommodated on an existing service and therefore the question of a special transport grant does not arise. The parent was advised of this in April 2014.
245. Deputy Martin Heydon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review the annual process for approval of the minor works grant for primary schools to a system with an earlier approval date which would allow more certainty for schools as they budget and make plans for their upcoming year, in view of the fact the current system leaves uncertainty for schools trying to manage with limited resources; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37756/16]
View answerThe terms and conditions for the payment of the Minor Works Grant to primary schools are set out in Circular Letter 0062/2013. The funds that are transferred under the grant to schools must be spent on the physical infrastructure of the school or on items of furniture and equipment for educational use, including IT related equipment.
The Circular states that the grant will only be paid in future years as funding permits. In that context it is vital that schools take this stipulation into account before commencing any infrastructure related works.
The Deputy will be aware that I announced the Minor Works Grant 2016/2017 on the 17 November 2016 and that schools will receive the grant this week. The total cost of the grant is over €28.5m.
246. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a home tuition package will be provided in respect of a person (details supplied); and if a positive decision will be expedited. [37764/16]
View answerThe purpose of the Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of specific reasons, are unable to attend school.
The scheme provides a compensatory educational service for
a. Early educational intervention for children with autism who meet the scheme's eligibility criteria
b. Students with special educational needs seeking an educational placement in a recognised school
c. Students, enrolled in schools, with significant medical conditions which have caused, and are likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school
An application for home tuition for the child referred to by the Deputy was received in my Department on the 15th November 2016 and approved on 17th November 2017.
The application sought the provision of Home tuition on the basis that, while there was a school placement available for the child, the child is currently unable to access the placement due to his current medical condition.
On 17th November 2017, my Department approved Home Tuition on this basis, to support the child while he recovers to the extent that he can be enrolled in and attend school. The child in question is in receipt of the maximum hours available for children with significant medical conditions which has caused, and is likely to continue to cause, major disruption to their attendance at school.
The application can be reconsidered when the child has recovered to the extent that he can be enrolled in and attend school.
247. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the appointment of additional special advisers by him and Ministers of State in his Department. [37887/16]
View answerMy Department has applied for and received sanction from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform for the appointment of Ms. Michelle Clancy as a Special Adviser to assist the Minister of State in carrying out his official functions at the Department of Education and Skills and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.
A Memorandum for Government will be presented to the Cabinet to ratify the appointment in due course.
248. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he is considering increasing the housing assistance payment limit in view of the increase in rents. [36934/16]
View answerThe Government increased the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) (and Rent Supplement) rent limits in every local authority area, taking account of geographic variations in market rents, with effect from 1 July 2016 meeting its stated commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government and Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness. In addition, additional flexibility above the existing HAP rent limits was made available to all local authorities operating HAP from the same date. These changes have had the effect of providing further targeted supports to those households in most need; providing prospective HAP recipients with access to a greater number of properties in the market; and reducing the number of households falling into homelessness.
More than 2,500 pre-existing households being supported by HAP have received an increase in their level of support since the introduction of the new rent limits in line with costed projections. All local authorities where HAP is operational can now exceed the prescribed rent limits (by up to 20%), on a case by case basis, subject to guidelines.
HAP is now available to all qualified households in 19 local authority areas, with over 15,500 households currently being supported by the scheme and over 10,000 separate landlords and agents providing accommodation to those households. Furthermore, HAP will be available from 1 December 2016 in the following local authorities – Cavan, Kerry, Laois, Leitrim, Longford, Roscommon, Westmeath, Wexford and Wicklow.
I am satisfied the HAP rent limits, in combination with the discretion available to local authorities operating the scheme, is sufficient to provide housing support while meeting market demands. My Department continues to keep the operation of the scheme, including the effectiveness of rent limits, under review. In general, I am satisfied with the operation of HAP scheme and I consider it to be a key vehicle for meeting housing need and fulfilling the ambitious programme under Rebuilding Ireland: An Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness.
249. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the supports in place for development and protection of county archive services to preserve local cultural patrimony. [37079/16]
View answerIt is the responsibility of each local authority, in accordance with Section 80 of the Local Government Act 2001, to make proper arrangements for the management, custody, care and conservation of their records and archives and to provide public access to their archives. Similarly, the annual cost for the storage of records and archives is a matter for each local authority and is a matter in which my Department has no role.
250. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the position of a pension-related deduction payable in respect of dual public sector workers and specifically in respect of retained fire fighters with dual employment with their local authorities. [37490/16]
View answer251. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if retained fire fighters should have the pension-related deduction thresholds on both employments, as was the case in 2009 and 2010. [37491/16]
View answer252. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason certain public sector workers are paying very little and in some cases no pension-related deduction in relation to their fire fighting services. [37492/16]
View answer254. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on whether it is fair and equitable that retained fire fighters who had already chosen to waive joining the superannuation scheme in favour of accepting a gratuity hadretirement benefits significantly diminished when compared to the pension-related deduction payable over their working lives up to the point of retirement. [37495/16]
View answer255. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if his Department expects to address the inequality suffered by retained fire fighters in dual employment as a result of the application of the pension-related deduction to their dual employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37496/16]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 250 to 252, inclusive, and 254 and 255 together.
In 2008, retained fire-fighters were given the option of joining the Local Government Superannuation Scheme (LGSS) and receive a pension and retirement lump sum based on their pensionable remuneration and length of service. Retained fire-fighters who opted not to join the scheme receive, on retirement, a gratuity of 1/8th of the annual retainer multiplied by the number of years of actual service (up to a maximum of four times the annual retainer). All retained fire-fighters appointed after 1 January 2013 must join the Single Public Service Pension Scheme.
The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 states that any public servant who is a member of a public service pension scheme, is entitled to a benefit under such a scheme, or receives a payment in lieu of membership of such a scheme, is subject to Pension Related Deduction (PRD) from their remuneration. Additional pension benefits do not arise as a result of this deduction.
In the case of a local authority worker who is also a member of the Local Government Superannuation Scheme, PRD contributions are payable in respect of the pay applicable to that employment also, on the basis that such a person qualifies for the payment of a pension and lump sum as a member of the LGSS.
The payment of the retirement gratuity to retained firefighters who are not members of the LGSS is a payment in lieu of membership of a pension scheme and, as such, all retained fire-fighters, whether members of a public service pension scheme or not, are subject to the deduction outlined in the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009. Responsibility for this legislation rests with my colleague, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.
253. Deputy David Cullinane asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the reason the 2009 circular issued to local authorities which states that in the case of staff employed in more than one capacity, each employment may be treated separately for the purposes of calculating revised remuneration in accordance with this circular was applied for two years and then changed in 2011. [37493/16]
View answerOn 22 December 2009, my Department issued Circular EL 17/2009 which, in regard to staff employed in more than one capacity, stated:
“Dual Employment
In the case of staff employed in more than one capacity, each employment may be treated separately for the purposes of calculating revised remuneration in accordance with this circular”.
On 28 January 2011, my Department issued Circular EL 01/2011 which, on the same issue, stated:
“Dual Employment
In the case of staff employed in more than one capacity, each employment may be treated separately for the purposes of calculating revised remuneration in accordance with this circular.”
As the Deputy will note, with regard to staff employed in more than one capacity, there was no change from the 2009 Circular to the 2011 Circular.
Questions Nos. 254 and 255 answered with Question No. 250.
