Tuesday, 7 Mar 2017

Tax Rebates

Questions (173)

Paul Kehoe

Question:

173. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Finance when a person (details supplied) can expect to receive payment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12155/17]

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Written answers

I am advised by Revenue that processing of the refund claimed is pending until supporting documentation is submitted. This documentation was requested on two occasions in June 2013 and again in March 2015 but has not been received. Following a recent visit by the person concerned to his local Revenue District, Revenue has arranged to confirm the position again in writing to the person concerned.

School Enrolments Data

Questions (174)

Imelda Munster

Question:

174. Deputy Imelda Munster asked the Minister for Education and Skills the post primary student population nationally for the school year 2013 to 2014. [11292/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The information requested by the deputy is available in the table.

Pupils enrolled in Post-Primary Education.

Academic Year	Total Post-Primary Pupils
2013/2014	367,178

Apprenticeship Programmes

Questions (175)

Noel Rock

Question:

175. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the State has adopted the European Commission's European alliance for apprenticeships, which was a key element of the youth guarantee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11946/17]

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Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills (Deputy John Halligan)

The European Alliance for Apprenticeships Alliance was launched in July 2013 with a joint declaration by the European Social Partners, the European Commission and the Presidency of the Council of the EU. This was followed by a Council Declaration by EU countries.

Ireland made a commitment through the alliance to review and expand its apprenticeship system. An independent group produced the Review of Apprenticeship Training in Ireland, which was published in 2014. The review contained a range of recommendations to expand participation of apprenticeship, including the establishment of an Apprenticeship Council. The Council was established in November 2014 and immediately began work on a call for proposals for the development of new enterprise-led apprenticeships. The call issued in January 2015 and over 80 proposals were received from industry stakeholders working with education and training providers. The Apprenticeship Council has been working with the proposers of these new programmes to develop them in sustainable apprenticeships that can be delivered on a nationwide basis. The funding for planned and forecast expansion in 2017 will see an additional €20 million provided.

An Action Plan to expand Apprenticeship and Traineeship in Ireland 2016-2020 was launched on the 26th January 2017 and sets out how state agencies, education and training providers and employers will work together to deliver on the Programme for Government commitments on the expansion of apprenticeship and traineeship in the period to 2020. 50,000 people will be registered on apprenticeship and traineeship programmes over the lifetime of the Action Plan, a doubling of current activity. The Plan sets out how we will manage the pipeline of new apprenticeships already established through the first call for proposals and also commits to a new call for apprenticeship proposals in 2017.

The Insurance Practitioner Apprenticeship, the first of the new programmes developed through the Apprenticeship Council’s first call for proposals, launched in September 2016 and an Industrial Engineer Apprenticeship commenced in November 2016. 13 further new apprenticeships are due to launch later this year in various sectors including medical devices, polymer processing and financial services.

Third Level Data

Questions (176)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

176. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount allocated and also needed for demographics, which relates to higher education funding in each of the years 2010 to 2021, in view of the recent Cassells report in which is quantified the provision needed for demographics for higher education as including an average 1.7% increase per year – c. 3,000 students (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11990/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

In Budget 2017 I secured, for the first time in nine years, additional funding for the sector of €36.5m for 2017. This includes an allocation of €14m towards anticipated demographics increases in the sector. €160m additional funding overall over the next three years has been agreed.

Increasing the level of funding to the sector is a key concern for my Department, particularly in light of the expected increases in the number of students expected over the next decade or so - a point that is clearly set out in the Report of the Expert Group on the Future Funding for Higher Education. As the Deputy will be aware, the report is currently with the Oireachtas Committee for consideration and following its deliberations it is hoped to put in place an agreed approach as to how the sector should be funded in the long term.

In addition, in Budget 2017 the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform and I, announced a policy review with the aim of designing and implementing a sustainable and predictable multi-annual funding model for higher and further education and training involving increased Employer and Exchequer contributions from 2018. The review will be undertaken as part of the overall response to meeting the anticipated skills needs in the economy over the coming years, in line with the policy framework set out in the National Skills Strategy.

It will include an analysis of the business case for enhanced investment in the higher and further education and training sectors and of the most effective funding mechanisms to deliver outcomes in respect of our ambitions in this area. In this context it will identify key elements of the new funding model and of the expected impacts including those on employers. The review will include consultation with stakeholders which it is intended will commence in early March 2017. It is expected that the policy review will be published by the end of April 2017, and will complement the ongoing work by the Oireachtas Committee in relation to the Cassells report.

Child Protection Services Provision

Questions (177)

Mick Barry

Question:

177. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department institutes procedures and training for the mandatory reporting of child protection concerns by home tutors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11188/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department funds a number of Home Tuition Schemes which provide a compensatory educational service for children who are not attending school for a number of reasons. These schemes cater for children who are:

- Unable to attend school due to chronic illness;

- Children with special education needs seeking an educational placement;

- Early education intervention for children with autism;

- Children (non-medical or non-special education needs) who are temporarily without a school place and

- Children whose education may be disrupted due to pregnancy.

My Department does not recruit or employ individuals to provide home tuition. A parent/guardian must source and recruit a home tutor.

Information in relation to the Home Tuition schemes is set out in Department Circular letters published by my Department. The Circular letters contain detailed information for parents/guardians on the scheme and information on the qualification and vetting requirements of tutors. As a condition of funding for the various home tuition schemes, parents/guardians are advised that tutors must be registered with the Teaching Council.

Parents/guardians are also advised that they must satisfy themselves that all tutors have applied for and have been vetted by the Teaching Council of Ireland via the Teaching Council’s online vetting process. Information on Child Protection is also provided in Circular letters.

As a condition of funding under the Home Tuition Schemes, tutors must also provide a completed child protection related Statutory Declaration and Form of Undertaking.

In relation to mandatory reporting, the Children First Act provides that all registered teachers are mandated persons. According to the Act, the duty to report applies in respect of information that a mandated person “has received, acquired or becomes aware of in the course of his or her employment or profession as such a mandated person”. The part of the Act providing for mandatory reporting has not yet been commenced.

School Accommodation Provision

Questions (178)

Mary Butler

Question:

178. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a request by a school (details supplied) for a link corridor for connectivity between various buildings in the school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11206/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I can confirm that the school in question recently submitted an application to my Department, for significant capital funding for additional school accommodation. The application will be considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (179)

Michael Moynihan

Question:

179. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the construction of a new school (details supplied) County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11208/17]

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The project to which the Deputy refers has been devolved for delivery to the OPW.

My Department recently gave approval to the OPW to tender for enabling works to clear the site by re-routing overhead electrical cabling underground. The consents from the adjacent landowner to enable this are being acquired. In the meantime, the OPW is finalising the tender documents for the main project and my Departments expects to be able to approve the issue of the tender documentation as soon as the enabling works are completed.

School Accommodation Provision

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Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 180, 181 and 204 together.

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has approved funding to the school in question to construct a mainstream classroom for the additional teacher appointment in September 2017. The school has been advised accordingly.

DEIS Administration

Questions (182, 183, 184, 185, 186, 187, 188, 189, 190, 191, 192, 193, 195, 196)

As outlined in the DEIS Plan, the range of supports under the School Support Programme will be extended on a phased basis to those schools, contained in the lists published on 13th February, with effect from September 2017 including those schools for whom details was supplied by the Deputy.