Written Answers Nos. 142-152
142. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set down the number of primary teachers on his Department's payroll who are currently paid a qualification allowance at the pass degree rate. [12258/17]
View answerThe information requested by the Deputy is as follows and refers to the school year 2016/2017:
Number of primary school teachers being paid a qualification allowance at the pass rate:
Pass Primary Degree allowance - 6,550
Pass Masters Degree allowance - 96
Pass Higher Diploma in Education allowance - 504.
143. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set down the number of substitute teachers employed per school day, on average, in primary schools; if these positions are taken account of in planning for the supply of teachers; if his attention has been drawn to an acute shortage of teachers to fill substitute teacher positions; and his plans to address this serious issue for schools. [12259/17]
View answerIn overall terms the Department has no evidence of a recent or current general shortage of primary teachers, including for substitute positions. However, I am aware that some schools are experiencing difficulty in recruiting substitute teachers, and I am committed to examining all possible means of addressing this issue.
The Deputy will be aware that a Technical Working Group (TWG) was set up by the Teaching Council to formulate advice on teacher supply. The TWG's Report sets out an approach to planning which scopes out the work necessary to develop a model for teacher supply in the medium to long term. It recognises that the implementation of its recommendations will have significant resource implications, including staffing.
The Report identifies that the number of substitute teachers necessary to cover for teacher absences is an important variable in any teacher supply model. The Action Plan for Education for 2017 contains commitments to progress the recommendations this year.
The specific information sought by the Deputy is not readily available. However, an analysis of the data for one recent school day indicated that 3,661 primary substitute teachers were paid for that day. The figure includes short term and long term substitution including for example maternity leave.
144. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if all the recommendations of the Cush report in respect of fixed-term workers in third level colleges have been accepted and implemented by him; and if not, the specific recommendations that remain outstanding. [12260/17]
View answerThe Report of the Chair of the Expert Group on Fixed Term and Part-Time issues in Lecturing in Ireland was published in May 2016 and the Report contains a number of recommendations that will assist in addressing concerns raised about the level of part-time and fixed-term employment in lecturing in the third level sector. My Department issued directions to the sector on the 4th July 2016 to implement the recommendations contained in the report in accordance with the terms of the Lansdowne Road Agreement and my understanding is that the Institutions are taking steps to do so.
If a union representing lecturing grades believes that a third level college is not implementing the recommendations contained within the Report of the Chair of the Expert Group, that union can seek to have the matter addressed using the dispute resolution procedures provided for in the Public Service Agreement.
145. Deputy Colm Brophy asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline his views on a submission made to his Department regarding the provision of lumper potatoes to schools teaching children about the Famine; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12269/17]
View answerMy Department is keen to support Famine commemoration where it is feasible and practicable to do so. My officials will seek further clarification regarding the project outlined in the submission. This will include seeking copies of the literature being proposed for issue to schools and clarification regarding how the project would work during the period when schools are closed (i.e. holiday times). When these details have been provided, they will be considered by my Department and a decision will be made.
146. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the mechanism and criteria for a Youthreach programme to apply and receive funding for DEIS status supports; if his attention has been drawn to difficulties or a lack of awareness among Youthreach management on the process to access the funding; and his plans to update the current management of the scheme. [12272/17]
View answerDEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage. The DEIS Plan 2017 sets out my Department's goals, targets and actions for improving the learning outcomes and overall life chances of children and young people at greatest risk of not reaching their potential by virtue of their socio-economic circumstances.
The Youthreach programme is delivered and funded through SOLAS, the Further Education and Training Authority and the 16 Education and Training Boards. Youthreach is a programme for early school leavers and offers vocational and general education programmes to provide young people with the skills and qualifications required to access further education, training and employment. Youthreach is resourced in an entirely different way than the school system and is not supported through the DEIS programme. Youthreach centres have low staff student ratios to support individualised learner planning and a model that blends education and youthwork approaches.
Accordingly I have no plans to extend the DEIS programme to Youthreach.
147. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the reason he has not approved the appointment of two members (details supplied) to the governing body of Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology when the names have been forwarded to him since February 2015 by Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education and Training Board via Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board; and if he will approve the appointments without delay. [12313/17]
View answerThe appointment of the first individual referred to by the Deputy has been finalised and written confirmation has issued to Galway Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB) confirming this. The second individual referred to was not a nominee put forward to my Department by GRETB.
While the legislation provides for me, as Minister, to appoint members of the Governing Body, I have no power to nominate the members to be appointed.
148. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the reason a school (details supplied) in County Sligo has not been granted DEIS status in view of the fact that two other primary schools, which are located within six kilometres of the school concerned and are servicing the same catchment area, have DEIS status; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12377/17]
View answerDEIS is my Department's main policy initiative to tackle educational disadvantage and the DEIS Plan 2017 sets out our vision for future intervention in the critical area of social inclusion in education policy.
A key element of DEIS Plan 2017 is the availability of a new identification process for the assessment of schools for inclusion in DEIS using centrally held CSO and DES data.
The key data sources are the DES Primary Online Database (POD) and Post-Primary Online (PPOD) Databases, and CSO data from the National Census of Population as represented in the Pobal HP Index for Small Areas which is a method of measuring the relative affluence or disadvantage of a particular geographical area. Variables used in the compilation of the HP Index include those related to demographic growth, dependency ratios, education levels, single parent rate, overcrowding, social class, occupation and unemployment rates. This data is combined with pupil data, anonymised and aggregated to small area, to provide information on the relative level of concentrated disadvantage present in the pupil cohort of individual schools. This data is applied uniformly across all the schools in the country. Further information on the development of the identification process is available in the DEIS Review report which can be found on my Department's website at http://www.education.ie/en/Schools-Colleges/Services/DEIS-Delivering-Equality-of-Opportunity-in-Schools-/.
In its initial application, the new identification model has identified that there are schools in disadvantaged areas, not previously included in DEIS, whose level of disadvantage is significantly higher than many schools already in the programme. Accordingly, we are moving as a first step to include these schools within the DEIS School Support Programme.
Schools included in the list published by the Department on 13th February are those whose level of concentrated disadvantage has been identified as being at the same level as the current DEIS category for schools serving the highest concentrations of disadvantage.
Schools which have not been included at this stage, including the school referred to by the Deputy, are those which have not been identified as having the highest levels of concentrated disadvantage amongst their pupil cohort, under the new model, which is fair and objective.
It should be noted that each school’s level of disadvantage is based on the CSO small area of population in which the student cohort of the school resides.
The new DEIS Plan provides for a verification process and any school wishing to seek verification of the information used to assess the level of disadvantage of its pupil cohort may submit an application for same to social_inclusion@education.gov.ie.
It is important to note that the school details published on 13th February represent a first step in the application of the assessment process to support pupils in schools with the highest concentrations of disadvantage. I am fully aware that there are further schools whose concentrated level of disadvantage may not be at the highest level, but may nevertheless be at a level which warrants additional supports for pupils under DEIS.
However, as noted in the DEIS Plan, the implementation of a new objective central data-based model of identifying levels of disadvantage within school populations will be followed by a further programme of work to create a more dynamic model where levels of resource more accurately follow the levels of need identified by that model.
Once this work has been completed, consideration will be given to extending DEIS supports to a further group of schools as resources permit.
In delivering on the DEIS Plan 2017 we must be conscious that there are ongoing changes in demographics which may be more marked in some areas than others. Populations in some areas have changed considerably since schools were originally evaluated for inclusion in DEIS 2006. The new model may reveal that some schools currently included in DEIS have a level of disadvantage within their school population much lower than that in some schools not included within DEIS. If this turns out to be the case, then we must consider whether it is fair that those schools continue receiving these additional resources, using resources that may be more fairly allocated to the schools with greater levels of disadvantage.
149. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if school secretaries who are being paid by grants from his Department will be recognised as employees of his Department similar to many of their peers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12384/17]
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 scheme is being phased out and has 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 services (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. Where a school uses the capitation grant funding to employ a secretary, such staff are employees of individual schools.
My Department has no plans to develop an alternative scheme for schools to employ secretaries separate to the current system of capitation grant assistance.
150. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when he will allocate funding to a group sewage scheme (details supplied) in County Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12247/17]
View answer151. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when he will allocate funding to a group sewage scheme (details supplied) in County Leitrim; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12248/17]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 150 and 151 together.
My Department’s new Multi-annual Rural Water Programme 2016-2018 includes funding of groups sewerage schemes, through Measure 4(d), where clustering of households on individual septic tanks is not a viable option, particularly from an environmental perspective.
Local authorities were invited in January 2016 to submit bids under the programme. The invitation envisaged no more than two demonstration group sewerage projects being brought forward under the measure in any one year of the three year programme. The demonstrations will allow my Department, over the course of the programme, to determine the appropriate enduring funding levels and relationship with the current grant scheme. Proposed Group Sewerage Schemes for both Fawn and Cloonturk were included by Leitrim County Council in its bids under the measure. In total, 83 Bids were received from 17 Local Authorities requesting funding under this measure.
An Expert Panel was convened by my Department to examine the 2016 bids from local authorities for projects under a number of the programme’s measures, including Measure 4(d), and to make recommendations to the Department on funding. The Panel recommended a priority list of demonstration schemes under this measure to my Department which accepted the recommendations in full when approving the rural water allocations for 2016. The priority list recommended by the Panel did not include the proposed Fawn and Cloonturk schemes.
As only two demonstration projects can be advanced in any given year and a priority list of new demonstration group sewerage schemes has already been identified for the duration of the programme, there is currently no scope for any additional schemes.
A copy of the Expert Panel's report and consideration of all proposals under the Programme is available on my Department’s website at the following link:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/water/water-services/rural-water-programme/group-water-schemes-and-rural-water-issues.
152. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government to set out the status of PEACE IV funding; if it is expected that Brexit will have any implications for PEACE funding and the way it is administered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12322/17]
View answerMy Department has policy responsibility for, and provides funding under, two themes under the PEACE IV Programme. These themes are Shared Spaces and Services and Building Positive Relations at Local Level. Progress under these themes, and the roll-out of the programme generally, is proceeding as expected. I anticipate a successful implementation of the PEACE IV Programme and, at this stage, I don’t expect Brexit to impact significantly on the funding or ad ministration arrangements under either theme for which my Department has responsibility.
To this end, arrangements have been agreed between Ireland and the UK, which seek to mitigate the impact of Brexit on programme funding agreements and secure funding arrangements for programme beneficiaries that allow them to plan for the future with confidence. These arrangements have facilitated full implementation of the programmes to proceed on a firmer basis than would have been possible otherwise.
Accordingly, I anticipate a full spend under the programme, with approximately €270 million invested in actions that promote positive relations between people from different communities and backgrounds, across both Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland. This investment includes some €9 million and €32 million from Ireland and the UK respectively, with a matching contribution of €229 million from the EU.
