Tuesday, 4 Jul 2017

Written Answers Nos. 182 - 203

Schools Amalgamation

Questions (182)

Fiona O'Loughlin

Question:

182. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if will review a plan sent in by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30958/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the schools in question will amalgamate from 30 August 2017 and the Patron has been advised accordingly. The amalgamated school will continue to operate from the schools' existing school buildings.

School Staff

Questions (183)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

183. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the approximate cost of restoring the staffing schedule for retaining and gaining a teacher that applied for schools pre-2012. [30968/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The criteria used for the allocation of teachers to primary schools is published annually on the website of the Department of Education and Skills. 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 previous 30 September. 

The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location.

Budget 2012 increased the appointment and retention ratios for small schools (i.e., schools with up to four classroom teachers). Improvements to the staffing of these schools were announced for the 2015/16 school year. These improvements are improved retention thresholds for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th classroom teacher and also the improved appointment and retention thresholds for one-teacher schools situated 8km or more from the nearest school of the same type of patronage and/or language of instruction.

In addition, Budget 2016 announced a 1 point improvement to the primary staffing schedule. The improved staffing schedule which is available on the Department website has been implemented for the 2016/17 school year.

Following a review of the staffing allocation for Small Primary Schools, Budget 2017 announced two adjustments in relation to one teacher schools. Where the school is the sole primary school on an island the school will be able to appoint a second teacher.  In relation to single teacher schools generally with an enrolment of 15 or more pupils the school can apply to the staffing appeal board for a second post where the single teacher has children across 6 or more class groups.  The detailed arrangements have been set out in the staffing schedule circular for the 2017/18 school year. 

School Enrolments

Questions (184)

Aengus Ó Snodaigh

Question:

184. Deputy Aengus Ó Snodaigh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) can be granted a school place to attend a school. [30972/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking school places in the area.

Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary. This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.

Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. Further information on the Section 29 appeals process is available on the Department's website www.education.ie.

The Educational Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (EWS) is the statutory agency which can assist parents who are experiencing difficulty in securing a school place for their child. The EWS can be contacted at 01-7718500.

National Educational Psychological Service Staff

Questions (185)

Joan Burton

Question:

185. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a NEPS psychologist has been assigned to school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31036/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy may be aware my Department’s National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) provides an educational psychological service to schools through the direct assignment of a NEPS psychologist and in some cases through by providing schools access to the Scheme for Commissioning Psychological Assessments (SCPA) where 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. SCPA is utilised, in the main, where as yet unfilled vacancies exist in NEPS staffing provision locally or where staffing resource is lost through extended leave (maternity, sick or carer’s leave).

I have made enquiries in the matter and can inform the Deputy that a NEPS psychologist will be assigned to the school in question for the beginning of the new academic year.

School Patronage

Questions (186)

Róisín Shortall

Question:

186. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which he will ensure that no religious belief is favoured over other religious beliefs or none in his proposed reconfiguration of church controlled schools to education and training boards; if his attention has been drawn to the widespread concern over the lack of transparency of this process; if existing patrons will have a role in determining which patron will run a school once it is reconfigured; the way in which the wishes of parents are to be determined in this process; the way the level of demand for alternative patrons is to be assessed; the persons or groups that were consulted as part of this process; the way in which he plans to proceed; and the timeframe he is working to. [31039/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware, following discussions on patronage divesting with education stakeholders and patron bodies in 2016, on the 30th January, 2017, I announced new plans aimed at providing more multi-denominational and non-denominational schools across the country, in line with the choices of parents, families and school communities and the Programme for Government commitment in this area.  This will involve the Education and Training Boards in the initial phase, as the State’s local education authorities, identifying areas where there is likely to be demand for greater diversity and they will work with pre-school services to establish evidence of this demand among the cohort of pre-school parents. There will then be discussions between individual ETBs and the existing patrons/landowners concerning the possible transfer of schools to accommodate this demonstrated demand for diversity.

Each ETB will prepare a report for my Department outlining the levels of demand within their functional areas and the responses of the existing patrons as to how this might be accommodated through the reconfiguration of existing school provision.  In the subsequent and separate implementation phase, where the level of demand for multi-denominational schools is sufficient to justify transfer of a school from denominational to multi-denominational patronage, a process will commence to give effect to that. There will be a role for the existing patron/landowner in consulting with local community and school interests, including parents and taking into account proposals from different prospective multi-denominational patrons.  It is envisaged that transfers will largely be by way of voluntary transfer of live schools by existing patrons.

This new process for supporting transfers of schools to multi-denominational patrons in response to the wishes of local families is based around principles of transparency and cooperation. Therefore, there will be a very substantial level of consultation of local communities in the process, both with the ETBs in the initial phase to establish evidence of demand by consulting pre-school parents and subsequently through the requirement for the existing patron to consult with local community and school interests in proposing to transfer patronage of an existing school to an alternative patron body.  In that process, the existing patron will also take into account proposals from all prospective multi-denominational patrons that wish to be considered. In the final instance, an application for a formal transfer of patronage will have to be made by the existing patron under the Education Act 1989, which will require Ministerial approval.

It is important to acknowledge the voluntary nature of these transfers, given that the current patron is in most cases the owner of the land on which the school stands.  My Department will develop protocols on patronage transfer with existing patrons to ensure that school and local communities and prospective patrons are fully consulted before a decision is made.  I am confident that this process will respect the views of all parties - parents, local schools and communities and patrons.

While these new structures are being introduced, my Department will continue to work with the main stakeholders to progress delivery of diversity in areas already identified, in 2017 and beyond.  I would point out that the previous model of divestment yielded only a very limited number of schools for transfer to multi-denominational patrons (10 since 2013).  I believe that the new schools reconfiguration for diversity process has the potential to significantly increase patron diversity in our school system with a target of reaching 400 multi-denominational and non-denominational schools by 2030.  In addition to progressing the reconfiguration of existing school provision to provide greater choice to parents in areas of stable population, the Government is committed to ensuring that parental preferences will continue to be key to patronage decisions on new schools established in areas of demographic growth.

I look forward to working constructively with all education stakeholders and patron bodies in this important endeavour and I would ask all parties to put aside sectional or self interest in pursuing the national objective of providing greater diversity of school provision in line with the choices of parents, families and school communities.

Broadband Service Provision

Questions (187)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

187. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post-primary schools that lack broadband services, by county. [31044/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Through the Schools Broadband Access Programme, the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary, post-primary and special schools. All post-primary schools are provided with 100Mbp/s connectivity.

At primary level, some 98% of schools are included in the Schools Broadband Programme, with some 1,100 schools on download speeds of 30Mbps plus (the target set out in the National Broadband Plan) by the end of 2017. Under the current programme, the Department continually reviews the availability of services and upgrades schools where the opportunity arises, within the parameters of the programme and in compliance with procurement and contractual obligations. 

The Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020 Enhancing Teaching Learning and Assessment, sets out the Department's vision for embedding ICT in teaching learning and assessment in primary and post-primary schools. A key priority of the Strategy will be to address any broadband connectivity issues experienced by primary schools. An interdepartmental working group is considering this matter at present. In this regard, my Department will also collaborate with the Department of Communications Climate Action and Environment on this issue, having regard to the National Digital Strategy.

Broadband Service Provision

Questions (188, 189, 190, 191, 192)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

188. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post-primary schools that have access to broadband service that is up to 30 Mbps by county. [31045/17]

Thomas Byrne

Question:

189. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post-primary schools that have access to a broadband service that is between 30 Mbps and 70 Mbps by county. [31046/17]

Thomas Byrne

Question:

190. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post primary schools that have access to a broadband service that is between 70 Mbps and 150 Mbps by county. [31047/17]

Thomas Byrne

Question:

191. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post-primary schools that have access to a broadband service that is between 150 Mbps and 360 Mbps by county. [31048/17]

Thomas Byrne

Question:

192. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary and post-primary schools that have access to a broadband service that is in excess of 360 Mbps by county. [31049/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 188 to 192, inclusive, together.

Through the Schools Broadband Access Programme, the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary, post-primary and special schools. The overall policy of my Department is to offer the best quality connectivity to all schools in line with technical solutions available in the market and within required financial parameters. All post-primary schools have high speed connectivity under the 100Mbp/s programme.

The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the breakdown of schools broadband connection speeds by county is being compiled currently and will be issued to the Deputy as soon as possible. 

The referred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (193)

John Lahart

Question:

193. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the new permanent building for a community college (details supplied) will open in September 2018 as planned; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31090/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of the tender process. My Department has reviewed the Preliminary Tender Report and has authorised the Design Team to issue a Letter Of Intent to the preferred bidder and subject to no issues arising it is envisaged that the project will commence on site later this year. As the construction period will be 24 months, the project will be scheduled for completion in 2019.

Site Acquisitions

Questions (194)

John Lahart

Question:

194. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the two temporary eight classroom schools at a location (details supplied) in Dublin 24 will not be used as temporary accommodation or as a permanent site for the proposed Educate Together 1,000 pupil post-primary school to serve the wider area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31091/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that the temporary accommodation will not remain at the location to which the Deputy refers following delivery of the permanent accommodation at this property. It is not proposed to accommodate the post-primary school to which the Deputy refers at this location either on a temporary or permanent basis. The post-primary school will open as scheduled in September 2018 in suitable interim accommodation.

With regard to the post-primary school's permanent accommodation, a suitable site has been identified and the Department is working towards acquiring the site. Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further details at this time.

Apprenticeship Data

Questions (195, 196, 197)

John Lahart

Question:

195. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons in apprenticeship programmes in each of the years from 2011 to 2016 and to date in 2017, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31092/17]

John Lahart

Question:

196. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the uptake in apprenticeship programmes since the Government assumed office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31093/17]

John Lahart

Question:

197. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills the ratio of apprentices to third level students since the Government assumed office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31094/17]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 195 to 197, inclusive, together.

The information sought by the Deputy in relation to the number of persons in apprenticeship programmes from 2011 to date is set out in the table.

Since May 2016 there has been over 4,000 new apprentices registered on apprenticeship programmes.

The latest available data for higher education enrolments is for the 2015/2016 academic year in which there were over 215,000 students enrolled on both part-time and full-time programmes.  Currently, there are over 11,000 apprentices in training on various phases of their apprenticeship.

Apprentice Population 2011 - 2017

Population at end:	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017 to date
Total	8,328	6,223	5,711	6,913	8,317	10,315	11,273

State Examinations

Questions (198)

Marc MacSharry

Question:

198. Deputy Marc MacSharry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding arrangements to post-primary schools for the leaving certificate applied, LCA, programme; if schools that choose to organise the LCA programme can access funding in year one of the two year programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31102/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

A grant in respect of the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) is paid annually to post-primary schools offering the programme in June of each year. It is paid to schools for the pupils enrolled in both year one and year two of the programme.  The rate is €151 per pupil in accordance with Circular letter 0029/2016 which can be accessed on my Department's website.

In addition to the funding provided, schools running the LCA programme receive an additional fixed allocation of 0.5 of a teaching post.  There is no minimum number of LCA pupils required for schools to secure the additional teaching allocation from my Department.

The LCA is supported by a programme of professional development from the Professional Development Service for Teachers, including seminars, online content, evening workshops and the development of an active learning toolkit for all LCA co-ordinators. This programme of support will continue in 2017/2018.

The LCA programme is one of a number of options made available by my Department for Senior Cycle students which schools can choose from, based on the education needs and interests of their students.  

It is the responsibility and choice of each individual school to decide to put in place the LCA programme, based on the educational needs and interests of their students.  It is also for schools to decide on the admittance of a student to the programme, in their school. Schools are encouraged to provide maximum access to these options and to have clear procedures in place regarding how the available places are allocated to students.

My Department is committed to supporting this programme, which is appropriate for members of the student cohort whose needs, aptitudes and learning styles are not fully catered for by the other two Leaving Certificate programmes (Leaving Cert Established and Leaving Cert Vocational Programme).  That is why I have asked the NCCA to consider the LCA, as part of its review of Senior Cycle which commenced in 2017. This review will help to ensure that curriculum development continues to respond to the changing needs of learners, society and the economy.

Third Level Institutions Governance

Questions (199)

Joan Burton

Question:

199. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to reports in the media of audits into third level institutions that have revealed a range of governance issues, including additional payments to staff and non-compliance with procurement rules; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31109/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The media reports referred to by the Deputy raised a number of issues that are being taken very seriously by my Department and the Higher Education Authority (HEA). 

During 2015, the HEA reviewed its approach to the oversight and governance of higher education institutions and built on existing governance and accountability infrastructure with improved and more transparent mechanisms. This included:

- more comprehensive annual governance reporting requirements,

- the introduction of signed financial memoranda between the HEA and HEIs setting out respective responsibilities,

- new guidelines on timeliness of reporting,

- regular reporting and liaison with the Office of the C&AG and

- a new accountability and risk mechanisms in place with the Department of Education and Skills.

This culminated in the establishment and communication of a new Governance Framework for the Higher Education System, which is available on the HEA website. The framework makes clear the current governance arrangements that are in place and clearly details the responsibilities of higher education institutions (HEIs) in this area.

In addition, a new programme of rolling reviews has been established to cover specific elements of governance. My Department agreed with the HEA that the first rolling review of governance compliance would be on procurement and this review was undertaken in 2016.

The HEA has also recently announced a rolling governance review of Intellectual Property policy implementation across HEIs.

These new measures complement the previous requirements that HEIs are required to observe, and in line with a desire to continually improve the governance and accountability structure in the sector, my Department and the HEA are considering whether any additional measures may be necessary to further strengthen governance in the future.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (200)

Joan Burton

Question:

200. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the delays experienced in commencing the construction of the permanent buildings of a school (details supplied) and the fact that the 2018 first class needs to be accommodated off campus at a site in Broombridge; if his attention has been further drawn to the concerns parents have regarding the part of the school to be relocated off site and their fears that the school will not remain on the existing campus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31110/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has been liaising with the patron body of the school referred to by the Deputy with regard to additional accommodation required for September 2017.

As the Deputy may be aware, this is a developing school located in rented temporary accommodation in Rathborne, Dublin 15 which will require two additional classrooms for September 2017. Work is ongoing to provide additional prefab accommodation at this location as soon as possible.

In the interim, a number of options were explored with the patron body of the school. Following a Board of Management meeting in May, 2017 the preferred option of the school, supported by the patron body, was to temporarily accommodate two of the classes in the nearby Broombridge Educate Together NS, Bannow Road, Dublin 7 (which is in my ownership) as a short-term arrangement only, pending delivery of the additional prefab accommodation.  Broombridge Educate Together NS is a new 16-classroom school which opened in its permanent accommodation only last year with most of its purpose-built rooms available for use.

Once the prefabs are installed, the classes temporarily located in Broombridge ETNS will move back to the existing rented accommodation in Rathborne, Dublin 15.

I wish to clarify for the Deputy that the current site of the school in Rathborne, Dublin 15 is a temporary site. A suitable permanent site for the school's permanent accommodation has been identified and discussions are ongoing with the landowner with a view to acquiring this site.  Following this, the project for the new school building can progress into architectural planning.

School Curriculum

Questions (201)

Joan Burton

Question:

201. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress that his Department has made in securing funding and resources for introduction of coding to all primary schools by 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31111/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The NCCA is in the process of developing a new primary mathematics curriculum.  Following my request to consider how children’s computational, flexible and creative thinking skills might be developed through this new mathematics curriculum, and how coding might be integrated in the wider primary curriculum, the NCCA is reviewing curriculum policy and practice in other jurisdictions in terms of these areas of children's education at primary level.

Currently the PDST Technology in Education provide training for both primary and post primary teachers in ICT which includes 'Scratch' coding.  5,800 teachers received ICT training in 2016.

Furthermore, a large number of schools are running voluntary coding programmes through initiatives such as Coder Dojo (over 200 dojos in Ireland), Hour of Code where over 200 events took place in Ireland and the annual computer programming olympiad held at Dublin City University.

Further resources in this area will be looked at in conjunction with the STEM Education policy statement and implementation plan, which I intend to finalise shortly. 

Higher Education Authority Administration

Questions (202)

Joan Burton

Question:

202. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of vacancies on the Higher Education Authority board; the duration of these vacancies; the process by which these vacancies will be filled; the timeframe for this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31112/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The HEA Board currently comprises a Chairperson and 12 ordinary members. This includes two members who were reappointed to the Board on 20 June 2017.

I am also inviting expressions of interest, through the Public Appointments Service, for a further two academic members. This application process is currently underway and the closing date for expressions of interest is 7 July 2017.

Once these positions are filled, the Board of the HEA will comprise a Chair and 7 academic and 7 non-academic members. This satisfies the minimum number of Board members statutorily provided for under the HEA Act, 1971.  

I am satisfied that the Board of the HEA is functioning effectively.  However, in general, I am in favour of keeping state boards as small as possible and I will be exploring the possibility of providing, through future legislation, for a reduced minimum size of the HEA Board.

Teachers' Remuneration

Questions (203)

Joan Burton

Question:

203. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary teachers on his Department's payroll who are paid a qualification allowance at the pass degree rate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31113/17]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

A Qualification Allowance in respect of a Pass Primary Degree is paid to 6,632 Primary schools teachers. 

The current position regarding the payment of qualification allowances is outlined in Circular 8/2013 which can be accessed on my Department website.