Written Answers Nos. 110-122
110. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills the receipts from the leaving certificate examination fee on an annual basis since 2008; the cost of granting exemptions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2639/18]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
111. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there has been a review or audit of the exemption scheme for fees in respect of the leaving certificate examination; if so, if he will publish such reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2640/18]
View answerThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
112. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to abolish or reduce the examination fee for the leaving certificate in order to maximise participation in the leaving certificate examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2641/18]
View answerI have no plans to abolish or reduce the examination fee for the Leaving Certificate.
The entry fee for the Leaving Certificate is €116. Lower rates of examination fees apply to candidates who are sitting only one or two subjects in the examination and who are entered for the examination through the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS), the Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) or other similar schemes. There has been no increase in the Leaving Certificate examination fee since 2012.
The State Examinations Commission collects examinations fees from candidates sitting examinations each year. Fees are collected in order to defray some of the costs of running the examinations, with the remaining cost paid for from exchequer funding. In 2016 the SEC collected €8,609,569 in examination fees and received €55,030,789 in exchequer funding.
In recognition that not all candidates are in a position to pay examination fees each year, the SEC operates a fee alleviation scheme. A waiver of the examination fee applies in the case of candidates who hold a full medical card or are dependent on a parent or guardian who holds a full medical card by a specified date each year.
By way of context, in 2016 there were 55,707 Leaving Certificate candidates. 20,177 of those candidates (36%) were exempt from the examination fee under the fee alleviation scheme.
113. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if later contributions are calculable for pension purposes in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2703/18]
View answerThe person concerned is a member of the Superannuation (Education) Scheme, a pension scheme for certain non-teaching staff in primary and post primary schools, and is in receipt of pension benefits from my Department, in respect of service as a special needs assistant, which became payable in 2012.
The employee concerned returned to work as a special needs assistant, following her retirement, and has accrued a very small amount of service in the Superannuation (Education) Scheme.
With effect from September 2013, following a break in public pensionable service in excess of 26 weeks, the employee became a member of the Single Pension Scheme, as provided for under the Public Services Pensions (Single Scheme and other provisions) Act 2012 and has accrued further service in this Scheme.
Officials in my Pension Unit of the Department will contact the employee concerned to discuss a refund of contributions from the Superannuation (Education) Scheme as she has no further entitlement under this Scheme. With regard to the Single Scheme membership the employee is entitled to a refund of contributions to this scheme or alternatively, may wish to continue to accrue service in the Scheme in respect of future public sector employment. It should be noted the vesting period, ie the period required to qualify for retirement benefits, in the Single Scheme is two years.
114. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of male and female apprentices in training by each employment sector and subsector at 31 December 2016 and at 31 December 2017, respectively for craft-based and consortia-led apprenticeships, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2736/18]
View answer117. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the targeted apprentice registrations forecasted for all craft-based apprenticeships and registrations planned under new consortia-led apprenticeship programmes per annum in the 2016 to 2020 period; the number of existing and new apprenticeship programmes forecasted for each year in this period; and the actual numbers realised in terms of apprentice registrations and new programmes operationalised for these targets as at 31 December 2016 and at 31 December 2017. [2739/18]
View answer118. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the apprentice population forecasted in each employment sector and subsector for the 2016 to 2020 period between craft-based and new consortia-led apprenticeships; and the actual apprentice population as at 31 December 2016 and 31 December 2017. [2740/18]
View answer119. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the State funding, both national training fund and the Exchequer, allocated to craft-based and consortia-led apprenticeships between design, validation training costs, off-the-job training and other costs incurred over the 2015 to 2017 period. [2741/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 114 and 117 to 119, inclusive, together.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the tables.
|
- |
National Training Fund (NTF) allocation (€m) |
NTF expenditure Total (€m) |
Exchequer allocation (€m) |
Exchequer expenditure Total (€m)* |
|
2015 |
49.6 |
42.6 |
12.5 |
12.8 |
|
2016 |
60.1 |
55.1 |
14.6 |
14.5 |
|
2017 |
80.4 |
69.9 |
19.1 |
18.8 |
* Includes all costs associated with apprenticeship training, excluding capital
In 2018, all funding for craft based and consortia led apprenticeships will be provided from the NTF.
|
Craft Apprenticeships |
|||||
|
Year |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Number of Craft Apprenticeship Programmes |
27 |
27 |
27 |
27 |
27 |
|
Forecast Registrations: Craft Trades |
3,390 |
4,147 |
4,697 |
5,087 |
5,587 |
|
Actual Registrations: Craft Trades |
3,742 |
4,508 |
- |
- |
- |
|
New Apprenticeships |
|||||
|
Forecast Number: New Apprenticeships (cumulative) |
2 |
15 |
25 |
35 |
40 |
|
Actual Number: New Apprenticeships operational (cumulative) |
2 |
9* |
|||
|
Forecast Registrations: New Apprenticeships |
82 |
800 |
1,500 |
2,297 |
3,413 |
|
Actual Registrations: New Apprenticeships |
79 |
335 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Forecast Total |
3,472 |
4,947 |
6,197 |
7,384 |
9,000 |
|
Actual Total |
3,821 |
4,843 |
*Seven new apprenticeship programmes got underway in 2017 bringing the total new apprenticeships to nine, with further new programmes to get underway in the coming months, including two ICT programmes that were validated by QQI in 2017 and due their first intake of apprentices in the coming months.
Table 1 - Craft Apprenticeships
Forecast population by industrial sector
|
Year |
Construction |
Electrical |
Motor |
Engineering |
Printing |
Total |
|
Population December 2016 |
2,400 |
4,200 |
2,600 |
1,800 |
25 |
11,025 |
|
Population December 2017 |
2,918 |
5,491 |
2,353 |
1,799 |
0 |
12,561 |
|
Population December 2018 |
4,006 |
6,772 |
2,670 |
2,147 |
10 |
15,605 |
|
Population December 2019 |
5,418 |
7,593 |
2,865 |
2,436 |
10 |
18,322 |
|
Population December 2020 |
7,092 |
8,144 |
3,093 |
2,756 |
10 |
21,095 |
Table 2 – Forecast population for new apprenticeships*
|
Population |
|
|
Population December 2016 |
82 |
|
Population December 2017 |
882 |
|
Population December 2018 |
2,370 |
|
Population December 2019 |
3,994 |
|
Population December 2020 |
6,069 |
*At this stage, it is not possible to give an accurate breakdown of the forecast population in new apprenticeships on a sectoral basis. The Apprenticeship Council is continuing to work with consortia in developing a wide variety of proposals in various sectors of the economy made through the first call for proposals. In addition, following our second call for proposals last year a further 26 new proposals were approved for further development last month across a wide range of occupations. Once developed, these will further shape the sectoral breakdown of these new apprenticeships.
|
Apprentice Population at end: |
2016 |
2017 |
||||
|
Female |
Male |
Grand Total |
Female |
Male |
Grand Total |
|
|
Construction Total |
6 |
2,267 |
2,273 |
4 |
2,869 |
2,873 |
|
Brick and Stonelaying |
87 |
87 |
121 |
121 |
||
|
Cabinet Making |
3 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
||
|
Carpentry and Joinery |
1 |
888 |
889 |
1 |
1,135 |
1,136 |
|
Floor and Wall Tiling |
- |
|||||
|
Painting and Decorating |
1 |
52 |
53 |
1 |
84 |
85 |
|
Plastering |
39 |
39 |
63 |
63 |
||
|
Plumbing |
2 |
1,045 |
1,047 |
1 |
1,271 |
1,272 |
|
Stonecutting and Stonemasonry |
27 |
27 |
33 |
33 |
||
|
Wood Manufacturing and Finishing |
2 |
126 |
128 |
1 |
160 |
161 |
|
Electrical Total |
19 |
4,172 |
4,191 |
24 |
5,434 |
5,458 |
|
Aircraft Mechanics |
143 |
143 |
3 |
155 |
158 |
|
|
Electrical |
16 |
3,422 |
3,438 |
16 |
4,468 |
4,484 |
|
Electrical Instrumentation |
1 |
265 |
266 |
3 |
324 |
327 |
|
Electronic Security Systems |
62 |
62 |
1 |
119 |
120 |
|
|
Industrial Electrical Eng |
12 |
12 |
31 |
31 |
||
|
Instrumentation |
1 |
28 |
29 |
1 |
42 |
43 |
|
Refrigeration |
1 |
240 |
241 |
295 |
295 |
|
|
Engineering Total |
1 |
1,646 |
1,647 |
9 |
1,879 |
1,888 |
|
Farriery |
15 |
15 |
18 |
18 |
||
|
Industrial Insulation |
30 |
30 |
38 |
38 |
||
|
Manufacturing Engineering (Level 6) |
2 |
37 |
39 |
|||
|
Manufacturing Engineering (Level 7) |
3 |
33 |
36 |
|||
|
M.A.M.F. |
575 |
575 |
2 |
610 |
612 |
|
|
Metal Fabrication |
626 |
626 |
1 |
680 |
681 |
|
|
Pipefitting |
1 |
60 |
61 |
1 |
80 |
81 |
|
Polymer Processing Tech |
23 |
23 |
||||
|
Sheet Metalworking |
96 |
96 |
118 |
118 |
||
|
Toolmaking |
244 |
244 |
242 |
242 |
||
|
Financial Total |
27 |
40 |
67 |
100 |
137 |
237 |
|
Accounting Technician |
39 |
32 |
71 |
|||
|
Insurance Practice |
27 |
40 |
67 |
53 |
85 |
138 |
|
International Financial Services Associate |
4 |
10 |
14 |
|||
|
International Financial Services Specialist |
4 |
10 |
14 |
|||
|
Hospitality Total |
7 |
18 |
25 |
|||
|
Commis Chef |
7 |
18 |
25 |
|||
|
Motor Total |
6 |
2,242 |
2,248 |
6 |
2,349 |
2,355 |
|
Agricultural Mechanics |
148 |
148 |
154 |
154 |
||
|
Construction Plant Fitting |
213 |
213 |
248 |
248 |
||
|
Heavy Vehicle Mechanics |
470 |
470 |
493 |
493 |
||
|
Motor Mechanics |
6 |
1,256 |
1,262 |
5 |
1,288 |
1,293 |
|
Vehicle Body Repairs |
155 |
155 |
1 |
166 |
167 |
|
|
Printing & Paper Total |
1 |
18 |
19 |
1 |
12 |
13 |
|
Print Media |
1 |
18 |
19 |
1 |
12 |
13 |
|
Grand Total |
60 |
10,385 |
10,445 |
151 |
12,698 |
12,849 |
|
Craft based Apprenticeship Total |
33 |
10,333 |
10,366 |
39 |
12,419 |
12,458 |
|
Consortia led Apprenticeship Totals |
27 |
52 |
79 |
112 |
279 |
391 |
|
Grand Total (all apprenticeships) |
60 |
10,385 |
10,445 |
151 |
12,698 |
12,849 |
black text = Craft based
red text = consortia led
115. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of male and female trainees enrolled by employment sector and subsector as at 31 December 2017 for existing traineeships and new or relaunched traineeships, in tabular form; the budget allocation in 2016, 2017 and 2018 for State-funded traineeships; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2737/18]
View answer116. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of live traineeship programmes forecasted for all existing traineeships for the 2016 to 2020 period; the targeted new enrolments per annum; the forecasted number of traineeship programmes cumulative in addition to planned new enrolments per annum for new or relaunched traineeships; and the actual numbers realised for existing traineeships and new or relaunched traineeships (details supplied) for these targets at 31 December 2016 and at 31 December 2017. [2738/18]
View answerI propose to answer Questions Nos. 115 and 116 together.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached tabular statements.
I am informed by SOLAS that they are not in a position to provide a gender breakdown of the traineeship enrolments at the end of 2017 at present. However, with the introduction of the Programme Learner Support System (PLSS), which is now being populated by the Education and Training Boards, this information will be available in the future once the 2017 data has been verified and validated.
|
Existing traineeships |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Number of ‘live’ traineeship programmes |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
24 |
|
Target new enrolments per annum |
2,400 |
2,400 |
3,000 |
3,500 |
3,500 |
|
New/relaunched traineeships |
2016 |
2017 |
2018 |
2019 |
2020 |
|
Number of traineeship programmes (cumulative) |
2 |
4 |
10 |
20 |
30 |
|
Planned new enrolments per annum |
100 |
200 |
900 |
1,500 |
1,500 |
|
Total target trainee enrolments p.a. |
2,500 |
2,600 |
3,900 |
5,000 |
5,000 |
|
2016 |
2017 |
|
|
Number of existing traineeships |
24 |
24 |
|
Number of new traineeships (cumulative) |
2 |
8 |
|
Total |
26 |
32 |
|
Number of enrolments on existing programmes (actual) |
2,687 |
2,484 |
|
Number of enrolments on new programmes (actual) |
108 |
234 |
|
Total |
2,795 |
2,718 |
Traineeship allocation 2016, 2017 and 2018
|
Year |
Amount |
|
2016 |
€29,398,301 |
|
2017 |
€26,159,261 |
|
2018 |
€41,000,000 (subject to SOLAS/ETB service planning process) |
120. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the costs associated with each step involved in developing national apprenticeships, from research and formulating the outline proposal, step 1, to rolling out the programme with employers and apprentices step 10. [2742/18]
View answer121. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the assessment by the apprenticeships council regarding the 77 proposals received in the second call for new apprenticeship categories which closed on 1 September 2017; the apprenticeships that have been approved for roll-out; and the timeframe for operationalising each new approved apprenticeship. [2743/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 120 and 121 together.
The Apprenticeship Council has completed its assessment of the proposals received in the second call for apprenticeship proposals. Resulting from this, I recently announced 26 new programmes that have been approved for further development into national apprenticeships. These programmes span a wide range of skills and sectors including construction, engineering, horticulture and agriculture and are listed in the attached table. It is estimated that the development timeframe will take between 12 and 15 months.
There is no specific cost associated with each of the ten steps in developing national apprenticeships. Overall development funding is set by the lead proposer during the application stage. It is paid in two allocations, 50% at the beginning of the development process once the Apprenticeship Council has approved the project plan (step 3) and the balance on receipt of a project update, following formal approval of the apprenticeship occupational profile (step 5).
|
Title of proposed apprenticeship |
Industry lead |
Proposed coordinating provider |
|
|
1. |
Applied Horticulture Level 6 Duration 2 years |
Teagasc |
Teagasc |
|
2. |
Arboriculture Level 5 Duration 2 years |
Caseys Tree Care Ltd, North West Tree Care, Kilcoyne Tree Care, Arborist Ireland |
Galway Roscommon ETB |
|
3. |
Associate Sales Professional Level 6 Duration 3 years |
Sales Sense |
Mayo Sligo & Leitrim ETB |
|
4. |
CGI Technical Artist (Animation, Games, VFX) Level 9 Duration 2 years |
Screen Training Ireland |
Dublin IT |
|
5. |
Equipment Systems Engineer |
SL Controls |
University of |
|
Level 9 Duration 2 years |
Limerick |
||
|
6. |
Farm Management Level 7 Duration 4 years |
Teagasc |
Teagasc |
|
7. |
Farm Technician Level 6 Duration 2 years |
Teagasc |
Teagasc |
|
8. |
Geo-Driller Level 6 Duration 3 years |
Geological Survey Ireland |
IT Carlow |
|
9. |
ICT Associate Professional in Cybersecurity Level 6 Duration 2 years |
FastTrack into Technology (FIT) |
FIT |
|
10. |
Lean Sigma Manager Level 9 Duration 2 years |
Teleflex |
University of Limerick |
|
11. |
Logistics Associate Level 6 Duration 2 years |
Freight Transport Association Ireland |
Dublin IT |
|
12. |
Principal Engineer- Professional Doctorate Level 10 Duration 4 years |
SL Controls |
University of Limerick |
|
13. |
Professional Bar Manager Level 6 Duration 2 years |
Vintners Association |
Griffith College |
|
14. |
Professional Hairdressing Level 6 Duration 3 years |
Hairdressing Council of Ireland |
Limerick & Clare ETB & Image Learning and Development Training Network Ltd |
|
15. |
Professional Healthcare Assistant Level 6 Duration 2 years |
Kiltipper Woods Care Centre |
Griffith College |
|
16. |
Quality Assurance Technician Level 7 Duration 3 years |
Ibec Biopharma cluster |
IT Tallaght |
|
17. |
Quality Laboratory Technician Level 6 Duration 2 years |
Ibec Biopharma cluster |
IT Tallaght |
|
18. |
Senior Quantity Surveyor Level 9 Duration 2 years |
Society of Charted Surveyors Ireland |
Limerick Institute of Technology |
|
19. |
Recruitment Practitioner Level 6 Duration 2 years |
National Recruitment Federation |
National College of Ireland |
|
20. |
Scaffolding Level 6 Duration 3 years |
Construction Industry Federation |
Laois & Offaly ETB |
|
21. |
Software System Designer Level 9 Duration 2 years |
Lero |
University of Limerick |
|
22. |
SportTurf Management Level 6 Duration 2 years |
Teagasc |
Teagasc |
|
23. |
Stud Farm Management Level 7 Duration 2 years |
Teagasc |
Teagasc |
|
24. |
Supply Chain Associate Level 7 Duration 3 years |
IPICS The Supply Chain Management Institute |
University of Limerick |
|
25. |
Supply Chain Manager Level 9 Duration 2 years |
IPICS The Supply Chain Management Institute |
University of Limerick |
|
26. |
Supply Chain Specialist Level 8 Duration 2 years |
IPICS The Supply Chain Management Institute |
University of Limerick |
122. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if the requirement to produce an Angolan passport can be waived in the case of a person (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2696/18]
View answerI am advised by the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) of my Department that there is no record of an application for a certificate of naturalisation from the person referred to by the Deputy. A determination on whether an applicant satisfies the statutory criteria attendant to naturalisation can only be made after an application is received.
As the Deputy will appreciate, the granting of Irish citizenship through naturalisation is a privilege and an honour which confers certain rights and entitlements, not only within the State but also at European Union level, and it is important that appropriate procedures are in place to preserve the integrity of the process.
Persons making an application for a certificate of naturalisation are required to provide satisfactory evidence of their identity and nationality. This is usually in the form of a currently valid passport and may include other original supporting documents, such as a previously held or out of date passport, birth certificate and marriage certificate. In rare circumstances where an applicant cannot produce their current passport, or a previous passport, birth certificate or other supporting documents the applicant will be required to provide a full explanation. Such explanation should, where possible, be supported by satisfactory evidence that they have attempted to obtain such documentation and correspondence from the relevant authorities or embassy responsible for the issuing of passports and birth certificates in their country, clearly stating the reasons the documentation cannot be provided. INIS will consider the explanation given and, if satisfied it is for reasons genuinely beyond the applicant's control, may suggest alternative means to the person to assist in establishing their identity and nationality.
Queries in relation to the status of individual immigration cases may be made directly to the INIS of my Department by e-mail using the Oireachtas Mail facility which has been specifically established for this purpose. This service enables up to date information on such cases to be obtained without the need to seek information by way of the Parliamentary Questions process. The Deputy may consider using the e-mail service except in cases where the response from the INIS is, in the Deputy’s view, inadequate or too long awaited.
