Tuesday, 13 Feb 2018

Written Answers Nos. 207-228

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (207)

John Deasy

Question:

207. Deputy John Deasy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the proposed extension to a school (details supplied). [7078/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for additional school accommodation. A decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.

Questions Nos. 208 to 210, inclusive, answered with Question No. 190.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (211)

Pat the Cope Gallagher

Question:

211. Deputy Pat The Cope Gallagher asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for improvement works at a school (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the condition of the school gym building; if he will review the previous applications for improvement works at the school and prioritise an improvement plan for it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7102/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department approved funding for the school referred to, in May 2014, to provide substantial additional accommodation consisting of specialist rooms, learning support facilities and larger staffroom facilities.  In February 2015, additional funding was approved to address significant abnormal works associated with the approved building project.  Furthermore, in December 2016 my Department approved further funding to carry out remedial works to the school’s heating system.

Subsequently, my Department clarified to the school authorities that it was not in a position at this time to fund further additional capital works due to competing pressures on available capital funding. My Department will continue to liaise with the school in relation to this matter.

In the interim, it is open to the school to consider if any of the works qualify for funding under my  Department’s Emergency Works Grant Scheme. Full details, together with application form may be accessed on my Department’s website, www.education.ie.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (212)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

212. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to outstanding works yet to be completed at a school (details supplied); and the position with regard to these outstanding building defects. [7160/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The project at the school referred to by the Deputy reached substantial completion in November 2017. Under the terms of the contract the Contractor has a period of 12 months after the date of substantial completion to rectify any snags or defects that are identified, i.e. defects liability period. If at the end of the 12 month period all snags or defects have not been rectified then the contract offers other remedies to have matters resolved.

My Department has requested the employers representative to engage with the main contractor to ensure that any snags or defects are remedied before the end of the defects liability period.

Question No. 213 answered with Question No. 190.

Cóiríocht Scoile

Questions (214)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

214. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Pearse Doherty den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna an bhfuair sé comhfhreagras a sheol tuismitheoirí agus caomhnóirí chuige, ina gcuirtear in iúl an díomá agus an mhíshástacht atá orthu faoin easpa dul chun cinn atá á dhéanamh chun dul i ngleic le fadhbanna taise agus múscáin atá le sonrú i scoil i gContae Dhún na nGall (sonraí curtha ar fáil) [7190/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Tá áthas orm a chur in iúl don Teachta Dála go bhfuil faomhadh tugtha i bprionsabal don scoil dá ndéanann sé tagairt, maoiniú a fháil chun tabhairt faoin taise agus faoin gcaonach liath ina foirgneamh. I bhfianaise aois agus nádúr an fhoirgnimh, agus chun a chinntiú go ndéileálfar go héifeachtach leis na fadhbanna seo trí obair ar bith a dhéanfar, d’iarr mo Roinn ar údarás na scoile moltaí a thabhairt trína Chomhairleoir maidir leis an tslí is fearr chun na hoibreacha feabhsúcháin a chur i gcrích. Cuireadh na moltaí seo ar fáil do mo Roinn i lár mí Eanáir agus tá athbhreithniú déanta orthu ag foireann Ghairmiúil agus foireann Theicniúil mo Roinne ó shin. I bhfianaise castacht an fhoirgnimh tá cinneadh déanta go bhfuil cuairt theicniúil ó fhoireann de chuid na Roinne ag teastáil. Tá sin socraithe le húdarás na scoile i gcomhair an 16ú lá de mhí Feabhra seo chugainn. Glacfar cinntí i dtaobh conas an togra a chur ar aghaidh tar éis na cuairte ar an suíomh agus tar éis na fadhbanna a aimseofar ar an suíomh a mheas.

Schools Building Projects Applications

Questions (215)

John Brassil

Question:

215. Deputy John Brassil asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the application for funding by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7196/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department received an application for the provision of additional accommodation at the school referred to in respect of both classroom and ancillary accommodation.  The application was assessed by my Department and it was determined that there was no deficit of essential accommodation at the school.  This decision was advised to the school authority.

My Department recently received an appeal from the school in respect of the application and this is currently being considered.  My Department will be in further contact with the school on the matter.

Question No. 216 answered with Question No. 201.

School Admissions

Questions (217)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

217. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied) who has been expelled from school and who has not attended a school since November 2017. [7216/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

Under Section 29 of the Education Act 1998, a parent, or a student over 18 years of age, can make an appeal to the Secretary General of my Department where a school board of management have decided to refuse to enrol a child, suspended a student for more than 20 school days or permanently expelled a student.

I can confirm that my Department has received a Section 29 appeal in relation to this student following his permanent expulsion by the school board of management. The appeal hearing before an independent section 29 appeals committee was held on 1 February 2018. My Department awaits the determination of the section 29 appeals committee. Once the determination is received, my Department will forward it to the parents and the school. A previous section 29 appeal against the student’s suspension by the school board of management was not upheld by an independent section 29 appeals committee.

In addition, my Department funds a special education home tuition grant scheme to provide a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement. In the event that no placement is available as confirmed by the National Council for Special Education, my Department will consider applications under the home tuition grant scheme, where the child can receive 20 hours home tuition per week until a placement becomes available.

Education and Training Provision

Questions (218)

Fergus O'Dowd

Question:

218. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on an issue raised with regard to HGV driver apprenticeship (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7275/18]

Written answers

Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills

An apprenticeship for HGV drivers, led by the Irish Road Haulage Association and a consortium of industry and education and training providers, is due for roll out by September 2018. The programme is close to completion and is currently being reviewed by the consortium to ensure that it will meet the current and future skills needs of the transport and logistics industry and in particular to ensure that it responds effectively to a growing shortage of HGV drivers which has been identified. It will then be submitted for validation to Quality and Qualifications Ireland.

As part of its oversight role, the Apprenticeship Council is monitoring progress on roll out of all new apprenticeships, including the HGV driver apprenticeship. Furthermore, additional resources have been put in place by Education and Training Boards Ireland to support consortia involving Education and Training Boards completing development and validation of new apprenticeship programmes.

Schools Building Projects

Questions (219)

Pearse Doherty

Question:

219. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will facilitate and partake in a meeting with Members of the Houses of the Oireachtas from County Donegal with a view to discussing a school building project (details supplied); if so, when such a meeting will take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7292/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

As the Deputy will be aware a project for the school to which he refers is included in my Department's six year capital programme.

My Department is currently finalising the brief for this school project and once this process is complete, my Department will be in further contact with the school. The project will be progressed into the architectural planning process when the brief has been finalised.

In that regard, I wish to inform the Deputy that I have agreed to meet the Oireachtas members from Donegal to discuss the above school project and arrangements are being made to facilitate such a meeting.

Schools Building Projects Applications

Questions (220)

Stephen Donnelly

Question:

220. Deputy Stephen S. Donnelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding an application in respect of a school (details supplied) for the provision of an assembly hall; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7299/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has applied for major capital funding for the provision of a sports/sssembly hall.

Due to the very significant challenges facing my Department in prioritising available capital funding for essential mainstream classrooms to meet the demand for extra school places, my Department is not in a position to consider funding such a project at this time.  This position has been discussed with the school authority.

Teachers' Remuneration

Questions (221)

Paul Murphy

Question:

221. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills when his Department anticipates receiving the results of the pay review into two-tier pay for teachers; the timeframe he envisages to end pay inequality; his views on whether two-tier pay is a breach of the principle of equal pay for equal work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7301/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start.  I negotiated together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, a 15-22% pay increase for new teachers. The agreements to date have restored an estimated 75% of the difference in pay for more recently recruited teachers and deliver full equality at later points in the scale.

As a result of the changes I negotiated together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, the current starting salary of a new teacher is €35,958 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692. If full equalisation was achieved the starting salary for a post-primary teacher from 1 October 2020 would be €43,879 and for a primary teacher would be €41,511, at a cost of over €200 million across the public service.

Differential pay scales were introduced by the then Government in 2010. It must be borne in mind that the pay reduction for post-2011 entrants to the public service applied to all public servants and not just teachers, and that any restoration of these measures in respect of teachers would be expected to be applied elsewhere across the public service. While I am not in a position to provide an estimate of the total cost of restoring all post-1 January 2011 entrants in all of the public service to the pre-2011 pay scale arrangements, I can say that in the case of education and training sector employees, including teachers, the estimated current full year cost would be in the order of €130 million. Clearly, the cost across the entire public service would be substantially higher.

To have gone further than the pay increases that have been negotiated for 2018 would mean I would have had less money available to hire over 1,000 extra SNAs in 2018, and over 1,000 extra teachers in 2018.

Any further negotiation on new entrant pay is a cross sectoral issue, not just an issue for the education sector. The Government also supports the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants.

A commitment is included in the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 to consider the issue of newly qualified pay within 12 months of the commencement of the Agreement. That process has now commenced with a first meeting on 12 October 2017.  The three teacher unions attended that first meeting.

In addition, the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 provides that within three months of the passing of the Act, my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will prepare and lay before the Oireachtas a report on the cost of and a plan in dealing with pay equalisation for new entrants to the public service.

School Curriculum

Questions (222)

John Curran

Question:

222. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to improve the manner in which the Irish language is being taught at primary school level (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7364/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

A new primary language curriculum for junior infants to second class has been developed.  Implementation of the new curriculum commenced on a phased basis in 2016 starting with the oral strand.  This was prioritised to allow teachers to emphasise the importance of speaking Irish as a living language.

There are two curriculums; one for Irish-medium schools where Irish is the language of instruction and one for English-medium schools where Irish is the second language.  Proficiency levels attained in Irish will, in reality, be different depending on the language of instruction used.

All primary teachers are currently in receipt of Continuing Professional Development, CPD, for the new primary language curriculum.  CPD concentrated on the oral language strand in 2016/17.  In 2017/18, the CPD is focused on the reading and writing strands.  Teachers will be able to teach all three strands from September 2018.

Improving the standard and supports for teachers of Irish is an important priority.

All Initial Teacher Education, ITE, programmes for primary level have been reconfigured and lengthened.  The content and duration of Gaeltacht placements has been increased from one three-week period to two separate periods of two weeks.

My Department funds An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta, COGG, to develop textbooks and other resource materials for both English-medium and Irish-medium schools.

My Department also funds Foras na Gaeilge to provide interactive teaching and learning resources under their Seideán Sí initiative.

Work is currently underway in developing the primary language curriculum for third to sixth class.

All the above efforts are being made to enable teachers to enhance the quality of the learning experience and the proficiency levels gained by our primary pupils in Irish whether they attend an Irish-medium or an English-medium school.

Defibrillators in Schools Provision

Questions (223)

John Curran

Question:

223. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to liaise with the Minister for Health and the national steering group on out of hospital cardiac arrest in order to make defibrillators more easily accessible in schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7365/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The position is that under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the board of management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school.

The decision to install a defibrillator is made at local school level and is a matter for the board of management of each individual school.

I understand that a national steering group on out of hospital cardiac arrest was established in 2017 and is representative of health professionals, patient groups, healthcare providers and other sectors. It aims to strengthen the chain of survival for cardiac arrest. The report from the group, due in 2018, will provide advice to the HSE and the Department of Health on the most effective ways of improving survival for cardiac arrest including training for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, building on the community first responder programme and making public access defibrillators more easily accessible in community settings and in schools.

I will carefully consider any findings that may emerge from the work of this group that are relevant to my Department.

School Accommodation Provision

Questions (224)

Micheál Martin

Question:

224. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the severe accommodation difficulties and lack of special education facilities being provided in a school (details supplied); if these issues are being addressed; if capital moneys will be allocated; when the school can expect significant investment to address its difficulties and long waiting lists; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7375/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has been liaising with the school in question regarding its accommodation needs and has approved additional accommodation to facilitate the school's expansion. A letter to this effect has issued to the school.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (225)

Micheál Martin

Question:

225. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the progress on a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7376/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The school referred to by the Deputy has a major building project with my Department. A design team has been appointed for this project and is currently working on a Stage 1 submission - site suitability, site report and initial sketch scheme.

This is an extension and refurbishment project to the existing school to provide additional accommodation consisting of 2 no. mainstream classrooms plus circulation and 2 no. classroom special needs unit including ancillary accommodation.

Defibrillators in Schools Provision

Questions (226)

Willie Penrose

Question:

226. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps he will take to ensure that funding is put in place to enable each primary and secondary school throughout the State to acquire a defibrillator; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7411/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The position is that under the provisions of the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school.

The decision to install a defibrillator is made at local school level and is a matter for the Board of Management of each individual school. 

I understand that a National Steering Group on Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest was established in 2017 and is representative of health professionals, patient groups, healthcare providers and other sectors.  It aims to strengthen the chain of survival for cardiac arrest.  The report from the group, due in 2018, will provide advice to the HSE and the Department of Health on the most effective ways of improving survival for cardiac arrest including training for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, building on the Community First Responder Programme and making public access defibrillators more easily accessible in community settings and in schools.

Schools Building Projects Status

Questions (227)

Margaret Murphy O'Mahony

Question:

227. Deputy Margaret Murphy O'Mahony asked the Minister for Education and Skills if work on a school (details supplied) which was identified as a location for a new build in 2015 will commence in 2018 as listed; the timeframe for commencement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7435/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The Deputy will be aware that a building project for the school to which she refers is included in my Department's six year capital programme.

The delivery of the building project necessitates the acquisition of a suitable site. Officials in my Department are working closely with officials from the local authority in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site to facilitate the construction of the new school.

Public Private Partnerships

Questions (228)

Thomas Byrne

Question:

228. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention was drawn to the credit position of a company (details supplied) in tendering for the school construction programme; if his attention was further drawn to the credit held by the company in Schuldschein bonds; the processes that were put in place to determine the credit worthiness of the company before the contract was finalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7437/18]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

The company referred to by the Deputy has been a 50% shareholder in Inspiredspaces, the special purpose vehicle, SPV, responsible for the construction, finance, operation and maintenance of the public private partnership, PPP, schools bundle 5 programme.

The National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) managed the procurement of the schools bundle 5 PPP Programme on behalf of my Department. As part of this process, the NDFA carried out technical, legal and financial due diligence of the PPP documentation, the PPP company consortium and its members, including the company referred to, and their guarantor. The financial due diligence included a detailed review of the financial standing of the PPP Company's shareholders, consortium members and their guarantors which incorporated a review of their audited financial accounts and accompanying independent auditor’s report in addition to the proposed third party funding structure of the project.

This detailed due diligence did not raise any issues to preclude the award of preferred tenderer status to Inspiredspaces in November 2015 or subsequent contract award in July 2016.

Schuldschein bonds were not used to finance the schools bundle 5 PPP project.