Written Answers Nos. 246-264
246. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of companies that applied for the competition following the recent tendering process to appoint auditors to the education centre network; the name of the successful tenderer; the agreed price for the awarding contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13596/18]
View answer247. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason external auditors have been appointed to audit all 21 education centres despite the fact that each centre will be carrying out internal audits by independent auditors; the reason each centre is being audited twice; the audit which will be considered the official audit for the annual report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13597/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 246 and 247 together.
Education Centres are independent statutory bodies under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998) and are managed by voluntary management committees elected annually and comprised mainly of teachers.
My Department is the main funder of Education Centres through direct budget allocations for administrative staff pay and operating costs. The Education Centres also receive significant funding from the support services which are funded entirely by my Department for the purpose of designing and delivering continuing professional development courses and other professional support for teachers throughout the country.
Under my Department’s accountability arrangements, Centres are required to have their accounts audited and the audit report must be submitted along with the annual report. A number of matters have been identified in recent times concerning the adequacy of the audit and governance general.
Following a competition conducted through the Office of Government Procurement (OGP), 9 framework members who had previously qualified to form part of the OGP Framework for the provision of auditing services were contacted and Crowleys DFK Auditors was awarded the contract to undertake an external audit of the 2017 financial accounts of all Education Centres. This will provide assurances that all Centres are audited to a consistent standard in accordance with recognised auditing practice.
The Deputy may wish to note that Centres were given a derogation by the Department in respect of their obligation under the existing governance arrangements to conduct their own external audit of their 2017 financial accounts. Where Centres choose to engage their own auditors, they may submit this audit to the Department as part of their annual report.
As the OGP framework under which the contract was awarded to Crowleys is still live, it would not be appropriate to release commercially sensitive information which may disadvantage either the contractor or the awarding authority in future mini competitions.
248. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to ensure that all 21 education centres publish their annual reports from 2016 onwards on their websites; the reason this has not been the practice to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13598/18]
View answerEducation Centres are independent statutory bodies under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998) and are managed by voluntary management committees elected annually and comprised mainly of teachers. The network of Education Centres consists of 21 full time and 9 part time Centres. Their principal activity is to facilitate the local delivery of national programmes of teacher professional development on behalf of my Department. They also organise a varied local programme of activities for teachers, school management and parents in response to demand.
My Department is the main funder of Education Centres through direct budget allocations for administrative staff pay and operating costs. The Education Centres also receive significant funding from the support services which are funded entirely by my Department for the purpose of designing and delivering continuing professional development courses and other professional support for teachers throughout the country.
Centres are required to prepare and submit an annual report to my Department. Currently, Education Centres are not required to publish their annual reports on their website. However, some Centres do publish their annual reports on their websites and I am of the view that this is good practice as they are in receipt of exchequer funding. Officials of my Department will consider this further as part of the governance modernisation programme that my Department is undertaking in respect of Education Centres.
249. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the report commissioned by his Department regarding governance and accountability of education centres will be published; the key recommendations contained in the report; the fee paid to a company (details supplied) to carry out the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13599/18]
View answerEducation Centres are independent statutory bodies under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998) and are managed by voluntary management committees elected annually and comprised mainly of teachers.
My Department is the main funder of Education Centres through direct budget allocations for administrative staff pay and operating costs. The Education Centres also receive significant funding from the support services which are funded entirely by my Department for the purpose of designing and delivering continuing professional development courses and other professional support for teachers throughout the country.
In general, the Department is undertaking significant efforts to further develop and implement consistent and robust governance arrangements across the education sector. This work is guided by a management board committee on sectoral governance chaired by the Secretary General and supported by a sectoral governance unit which undertakes work which supports the enhancement and standardisation of governance and accountability oversight across the Department, including implementation of the Code of Practice for Governance of State Bodies.
With regard to Education Centres, the Department has embarked upon a programme of governance modernisation to complement and update the previous requirements that Education Centres are required to observe, and in line with a desire to continually improve the governance and accountability structure in the sector. This programme will be informed by the Mazars Review of the Department’s Governance, Funding and Accountability arrangements for Education Support Centres. The Department plans to circulate the final report to all Education Centres in the coming weeks and it would be remiss of me to pre-empt the recommendations in that report. In addition, there have been developments in governance requirements for state funded bodies as outlined in the Code of Practice for State Bodies which need to be reflected in the sector
As the OGP framework under which the contract was awarded to Mazars is still live, it would not be appropriate to release commercially sensitive information which may disadvantage either the contractors or the awarding authority in future mini competitions.
250. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén fáth nach bhfuil an deontas €103 in aghaidh an dalta, a íocann a Roinn le hiar-bhunscoileanna a dhéanann teagasc trí Ghaeilge, á íoc le scoileanna a dhéanann teagasc trí Ghaeilge ach atá faoi choimirce Boird Oideachais agus Oiliúna; an bhfuil sé i gceist aige athbhreithniú a dhéanamh ar an mbeartas seo; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [13680/18]
View answerLéiríonn na socruithe maoinithe atá déanta ag an Roinn d’iar-bhunscoileanna deonacha, cuimsitheacha, pobalscoileanna agus scoileanna Boird Oideachais agus Oiliúna (BOO), na socruithe difriúla bainistíochta agus úinéireachta atá i bhfeidhm do scoileanna dara-leibhéal.
Maoinítear iar-bhunscoileanna deontacha le deontais per capita. Faigheann na scoileanna seo deontas in ionad táillí a bhíodh toibhithe roimh 1967. Íoctar deontas per capita sa bhreis d’iar-bhunscoileanna san earnáil dheonach ina dtugtar teagasc trí mheán na Gaeilge go hiomlán nó i bpáirt. Ní íoctar an deontas sna hearnálacha Pobal nó Cuimsitheacha nó san earnáil BOO.
Déantar leithdháiltí airgeadas don earnáil BOO ar bhonn buiséid i dtaca le ceannoifig agus costais eile, iad sin a bhaineann le scoileanna san áireamh. Tugtar leibhéal ard féinrialach do BOO maidir le bainistíocht agus leithghabháil dá gcuid buiséid agus ceadaítear do gach BOO a leithdháiltí a roinnt ar aon dul lena dtosaíochtaí agus aireachtáil riachtanas. Caithfear aon shaincheisteanna maoinithe d’aon scoil ar leith a bhainistiú faoi bhuiséad an BOO cuí. Ní chuireann an Roinn in áirithe leithdháiltí maoinithe do scoileanna aonair san earnáil BOO.
Maidir le tuilleadh feabhsuithe i mbuiséid BOO a bhaineann le hábhair a mhúineadh trí mheán na Gaeilge, bheadh gá iad a mheasúnú i gcomhthéacs staide iomláin buiséide na Roinne agus lena tosaíochtaí níos leithne i dtaca leis an bPlean Gníomhaíochta don Oideachas maraon le haon chuspóirí cuí eile.
251. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will issue regarding an application by a school (details supplied) for co-educational status; the reason for the delay in view of the need to inform parents of their choices in 2018-2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13682/18]
View answerI can confirm to the Deputy that my Department received a number of requests last month in respect of change of status proposals from within a particular school planning area; the school referred to by the Deputy was one of the requests received.
I wish to advise that approval for a change of status is required from the Patron. In light of the number of schools seeking such a change my Department is in contact with the Patrons office with a view to arranging a meeting, on a mutually suitable date, to progress the matter in respect of all schools involved.
252. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts being made to end the discriminatory two-tier system of payments made to school secretaries in primary and post-primary schools whereby there remain major discrepancies in the rates of pay and benefits received by those employed to provide secretarial services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13697/18]
View answerIn 1978 and 1979, schemes were initiated for the employment of Clerical Officers and Caretakers in primary and secondary schools. Staff employed on these schemes are paid directly by my Department and are not paid via grant funding. The 1978 and 1979 schemes are being phased out and have 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, caretaking and cleaning services. Capitation related grants are issued to the majority of primary and post-primary schools to employ such staff. 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 therefore does not have any role in determining the pay and conditions under which they are engaged. These are matters to be agreed between the staff concerned and the school authorities. My Department has no plans to develop an alternative scheme for schools to employ secretaries separate to the current system of capitation grant assistance.
Notwithstanding the above, in 2015 my Department agreed to engage with the union side in relation to the pay of school secretaries and caretakers who are employed using grant funding and to enter an arbitration process. The Arbitrator recommended a cumulative pay increase of 10% between 2016 and 2019 for school secretaries and caretakers comprehended by the terms of the arbitration process and that a minimum hourly pay rate of €13 for such staff be phased in over the period 2016 to 2019. Grant funding used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff is also being improved on a phased basis between 2016 and 2019 following the arbitration process. These increases are in order to enable schools implement the arbitration outcome for grant funded secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation.
In December 2017, my Department published circular letter 0078/2017 for primary schools and circular letter 0079/2017 for voluntary secondary schools, setting out the application of the third phase increases of the Arbitrator’s recommendations. The circulars are available at:
Circular 0078/2017: https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0078_2017.pdf.
Circular 0079/2017: http://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0079_2017.pdf.
The increases recommended by the Arbitrator are binding and must be applied by all schools who employ staff to whom the Arbitrators recommendation applies.
253. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the site acquisition process in respect of a school (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13742/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, a site to accommodate the building project for the school to which he refers was identified with the assistance of officials from the relevant local authority under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites.
On the basis of the agreement in principle which was reached with the landowner, preliminary design work in respect of the school building project was commenced and work continues in that regard.
In the interim, the conveyancing phase of the site acquisition process has been in progressing. Both Department officials and the vendor have been working to ensure that the land transfer can occur as soon as possible. The Department will continue to liaise with the relevant parties and the Chief State Solicitor’s Office to advance matters and will keep the school patron informed of progress in that regard.
254. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the steps that have been taken to meet the temporary accommodation requirements of a school (details supplied) in County Cork for the 2018-2019 school year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13743/18]
View answerThe project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been devolved to the patron body, Educate Together, for delivery. The Patron body has appointed a consultant to deliver the accommodation project.
A planning application has been submitted for temporary school accommodation which will consist of 12 classrooms with en-suite toilets, staffroom, 4 support rooms, Principals' office, administration office, staff toilets and storage to accommodate and consolidate the school on the Garryduff Sports Centre site.
In tandem with the planning application for Garryduff Sports Centre a planning application will be lodged shortly for two additional temporary classrooms at the Douglas Hall site in case the Garryduff Sports Centre provision is delayed in any way.
255. Deputy Pat Deering asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of hardcopies of primary language curriculum handbooks for English-medium schools still available from his Department; if same will be reprinted for schools to provide a copy for each teacher; if there will be a charge for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13755/18]
View answerThe Primary Language Curriculum for Junior Infants to 2nd Class was introduced in September 2016. All schools were provided with hard copies of the curriculum, one for each teacher, in the spring of 2016. Copies were also made available to Teacher Training Colleges to provide trainee teachers with copies. My Department currently has less than 100 copies remaining and currently there are no plans to reprint it. The curriculum along with support material is available online at:
https://curriculumonline.ie/Primary/Curriculum-Areas/Language-New-Junior-infants-2nd-class.
256. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school building projects that have been required to apply to local authorities for an extension of duration of planning permission due to delays; and the detail of each. [13758/18]
View answerSeven major school building projects at Architectural Planning Stage have been required to apply to local authorities for an extension of duration of planning permission due to delays. The detail of each project are listed in the attached spreadsheet.
While it is a rare occurrence, it can happen that a project may experience delays following a grant of planning permission for a number of reasons. For example, a need to appoint a replacement architect or engineer on the design team, a legal challenge to a grant of planning permission, delays in securing a site or an extension to a site and changes sought in the brief by the school following the grant of planning permission. In some cases the delay can be attributable to an underperforming design team.
Included on the attached spreadsheet are two projects where an extension of planning permission has been sought and a decision is currently awaited from the Local Authority.
|
County |
Roll No |
School |
Date Grant of PP extended from |
Comment re delays |
|
Cavan |
19439B |
Holy Family Special School |
12/01/18 |
Changes to brief by the school following the grant of planning permission, need to appoint a replacement M&E engineer on the design team and delays while various decant proposals explored. |
|
Longford |
19429V |
St. Christopher's Special School |
17/07/17 |
Issues with Design Team |
|
Donegal |
19927O |
Scoil Mhuire Stranorlar |
12/05/17 |
Site acquired with conditional planning permission. Revised Brief Formulation Report necessary to take account of PP conditions imposed. Fire Safety Certificate appealed to An Bord Pleanála. |
|
Cork |
19415K |
Scoil An athar Tadhg |
09/01/18 |
Significant changes proposed by school to scope of project. |
|
Cork |
19993E |
Gaelscoil An Ghoirt Álainn |
08/12/16 |
Planning Permission appealed to An Bord Pleanála twice & a legal challenge to Planning Permission pending acquisition of site. |
|
County |
Roll No |
School |
Extension of PP application with Local Authority with effect from |
Comment re delays |
|
Meath |
17705J |
Whitecross |
22/01/18 |
Full grant of Planning Permission received 13/1/14. Delays occurred due to school submitting various options for temporary decant and subsequent need to apply for statutory approvals for temporary decant off site. |
|
Meath |
18106P |
Lismullen |
19/02/18 |
Full grant of Planning Permission received 13/9/13. Issues with the Design Team contributed to delays. |
257. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application for the summer works scheme by a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13773/18]
View answerThe current Summer Works Scheme (SWS) 2016 -2017 was applied on a multi-annual basis. The Deputy will be aware that nearly 50% of schools have applied for inclusion under the scheme which reflects a very high demand.
Almost €80 million has been approved to date under the Summer Works Scheme, in respect of over 640 school projects in categories 1 - 6. Details of the successful school applicants are published on my Department's website www.education.ie.
The 2018 budgetary provision will allow my Department to meet the carry over costs of summer works projects already approved. The assessment of applications in the remaining categories 7-10, including the application from the school referred to by the Deputy for a category 7 project, is reliant on the availability of funding.
258. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are plans from a new co-educational, multidenominational, non-fee-paying, second-level school for children attending primary schools of such an ethos in Dublin 6, Dublin 6W, Dublin 8 and Dublin 12; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13778/18]
View answer259. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has identified a methodology and timeframe for the determination of a catchment area for a proposed school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13779/18]
View answer260. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the patronage of a proposed school (details supplied) will be decided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13780/18]
View answer262. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for a new co-educational, multidenominational, non-fee-paying, second-level school for children attending primary schools in Dublin 6, Dublin 6W, Dublin 8 and Dublin 12. [13823/18]
View answer263. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has identified a methodology and timeframe for the determination of the catchment area for a proposed school (details supplied). [13824/18]
View answer264. Deputy Joan Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the patronage of a proposed school (details supplied) will be decided. [13825/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 258 to 260, inclusive, and 262 to 264, inclusive, together.
As the Deputies may be aware, in order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas. My Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. This system uses data from a range of sources. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed.
Such exercises, involving all school planning areas including the areas referred to by the Deputies, are currently ongoing. It is anticipated that decisions based on these exercises will be announced in the coming weeks, after which patronage processes will be run to decide who will operate each school.
A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. This patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. Parental preferences for each patron from parents of children who reside in the school planning areas concerned, together with the extent of diversity currently available in these areas, are key to decisions in relation to the outcome of this process.
The patronage process for new schools is overseen by an external independent advisory group, the New Schools Establishment Group (NSEG). Following their consideration of my Department’s assessment reports, the NSEG submits a report with recommendations to me for consideration and final decision. The assessment reports and the NSEG recommendations for all such patronage processes are available on my Department's website.
261. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are guidelines or legislation in place in relation to ensuring school places in schools for children of Irish citizens who are serving the State overseas; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13789/18]
View answerIn relation to school admissions, 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 Education Welfare Service of the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) 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.
Through the Education (Admission to Schools) Bill I intend to ban the use of waiting lists by schools, as these discriminate against those who have recently moved into an area, those who rent, or those who have worked overseas and are returning home.
The current provision in the Bill will allow for the phasing out of pre-existing waiting lists over a 5 year period.
The Bill is currently awaiting report stage in the Dáil.
