Written Answers Nos. 434-450
434. 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 2018-19 school year; the timeframe for the progression of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16284/18]
View answerThe project for the school referred to by the Deputy has been devolved to the patron body, Educate Together, for delivery.
A planning application has been submitted for temporary school accommodation which will consist of 12 classrooms with en-suite toilets, staffroom, 4 learning support rooms, Principals office, administration office, to accommodate and consolidate the school on one site for September 2018.
Officials in my Department have been working towards the acquisition of a permanent site and have engaged with officials in the relevant local authority in that respect. My Department has reached agreement with the landowner of the preferred site and the acquisition is currently progressing through the conveyancing stage. Preliminary design work in respect of the school building project has commenced and a pre-planning meeting between Department representatives and local authority officials has taken place. All parties are working with a view to the property transferring into the Minister's ownership at the earliest possible date.
435. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a decision has been issued by his Department, following nationwide demographic exercises, that will determine the locations in which additional school accommodation will be needed in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16301/18]
View answerAs the Deputy will be aware, I announced plans for the establishment of 42 new schools over the next 4 years (2019 to 2022). This announcement follows nationwide, demographic exercises carried out by my Department into the future need for primary and post-primary schools across the country and the 4-year horizon will enable increased lead-in times for planning and delivery of the necessary infrastructure.
In addition to the new schools announced, there will be a need for further school accommodation in other areas in the future. Based on the current analysis, this need can be addressed through either planned capacity increases in existing schools or additional accommodation or extensions to existing schools. Approximately 40% of extra school places are delivered by extending existing schools.
I have highlighted that the requirement for new schools will be kept under on-going review and in particular would have regard for the increased roll-out of housing provision as outlined in Project Ireland 2040.
436. Deputy Jim O'Callaghan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the construction of a secondary school will commence on the old greyhound track in Harold's Cross; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16326/18]
View answerThe acquisition of the site at Harold's Cross is in the final stages of conveyancing process.
Once the acquisition is complete, my Department will be in a position to progress the project to architectural planning with a view to providing permanent accommodation on the site.
437. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the number of industrial relations cases that are ongoing in QQI at present; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16332/18]
View answer438. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number and type of industrial relations, bullying and personnel cases and grievances in which QQI has been involved in each year since 2012 by case type, in tabular form; the grades involved in each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16333/18]
View answer439. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the number of industrial relations cases and grievances that have been settled between QQI and existing or former staff since 2012; the cost of these settlements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16334/18]
View answer440. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of cases involving outside mediation in which QQI has been involved in each of the years 2012 to 2017 and to date in 2018; the cost of each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16335/18]
View answer441. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of reports that have been commissioned by QQI relating to industrial relations, personnel, bullying and related matters; the cost of each; the status of the publication of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16336/18]
View answer442. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of reports that have been commissioned by his Department relating to QQI to investigate industrial relations, personnel, bullying and related matters; the cost of each; the status of the publication of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16337/18]
View answer447. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to agreements reached between current and former staff of QQI which relate to industrial relations disputes and grievances; the number of confidentiality clauses contained in these; if he will seek an explanation from the board of QQI as to the rationale for the secrecy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16342/18]
View answer448. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the number of industrial relations cases QQI has been involved in since its foundation involving outside agencies, such as the Labour Court and the Workplace Relations Commission, WRC, and mediation services; the number by case type since the foundation of QQI, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16343/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 437 to 442, inclusive, 447 and 448 together.
Since its establishment in 2012, QQI has been engaged in 7 cases of an industrial relations nature. Material in relation to these cases is set out in tabular form.
|
Year |
Case type |
Outcome |
|
2012 |
Joint referral to a LRC conciliation conference process by Unions representing staff re matters related to the amalgamation of FETAC, HETAC and the NQAI. |
An agreement was reached on foot of this process in December 2012 and has been fully implemented. |
|
2014 |
Labour Court referral by a Union representing staff regarding linkages to the Education Sector and the Staff Structure at QQI. |
A Labour Court Recommendation was issued and this has been fully implemented. |
|
2014 |
Referral to LRC by a Union representing a member of staff in relation to a legacy grading dispute. |
The matter was heard by a rights commissioner and the matter was concluded. The concluding agreement is subject to a confidentiality clause. |
|
2016 |
Personal Grievance |
This matter was referred for mediation as part of QQI’s grievance procedures. As part of this process, a report was commissioned at a cost of €1,150. The matter was not resolved at mediation and a personal case was referred to the WRC where an Adjudicating Officer (AO) found in favour of the staff member in 2016. The matter was appealed to the Labour Court where the decision of the AO was upheld. The decision of the Labour Court has now been fully addressed including the payment of a settlement of €10,000. |
|
2016 |
Personal Grievance |
This matter was referred for mediation as part of QQI’s grievance procedures. The matter was not resolved at mediation and a formal complaint was made by the staff member via QQI’s internal procedures. The complaint was fully investigated but was not upheld. This outcome was further upheld on appeal. |
|
2016 |
Referral to WRC by a Union representing a member of staff in relation to a legacy grading dispute. |
The matter was initially brought to a conciliation conference at WRC in 2016. This process was unsuccessful resulting in a referral directly to the Labour Court. A Labour Court Recommendation was issued on 25 July 2016 with which QQI has complied. The recommendation included the commissioning of an independent job evaluation report which was carried out at a cost of €3,600. The matter was referred back to the WRC by the Union in January 2018 for a conciliation conference. QQI is awaiting clarification of the nature of the referral. This matter is ongoing. |
|
2017 |
Referral to the WRC regarding termination of a fixed term contact. |
QQI is currently awaiting the outcome of a hearing before a WRC Adjudicating Officer. This matter is ongoing. |
443. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason recruitment in QQI is not carried out via the Public Appointments Service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16338/18]
View answerQQI engages with and consults the Public Appointments Service in relation to matters of recruitment.
QQI advertises its vacancies through the Public Jobs website for posts above those at Grade III.
QQI utilises recruitment agencies approved by the Commission for Public Service Appointments for the purposes of recruitment at Grade III. The majority of these appointments are of a temporary nature.
444. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the approximate cost of outside consultants engaged by QQI for the purpose of drafting reports on the function, governance and structure of the organisation in each year since 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16339/18]
View answer446. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a report (details supplied) which was published on the structure of QQI; the cost of the production of this report; the status of the implementation of the recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16341/18]
View answer449. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has drawn to the high number of outside consultants used by QQI since its foundation; the estimated cost of each; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16344/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 444, 446 and 449 together.
In 2016, my Department appointed Clarion Consulting Limited to conduct an organisational review of QQI. On completion of this review in December of that year, a report was provided to both my Department and QQI. This report identified challenges within the agency and made a series of recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of QQI. The value of this contract was €29,450.
To facilitate the implementation of this Report, a steering committee comprised of representatives of QQI's board, management, staff and officials from my Department was established in 2017. An Industrial Relations Forum was created in parallel to allow for discussion of any industrial relations issues arising from implementation.
With my Department's support, QQI has procured Rubicon Strategic Consulting to provide the change management expertise necessary to support the implementation of the organisational review. The process of implementation is currently underway.
445. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the number of secondees from QQI; the locations in which they are working; the role and grade of each; if they are counted as part of the whole-time equivalent numbers for Quality and Qualifications Ireland, QQI; if they are being paid in whole or in part by QQI for each year since 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16340/18]
View answerQQI has 6 staff on secondment, the details of whom are reflected in the table.
Secondments are recorded as part of QQI's reporting to my Department in relation to its staffing numbers in addition to being reflected and published in the agency's annual financial statement.
|
Grade |
Seconded Location |
Duration |
Recoupment of Salary |
|
SLIII |
The Higher Education Association (THEA) |
2011 to date |
Yes |
|
SLII |
Department of Education and Skills |
2013 to date |
Yes |
|
SLII |
Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) |
2015 to date |
Yes |
|
SLII |
Trinity College Dublin (TCD) |
2016 to date |
No |
|
Grade IV |
European Commission |
2015 to date |
No |
|
Grade IV |
Department of Education and Skills/Department of Justice and Equality |
2016 to date |
Yes |
450. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the QQI budget for 2017; if there has been a shortfall; if so, if this shortfall has been remedied by additional funds from his Department; if additional funds provided are from the 2018 budget allocation; the amount involved; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16345/18]
View answerQQI is funded both from the Exchequer and income generated from the charging of fees. A substantial element of QQI's fee income is demand led and consequently revenue from this source can vary year on year. When this income has increased beyond annual projections, QQI has realised resultant savings in its Exchequer allocation.
Over the latter period of 2017, QQI experienced a reduction in its fee income. This is the first reduction in the overall level of fee income received by QQI since its establishment. Despite budgetary savings being identified, the agency required an additional €344,000 in Exchequer funding to meet its operational costs to year end.
QQI's Exchequer funding allocation for this year has been increased from €4m to €4.505m. This is based on revised projections for the level of fee income to be received in 2018 and also provides for pay restoration under the Lansdowne Road Agreement.
