Written Answers Nos 83-90
83. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he envisages recruitment in specific vital areas of the public sector to become a policy initiative in the future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21927/18]
View answerIn my role as Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, I have overarching policy responsibility for workforce planning in the Civil Service, including recruitment.
The initiation of a recruitment campaign for any particular civil service grade is determined by such factors as identified workforce planning requirements and the need to establish priorities for targeted recruitment into the civil service to meet specific service and skill needs.
As the Deputy will recall in Budget 2015, it was announced that there would be a targeted programme of recruitment into the Civil Service to address service needs and a shortfall in key skills.
This ongoing recruitment programme supports Action 8 of the Civil Service Renewal Plan, to "open up recruitment and promotion processes at all levels". Under the Renewal Plan the established policy of open competition for senior management positions (Assistant Principal and higher) has been extended following a hearing at the Civil Service Arbitration Board.
I understand from the Public Appointments Service, who are the independent recruiter for the civil service, that since then in the region of 8,175 civil servants, excluding temporary assignments, have been assigned to Government departments and offices across all general service grades from open competitions. These increases would be offset by people leaving the Civil Service including retirements.
Further consideration will be given to recruitment in the civil service for the remainder of 2018 and 2019.
Recruitment plans for the public service more generally are a matter, in the first instance, for the Minister with responsibility for each of the relevant sectors of the public service.
84. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which his Department has received communication from other Departments and bodies or agencies under their aegis seeking expenditure on such issues as upgrade of motorways, new roadworks, investment in water and other items of infrastructural importance; if he expects to be in a position to respond favourably to such requests in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21929/18]
View answerManaging the delivery of capital expenditure on issues of infrastructural importance within the allocations agreed in the recently published National Development Plan 2018-2027 is a key responsibility of each Minister and Department. My Department is in regular contact with all other Departments and offices to ensure that capital expenditure is being managed within the overall fiscal parameters and there is regular reporting to Government on expenditure levels.
It should also be noted that the capital allocations made in Budget 2018 and the National Development Plan were informed by the extensive evidence base collated and published on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's website in 2017 as part of the mid-term review of the previous capital plan.
Issues raised by the Deputy, such as the upgrade of motorways, new roadworks, investment in water and other items, were address as part of that process. The mid-term review included a macroeconomic analysis, an assessment of progress on delivery of the 2015 Capital Plan, Departmental submissions, a public consultation process, an infrastructure capacity and demand analysis and an examination of the resourcing available for increased investment. In addition to this, a review of PPPs was undertaken as well as a Public Investment Management Assessment by the International Monetary Fund.
In the National Development Plan, all Departments' capital programmes are now fully funded for a 5-year period covering 2018-2022, which will facilitate Departments in planning their investment programmes over the medium term.
Any further communication with Departments in relation to additional capital expenditure for items of infrastructural importance will take place in the context of rolling-on the 5 year capital ceilings in Budget 2019, to include a new fifth year - i.e. 2023.
85. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he can take steps to minimise the impact of Brexit on the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21930/18]
View answerPrudent management of the public finances in order to ensure that Ireland's economy continues to remain competitive in the face of future economic headwinds is the best and most immediate policy under the Government's control to counter the likely negative economic impacts of Brexit.
In Budget 2017 the Government took important steps to prepare the economy. Additional resources were quickly provided to Enterprise Ireland, IDA and Bord Bia to provide critical support to companies and to help them deal with Brexit – making them more competitive, diversifying market exposure, and up-skilling.
Budget 2018 is continuing the work of getting Ireland Brexit ready. Based on the assessment of what is now required to continue preparing the economy for the challenges it faces, the Budget contained measures to improve the competitiveness of our personal taxation system; introduce a new €300 million Brexit loan scheme for SMEs; further the establishment of the Rainy Day Fund to strengthen our finances in a changing world; allocate additional capital expenditure of €4.3 billion over the next four years; increase education spending for 2018 to over €10 billion so as to keep our economy competitive and attract investment post-Brexit; increase resources for the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine to over €1.5 billion and so support Ireland’s largest indigenous industry; and increase the allocation for the Department of Business, Enterprise & Innovation to provide for additional staff in the Department and the enterprise agencies.
Brexit will also be a critical factor in our longer-term economic strategy. Good long-term planning supported by investment in Ireland’s public capital infrastructure has a very important role to play in ensuring the resilience of Ireland’s economy. The National Development Plan demonstrates the Government’s commitment to meeting Ireland’s infrastructure and investment needs over a ten year period. It will assist in future-proofing the economy and safeguarding economic growth from the risks and uncertainties of Brexit. It will improve our competitiveness and resilience and enhance our ability to continue to attract and maintain business.
The NDP comprises an investment programme of €116 billion. Investments which will be particularly relevant to Brexit include integration of transport, energy and communications networks; new resources for tourism development and promotion; and supporting Brexit-exposed firms to diversify international markets.
86. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the planned investment in mental health counselling at second level; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21735/18]
View answerMy Department promotes a comprehensive and whole of school approach to the promotion of wellbeing and positive mental health. This approach considers the entire school community, as well as focussing on groups and individual young people with identified need. This approach spans the curriculum in schools, whole-school ethos, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, student support, pastoral care, guidance counselling and the provision of professional development for teachers. It also involves accessing other supports such as educational psychology services and the interface with other agencies, both nationally and locally. Additionally, schools engage in a wide range of sport and cultural activities which provide an important opportunity for students to experience success and personal growth. The whole staff shares responsibility for general student wellbeing.
At post-primary level the Well-being in Post Primary Schools Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention (2013) provide a framework for schools to present in an integrated way the existing elements of good practice to promote social and emotional learning, and mental health and direct then to appropriate practice. They provide clear information for schools and for agencies supporting schools on how to address issues of social emotional learning and mental health promotion. The European wide HSE supported, Health Promoting School Process (HSP) is also outlined, and the Well-being Guidelines show how the HSP can be introduced to schools to complement existing good practice. The Guidelines outline how schools support young people through early intervention and prevention, modelled on the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) Continuum of Support tiered approach.
The processes outlined span the curriculum in schools, whole-school ethos, quality of teaching, learning and assessment, student support and pastoral care and the provision of professional development for teachers. It also involves other supports such as educational psychological services and guidance and counselling services, and the interface with other agencies, both nationally and locally. Schools also engage in a wide range of sport and cultural co-curricular activities which provide an important opportunity for students to experience success and personal growth.
The key message of the Guidelines are that Schools play a vital role in providing a protective environment for young people which can promote wellbeing, pupil resilience and counteract risk factors through a whole-school approach.
Where difficulties do arise in relation to pupil mental health it promote the development of structures to promote awareness and recognition of such difficulties and provide the appropriate support including input by the Guidance Counsellor and where necessary and appropriate to support student access, in conjunction with parents to referral pathways within HSE and other mental health services in their local community (e.g., HSE Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services or Clinical / Community Care Psychology).
My Department’s Action Plan for Education 2016-2019 affords particular priority to the support of wellbeing and mental health structures and supports in all schools. These include:
- Publishing a Wellbeing Policy Statement in 2018 and commencing, as resources permit, a national programme to support all schools to implement the national Wellbeing in Post Primary Schools Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion and Suicide Prevention (2013) and Wellbeing in Primary Schools Guidelines for Mental Health Promotion (2015)
- Implementing the new Junior Certificate area of learning entitled Wellbeing
- Extending Pupil Resilience and Teacher Classroom Management Programmes to all DEIS schools
- Increasing the capacity of NEPS by 65 educational psychologists to deliver an enhanced educational psychological service to schools
- Enhancing Guidance Counselling at second level
- Undertaking an assessment of the supports to schools in areas of mental health and wellbeing with a view to providing an enhanced and better integrated service
- Working closely with the Department of Health and others departments on the National Task Force on Youth Mental Health.
The Counselling and Guidance Counselling professions are two separate professions with their own unique roles and set of professional competences. Guidance in schools refers to a range of learning experiences provided in a developmental sequence that assist students to develop self-management skills which will lead to effective choices and decisions about their lives. It encompasses the three separate, but interlinked, areas of personal and social development, educational guidance and career guidance.
Counselling is a key part of the school guidance programme, offered on an individual or group basis as part of a developmental learning process and at moments of personal crisis. Counselling has as its objective the empowerment of students so that they can make decisions, solve problems, address behavioural issues, develop coping strategies and resolve difficulties they may be experiencing. Counselling in schools may include personal counselling, educational counselling, career counselling or combinations of these.
Personal counselling in this regard should be recognised as a direct support to students experiencing mental health difficulties which may in certain circumstances operate as a pre-cursor to or in tandem with clinical or formal therapeutic counselling services provided by outside HSE agencies.
As the Deputy may be aware this Government has restored some 500 guidance posts to post-primary schools previously withdrawn in 2012.
As stated previously the school Guidance Counsellor is an integral part of the wellbeing support structure within post primary schools and therefore the restoration of the 500 posts provide additional support to the student body generally in terms of school guidance plans but also in relation to direct individual counselling support to students in crisis.
87. Deputy Eamon Scanlon asked the Minister for Education and Skills if funding is available to Irish and EU citizens living both in and outside of the EU who wish to undertake postgraduate study; if there are special provisions or exceptions which may apply to Irish citizens living abroad who work full-time; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21742/18]
View answerThe position is that in order to qualify for funding towards tuition fees, students must be first-time undergraduates, hold inter alia EU/EEA/Swiss nationality in their own right, and have been ordinarily resident in an EU/EEA/Swiss state for at least three of the five years preceding their entry to an approved third level course. Where undergraduate students do not qualify for free fees they are required to pay fees to the higher education institution at either an ‘EU rate’ or a higher ‘Non-EU rate’.
My Department does not provide free fees or core funding for post-graduate programmes. The criteria governing the level of tuition fees to be charged in the case of postgraduate study is solely a matter for each of the higher education institutions to determine in accordance with its own criteria as an autonomous body.
Under the terms of the student grant scheme, grant assistance is awarded to students who meet the prescribed conditions of funding, including those relating to nationality, residency, previous academic attainment and means.
The Deputy will be aware that additional funding of €4 million was secured in Budget 2017 to facilitate the reinstatement of full maintenance grants, from September 2017, for the most disadvantaged postgraduate students. A further €3m was secured in Budget 2018.
Postgraduate students who meet the qualifying conditions for the special rate of grant under the Student Grant Scheme for the 2018/19 academic year are eligible for a maintenance grant of up to €5,915; the income threshold for this grant is €23,500. Qualifying postgraduate students may also be eligible to have their tuition fees paid up to a maximum fee limit of €6,270.
Alternatively a postgraduate student may qualify to have a €2,000 contribution made towards the cost of his/her fees. The income threshold for this payment is €31,500. The student grant scheme does not extend to postgraduate courses pursued outside of Ireland.
My Department also provides funding for the Student Assistance Fund (SAF). The fund is available in various publicly funded higher education institutions. The SAF provides financial assistance to students experiencing financial difficulties while attending third level. Students can be assisted towards their rent, childcare costs, transport costs and books/class materials. The SAF is open to full-time registered students on courses of not less than one year's duration leading to an undergraduate or postgraduate qualification.
Tax relief is available on postgraduate tuition fees paid and details in relation to this relief are available from the Revenue Commissioners.
88. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills if legal aid is prohibited from taking a test case on a point of law as per section 21(6) of the Student Support Act 2011. [21768/18]
View answerThe Deputy will be aware that Section 21(6) of the Student Support Act 2011, provides for a person who is aggrieved by a determination of the Appeals Board, to appeal to the High Court against that determination on a specified point of law.
The question of legal aid is a matter for the Legal Aid Board. Details of the services provided by the Legal Aid Board can be accessed at www.legalaidboard.ie.
89. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason correspondence from a person (details supplied) regarding their eligibility in terms of the change of circumstances criteria for SUSI has not been responded to satisfactorily by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21769/18]
View answerA number of correspondences have been received by my Department from the individual referred to by the Deputy, all of which have been responded to.
Applications for a maintenance grant are means tested based on the reckonable income from the previous tax year. However, article 32 of the Student Grant Scheme provides for a review of eligibility during the academic year, if there is a permanent change in circumstance in respect of certain criteria specified in the scheme. Applicants must provide satisfactory documentation to confirm that the reduction in income is permanent. In this instance, due to the unpredictable nature of the fluctuations in exchange rates, the drop in reckonable income in 2016 was not considered a change in circumstances that was likely to continue for the duration of the course.
The person to which the Deputy refers, has exhausted all of the relevant appeals processes in relation to a student grant for the 2016/17 academic year.
Following the full appeals process, a person who is aggrieved by a determination of the Appeals Board, can appeal to the High Court on a specified point of law under Section 21(6) of the Student Support Act 2011. The individual concerned has been advised of this option.
In terms of other supports, students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial need can apply for support under the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
Tax relief at the standard rate of tax may also be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education, including approved postgraduate courses in EU Member States and in non-EU countries. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners on www.revenue.ie.
90. Deputy Mary Butler asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the extension to a school (details supplied); the actions his Department is taking to ensure its completion for the school year 2018/2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21770/18]
View answerThe contract for the project to which the Deputy refers was terminated on 8 May last by the contracting authority which is the local Education and Training Board.
The Design Team is currently preparing schedules of work to complete the project which will require to be tendered when available. Finishing out the project is being given the highest priority in the Department and by the ETB and its Design Teams.
In this regard, the Department has asked the ETB for a critical time path for the completion and both the ETB and the Department will be considering how each stage in that critical path can be delivered as quickly as possible.
