Robert Troy
Question:91. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of extra students in a new building for a school (details supplied). [21790/18]
View answerSpecial Educational Needs Data
Questions (91)
Written answers
The school referred to by the Deputy is a special school which provides for the special educational needs of children with autism who have such complex needs that they are best placed in a special school.
The new school building project is due to proceed to tender at the end of this month for the delivery of a new 2-storey 6-classroom base special needs school with a General Purpose Room and ancillary accommodation.
The National Council for Special Education has advised that the additional placements this project will deliver will meet the projected need for students with ASD and complex needs requiring a special school placement in the area.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (92)
Peter Burke
Question:92. Deputy Peter Burke asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in a project (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21796/18]
View answerWritten answers
The project at the school to which the Deputy refers is progressing and the research and design stages are substantially complete as is the tender documentation. Currently pre-tender cost estimates are being finalised in compliance with my Departments Design Team Procedures and public procurement requirements.
The Pre-Qualification stage has also been completed and suitably qualified contractors have been selected. On this basis, my Department expects the project to be able to proceed to tender this coming July.
Schools Site Acquisitions
Questions (93)
Jan O'Sullivan
Question:93. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a site has been purchased for a new school (details supplied); if not, the progress that has been made; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21816/18]
View answerWritten answers
A building project for the new post-primary school referred to by the Deputy is included in my Department’s current 6 year construction programme.
Officials from my Department have been working closely with Limerick City and County Council under the Memorandum of Understanding for the acquisition of school sites in order to identify and procure a suitable site for the school.
A number of potential site options were identified and negotiations are being progressed.
While a site acquisition process is underway, given the commercial sensitivities associated with land acquisitions generally I am not in a position to comment further at this time. However, Educate Together (the patron of the school) will be informed of the location as soon as it is possible to do so.
The task of sourcing temporary accommodation for the post-primary school to which the Deputy refers, which is due to open in September 2018, is ongoing at present. Educate Together are working on identifying suitable temporary accommodation to facilitate the opening of the school for September 2018 and my Department is providing assistance in this regard.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (94)
John Curran
Question:94. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a school building project (details supplied); when stage 2B approval will be granted and the project progressed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21819/18]
View answerWritten answers
The major building project at the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning - Stage 2b.
According to the Stage 2b documentation submitted in November 2017, the estimated stage 2b cost plan increased substantially from the approved costs at stage 2a.
In accordance with Departmental Design Team Procedures, where the approved cost limits have been exceeded, a Brief Change Report is necessary.
Upon review of the Brief Change, my Department requested further detailed information from the Design Team, in particular a stand-alone Civil and Structural Consultants report with regard to the magnitude of the increases in the substructure requirements of this project.
Following a review of this latest Brief Change report, officials from the Professional and Technical team are meeting with the Design Team.
Until the Brief Change Report has been approved, the Stage 2b documentation cannot be reviewed.
Teacher Recruitment
Questions (95)
Jan O'Sullivan
Question:95. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has received an application for an extra teacher for a school (details supplied) which is expected to have the necessary number of students enrolled at the start of the school to require a fifth teacher; when a decision will be made on the application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21824/18]
View answerWritten answers
The criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September.
The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location.
The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit a staffing appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. Details of the appeal process and application form are available in Circular 0010/2018, "Staffing Arrangements in Primary Schools for the 2018/19 School Year", which is published on the Department website.
My Department has received a staffing appeal from the school referred to by the Deputy. The Primary Staffing Appeals Board will meet to review appeals for the 2018/19 school year in the coming weeks and the school will be notified of the outcome of the appeal.
The Primary Staffing Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
Schools Building Projects Status
Questions (96)
Jan O'Sullivan
Question:96. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a building project for a school (details supplied) in County Limerick; the estimated time of completion of the project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21827/18]
View answerWritten answers
The project to which the Deputy refers is being devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board. My Department is currently preparing a Service Level Agreement for issue to the ETB to underpin the project delivery. This is expected to issue shortly. Once this formality has been completed, the next steps are for the ETB to appoint a Design Team to design the project and to bring it on through the planning permission and tender and construction stages. It will be a matter for the ETB to progress all aspects of the project, including the appointment of a Design Team, as quickly as possible.
Third Level Funding
Questions (97)
Thomas Byrne
Question:97. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the new higher education funding model will be introduced; and if there will be winners and losers resulting therefrom. [21830/18]
View answerWritten answers
An independent Expert Panel was appointed by the HEA in 2016 to review the current allocation model for funding higher education and to make recommendations on the most appropriate funding model for the future. I approved and published this report it in January 2018.
The review of the Funding Model provides a roadmap for transitioning towards a reformed funding model that is more transparent, consistent across higher education institutions, that incentivises actions in key strategic areas, and supports improved accountability while also respecting institutional autonomy.
The implementation group has been established and a terms of reference for the group has been agreed. It is comprised of representatives from DES, HEA, DPER, THEA & IUA. Key immediate priorities being considered by the Group include:
- the financial penalties system for serious governance breaches
- the design of the new Innovation fund
- the development of criteria for additional funding for multi-campus provision
- agreement of a terms of reference for a review of the costing model for higher education institutes
Some of the other recommendations will require a lead in time, to allow for the type of consultation and approval necessary. This is reflected in the fact that some recommendations are scheduled for implementation throughout 2019 and 2020.
A number of recommendations will impact directly on the final funding model and distribution for the Higher Education Sector, including the promotion of research and innovation, re-weighting for STEM, part time courses and access. Until all applicable components have been modelled and designed by the Higher Education Authority (HEA) in consultation with my Department and the Implementation Group it is not possible to comment on the potential impact on individual institutes.
Research Students
Questions (98)
Thomas Byrne
Question:98. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a framework for career progression for researchers in universities will be introduced. [21831/18]
View answerWritten answers
Innovation 2020, Ireland’s strategy for Research and Development, Science and Technology proposes the development of a national policy on structured progression for researchers to help them maximise their potential.
The Irish Universities Association has been developing the proposed framework and has consulted policy makers and research funders. It is envisaged that their work on the framework will be finalised this year. When fully completed, the framework for researcher careers will bring clarity and certainty to the career structure and provide researchers with developmental opportunities to enhance their skills and employability, whether it be in academia, in the enterprise sector or the wider economy.
Gender Equality
Questions (99)
Thomas Byrne
Question:99. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if legislation will be needed to implement gender equity measures in the third level sector. [21832/18]
View answerWritten answers
Higher Education institutions in Ireland are covered by the Employment Equality Acts 1998 to 2011, which outlaw discrimination on gender grounds. In addition, under the Universities Act 1997 and the Institute of Technology Acts, higher education institutions are responsible for promoting equality, including gender equality, within their institutions.
The HEA’s National Review of Gender Equality in Irish Higher Education Institutions highlighted the importance of achieving gender equality in higher education institutions as a “means to maximise their pursuit of excellence and successfully meet the many social, economic and cultural challenges of the future”. The Gender Equality Taskforce, which was appointed in November 2017, is overseeing a national systems review of the recruitment and promotion policies and practices currently in place in higher education institutions, with a view to identifying good practice and highlighting areas that need improvement. Their report is expected shortly.
Third Level Institutions
Questions (100)
Thomas Byrne
Question:100. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a new third level institution will be established during the lifetime of the National Development Plan 2018-2027 to cater to demographics. [21833/18]
View answerWritten answers
The National Strategy on Higher Education to 2030, which was published in 2011 by the then Tánaiste Mary Coughlan, stated that there was no case for the establishment of any new universities in Ireland on the basis set out in Section 9 of the Universities Act 1997.
The National Planning Framework includes a national objective regarding the expansion and consolidation of higher education facilities, particularly where this will contribute to wider regional development and programmes for life-long learning, especially in areas where skills gaps are identified. The framework seeks to prioritise the alignment of targeted and planned population and employment growth with educational investment. The National Development Plan 2018 – 2027 also emphasises investment in higher education in the regions to underpin economic and employment growth.
The higher education sector will see a very significant ramping up of investment in infrastructure in existing higher education institutions, from approximately €800 million over the past decade to €2.2 billion over the coming decade. This will cater for the growth in enrolments due to demographic changes, improve the quality of provision and build competitiveness at the national and regional level, through ensuring a pool of relevant skills. In October 2016, it was announced that new buildings across 11 Institutes of Technology would be included in a PPP Programme for the higher education sector. It is projected that the buildings will deliver a total of 8,000 new student places and will significantly enhance the capacity of those institutions to meet regional and national skills needs. The Government is also investing significantly in the Dublin Institute of Technology Grangegorman campus with the sod being turned on a €220m building project on 30 April 2018.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Technological Universities Act was signed into law on 19 March 2018. The development of technological universities has the potential to deliver social and economic benefits to their regions through a strengthened role in research and innovation and the delivery of a broad range of high quality education and training in each of their campuses.
Other than the potential establishment of technological universities under the 2018 Act, there are no proposals at this time for any new higher education institution to be established to cater specifically for demographic growth.