Written Answers Nos. 210-227
210. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of public service pensioners who retired pre-March 2012 by public service pension reduction income bands in each of the years 2019 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49577/18]
View answer211. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of public service pensioners who retired post-March 2012 by public service pension reduction income bands in each of the years 2019 to 2021, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49578/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 211 together.
My understanding of the PQ's is that the Deputy is looking for the number of people who currently fall into each of the income bands that apply to the PSPR rates and how the number in bands will change as a result of the PSPR rate changes provided for under the Public Service Stability Agreement.
I have been supplied by the National Shared Services Office with the following table which sets out estimates relating to the civil service schemes for which I have direct responsibility as Minister. The NSSO has advised me that these estimates do not take account of scheduled pay increases.
PSPR Rates
|
PSPR in 2019 |
Count of Person Reference |
|
POST-FEMPI (post-February 2012) |
8,117 |
|
1: Up to €60,000 |
8,021 |
|
2: Any amount over €60,000 but not over €100,000 |
89 |
|
3: Any amount over €100,000 |
7 |
|
PRE-FEMPI (pre-March 2012) |
12,904 |
|
1: Up to €39,000 |
10,777 |
|
2: Any amount over €39,000 but not over €60,000 |
1,834 |
|
3: Any amount over €60,000 but not over €100,000 |
230 |
|
4: Any amount over €100,000 |
63 |
|
Grand Total |
21,021 |
|
|
|
|
PSPR in 2020 |
Count of Person Reference |
|
POST-FEMPI (post-February 2012) |
8,117 |
|
1: Up to €60,000 |
8,020 |
|
2: Any amount over €60,000 but not over €100,000 |
90 |
|
3: Any amount over €100,000 |
7 |
|
PRE-FEMPI (pre-March 2012) |
12,904 |
|
1: Up to €54,000 |
12,286 |
|
2: Any amount over €54,000 but not over €60,000 |
325 |
|
3: Any amount over €60,000 but not over €100,000 |
230 |
|
4: Any amount over €100,000 |
63 |
|
Grand Total |
21,021 |
Appendix 3 of Circular 02/2018: Pension increase policy in the public service until end-2020 (available at https://circulars.gov.ie/pdf/circular/per/2018/02.pdf) sets out the details of the changes.
212. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to reduce the public service pension deduction beyond 2020; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49579/18]
View answerThe Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 sets out a specific schedule of measures and dates in respect of deductions made under the FEMPI Acts including provisions in respect of the implementation of the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 (PSSA). This scheduled further lessening of the PSPR impact on pensions will mean that from 1 January 2019 all pensions up to €39,000 per annum will be exempt from PSPR, removing some 12,000 pensioners from the impact of PSPR.
From 1 January 2020, further PSPR-amelioration will mean that all pensions up to €54,000 per annum will be exempt from PSPR, removing some 10,500 additional pensioners from the impact of PSPR.
When fully in place from the beginning of 2020, these changes will mean that the vast majority of public service retirees - approximately 97% - comprising everyone with occupational pension values up to at least €54,000, will be entirely free of PSPR. For those who retired since end-February 2012 that threshold will be even higher at €60,000.
Section 26 of the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act, 2017 requires the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to make an order, no later than 31 December 2020, setting a date for the complete elimination of PSPR from all public service pensions.
This approach can be seen in the context that restoration of the public service pension cuts has proceeded at a faster pace than has applied to the FEMPI pay measures.
This implies that only those pensions whose associated contemporary salaries are, at a minimum, €108,000 (or €120,000 for the post-February 2012 retiree group), will bear any PSPR impact beyond the end of 2020. I can assure the Deputy that the timetable set out in the Act will be complied with.
213. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the estimated cost of removing the public service pension deduction in 2020 for public service pensioners that retired pre-March 2012; the estimated cost of removing the public service pension reduction in 2020 for public service pensioners that have retired post-March 2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49580/18]
View answerSection 24 of the Public service Pay and pensions Act, 2017 will raise the PSPR exemption threshold from €34,132 to €39,000 per annum.
This change means that all pensions up to €39,000 per annum will be exempt from PSPR in 2019, while those higher-value pensions still affected will benefit from a gain of €1,080 per annum.
This significant change in 2019 will reduce the overall PSPR yield by approx. 50% (from c. €48 million to c. €24 million), and will remove approx. 12,000 pensioners from the impact of PSPR.
From 1 January 2020, the PSPR exemption threshold will be raised from €39,000 to €54,000 per annum.
This change means that all pensions up to €54,000 per annum will be exempt from PSPR from the beginning of 2020, while those pensions still affected will benefit from a gain of €1,800 per annum.
This change in 2020 will reduce the residual PSPR yield by 50% (from c. €24 million to c. €12 million), and will remove an additional 10,500 pensioners from the impact of PSPR.
Taken together, these changes in 2019 and 2020 will mean that, from 1 January 2020 the vast majority of pre-March 2012 pensions will be exempt from PSPR. In the region of 3,500 of the highest value pre-March 2012 pensions will continue to be subjected to PSPR from then onwards. In addition to the currently legislated reduction in PSPR yield for 2020, the estimated additional cost of full abolition of PSPR in 2020 is €12m and while the bulk of this cost would relate to pre-March 2012 pensioners, a disaggregated estimate between pre and post-2012 pensioners is not currently available.
In addition to the PSPR amelioration, many public service pensioners stand to benefit from the public service pension increase policy which Government has agreed to as part of the PSSA 2018-2020.
For the duration of the Agreement, i.e. until end-2020, that policy means that there will be an effective limited return to the traditional “pay parity” link, whereby pay increases awarded to public servants are passed on proportionately to the pensions of retired public servants:
- For post-February 2012 retirees, this means that that they will receive pension increases in line with the pay increases due to their peers currently in employment over the three-year lifetime of the PSSA to end-2020.
- Pre-2012 retirees, whose pensions are already based on superior (pre-2010 salary level), will see their pensions likewise boosted during the 2018-2020 period where that is necessary to keep pace with the value of a pension awarded to a same-profile person retiring just after each particular pay increase.
214. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position with regard to the provision of flood relief for Springfield, Kilrea, County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49581/18]
View answerThe Catchment Flood Risk Assessment and Management (CFRAM) study carried out by the Office of Public Works resulted in the publication of Flood Risk Management Plans (FRMP’s) for each river basin district studied under the programme. The FRMP for the Shannon river basin identified a potentially viable solution for the flooding problem in Springfield comprising the construction of a flood defence embankment with floodgate and pumping and recommended that this be progressed to project-level development and assessment including necessary environmental assessment.
The Office of Public Works has approved funding to Clare County Council (CCC) for this project and the project is being progressed by the Council which is the contracting authority for the proposed works.
Following consideration of a number of submissions received as part of the project’s Part VIII planning application, it became apparent that further information and a more detailed assessment of some environmental factors were required.
Having regard to that, and to the requirement as a Local Authority to satisfactorily address all relevant environmental matters, CCC considered it appropriate to withdraw the current Part VIII application.
On completion of the necessary further assessments, including an updated cost-benefit assessment, CCC will then be in a position to prepare and submit an updated planning application at the earliest juncture.
215. Deputy Pat Buckley asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the extension to a school (details supplied) is at a standstill; the progress of the new school build including commenced and completed works; and the timeline for the completion of same. [48898/18]
View answerThe Deputy will probably be aware that the project to which he refers was halted earlier this year when the main contractor went into liquidation.
The project is being delivered by the local Education and Training Board (ETB). Since that time, the ETB and its Design team have been working to get an alternative contractor back on site. This involves an extensive range of work including surveying the construction already carried out; designing the works to be completed; preparing revised drawings, specifications and bills of quantities; pre-qualifying suitable contractors and tendering for a new main contractor.
The ETB worked with its Design Team to develop a programme covering all of the requirements necessary to re-start the project with processes being overlapped and/or truncated where this is feasible.
The programme to complete the project is now August 2019. The ETB has confirmed that the programme is on target to achieve this.
216. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for Education and Skills the revenue raised by increasing the national training fund levy from 0.7% to 1% and 2% and 5%, respectively. [48959/18]
View answerIn Budget 2018, the National Training Fund (NTF) levy was increased by 0.1 per cent in 2018 to 0.8 per cent – providing over €47m of additional investment in the Higher and Further Education Sectors. On foot of decisions taken in Budget 2019, the levy will rise to 0.9 per cent in 2019 (providing an additional €69 million of additional investment in higher and further education and training) and to 1 per cent in 2020.
The net additional expenditure available from increases in the levy is lower than the gross revenue yield as, under the fiscal rules, the calculation of such increases must take account of the increased costs which arise for public sector employers.
As requested by the Deputy, the following table provides indicative estimates of the full year yield from different rates of National Training Fund contributions using 2018 as the base year.
|
2018 Estimated Revenue from different NTF levy rates |
Estimated Amount from an Increase in 0.70% NTF levy rate |
|
|
0.70% |
€503m |
|
|
1.00% |
€719m |
€216m |
|
2.00% |
€1,438m |
€935m |
|
5.00% |
€3,595m |
€3,092m |
217. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in Dublin 7 who are on a waiting list to access an ASD unit. [49523/18]
View answer218. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in Dublin 1 who are on a waiting list to access an ASD unit. [49524/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 217 and 218 together.
The enrolment of a child to a school is a matter, in the first instance, for the parents of the child and the Board of Management of a school. My Department has no role in relation to processing applications for enrolment to schools and it does not maintain details of waiting lists in schools.
The National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of Special Needs Organisers, for the development and delivery and co-ordination of education services to children with Special Educational Needs, including the establishment of special class and special school placements.
Parents/guardians who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Education Needs Organiser (SENO) who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.
Since 2011, the NCSE has increased the number of special classes from 548 in 2011 to 1,459 across the country now, of which 1,196 are Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) special classes.
124 special schools provide specialist education for those students with the most complex special educational needs, including students diagnosed with ASD.
There are 37 special schools and 237 special classes attached to mainstream schools in Co. Dublin. Of these, 17 are ASD early intervention classes, 139 are primary ASD classes and 41 are post primary ASD classes. The number of ASD special classes in Co. Dublin have increased from 66 in 2011/2012 to 197 in 2018/2019. Details of all special classes for children with special educational needs are available on www.ncse.ie.
My Department has acknowledged that in recent years the establishment of special class provision in some schools and communities has been challenging.
The Education (Admission to Schools) Act 2018 when fully commenced will assist in addressing this issue in areas where the NCSE is of the opinion that there is insufficient capacity in relation to the provision of education for children with special educational needs.
Section 8 of the Act, which will commence from Monday 3rd December 2018, will provide the Minister with a power, after a process of consultation with the NCSE, the board of management and the patron of the school, to compel a school to make additional provision for the education of children with special educational needs.
The NCSE is engaging with the education partners and will finalise procedures in advance of this date. This new power will build on the work which has been done in recent years to facilitate schools to open special classes.
219. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the supports available for a 16 year old autistic student who has specific personal needs and requires home tuition (details supplied). [48882/18]
View answerThe purpose of my Department’s Home Tuition Grant Scheme is to provide funding towards the provision of a compensatory educational service for children who, for a number of reasons such as chronic illness, are unable to attend school. The scheme also provides a compensatory educational service for children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement. Provision is also made for early intervention for children with autism.
Home tuition is provided as an interim provision only and should not be regarded as an optional alternative to a place in school.
Further details on the Home Tuition Grant Scheme, including the annual Circular and associated Application Forms are available at https://www.education.ie/en/Parents/Services/Home-Tuition/
My Department has not received a home tuition application for the person referred to by the Deputy for this school year.
As the matter raised by the Deputy refers to a particular student, I have arranged for the Deputy's question to be forwarded to the National Council for Special Education for their attention and direct reply.
220. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of safe pass tutor accreditation programmes run by SOLAS in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018. [48899/18]
View answer221. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of safe pass tutor accreditation programmes applications made to SOLAS to date in 2018; the number still to be approved; when the next course will be held in view of the fact that there are only 149 safe pass tutors in Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48900/18]
View answer222. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons who applied to SOLAS for the safe pass tutor accreditation programmes in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48909/18]
View answer227. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of persons who have taken part in and successfully completed the SOLAS safe pass tutor accreditation programmes in each of the years 2014 to 2017 and to date in 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48864/18]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 220 to 222, inclusive, and 227 together.
I understand from SOLAS that to date a total of 499 people have been approved and trained to be approved SOLAS Safe Pass tutors. Safe Pass tutor applications are processed and approved on an ongoing basis. SOLAS is satisfied that the current and planned provision of SOLAS Safe Pass tutors has the capacity to meet the current and expected demand for Safe Pass training courses nationwide.
It is important for the continuing success of the Safe Pass Health and Safety Awareness programme for SOLAS approved tutors to have the necessary experience and qualifications to deliver the programme. Consequently, SOLAS in partnership with the relevant stakeholders has developed detailed approval criteria to satisfy the requirement to be a Safe Pass tutor. All applications received are reviewed and considered by an independent Approvals Committee whose membership includes the Construction Industry Federation and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions.
Of the 41 Safe Pass Tutor Accreditation applications to date in 2018, 9 applications have been approved and a further 10 are scheduled to go before the next committee in December 2018. A decision on the date of the next course will be made when the number of approved applications is known.
The information requested by the Deputy is set out in the attached tabular statement.
PQs re Safe Pass Tutor Accredited Programmes
|
Year |
Participants in Safe Pass Tutor Accreditation Programme |
Safe Pass Tutor Courses |
|
2014 |
0 |
0 |
|
2015 |
0 |
0 |
|
2016 |
3* |
0 |
|
2017 |
12 |
2 |
|
2018 |
9 |
1 |
|
Total |
24 |
3 |
|
Year |
New Safe Pass Tutor Applications |
Safe Pass Tutor Applications Approved |
|
2018 |
41 |
9 |
|
Year |
New Safe Pass Tutor Applications |
Safe Pass Tutor Applications Approved |
|
2014 |
0 |
0 |
|
2015 |
0 |
0 |
|
2016 |
67 |
3 |
|
2017 |
72 |
12 |
|
2018 |
41 |
9 |
*3 participants were approved in 2016 but did not attend a course until 2017 due to insufficient numbers.
223. Deputy John McGuinness asked the Minister for Education and Skills the details of a series of matters relating to an invitation to tender for the supply of goods to a further education and training centre in County Tipperary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48915/18]
View answerThe reply to Question No. 101 of 7 November set out the position regarding the tender process leading to the award of the contract in question. However, my Department has now been informed by the relevant Education and Training Board that the information provided in that reply, in fact, related to a tender process advertised in February 2018 rather than the date referred to by the Deputy. In that context, I understand that the invitation to tender with the deadline for response referred to by the Deputy was withdrawn before the deadline was reached and a new tender process was initiated in February 2018.
On this basis, my Department is seeking further information as a matter of urgency from the ETB in question regarding the conduct of the original tender process and will provide the Deputy with the information he has requested as soon as possible.
224. Deputy Mick Barry asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason Irish citizens living outside the EU for over three years must pay non-EU rates of fees for undergraduate courses; if his attention has been drawn to the case of a person (details supplied). [48921/18]
View answerIn general, with regard to payment of non-EU rates of fees, the criteria for eligibility are detailed in the Student Support Act 2011. Section 14 (4) states that for the purposes of the Act , a student is a person who has been resident in the State for at least 3 years out of the previous 5 years. If a student has not been resident in the state for three of the previous five years then they do not qualify under the Act for EU fee rates.
However, the specific case raised by the Deputy refers to a person attending a further education college rather than a higher education institution. As a result, my officials are examining the circumstances in this case with the relevant Education and Training Board. I will respond to the Deputy directly once matters have been clarified.
225. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if SNA support will be provided for a person (details supplied); when SNA support will be made available; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48924/18]
View answerThe National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible for allocating a quantum of Special Needs Assistant (SNA) support for each school annually taking into account the assessed care needs of children qualifying for SNA support enrolled in the school.
The NCSE allocates SNA support to schools in accordance with the criteria set out in Department Circular 0030/2014, which is available on my Department's website at www.education.ie, in order that students who have care needs can access SNA support as and when it is needed.
In considering applications for SNA support for individual pupils, the NCSE take account of the pupils' needs and consider the resources available to the school to identify whether additionality is needed or whether the school might reasonably be expected to meet the needs of the pupils from its current level of resources.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource.
SNA allocations to all schools can change from year to year as children with care needs leave the school, as new children with care needs enrol in a school and as children develop more independent living skills and their care needs diminish over time.
My Department’s policy is to ensure that every child who is assessed as needing SNA support will receive access to such support.
By the end of this year, there will be a total of 15,000 Special Needs Assistants working in our schools, a 42% increase on 2011.
As this question relates to a particular child, I have referred the question to the NCSE for their direct reply. I do not have a role in making determinations in individual cases.
226. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the concessions that will be made in regard to students at a school (details supplied) who are due to sit the leaving certificate in the summer of 2019 but have had no teacher for a subject for the first full term of 2018 due to a vacant position. [48928/18]
View answerI am very aware of the issue of having an adequate supply of teachers in our schools. My Department has a number of measures aimed at addressing the current challenges for teacher supply. A Steering Group on Teacher Supply, chaired by the Secretary General of my Department, was established in March 2018. The membership of the group includes nominees of the Department, HEIs providing primary and post primary initial teacher education, the Teaching Council, the HEA, primary and post primary school management bodies, as well as an independent expert. Addressing the issue of teacher supply is complex and involves consideration of a wide range of issues including: initial teacher education policy, provision, funding and support; data/research requirements; policies and arrangements for schools and teachers that impact on teacher mobility/supply and promotion of the teaching profession. Arising from the work of the steering group an Action Plan for Teacher Supply was published earlier this month with actions identified under four policy headings: Data/Research; Higher Education; Promotion of the teaching profession; Policies and arrangements impacting on teacher supply. The Steering Group will oversee the implementation of the Action Plan which aims to address the current challenges in Teacher Supply and ensure adequate supply of appropriately qualified teachers into the future.
In relation to concessions for students in the school referred to, that are due to sit the leaving certificate examination in 2019, some flexibility may be possible around the completion dates for practical coursework. The school in question should contact the State Examinations Commission (SEC) directly for advice in this regard. No further concessions can be granted in relation to marking of candidates’ examination work as ultimately all candidates must be subject to the same marking procedures and standards. This is consistent with one of the underlying principles of the operation of the State Examinations in that the SEC must apply marking schemes uniformly to all candidates in the interests of inter-candidate equity.
