Written Answers Nos. 263-273
263. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the steps he is taking to encourage active travel modes to and from work in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under this remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17377/22]
View answerIn line with Healthy Ireland, the national framework for improved health and wellbeing 2013-2025, the Department of Foreign Affairs is committed to promoting increased physical activity among its staff including how they travel to work. This has predominately been achieved through the promotion of the Government’s ‘Cycle to Work’ Scheme, which is a tax incentive scheme to encourage employees to cycle to work. Under the scheme an employer can pay for a new bicycle (including bicycle accessories) and the employee then repays the cost in regular instalments from their gross salary. Since its inception and up to the end of 2021, 498 Department staff had availed of the scheme. This scheme has been further supported by the Department through additional investment in bike racks, lockers, drying rooms and showering facilities.
265. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Defence the steps he is taking to identify and address gender pay disparity in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17353/22]
View answerMy Department operates in a non-discriminatory environment in accordance with the Equality Acts and aims to ensure that the principles of employment equality are implemented in pay, recruitment, promotion, training and experience of the workplace. Recruitment of civil servants is carried out for the Department by the Public Appointments Service which undertakes recruitment underpinned by its Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy 2021-2023.
Salary scales are determined by the date of appointment to the grade of each individual and are set by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. There is no distinction of gender when applying salary scales.
My Department's policy is that all personnel be accorded equality of opportunity and treatment. Currently, women make up 60% of the membership of the Management Board of the Department. In 2021, 36% of Principals and 51% of Assistant Principal Officer posts were held by women. Overall, 47% of staff at the grades of Assistant Principal and upwards were filled by women.
The only State board currently under the aegis of the Department of Defence is the Army Pensions Board. The Army Pensions Board is an independent statutory body established under the Army Pensions Act 1927. The secretary is provided from the staff of my Department.
266. Deputy Holly Cairns asked the Minister for Defence the steps he is taking to encourage active travel modes to and from work in his Department and public bodies and agencies that operate under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17372/22]
View answerThe Cycle to Work Scheme, which was introduced in 2009, is implemented under a salary sacrifice arrangement through an employee's salary. Under this arrangement, my Department funds the purchase of a bicycle and/or safety equipment for the employee who agrees to forego or sacrifice part of his or her salary for over an agreed period in order to cover the cost.
In addition, as part of my Department's commitment to the wellbeing of employees, a number of initiatives to promote a healthy and active lifestyle, including a step challenge, have been taken undertaken.
The only State body under the aegis of my Department is the Army Pensions Board and its secretary is provided from the staff of my Department.
267. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Defence if particular attention will be given to the unique security needs of the Border region in view of the recent Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces and its recommendations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17409/22]
View answerPrimary responsibility for the internal security of the State rests with the Minister for Justice and Equality and An Garda Síochána. Accordingly, responsibility for the security aspect of border control rests with An Garda Síochána, while the Revenue Commissioners also have responsibilities relating to their particular mandate.
Among the roles assigned to the Defence Forces in the White Paper on Defence is the provision of Aid to the Civil Power which, in practice, means to provide assistance and support to An Garda Síochána when requested to do so. The Defence Forces also provide support to the Revenue Commissioners, again, when requested to do so.
The Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government and the Government decision in December 2020 which also agreed its terms of reference and membership. The report was published on the 9th February 2022.
The Commission undertook a significant body of work encompassing their wide-ranging terms of reference. The report contains 69 main recommendations. The Commission's terms of reference included the consideration of appropriate capabilities, structures and staffing for the Army, the Air Corps and the Naval Service.
The Commission's report proposes significant changes for the Defence Forces, including to Defence Forces culture, high-level command and control structures, and for the level of Defence provision in Ireland. Clearly, there are matters that will require careful consideration and in some critical aspects inter-departmental discussion. This includes the level of resourcing that may be allocated to Defence, legislative implications and the governance framework that will be required to underpin any changes the Government approve on foot of the Commission's report.
I will also be seeking the views of my Department and the Defence Forces. The Defence Forces Representative Associations will be consulted on all matters that fall within the scope of representation, relating to the implementation of any approved plan. I will also engage with key stakeholders and the Oireachtas, and I welcome the Dáil statements on the report which took place on the 16th February. I firmly believe that this is an opportunity to have a mature debate around the type of defence provision that we require and I am very much open to such a discussion. Current events are highlighting the importance of such a debate.
The intent is that following relevant consideration, and before the summer recess, I will revert to Government with a proposed response to the Commission's recommendations and a high-level action plan.
As the Deputy will appreciate, it would be inappropriate for me to engage in speculative discussion on this matter prior to completion of the ongoing process, Government approval of any proposed plan of action, and completion of any subsequent reviews that may ensue.
268. Deputy Noel Grealish asked the Minister for Education when applications for the July provision programme will open; if she will provide details of the application process; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17176/22]
View answerMy Department ran an expanded summer education programme for Summer 2021, as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under this expansion, students with complex special educational needs and those at greatest risk of educational disadvantage had access to an enhanced summer programme of education. The total funding available to provide the programme was €40 million, which was a one hundred per cent increase on the allocation for summer provision in 2020.
The programme’s aims were to support pupils to re-engage with education, to build their confidence and increase their motivation, promote wellbeing and for some who are at key transition stages, help to ensure they could move on to their planned educational placement for the start of the next school year along with their peers.
For the first time ever, all schools (primary and-post primary) were encouraged to provide summer programmes and the eligibility criteria was extended to include post-primary children with complex needs and children at risk of educational disadvantage. Prior to this expansion, summer programmes were only available to special schools and pupils in special classes in primary schools and in DEIS schools. Overall, 37,977 pupils participated in the 2021 summer programme across both home and school-based elements, which represented an increase of 65% on participation in the 2020 programme.
The aim for 2022 is to make the programmes as accessible as possible, particularly to continue to attract more schools to run the school-based programme, but also to make the overall experience simpler for parents, teachers and schools.
In this regard, planning for the 2022 Summer Programme is ongoing. As part of that process my Department is currently holding consultation meetings with the education partners. Details of the programme will be finalised as soon as possible after these meetings have concluded and will be communicated to all schools, as well as published on www.gov.ie
269. Deputy Marian Harkin asked the Minister for Education if a one-to-one SNA will be allocated to a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17185/22]
View answerThe Special Needs Assistant (SNA) scheme is designed to provide schools with additional adult support staff who can assist children with special educational needs who also have additional and significant care needs. Such support is provided in order to facilitate the attendance of those pupils at school and also to minimise disruption to class or teaching time for the pupils concerned, or for their peers, and with a view to developing their independent living skills.
SNAs are not allocated to individual children but to schools as a school based resource. The deployment of SNAs within schools is a matter for the individual Principal/Board of Management of the school. SNAs should be deployed in a manner which best meets the care support requirements of the children enrolled in the school. It should be noted that not every student with a special educational need requires SNA support.
In light of the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the introduction of the new Frontloaded Allocation Model for SNAs for students in mainstream classes in primary and post -primary schools was deferred for a further year to the beginning of the 2022/23 school year.
In order to minimise disruption for schools, in the current circumstances, and to provide for continuity of allocations, the following arrangements for the allocation of Special Needs Assistants for mainstream classes for the 2021/22 school year were announced:
- Existing mainstream class SNA allocations in schools on 30 April 2021 were maintained and automatically rolled over into the 2021/22 school year.
- No school received an allocation less than that which they had on 30 April 2021.
- SNAs currently in mainstream settings can continue in post for the 2021/22 school year in the normal way.
- Priority consideration was given by the NCSE to applications for increased support for the 2021/22 school year. In particular, applications from schools with no SNAs and developing schools were prioritised with determinations made before 30 June. Other applications were processed in order of date received.
- As in previous years, where circumstances change during the course of the 2021/22 school year that materially increase the level of care need in a school to the extent that the school can clearly demonstrate that it cannot be met within the existing SNA allocation, the school may apply to the NCSE for a review. Detailed information on the NCSE exceptional review process is published on the NCSE website, ncse.ie/for-schools.
270. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to the fact that there is no Irish language secondary school available for persons in the Dublin Rathdown area for parents that would like their children to continue their education through Irish; if she will take steps to address this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17198/22]
View answer271. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education if she plans to open more Irish language secondary schools in the greater Dublin area in order to provide more options for parents; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17199/22]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 270 and 271 together.
As part of the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030, my Department has committed to creating opportunities for expanding Irish-medium education outside the Gaeltacht in the context of the announcements since April 2018 on the establishment of 47 new schools from 2019, which affords particular consideration to the establishment of Gaelscoileanna, Gaelcholáistí, and Aonaid Lán-Ghaeilge as part of the patronage process for new schools.
New schools are established by the Department on the basis of identified demographic demand in an area, and after consideration of the capacity of existing schools to absorb the expected school place demand.
In order to plan for school provision and analyse the relevant demographic data, my Department divides the country into 314 school planning areas and uses a Geographical Information System, using data from a range of sources, including Child Benefit and school enrolment data, to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise and where additional school accommodation is needed at primary and post-primary level.
Major new residential developments in a school planning area have the potential to alter demand in that area. In that regard, as part of the demographic exercises, the Department engages with each of the local authorities to obtain the up-to-date information on significant new residential development in each area.
The Department additionally consults with school patron bodies in order to identify areas with pressures on enrolments.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such additional provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may, be provided through:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools,
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools,
- Provision of a new school or schools.
A patronage process is run after it has been decided, based on demographic analysis, that a new school is required. The patronage process is open to all patron bodies and prospective patrons. The Online Patronage Process System (OPPS) has been developed by my Department to provide objective information to parents which will allow them to make an informed choice about their preferred model of patronage as well as language of instruction, i.e. Irish or English, of new schools. Parental preferences, as well as other considerations such as the extent of diversity of provision in an area (including Irish-medium provision), are key to the decision-making process and to whether at post-primary level a school would take the form of an Irish-medium Gaelcholáiste or whether, if English-medium, the school would include an Irish-medium unit or “Aonad”.
Most new post-primary schools must have a student enrolment capacity of 600 – 1,000 students. A lower threshold of 400 students may apply to Gaelcholáistí, having regard to the alternative of establishing an Aonad within a school.
Regarding the Dublin Rathdown area referred to by the Deputy, in 2014 a new Gaelcholáiste - Gaelcholáiste an Phiarsaigh was established in the Ballinteer/Stepaside area (along with Coláiste Ghlór na Mara, Balbriggan, North Dublin). The year of establishment, patronage model and language of instruction have yet to be determined for the new post-primary schools announced to serve the following school planning areas in the general South Dublin area: Dublin 2_Dublin 4 and Sallynoggin_Killiney_DLR/Cherrywood.
While it is expected that the existing Gaelcholáistí in the general South Dublin area between them have sufficient school places to accommodate the level of demand identified as part of the recent patronage processes in the short term, given the number of new gaelscoileanna which have opened in recent years or are planned to open in this area, my Department is keeping the position under active review as these schools grow and the number of sixth class pupils in gaelscoileanna increases.
272. Deputy Neale Richmond asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to schools being built, including a school in Cherrywood (details supplied), with gas boilers; if a more environmentally friendly option can be found; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17205/22]
View answerMy Department is at the forefront of design with respect to sustainable energy in school buildings and this performance has been recognised at both National and International level with sustainable energy awards for excellence in Design and Specification.
New renewable technologies and approaches are tested to ensure compatibility with school design and operational requirements under the research programme. Successful and repeatable results are then incorporated into all new school designs and refurbishments through my Department’s Technical Guidance Documents, which set the benchmark for sustainable design in school buildings with a clear focus on energy efficiency. The Department’s policy is supported by a strong research programme with fifty three research projects at various stages including the energy website, www.energyineducation.ie, which is a joint partnership with the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI).
Schools designed and built in accordance with the Department’s schools technical guidance documents have been achieving A3 Building Energy Ratings since 2009 with schools typically achieving up to 20% higher performance than required by the current Building Regulations, along with 10% of primary energy provided via photovoltaics and infrastructure provision for electric vehicle charging.
These new schools include:
- A3 BER standard
- Fully evaluated natural ventilation strategy to all spaces
- 20% higher energy performance and 25% better carbon performance than required by the 2019 Building Regulations even thought it was designed pre-2019
- 10% of primary energy provided via photovoltaics
- Provision to enable Energy Supply Companies (ESCO's) to sell renewable biomass heat to the school under the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat (SSRH), as the heat as a service area matures in Ireland. SSRH is a government funded initiative designed to increase the energy generated from renewable sources in the heat sector.
- A system that automatically shuts down power to nonessential electrical power outlets when the school is closed (eliminating energy use out of hours)
- Infrastructure provision for electric vehicle charging
- Rainwater harvesting
- CO2 monitors
- Excellent daylight
- Internal and external LED lighting
- Variable speed pumping
- Building Management System control of energy including energy metering
- Zone and individual room heating control
- Educational signage draws attention to environmental aspects of design
- Support will be offered to the school in terms of understanding energy usage and optimising controls.
The A3 BER in schools is achieved using a hybrid approach of:
- Maximising nature through passive solar design, quality daylighting and quality ventilation.
- Enhanced technologies including LED lighting and controls with daylight and absence detection, digital individual room heating controls, maximum water efficiency and rainwater harvesting systems, high quality air tightness and photovoltaic panels to produce an electrical renewable energy.
- Schools have a system that automatically shuts down power to nonessential electrical power outlets when a school is closed (eliminating energy use out of hours).
In the interest of sustainability, the potential of renewables is maximised in school design, whilst ensuring that renewable applications are properly suited to needs and reflective of school opening hours and school holiday periods. It is also critical that an energy reduction plan is part of any investment in renewable energy applications.
The Department’s approach is also based on future proofing to ensure school buildings are renewable compatible and are able to take advantage of developing technologies as they become viable, thus enabling a just transition for school management, teachers, pupils and parents to include:
- Direct modulating high efficiency gas boiler systems that can support the integration of heat pump systems, in series at a base level, with controls.
- Optimum envelope fabric that will not require additional enhancement for compatibility with decarbonised heating systems, (note further enhancement of the external building fabric will result in overheating in Spring and Autumn, requiring air conditioning).
- Low water content radiators and operating temperatures for compatibility with decarbonised heating systems.
- Provision to enable Energy Supply Companies (ESCO's) to sell renewable heat to schools using biomass boilers, with provision for the ESCO to provide, operate and maintain the boiler plant system and maximise the Support Scheme for Renewable Heat.
The Department have been using test schools to evaluate the suitability of renewable energy options for schools over the past twenty plus years. Nearly 60 % of the research programme features renewable aspects. These renewables include wind generation, solar hot water heating, photovoltaics, rain water recovery, geothermal heat pumps, air source heat pumps and biomass heating systems. Results have varied with respect to their applicability in a school environment. Research continues in many areas.
My Department and the Department of Environment, Climate and Communications established a jointly funded pathfinder programme with the SEAI, testing and demonstrating energy efficiency and decarbonisation retrofit approaches. This pathfinder is a great example of collaboration ensuring the deployment of new design approaches and technologies are introduced to the educational environment on an evidence based approach.
This Pathfinder programme is paving the way for, and informing, a much larger national schools’ programme for the energy retrofit of schools built prior to 2008 as included in the National Development Plan. It is facilitating research on a range of typical retrofit options, which will have been tried and tested. It is providing valuable development information for a solution driven delivery strategy which will be founded on a solid evidence base that has proven the robustness and scalability of renewable solutions within the schools’ sector.
The Department and the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland are involved in an energy efficient retrofit pathfinder scheme for schools since 2017. The longer-term outcome of the pathfinder will be to create an accurate and scalable model for energy efficient retrofits of schools across Ireland. A deep energy retrofit programme for schools built prior to 2008 is due to be rolled out as included in the National Development Plan.
The pathfinder programme has retrofitted 41 schools across Ireland to date with work on an additional 9 schools added in 2021 underway. 2022 sees six additional schools undergoing deep retrofit to a Building Energy Rating (BER) of B with renewable heating systems. Each school undergoes a comprehensive assessment to ensure that the measures are suitable for that school and will deliver value to both the school and learnings for the national retrofit programme.
The pathfinder programme builds on significant investment by the Department of Education in energy efficiency through the 2009/10 Cavity and Attic Insulation/Water Conservation Scheme and ongoing Summer Works and refurbishment projects.
The schools for the 2022 programme are:
- Ennis Community College
- Bishopstown Community School
- St Marys Secondary School Killester
- Our Lady of Consolation Killester
- Scoil Mhuire NS Abbeyleix
- St Annes Primary school, Tallaght
The upgrades target a Building Energy Rating of B, 50% energy efficiency improvement and 51% emissions reduction. The works typically involves upgrades to the building fabric including wall and roof insulation, doors and windows, air tightness improvements, LED lighting and heating upgrades as well as renewable technologies.
The Department recognises that transition to full decarbonisation raises the bar even higher in terms of requirements with feedback from our pathfinder projects as noted above indicating a greater depth of challenges at a significantly enhanced cost for primary and post primary schools.
The Climate Action Plan 2021 Annex of Actions published last month actions the Department to confirm its decarbonisation pathway trajectory to meet 2030 and 2050 targets for the schools sector by end of 2022.
Work is ongoing on decarbonisation options for new schools with a focus on the standard of required design criteria and specification to achieve a net zero energy school building and establishing the trajectory for the integration of suitable solutions on a phased basis in a risk controlled manner providing a credible cost effective transition to zero carbon school buildings while ensuring no delays to school accommodation delivery.
273. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education the reason that teachers who returned to employment after 1995 paying class A PRSI are facing different pension arrangements (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17206/22]
View answerIn 1995, the full rate of PRSI (Class A1) was extended to all new employees of those categories of public sector employees who previously paid the modified D1 Class. It was also applied to those returning to the sector following a break in employment.
Those paying Class A1 have their pension benefits integrated with their Social Welfare entitlements. Co-ordination is a common feature of pension schemes and is provided for in the rules of the pension scheme which in general are set out in statute. Where employees pay full rate PRSI (Class A1), a reduced pension contribution is paid and the amount of occupational pension is reduced accordingly on the basis that the reduction is balanced out by the Old Age Contributory Pension from the Department of Social Protection
A supplementary pension is an additional amount of pension that may be payable to a retiree whose occupational pension is co-ordinated with the Old Age Contributory Pension. It is payable to retirees in accordance with the terms of the teachers’ pension schemes. Supplementary Pension is equal to the difference between the full occupational pension (that is, the pension which would be payable if co-ordination had not applied), and the combined total of: (i) the actual occupational pension payable and (ii) the personal rate of Social Welfare benefits payable.
In other words, it is paid in circumstances where the combined pensions (i.e. occupational and Social Welfare benefit) are less than the pension the person would receive if the occupational pension was calculated on a non-co-ordinated basis.
It may also be payable when a teacher who is unemployed, following retirement and who through no fault of their own fails to qualify for any Social Welfare entitlement; it represents the difference between the total of the pensions actually received by the person and the pension that would be payable if the occupational pension was not co-ordinated with the Old Age Pension. As the state pension may become payable at 66 years and teachers can retire significantly earlier than this, these teachers can apply for the supplementary pension to be paid in the period between retiring and becoming eligible for the state pension.
