Written Answers Nos. 417-433
417. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown of the cost to contractors carrying children to school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38312/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe overall spend on school transport, which provides for all aspects of school transport provision including the payment of grants, amounted to over €171 million in 2011. The 2012 allocation is almost €170million. Payments to private contractors amounted to over €105million or some 61% of the total cost of school transport provision in 2011. Some 85% of the vehicles used to provide services under the School Transport Scheme, equivalent to over 3,300 vehicles, are provided by private operators under contract to Bus Éireann. Private contractors carried over 70,000 pupils in 2011. While the cost of individual routes or services is regarded as commercially sensitive, the Value for Money Review of the School Transport Scheme showed that the school transport unit cost per mainstream child is some €1,000 while the school transport unit cost per child with special educational needs including the cost of an escort is in the region of €9,000 per annum.
418. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who have accepted places on postgraduate courses for 2012-2013; the number that accepted places on postgraduate courses in 2011-2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38318/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra419. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who have applied for a place on a postgraduate course for 2012-2013; the number that applied for a place on a postgraduate courses in 2011-2012; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38319/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 418 and 419 together.
The following table shows data on Postgraduate research (1st year enrolments and all postgraduate 1st year enrolments) for the years 2010/11 and 2011/12. The data shows that the number of 1st year Research enrolments (Masters and Phd) increased from 1,862 in 2010/11 to 2,156 in 2011/12 which represents an overall increase of 16%. The number of 1st year postgraduates (research and taught) remained stable in the same time period. The provisional Postgraduate enrolments for 2012/13 will not be available until mid December.
1st Year Full-time Postgraduate Enrolments
|
- |
Institutes of Technology |
Universities & Colleges |
Total |
|
Research Masters & PhDs |
|
|
|
|
2010/11 |
33 |
1829 |
1862 |
|
2011/12 |
65 |
2091 |
2156 |
|
All Postgraduates |
|
|
|
|
2010/11 |
829 |
11665 |
12494 |
|
2011/12 |
876 |
11548 |
12424 |
420. Deputy Eamonn Maloney asked the Minister for Education and Skills in the case of primary teachers who started teaching in 2011, the numbers of such teachers and the numbers of such teachers in the age bands 20-23 years, 23-25 years, 25-27 years, 27-30 years and more than 30 years or, as an alternative to age bands, the years of birth of these teachers as notified to his Department. [38333/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought by the Deputy is set out in the following table.
Primary Teachers who started Teaching in 2011
|
Age in 2012 |
Number of teachers |
|
20 to 23 years of age |
1,019 |
|
24 to 25 years of age |
238 |
|
26 to 27 years of age |
138 |
|
28 to 29 years of age |
120 |
|
aged 30 and over |
312 |
|
Total* |
1,827 |
*This covers teachers employed on a full time, part time and casual basis.
421. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the student loan scheme for students on offer by Bank of Ireland which has received the approval of the Minister for Finance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38338/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra422. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the efforts he has made to ensure the best deal for students before supporting the new Bank of Ireland student loan scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38339/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra423. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on whether the new Bank of Ireland student loan scheme, for which he expressed public support, is a fair scheme for students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38340/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 421 to 423, inclusive, together.
In the context of the necessary but difficult expenditure reduction measures announced in Budget 2012, new students entering postgraduate courses from the 2012/13 academic year onwards will not be entitled to maintenance payments under the Student Grant Scheme.
The Department, with support and advice from the National Treasury Management Agency, met with a number of commercial providers in relation to the provision of credit to enable postgraduate students to pursue their studies. The new loan offering referred to by the Deputy is a Bank of Ireland product and therefore full details of the scheme will be available from the bank. The features of the product are considerably more flexible and affordable than standard unsecured personal loans as the repayment schedule provides for a significant period of interest-only payments. As the loan is variable, the student can pay off the balance of the loan early, without any fees or charges, to further reduce the overall cost of credit. The current variable rate of 10.8% APR is below the bank's standard unsecured personal loan rates (which are 14.8% APR for loans less than €5,000) and also below the standard student loan rate of 11.9% APR. Further information on the terms and conditions of the loan is available from the bank.
425. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of the grants available for school transport when students are eligible as they reside more than 4.8 km from their nearest education centre as determined by his Department and where there is no school transport service provided by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38344/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the terms of my Department's Post Primary School Transport Scheme children are eligible for transport where they reside not less than 4.8 kms from and are attending their nearest education centre as determined by the Department/Bus Éireann, having regard to ethos and language. A minimum number of 10 eligible children residing in a distinct locality, as determined by Bus Éireann, are required before consideration may be given to the establishment or retention of school transport services, provided this can be done within reasonable cost limits.
An eligible child for whom no transport service is available may, following an application for transport within prescribed time limits, receive a Remote Area Grant towards the cost of private transport arrangements. This grant is also payable for eligible children who may have to travel 3.2 kms or more to or from a designated pick up/set down point. This grant is payable annually at a fixed daily rate, to each eligible family, regardless of the number of children from the same family, travelling to a particular school. The grant amount, which is distance related, ranges from some €200 to €850 per annum.
426. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a student (details supplied) in County Laois will be approved for school transport on a bus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38363/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraBus Éireann which operates the School Transport Scheme, on behalf of my Department, has advised that a ticket for school transport services issued to the pupil in question in August.
427. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Laois will be approved for a student support grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38365/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe decision on eligibility for new student grant applications is a matter for the central grant awarding authority SUSI (Student Universal Support Ireland). Renewal applications will continue to be dealt with by the existing 66 grant awarding authorities. The Deputy will appreciate that in the absence of all of the relevant details that would be contained in an individual's application in relation to means, residency, nationality and previous academic attainment, it would not be possible for me to say whether or not a student would qualify for a grant. The student referred to by the Deputy is advised to submit a fully completed online grant application to SUSI via the studentfinance.ie website. Further information on the student grant is also available on this website.
428. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of retired primary and second level teachers who have retired between 1 February 2009 and 29 February 2012 and who are currently on his Department's payroll; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38415/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra429. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of retired primary and second level teachers who have retired between 1 February 2009 and 29 February 2012 and who are currently on his Department's payroll and being paid by payable order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38416/12]
Amharc ar fhreagra430. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of retired primary and second level teachers who have retired between 1 February 2009 and 29 February 2012 and who are currently on his Department's payroll and who had the salary increase of 2.5% payable from 1 September 2008 included when their gratuity and pension entitlements were being calculated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38417/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 428 to 430, inclusive, together.
A total of 5,739 primary, secondary and community/comprehensive teachers retired during the period 1 February 2009 and 29 February 2012 and are currently on my Department's payroll. Two of them are paid their pension by payable order and the salary increase of 01st September 2008 was not included in the calculation of their superannuation entitlements. The remaining 5,737 are paid their pension by Electronic Funds Transfer and the salary increase of 01st September 2008 was included in the calculation of their superannuation entitlements. Under the Public Service Reform Plan, published in November 2011, no payable orders will issue after 30th August 2013. My Department will be notifying people currently receiving payable orders of this position in the near future.
431. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter regarding teacher remuneration; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38432/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Government announced as part of Budget 2012 that, pending completion of the public service-wide review of allowances, changes to teacher qualification allowances were being made with immediate effect. These changes affect new allowances payable to both existing teachers and to new appointees in the future.
Under Budget 2012 teachers appointed before 5 December 2011 are not paid an allowance where they acquire further qualifications after that date. Allowances for teachers first appointed between 5 December 2011 and 31 January 2012 are payable up to a maximum of €4,226 which was the rate applicable to Honours Primary Degree allowance. Pending the outcome of the review of allowances and premium payments by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, allowances are not payable to new beneficiaries from 1 February 2012. The only exceptions to this prohibition are principal and deputy principal allowances and, subject to certain restrictions, the assistant principal allowance. These decisions were taken due to the upward pressure on the cost of teacher allowances. These provisions are outlined in Circular 70/2011 and Circular 3/2012. The position of teachers who, on 5 December 2011, were undertaking courses, including the individual referred to by the Deputy, will be considered in the context of the review. The Department is not in a position to comment further on the position in relation to teacher allowances until the outcome of the public service-wide review of allowances is known.
432. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of teachers accessing each of the common basic pay scales at primary and post-primary level. [38440/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy.
433. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the Department has conducted a cost benefit analysis that would accrue from increasing teaching hours from the current ceiling of 22 hours per week; and the implications this would have for maintaining and lowering pupil ratios in primary and post-primary schools. [38441/12]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe ceiling of 22 hours that the Deputy refers to does not apply at primary level where the standard school week is 28 hours and 40 minutes and the weekly class contact time is 25 hours. Class contact time for pupils at post-primary level is 28 hours per week. Full-time teachers are generally timetabled for up to 22 hours per week which equates to about 33 class periods per week. An increase in the existing arrangements beyond 22 hours teaching per week would reduce the overall number of teachers required at post-primary level and would therefore result in cost savings for the Exchequer.
