Written Answers Nos. 58-65
58. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Finance his views on whether it would be beneficial for the economy if the banks passed on the ECB interest rate reduction; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48781/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraMacroeconomic simulations published at the time of the Budget suggest that a lower-than-expected interest rate environment would be likely to result in greater-than-forecast growth in economic activity and employment. I, as Minister for Finance, have no statutory role in relation to the mortgage interest rates charged by regulated financial institutions. It is a commercial matter for the banks concerned.
This interest rate is determined taking into account a broad range of factors, including European Central Bank base rates, deposit rates, market funding costs, the competitive environment and an institution’s overall funding.
59. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of retired teachers who are currently employed in non-fee paying secondary and primary schools as substitute teachers; his views that this practice is reducing the number of teaching places available for new teachers; if any measures will be taken to prevent the continuation of teachers who are already receiving pensions working as substitute teachers, particularly in the school where they were previously in full employment; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48590/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the Managerial Authorities of schools give priority to unemployed registered teachers who are fully qualified when filling vacant teaching posts. It is important to note that schools themselves employ teachers and not the Department of Education and Skills.
However my Department has issued a number of circulars addressing this issue in recent years. Under these circulars school Principal's must maintain a list of unemployed registered teachers who are available for substitute work at short notice and report to the Board of Management on any exceptional occasion where they have to engage a registered teacher who is retired. Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for recruitment of teachers, prioritising registered teachers over retired registered teachers and unregistered people.
A retired teacher who returns to teaching on or after 1 February 2012 will commence at the first point of the incremental salary scale. Incremental credit for service prior to 1 February 2012, qualification allowances and certain job role allowances are also not payable.
This measure represents a significant financial disincentive for teachers who retired at the top of their salary scale, often with a post of responsibility allowance, to return to teaching. The first point of the teacher's salary scale represents the lowest point or starting salary for teachers. Thus it was decided that retired teachers would be placed at that point of the scale. I will arrange to forward the information directly to the Deputy as soon as possible.
60. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form the total income and breakdown of income from registration and assessment fees for the Teaching Council as reported in its financial statements for every year since its inception to date; the total expenditure for the Teaching Council as reported in its financial statements for every year since its inception to date; the total taxation paid by the Teaching Council as reported in its financial statements for every year since its inception to date; the total net current assets of the Teaching Council as reported in its financial statements for every year since its inception to date; the total staff costs, wages and salaries, pension costs and number of employees in the Teaching Council as reported in its financial statements for every year since its inception to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48591/13]
Amharc ar fhreagra61. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide in tabular form the annual wage of all employees in the Teaching Council who are reported as employees, rather than agency staff or temporary employees, in its financial statements for every year since its inception to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48592/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 60 and 61 together.
The Teaching Council was established on a statutory basis in March 2006. The information requested by the Deputy in respect of the financial statements of the Teaching Council since its establishment is set out in the table. This information is also available on the Teaching Council's website as part of its published financial statements and is laid in the Houses of the Oireachtas annually. Income for 2013 will be reduced by approx. €2m due to a reduction in the annual renewal fee from €90 to €65.
|
Income |
2006 (9 Months) |
2007 |
2008 |
2009 |
2010 |
2011 |
2012 |
|
Total Income € |
1,141,988 |
3,281,830 |
6,088,456 |
6,833,957 |
7,185,980 |
7,135,583 |
8,031,107 |
|
Registration & Assessment Fees € |
141,308 |
248,866 |
5,274,879 |
6,711,842 |
6,985,948 |
6,783,163 |
7,517,566 |
|
Total Expenditure € |
1,109,090 |
3,047,432 |
4,232,612 |
3,779,512 |
3,892,431 |
4,012,499 |
4,573,689 |
|
Total Taxation € |
- |
- |
495 |
250 |
48,985 |
84,280 |
148,763 |
|
Total Net Current Assets € |
-170,799 |
-82,051 |
1,736,112 |
4,809,784 |
7,988,376 |
11,068,645 |
14,331,712 |
|
Total Staff Costs € |
468,728 |
1,461,198 |
2,105,651 |
1,874,768 |
1,990,648 |
1,953,259 |
2,162,318 |
|
Number of Employees |
10 |
25 |
41 |
41 |
39 |
37 |
41 |
|
Annual Salaries of Employees € |
352,237 |
1,058,113 |
1,671,528 |
1,709,879 |
1,541,465 |
1,369,286 |
1,347,130 |
62. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Pearse Doherty den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna an bhfuil nó an mbeidh cúinsí sochtheangeolaíochta curtha san áireamh agus scoileanna le haghaidh stádas DEIS á roghnú ag a Roinn, ó tharla gur foilsíodh an Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge 2010 - 2030 inar dúradh: Leanfar de bheith ag tabhairt deise do gach dalta Gaeltachta a gcuid oideachais a fháil trí mheán na Gaeilge. Déanfaidh an Roinn Oideachais agus Scileanna i gcomhairle leis an Roinn Gnóthaí Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta iniúchadh ar na socruithe oiriúnacha don soláthar sin; agus an ndéanfaidh sé ráiteas ina thaobh. [48593/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraIs é an bunchritéar, agus scoil á roghnú le bheith rannpháirteach i scéim DEIS, leibhéal míbhuntáiste na scoile i gcomparáid le scoileanna eile. Tar éis próiseas aitheantais, ar aon dul le dea-chleachtas idirnáisiúnta, inar úsáideadh na foinsí sonraí ab fhearr dá raibh ar fáil, roghnaíodh na scoileanna is mó a mheastar atá faoi mhíbhuntáiste le bheith rannpháirteach i gclár DEIS. Ba é an Foras Taighde ar Oideachas a bhí i mbun an phróisis aitheantais thar cheann na Roinne, agus bhí tacaíocht aige ó obair ar dhearbhú cáilíochta a comhordaíodh trí Oifigí Réigiúnacha agus Cigireacht na Roinne. Níor tógadh aon cheann de thosca sochtheangeolaíochta agus na critéir roghnúcháin do rannpháirtíocht i gclár DEIS á socrú. Ar na hathróga a roghnaíodh bhí measúnú míbhuntáiste faoi threoir an sainmhíniú ar mhíbhuntáiste san Acht Oideachais (1998) ina dtagraítear do thorthaí foghlama agus do thosca sóisialta agus eacnamaíochta araon ós rud é gur i dteannta a chéile is fearr a réamhinsíonn siad gnóthachtáil.
San earnáil bhunoideachais roghnaíodh bunscoileanna tar éis anailís a dhéanamh ar shuirbhé a rinneadh an Foras ar bhunscoileanna na tíre. Na hathróga seo a leanas is ea a cuireadh san áireamh:
-dífhostaíocht
- i gcóiríocht údarás áitiúil
- de thuismitheoirí aonair
- den Lucht Siúil
- de theaghlaigh mhóra (cúigear páistí nó níos mó)
- de dhaltaí a cháiligh le haghaidh leabhair shaor in aisce
Roghnaíodh na scoileanna dara leibhéal, tar éis anailís a dheanamh ar shonraí ó Bhunachar Sonraí na nDaltaí Iar-bhunoideachais agus ó bhunachair shonraí Choimisiún na Scrúduithe Stáit, a gcoimeádtar in áit lárnach, bunaithe ar na hathróga seo:
- Sonraí cártaí leighis maidir le hiarrthóirí Teastas Sóisearach
- Rátaí coinneála Teastas Sóisearach de réir scoile
- Torthaí scrúdaithe sa Teastas Sóisearach, comhiomlánaithe go leibhéal scoile. Bunaíodh é sin ar fheidhmíocht an dalta sna seacht n-ábhar ab fhearr i gcás gach dalta, comhiomlánaithe go leibhéal scoile
- Rátaí coinneála Ardteistiméireachta de réir scoile
Seo a leanas na staitisticí i gcás na scoileanna Gaeltachta agus Gaeilge a roghnaíodh le bheith rannpháirteach i gclár DEIS:
Earnáil na mBunscoileanna - 52 scoileanna i gceantair Ghaeltachta agus 15 Ghaelscoileanna arb ionann é sin agus 10% de na bunscoileanna ar fad i scéim DEIS agus 27% de líon iomlán na mbunscoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta.Earnáil na n-Iar-bhunscoileanna - 8 scoileanna i gceantair Ghaeltachta agus 7 nGaelcholáistí arb ionann é sin agus 7.7% de na hiar-bhunscoileanna ar fad i scéim DEIS agus 33% de líon iomlán na n-iar-bhunscoileanna Gaeilge agus Gaeltachta.
Tá mo Roinne lándáiríre faoin Straitéis 20 Bliain don Ghaeilge a chur i bhfeidhm lena n-áirítear na moltaí maidir le cúrsaí oideachais sa Ghaeltacht agus i scoileanna Gaeilge. Táimid ag obair go dlúth lenár gcomhghleacaithe sa Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta agus Gaeltachta chun tacú le cur i bhfeidhm gach ceann de na bearta oideachais iomadúla sa Straitéis.
63. Deputy Simon Harris asked the Minister for Education and Skills if consideration will be given to reinstating an English as an additional language, EAL, teacher based in a school (details supplied) in County Wicklow owing to the specific circumstances in this school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48612/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe criteria used for the allocation of teachers to schools is published annually on the Department's 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 arrangements for the current school year 2013/14 are set out in Circular 0013/2013 which is available on the website.The staffing appeal process at primary level includes the provision whereby schools with a high concentration of pupils requiring English as an additional language (EAL) can apply for further additional temporary language support posts. The appeal criteria are also set out in Circular 0013/2013.
The school referred to by the Deputy was granted an EAL post on a provisional basis through the appeal process, pending confirmation of enrolments on 30th September 2013. The school did not reach the required enrolment to retain the post.
The Appeal Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.
64. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the building project for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48614/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding to provide a new school building.
The current status of all projects on the school building programme, including the school in question, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie. In view of the financial constraints imposed by the need, as outlined in the Five Year Plan, to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential school accommodation to meet demographic demand, the Deputy will appreciate that it is not possible to indicate at this point when a major project for the school in question will be progressed.
65. Deputy Thomas Pringle asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a list in tabular form of the primary school building projects priority listing showing the various stages of progress for each project; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48615/13]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the number of applications for major school capital works with my Department is in excess of 1,000 at both primary and post primary levels. The current position of such projects may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie, which is updated regularly. Projects are grouped into various categories including projects at application stage, in architectural planning and at tender and construction stage.
The Five Year Plan , which may also be accessed on my Department's website, prioritises new school building projects, as well as major extensions in areas where a demographic need has been established. The current position of such projects and the year in which such projects are intended to proceed to construction is also set out on the Department's website.
