Written Answers Nos. 255-266
255. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the teaching of maths in Irish schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39060/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAt both primary and post primary, literacy and numeracy have been prioritised as key skills for all students. Complementing the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (2011) has been the recent implementation of new specifications in mathematics at junior and senior cycle - known locally as "Project Maths".
The reform of post primary Mathematics began in 24 schools in September 2008 and was rolled out, on a phased basis, to all mainstream second level schools from September 2010.
This reform was accompanied by an intensive programme of continuous professional development for teachers, provided by the Project Maths Development Team. The team was established in 2008 and has since then provided professional development supports to approximately 6,000 Post-Primary teachers of mathematics. Supports include the facilitation of workshops, a national conference, the development of resources to support both teachers and students, the provision of modular courses in ICT and content, and the creation and maintenance of web-based support.
In addition, a two year part-time Professional Diploma in Mathematics for Teaching (Level 8) is being run by the NCE-MSTL consortium. Some 280 teachers completed the programme and are expected to graduate in 2014. A second cohort of 270 teachers are participating on the programme which began in September 2013, and 240 teachers are participating in the 3rd round of the course from September 2014.
These two major commitments were prioritised so as to enhance the quality of teaching and learning in post-primary mathematics. The new Junior Cycle and Leaving Certificate specifications for mathematics are now being implemented in all post-primary schools.
In line with a commitment in the national literacy and numeracy strategy, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) has initiated a review of the primary maths curriculum.
The revision of the curriculum will be on a phased basis, with the initial focus being on the development of a revised mathematics curriculum for children in the first four years of primary school, from junior infants to second class inclusive.
In order to inform the revision of the Maths curriculum, two research reports on children's mathematics learning and development in primary school have been commissioned by the NCCA. These reports will be launched on 24 November at a conference entitled 'Developing Mathematical ideas with children aged 3-8'.
256. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update regarding plans to abolish the junior certificate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39061/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the deputy will be aware, the reformed Junior Cycle is being introduced on a phased basis beginning with English this year. Just under 90% of English teachers have attended the first day of CPD. A further 172 English teachers have attended elective workshops in their own time. By any standards this is a very high level of take-up and is amongst the highest rate of attendance at Departmental provided CPD.
Since I have come into office I have met with parent, teacher and school management representatives and discussed Junior Cycle reform with all these groups. At my invitation, the teacher unions have outlined to me their concerns in relation to aspects of the proposed reforms. In doing so, the unions underlined teacher support for the reforms that will lead to better quality teaching and learning experiences and thence outcomes for students I am currently considering the concerns which were raised by teacher representatives, and what different forms of engagement might be considered to facilitate an overall agreement.
I look forward to meeting with the teaching unions again later this month, to further progress these discussions.
257. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding school inspections (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39064/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Inspectorate of my Department uses a range of inspection models in primary and post-primary schools and centres for education including short unannounced inspections, inspections of the provision for specific subjects and the work of subject departments, and a number of whole-school type evaluations. This ensures that inspection may be tailored to suit the particular circumstances and needs of the school and its learners, that broad coverage of the school system is achieved, and that inspection resources may be effectively deployed. Some inspections may be relatively short and focused exclusively on classroom practice, while at other times it may be appropriate to spend a longer time in the school to examine additional aspects of the work of the school, including its leadership and management.
In 2013, the Inspectorate conducted over 700 unannounced inspections in primary and post-primary schools and over 950 announced inspections. In addition, inspectors conducted unannounced visits to almost 2,000 teachers on probation. Notification periods for the announced inspections ranged in length from 2 days to 3 weeks depending on the inspection model.
It is necessary to give advance notice to schools where whole-school type inspections and subject inspections are being carried out in order to allow for the scheduling of meetings between the inspectors and important groups in the school such as the parents' association, the members of the board of management, the in-school management teams and specific groups of teachers such as those with dedicated responsibility for special educational needs and subject department personnel. Some advance notice is also necessary when inspectors require schools to make available certain records and other information about the school during subject, programme and whole-school type inspections.
The Inspectorate is engaging in a continuing programme of reform and development of the range of inspection models that it employs, in fulfilment of its role under section 13 of the Education Act 1998. In 2013, for example, it introduced a new model of unannounced inspections of High Support Units and Children Detention Centres and in recent years it has reduced the notice period for some other types of inspections. It will continue to review the types of inspection models it deploys and the notification period for each model on a regular basis.
258. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a TD representative contact line for Caranua; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39114/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraCaranua, the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board, is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012. The processing of individual applications and related administrative issues are matters for Caranua itself and I have no role in the process. I understand from enquiries made of Caranua that it receives only a small number of queries from TDs and that this volume of queries does not at the moment justify incurring the additional costs that would be associated with putting in place a dedicated contact line for TDs.
259. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if Caranua will provide home help and fuel for a person in County Cork who will gain nothing from the other services that they offer; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39116/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraCaranua published its criteria and guidelines and commenced accepting applications in January of this year. Its guidelines are set out in the booklet "Applying for Services from Ireland – Information and guidelines for making an application" which is available to download from www.caranua.ie. Caranua has advised that all applications are considered in the context of the legislation and the published guidelines and that individuals who have queries and concerns over what they can apply for should contact Caranua using the Freephone number 1800 212 477 and speak with an Application Advisor.
260. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the work of the departmental body established to investigate the work practices of contractors who are building schools and other departmental projects; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39118/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department has not established a Departmental body to investigate the work practices of contractors who are building schools and other Departmental projects. I assume the Deputy is referring to my Departments appointment of Contractors Administration Services (CAS) in April 2013 following a tender competition to conduct random audits on school building projects in order to verify compliance with the relevant Pay and Conditions clauses in the Public Works Contracts.
To date CAS has completed 16 audits on school/college construction sites with 1 audit on-going. As a result of these audits, information in relation to 5 projects have been referred to the Revenue Commissioners, 1 to the Department of Social and Family Affairs and 1 to National Employment Rights Authority (NERA). The remaining audits required no further action.CAS are continuing to conduct audits on school and college building projects and should irregularities be uncovered in terms of non-compliance with employment law, enforcement and prosecution falls under the remit of NERA. If an audit uncovers any other matters of concern regarding tax compliance or social welfare fraud, such matters will be referred to either the Revenue Commissioners and/or the Department of Social Protection as appropriate.
261. Deputy Robert Dowds asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on the actions her Department has taken to help resolve the industrial dispute on the construction site of a college (details supplied) in County Dublin; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39119/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool building projects which are funded from public monies, including the school project in question, are required to use the forms of contract provided under the Capital Works Management Framework which includes a suite of public works contracts, standard conditions of engagement, model forms, suitability assessment questionnaires and guidance notes published by the Office of Government Procurement (OGP). The OGP is an office within the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform which has been tasked with centralising public sector procurement arrangements for common goods and services.
A building project is a complex arrangement of contractual relationships between the client, the main contractor, specialist sub-contractors, domestic sub-contractors, suppliers of materials, suppliers of plant etc. In general all sub-contractors employed on education sector building projects are employed directly by the Main Contractor or indirectly by the Main Contractor through other sub-contractors. It is a matter for all sub-contractors to agree terms and conditions and a schedule of payments with the Main Contractor as their direct employer.
Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Education and Training Board is the Client/Employer under the Contract for the particular project to which the Deputy refers. While my Department is the funding authority for the project, it is not a party to the Contract and, as such, my Department has had no direct dealings with the Contractor regarding this particular project however I would encourage all parties involved in the dispute, to use the appropriate industrial relations channels to resolve this current matter.
262. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on a matter (details supplied) regarding children's transport needs to a school in County Kerry; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39120/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy will be aware that Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and timetabling of school transport routes. Bus Éireann endeavours, within available resources, to ensure that each eligible child has a reasonable level of school transport service in the context of the Scheme nationally.
Bus Éireann has advised that the set down point at Fair Field is the only suitable turning point for buses serving the school in question.
263. Deputy Brian Walsh asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update in relation to an application by a school (details supplied) in County Galway for the replacement of prefabs with a permanent building. [39152/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that the schools in question submitted major capital applications for extension/refurbishment to my Department.
My Department has been liaising with the school authorities regarding the schools long term projected enrolments (LTPE) and a revised LTPE for each school has recently been agreed. The Schedules of Accommodation have also recently been finalised.
This will shortly be followed up with a site visit to the schools in question. Once the site visit has been completed the projects concerned will be considered for progression into the architectural planning process.
As the Deputy will understand, due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise the limited funding available for the provision of essential additional school accommodation to meet increasing demographic requirements, it is not possible at this point to provide an indicative timeframe for the provision of an extension to the schools in question.
264. Deputy Derek Keating asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an up-to-date report on the proposed new buildings for a school (details supplied) in County Dublin in view of the fact that the school will soon be submitting stage 2B to her Department; if the school will be passed to go to tender stage soon; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39170/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major building project for the school referred to by the Deputy is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning, Stage 2b - Detailed Design. All statutory approvals have been secured and the Design Team are currently working on completing the Stage 2b Submission.
The school referred to by the Deputy was included as part of the Government's "Investing in Infrastructure & Jobs" Package which was announced in 2013. On satisfactory completion of stage 2 (b) and assuming no issues arise the project will then be authorised to commence the tender process.
265. Deputy Dinny McGinley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the case of a school (details supplied) in County Donegal in view of the fact that it is a DEIS school and the fact that the enrolment will significantly increase in 2015-16; and her views on leaving the number of teaching staff at present there the same. [39187/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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 30th September. The school referred to by the Deputy had an enrolment of 58 on 30th September 2013 which allows an allocation of 3 classroom teachers to the school for the current 2014/15 school year.
The Staffing Schedule includes the provision where schools experiencing rapid increases in enrolment can apply for additional permanent mainstream posts on developing grounds. The staffing process also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board. No such application for the 2014/15 school year has been received from the school.
The staffing arrangements for the 2015/16 school year will be published early in 2015 and this will enable schools to determine their staffing levels for that school year.
266. Deputy Timmy Dooley asked the Minister for Education and Skills the procedure for a school (details supplied) in County Clare to progress a project to construct a GP and physical education facility; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [39189/14]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, last year this school made an application to my Department for devolved funding for a GP room.
Given the current financial constraints within which my Department is operating, the position is that priority is being given to school applications for essential mainstream classroom and special education accommodation. In that context, my Department has advised the school concerned that it is not in a position to provide funding for a GP room at this time.
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 additional school places 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.
