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Wednesday, 14 Jan 2015

Written Answers Nos. 808-823

Schools Building Projects Administration

Ceisteanna (808)

Peadar Tóibín

Ceist:

808. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of construction-related projects her Department and State bodies under the aegis of her Department have signed public works contracts with a company (details supplied); if she will provide in tabular form a list of each of the sites; the date on which each contract was signed; the name of the State body that has contracted the company to complete the work; and the form of contract for public works applicable to each project. [1497/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The table that follows this reply outlines the information requested by the Deputy in respect of major building projects currently on site which have been awarded to the contractor in question by my Department or by bodies acting on behalf of my Department.

Funding is also provided on a devolved basis to school management authorities under my Department's additional accommodation scheme for smaller building projects. Information on the building contractors awarded these contracts is not held centrally within my Department.

SCHOOL BUILDING PROJECTS AND CONTRACT DETAILS

School Name

Date Contract Signed

Devolved for Delivery to

Type of Contract

Griffeen Valley Educate Together NS, Lucan, Dublin

4th Feb 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 1)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

St. Joseph's CBS, Drogheda, Louth

4th Feb 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 1)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

SN Bheinín Naofa Boys, Duleek, Meath

4th Feb 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 1)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

SN Bheinín Naofa Girls, Duleek, Meath

4th Feb 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 1)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

Navan Educate Together, Meath

4th Feb 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 1)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

Watergrasshill NS, Cork

7th March 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 3)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

Cloughduv, NS, Coachford, Cork

7th March 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 3)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

CBS Midleton, Cork

7th March 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 3)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

Presentation Secondary School, Milltown, Kerry

7th March 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 3)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

Nagle Rice NS, Milltown, Kerry

7th March 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 3)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

Galvone NS & Southhill JS (Amalgamation)

7th March 2014

National Development Finance Agency (Bundle 3)

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works Designed by the Contractor, (PW-CF2).

Kishoge Community College

27th March 2014

Dublin and Dún Laoghaire Educational and Training Board

Government Construction Contracts Committee (GCCC) Public Works Contract for Building Works designed by the Employer (PW-CF1)

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Ceisteanna (809)

Jerry Buttimer

Ceist:

809. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to implement the model of resource teaching and learning support proposed by the National Council for Special Education; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1504/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I wish to advise the Deputy that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) published its report on a proposed new model for allocating teachers for students with special educational needs on 18 June 2014.

The report recommends that a new allocation model should be developed, based on a school's educational profile, while providing a baseline allocation to every mainstream school to support inclusion.

My Department is currently collecting and considering information which will be required to develop the proposed new model.

Following consideration of this data, my Department will also consider whether, and from what date, a new model might be implemented.

I also wish to advise the Deputy that following publication of the working group report, my Department invited education partners, stakeholders, and parent representative groups to make written submissions in relation to the NCSE report. To date, 27 written submissions have been received from interested parties.

My Department also held a number of consultation meetings on 1 and 3 October last with stakeholders, education partners and parent representative groups.

A further series of consultations are scheduled to take place with these groups in the coming weeks, which will assist in developing the proposals in relation to the new model.

School Staff

Ceisteanna (810)

Jerry Buttimer

Ceist:

810. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of additional primary and secondary school teachers that have been employed for each of the past seven years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1507/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

The statistics section of my Department's website contains extensive data relating to schools at primary and post-primary level, including teaching posts. The most recent published information relates to the 2013-14 school year. Data in relation to the 2014-15 school year will be published later in the current school year.

Teacher Recruitment

Ceisteanna (811)

Jerry Buttimer

Ceist:

811. Deputy Jerry Buttimer asked the Minister for Education and Skills the measures she has taken, and those of her predecessor, to recruit additional post-primary teachers; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1508/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Teacher allocations to all second level schools are approved annually by my Department in accordance with established rules based on recognised pupil enrolment. The criteria for the allocation of posts are communicated to school managements annually and are available on the Department's website. In accordance with these rules, each school management authority is required to organise its subject options within the limit of its approved teacher allocation. At post-primary level and in accordance with existing arrangements, where a school management authority is unable to meet its curricular commitments within its approved allocation, my Department considers applications for additional short-term support, i.e., curricular concessions. The allocation process also includes an appeals mechanism under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the staffing schedules. The appeal procedures are set out in the published staffing arrangements. The Appeals Board operates independently of the Department and its decision is final.

The recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under section 24(3) of the Education Act 1998, as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012. The deployment of teaching staff in the school, the range of subjects offered and ultimately the quality of teaching and learning are in the first instance matters for the school management authorities.

We have a growing population of young people in this country. Despite the difficult financial circumstances we face as a country, we have prioritised education so that the number of teachers we have in the system has grown to protect pupil-teacher ratios. Between this year and last year, this has involved an increase of approximately 2,300 teachers in our primary and post-primary schools. This is a very significant investment at a time of scarce resources.

While there has been a moratorium on recruitment across other sectors in the public service, this has not applied to teaching. This shows the commitment this Government has to educating our future generations. The main priority for any additional resources for the foreseeable future will be to cater for the continuing increase in demographics at all levels within the education system.

Arrangements for the staffing and redeployment process for the 2015-16 school year are under way in my Department. The staffing arrangements for the 2015-16 school year will be published on the Department's website shortly. The final staffing position for all schools at post-primary level will ultimately not be known until the autumn. At that stage, the allocation process will be fully completed and any appeals to the Staffing Appeals Board will have been considered.

Teachers' Remuneration

Ceisteanna (812, 813, 814, 815, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822, 823)

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

812. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department requested its payroll provider to develop the software necessary to release the increments deferred under the Haddington Road agreement. [1518/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

813. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department requested the delivery of software necessary to release the increments deferred under the Haddington Road agreement from its payroll provider. [1519/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

814. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the timeframe commitments provided by her Department’s payroll provider for the delivery of the software necessary to release the increments deferred under the Haddington Road agreement in time for the payment of those increments by the date due. [1520/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

815. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the estimate received by her Department of the costs of developing the software necessary to release the increments deferred under the Haddington Road agreement. [1521/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

816. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the cost of developing the software necessary to release the increments deferred under the Haddington Road agreement. [1522/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

817. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the interim checks made and the intervals by officials in her Department to ensure development of the software necessary to release the increments deferred under the Haddington Road agreement would be completed in time. [1523/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

818. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the interim updates received by officials in her Department from its software providers on the progress of the development of the software necessary to release the increments deferred under the Haddington Road agreement. [1524/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

819. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department became aware that software requested from its payroll provider necessary to release the increments which were deferred under the Haddington Road agreement was found to be incapable of releasing the increments. [1525/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

820. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department’s payroll provider originally projected the delivery of the software necessary to release the increments deferred under the Haddington Road agreement. [1526/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

821. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills when her Department was made aware by its payroll provider that the development of software necessary to release the increments deferred under the Haddington Road agreement was extremely complex and would take longer to develop than originally projected. [1527/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

822. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the difficulties that have been identified by her Department in the development of the software necessary to release the increments which were deferred under the Haddington Road agreement. [1528/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Charlie McConalogue

Ceist:

823. Deputy Charlie McConalogue asked the Minister for Education and Skills the specifications that were provided to her Department’s software provider for the development of the software necessary to release the increments which were deferred under the Haddington Road agreement. [1529/15]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

I propose to take Questions Nos. 812 to 823, inclusive, together.

My Department operates the largest payroll in the State, with approximately 98,000 school employees and pensioners paid every fortnight. These payrolls have become increasingly complex over the past five years, due to the introduction of three salary scales and two sets of allowances, by comparison to a single salary scale and set of allowances for all teachers prior to 2010; the introduction of the Universal Social Charge, the Pension-Related Deduction and the single pension scheme; the Implementation of Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act 2001; and the new sick leave regulations for schools and employees, etc.

In addition, school employee payrolls have a high volume of substitute and casual appointments for payment, which is not a feature of comparable major payrolls for Civil Servants, the Army and the Garda Síochána etc. Work is ongoing to incorporate payments to home tutors through the payroll, which will broaden the range of payees coming within the remit of the school employee payrolls.

Accordingly, the development of the software to implement the Haddington Road Agreement in the context of the overall numbers being paid on the payroll, including substitute and casual appointees), the payroll complexities referenced above and the complexity of the agreement itself has been a very difficult and complex task.

The Department's software provider was engaged on 17 July 2014 to develop software for the deferral of increments for school employees and advised that the software needed to be available for testing by 1 September 2014 and implementation on the live payrolls by 15 September 2014. As this was a complex development, there was a number of subsequent communications with the software provider to clarify various aspects of the specification.

The software was delivered for testing on 16 October 2014. Due to the complexity of the system and the number and range of employees, all software enhancements have to be robustly tested to ensure there is no adverse impact on any aspect of the overall payroll operation. A further complication in this instance was the requirement to test this software in conjunction with other software to calculate or recalculate Haddington Road Agreement allowances taking account of the impact of increments and allowances for those reaching €65,000. The testing of this software to defer increments took longer than originally anticipated and was not completed in time for the payroll issues in December 2014. As the software was initially developed to process employees due a deferred increment in the payroll period being processed, further software was needed to process employees due deferred increments from December 2014. The Department's software provider was engaged on 19 December 2014 to provide this additional software, which was delivered for user acceptance testing on 8 January 2015. This software is currently undergoing robust testing with target dates for the payment of the deferred increments and arrears to primary teachers and special need assistants on 12 February 2015 and to post-primary teachers on 19 February 2015.

The overall cost of the software for the deferral of increments is approximately €64,000, including VAT.

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