Jonathan O'Brien
Ceist:500. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the cuts to the education budget for each year since 2010. [10551/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraTuesday, 10 March 2015
Ceisteanna (500)
Freagraí scríofa
Extracts of Budgets and Estimates material from 2010 to 2015 are set out for the Deputy's information. These extracts list the main features of each Budget in relation to my Department, including details of measures that reduced expenditure in each year.
PREVIOUS BUDGET MEASURES IMPACTING IN 2014
The allocation for 2014 also takes account of savings deriving from savings measures announced in previous Budgets. These measures are summarised below.
Teachers
Teacher allocation measures introduced in earlier Budgets will also impact on teacher numbers in schools in 2014. These include the changes in Budget 2012 announced to the staffing schedules for smaller primary schools with up to 4 teachers. This change will have a target yield of approximately 75 posts in 2014. A further 80 primary posts will be yielded on foot of the Budget 2011 decision to reduce language support posts over a 4-year period.
Student contribution
As signalled in Budget 2013 the student contribution, at €2,500 for the 2013/14 academic year will rise by a further €250 in each of the 2014/15 and 2015/16 academic years, to a maximum of €3,000. This will raise €18.5 million next year and €37 million in 2015. All students who are eligible for student grants will continue to have the student contribution paid on their behalf. At present two out of five students are in receipt of some form of student grant. The rates of maintenance grants are being protected in this Budget.
Capitation grants
On foot of school funding measures introduced in Budget 2012, funding for capitation and related grants to primary and post-primary schools in 2014 will be reduced by 1%. The overall saving will be achieved by a reduction in the standard capitation rates, with other related grant rates remaining unchanged. The new standard mainstream capitation rates in 2014 will be €173 for primary and €301 for post-primary.
Capitation rates in Youthreach, VTOS and PLC colleges are also being reduced by 1%, while higher education institutions will see reductions in core-pay and non pay funding of 1%.
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ALLOCATION
The capital allocation of €546 million will be principally deployed in the ongoing delivery of the Department’s five year school building programme (2012 to 2016), which involves 275 major school building projects and an additional 80,000 school places to meet demographic demands. The 2014 allocation also includes an additional €65 million to meet the costs of projects announced under Government’s stimulus initiatives of July 2012 and June 2013, including upfront enabling works for the development of the new DIT campus at Grangegorman and 28 additional school building projects.
Main Estimate features
D/Education & Science 2010
Capital
- Capital allocation of €715m is being made available in 2010. In addition, €79m in capital savings from 2009 will be carried forward into 2010, bringing total capital funding available for education in 2010 to €794m.
- The total funding available is a decrease of less than 7pc compared to the allocation for 2009.
- €579m will be allocated to continue the significant investment being made in the school building programme. That includes €72m from the capital carry-over.
- Given the reduction in tender prices, it’s expected that the Department will be able to deliver a similar-sized programme of large and small-scale building projects in primary and post-primary schools in 2010 as was delivered in 2009. As well as providing for all contractual commitments on existing projects, the building programme will include a further batch of major new school or extension projects to proceed to tender and construction during 2010. There will also be a Summer Works Scheme incorporating water conservation measures.
- €141m is being provided for infrastructural investment in higher education of which €46m will be provided for investment under the Strategy for Science, Technology and Innovation.
- €50m is being allocated to support the integration of information and communications technology in teaching and learning in schools. That includes €7m from the capital carry-over.
- Provision has also been made in the capital allocation for the continuation of the Department’s public-private partnership programme.
Current
- The current allocation for 2010 is €8.168bn which is a reduction of 4.9pc over the 2009 outturn. The reduction includes a general pay-related adjustment of €350m in line with the Government decision to reduce public service pay rates. This accounts for 4pc of the reduction. The distribution of this pay adjustment across subheads will be included in the context of the 2010 Revised Estimates Volume.
Additional expenditure measures
- €12m is being provided in 2010 for the implementation of the Renewed Programme for Government commitment to provide 500 extra teachers over the next three years. This allocation will allow for the employment of an extra 200 teachers starting in early 2010 and a further 150 teachers starting in September 2010.
- €14m is being provided in 2010 for the implementation of the Renewed Programme for Government commitment to provide extra teachers from September 2010 for the 2010/11 school year to meet demographic pressures and to ensure no further increase in the pupil-teacher ratio. This allocation will fund 600 posts in primary schools and 330 posts in post-primary schools.
- €19m is being provided to maintain school capitation grants at current levels and to take account of increased pupil numbers. This allocation will also enable extra funding to be allocated to schools for school books and to support curricular activities as provided in the Renewed Programme for Government.
- The allocation for the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme (VTOS) is being increased by €7.5m to meet additional expenditure on allowances due to the change in profile of applicants for the scheme.
- An extra allocation of €3m is being provided for the promotion of Gaeilge in schools as part of the new 20-year Strategy for the Irish Language.
- The provision for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) is being increased to provide for the rise in psychologists to 210. This will allow NEPS psychologists to provide direct service to every first and second level school and an enhancement of service to special schools and units.
Higher education
- The provision in 2010 for universities and institutes of technology is €1,194m - a 9pc reduction on the 2009 provision of €1,318m.
- The reduction in funding takes account of the general pay cut, targeted reductions in numbers employed under an employment control framework for the sector. It will also involve further non-pay cost efficiencies.
- Just under €130m is being provided to higher education institutions in 2010 for research activities including capital research funding. This underlines the Government’s commitment to focussed delivery of its Science, Technology and Innovation strategy. As part of this, it’s intended that investments under Cycle 5 of the Programme for Research in Third-Level Institutions will proceed. The assessment process for PRTLI 5 awards will conclude in early 2010 and, in line with normal lead-in times, major elements of expenditure commitments are anticipated to materialise from 2011 onwards.
- The funding available in 2010 for projects under the Strategic Innovation Fund is €18m - a reduction of €8m on 2009. This reduced allocation will require a further curtailment of project activity. Priority will continue to be given to projects aimed at upskiilling and reskilling for employment.
Student grants and scholarships
- A reduction of 5pc is being applied to the rates of student grants and scholarships. This will achieve €10m in savings in 2010. However, the overall allocation for student support will be increased in 2010 to take account of increased numbers of students.
- The reduction will be implemented to all existing and new grant-holders from January 2010. This is in line with reductions in other income maintenance payments including those for the unemployed.
- A further saving of €4m will be made by the removal of eligibility for student support grants from people in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance and the VTOS allowances for those pursuing a Post-Leaving Certificate course. However, the cost of the student service charge and any fees payable to colleges will continue to be met by the Exchequer on their behalf. This will apply to all new grant-holders in 2010 onwards.
- Support under the Millennium Partnership Fund is being withdrawn saving €2m.
Adult and further education
- The number of places provided in Senior Traveller Training Centres (STTCs) will be reduced from 984 places to 684 places. This in line with the Traveller Education Strategy. Travellers can continue to access the full range of adult and further education programmes across the country.
- Allowances to participants in VTOS, Youthreach and STTCs will be reduced in line with the appropriate social welfare rates or FÁS trainee allowances.
Teacher education
- The provision for teacher in-service education support is €29.79m compared with a 2009 estimate of €40m. Restructuring of existing services will continue in 2010. Services will be focused on priority areas including special educational needs, child protection guidelines training, implementation of new procedures for underperforming teachers, and Project Maths.
- The allocation for pre-service teacher education is being reduced by €3m and will be achieved by reducing the number of post-graduate conversion places.
Teacher sick leave and substitution
- The supply teacher scheme at primary level will cease from the start of the 2010/11 school year. Normal substitution arrangements which apply to primary schools generally to cover teacher absences will be used to cover substitution in those schools that participated in the scheme.
- From the start of the 2010/11 school year, the maximum number of uncertified sick leave days allowed in the school year for teachers in primary, secondary and community and comprehensive schools will be reduced to seven days. This is the same number of days available for teachers in vocational schools and community colleges.
School transport
The provision for school transport is €186m compared with a 2009 out-turn of €178m. While efficiencies made during 2009 will continue to yield savings in 2010, an increase of €8m is being provided which includes provision for new services as necessary.
Reduction in allocations to education bodies
- National Council for Curriculum and Assessment reduced by €0.93m;
- National Council for Special Education reduced by €2.3m;
- Higher Education Authority reduced by €0.562m;
- Dublin Dental Hospital reduced by €0.410m;
- Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies reduced by €0.546m;
- Royal Irish Academy of Music reduced by €0.303m;
- National Qualifications Framework (NQAI, FETAC, HETAC) current allocation reduced by €2.1m;
Other current
Further savings will be made from expenditure efficiencies in the Department’s administrative budget (excluding NEPS) achieving €2.4m.
Procurement savings of €5.2 million
The allocation of €5m funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund will allow for the continuation of existing schemes to counteract educational disadvantage funded from this source.
Funding will be reduced by €1.2m in 2010 for projects in Local Drugs Task Force areas in Dublin city and county. Funding provided by the Department for these projects will be phased out in 2011.
2011 Estimates for Education and Skills Vote
Main Features
OVERALL ALLOCATION
- The gross overall Voted allocation for the Department for 2011 will be €8.888 billion. This compares to a 2010 provisional outturn of €8.974 billion, representing a reduction of 1%. In addition the Estimate includes provision for expenditure of some €362 million under the National Training Fund in 2011, which is a reduction of 8% over the 2010 provisional outturn, due mainly to a projected significant reduction in fund income in 2011.
CURRENT EXPENDITURE
- A provision for current expenditure of €8.387 billion has been made for 2011. This is an increase of just over 1% on the equivalent 2010 outturn of allocation of €8.271 billion. A further €362 million of current expenditure is provided for under the National Training Fund. The 2011 allocation takes account of upward expenditure pressures mainly in relation to student support payments, the cost of pensions and demographic increases. It also takes account of savings of some €175 million to be secured across the education sector. More details regarding current expenditure are provided below.
School Transport
- The 2011 estimate for school transport services is €180 million compared to an allocation for 2010 of €186 million. €4.5 million in savings will be secured in 2011 (rising to €17 million in 2014), through a combination of increases in charges and the implementation of measures identified in a value for money review of the school transport scheme. With effect from the 2011/2012 school year a transport fee of €50 per annum will be introduced for primary school pupils, with a maximum family charge of €110 applying. This charge is being introduced to ensure that school transport provided for eligible primary pupils is fully utilised. The annual charge for post-primary pupils will be increased by €50 from €300 to €350. The combined maximum overall family charge will remain at €650.
- Changes in the 2011/2012 school year arising from the value for money review will include:
- The distance criteria will be applied to all pupils attending primary schools and the exemption under the closed school rule will cease. This means that children who reside less than 3.2 kilometres (2 miles) from the school of attendance and who are availing of free transport to that school under the closed school rule will lose their transport eligibility;
- Services under the minimum numbers, either single services or which are part of double tripping arrangements, will be discontinued. A pick up density of pupils in a distinct locality on a particular route – increasing from the current minimum of 7 to 10 eligible children – will be required to establish or retain services.
- Further changes from the review, which will take effect from a later date, will include the following:
- From the 2012/13 school year, eligibility based on the closed school rule (CSR) and the central school rule will cease for all new children entering primary schools. Existing primary pupils availing of transport under the CSR will retain transport eligibility for the duration of their schooling, provided the requisite distance is met;
- From the 2012/13 school year, the use of the catchment boundary system will cease for all new post-primary children. Eligibility for all new children entering post-primary transport will be on the basis of the nearest post-primary centre or school. Existing arrangements will remain in place for existing post primary pupils for the duration of their schooling;
- New arrangements will be put in place with Bus Éireann on a phased basis for the operation of the scheme. These will include arrangements for an increasing proportion of routes to be provided by private operators. From the 2012/13 school year, Bus Éireann will have full responsibility for the operation of the school transport system including responsibility for processing all applications for school transport or grants. Synergies between school transport, rural transport and Health Service Executive services will be further developed.
Schools
- €22 million in savings will be secured in 2011 through an average 5% reduction in funding grants to schools and Vocational Educational Committees (including mainstream and ancillary grants for schools), and including grants for Adult Literacy, Community Education, School Completion Programme, Youthreach. This will reduce capitation rates to those that applied to schools between 2007 and 2008. (There will also be a similar reduction in capitation rates payable in respect of Senior Traveller Training Centres, VTOS (Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme) and PLC (Post-Leaving Certificate) students). Details of the revised rates for each grant category will be issued to schools and VECs shortly. Reduced rates will also apply to ancillary and support services grants to reflect the reduction in pay that will apply to personnel who are paid from these grants, and who have not yet had the reduction applied to them, with effect from January 2011, e.g. school cleaners and caretakers.
- The 2011 allocation for teacher salaries of almost €3.85 billion takes account of €24 million in savings (rising to €98 million in 2014) to be achieved by reducing teacher numbers through a combination of measures. These measures will lead to a deferral of 150 extra posts and to a reduction of up to approximately 1,200 posts from September 2011 (approximately 700 primary and 500 post-primary posts) which, however, will be partly offset by the addition of an estimated 875 new posts due to demographics. The measures to reduce teacher posts include:
- Deferral of the provision of 150 extra teachers originally planned to be allocated at primary and post-primary level in September 2011;
- Changing the existing favourable pupil-teacher ratio (PTR) to the standard PTR for the Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme (LCVP). Currently, the allocation of teachers to the LCVP is on the basis of 1 teacher for every 17 pupils. This will be changed from September 2011 to the standard allocation basis of 1 teacher for every 19 pupils (or 1 teacher for every 20 pupils in the case of fee-charging schools). This measure will secure savings of approximately 200 posts;
- Standardising the staffing schedule for Gaelscoileanna to the same that operates for other ordinary national schools, the estimated yield from which will be some 50 posts;
- Withdrawal of Resource Teachers for Travellers posts at primary level so that educational teaching supports to Traveller students will now be provided on the same basis as other students in schools. Alleviation measures will be put in place for schools with a high concentration of Traveller children. At post-primary level teaching hours for Travellers will be withdrawn, again with alleviation measures for schools with high concentrations of Traveller children. This measure will secure savings of approximately 600 posts net.
- A phased reduction of 500 over four years in the number of Language Support Teachers, through a demand driven reduction and, if necessary, a change in allocation rules over the period of the plan. A first year reduction of some 125 posts is targeted with effect from September 2011;
- The redeployment of some 170 existing supernumerary posts in post-primary schools from September 2011;
- The removal of 47 primary rural co-ordinator teaching posts currently allocated to DEIS rural primary schools. All of these schools, however, will continue to receive other DEIS supports including financial support, professional development supports, school meals and school books supports;
- The withdrawal from September 2011 of 42 Visiting Teachers for Travellers posts, currently assigned to the National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB). The School Support services, including the School Completion Programme and the Home School Liaison Service under the NEWB, will be adapted to undertake work with Travellers in the future.
- In line with the Traveller Education Strategy and the 2008 value for money review of Youthreach and Senior Traveller Training Centres (STTCs), integrated further education provision for Travellers will be implemented through the phasing out of STTCs by June 2012 and replacement places, prioritised for Travellers, being provided under the Back to Education Initiative (BTEI). This means there will be no new enrolments in STTCs from 1 January 2011.
- €10 million in savings will be secured from rule changes and efficiencies in relation to supervision and substitution arrangements in schools. This will include implementation of the flexibility measures provided for under the Croke Park Agreement whereby post-primary teachers will be available for an extra class period each week to cover for absent colleagues. There will also be a general tightening of the rules covering substitution.
Special Needs Assistants
- The 2011 allocation for pay for Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) will be approximately €350 million, compared to an allocation of €335 for 2010. The allocation provides for the full-year costs of SNAs appointed in 2010. While there will be no reduction in the SNA numbers in 2011 it is intended to place a cap on these numbers. The Department will in this regard work with the National Council for Special Education to develop a new system to manage SNA provision within the total numbers allocation. All schools will be advised of the new system.
Further and Higher Education
- The 2011 provision for Universities, Institutes of Technology and other higher education institutions is €1.176 billion. Net of adjustments for increased income in respect of the Student Contribution Charge of €2,000, the overall 2011 Allocation includes €55.8m in respect of Nurses Education transferred from D/Health and also includes a further 1.5% cut in the pay allocation and 5% in the non-payallocation.
- Further savings of €27 million will be achieved by replacing the existing €1,500 per year Student Services Charge with a flat higher education Student Contribution of €2,000 with effect from the 2011/2012 academic year. The Student Contribution will apply to all students who currently benefit under the ‘free fees’ scheme. Higher education institutions will be asked to consider how they could put in place arrangements under which a student may opt to pay the charge in two equal instalments of 50% in September and 50% in January in a given academic year. The contribution will be paid by the Exchequer in respect of students who qualify under the third level grant schemes. These students, who account for some 43% of all undergraduates, will not be impacted by any increase in charges. The Government is also aware of the particular financial pressures that this charge may place on families where family income is marginally in excess of current eligibility levels for maintenance grant support and on families with more than one sibling in higher education at the same time. With this in mind, the current higher education grants schemes threshold will be increased to provide for an additional eligibility category of support qualifying for ‘50% Student Contribution’ (see detail in Appendix). In addition, arrangements will be made to provide that second and subsequent siblings from a single family will not have to bear the full increased cost of the new €2,000 charge.
- The introduction of a new €200 annual contribution for Post Leaving Certificate students will secure savings of €4 million in 2011. The cost of the charge will be met by the Exchequer on behalf of those students who are eligible under the maintenance grant scheme for students attending PLC courses. Eligible students may include those in receipt of the Back to Education Allowance provided that they meet all of the terms and conditions of the relevant student grant scheme.
- Provision of further education opportunities in 2011 will be largely the same as that in 2010, with over 173,000 participants benefiting from VEC interventions.
Student Support
- The 2011 allocation for student support payments is €386 million. This represents an increase of some 7% over 2010 and reflects both increased numbers of students qualifying for grants and a greater proportion of students qualifying for higher rates of grants, which are means tested.
- The current higher education grants schemes threshold will be increased to provide for an additional eligibility category of support qualifying for ‘50% Student Contribution’ (see Appendix).
- The 2011 allocation also takes account of savings of some €22 million (rising to some €51 million in 2014), to be achieved through implementing a range of savings measures in the student support scheme. These measures include:
- A 4% reduction in the rate of student support grants, reflecting the reductions in rates of social protection payments announced in the Budget. This will yield savings of €8 million;
- Changing the qualifying distance criterion for entitlement to the higher non-adjacent rate of grant (distance from home to the higher education institution) from 15 miles (24 kilometres) to 28 miles (45 kilometres). The original distance criterion was set in 1968, before the significant improvement in transport facilities and road networks which has taken place. This measure will yield €10 million of savings in 2011 (€30 million in 2014);
- Savings of €4 million (€13 million in 2014) will be secured by reducing the automatic eligibility of mature students to the higher non-adjacent rate of payment, thereby bringing the arrangements for mature students into line with all other students.
Skills and Training
- Savings of approximately €10 million will be achieved in the area of training allowances and supports. This includes a reduction, consistent with reductions in social protection rates announced in the Budget, of €8 per week in all weekly training allowances and similar support payments. The long-term unemployment bonus paid to VTOS (Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme) students and to FAS trainees will be reduced from €31.80 per week to €20 per week.
- The allocation for Skills and Training includes provision for a number of measures to strengthen the framework of labour market activation supports for the unemployed, as part of the National Recovery Plan. These will include the introduction in 2011 of a Skills Development and Internship Programme and an expansion of the number of placements available on the Work Placement Programme. While provision for training and activation for the unemployed will have to have regard to the reduced availability of funding, the above measures will seek to enhance the quality of offering for unemployed persons. All further education programmes will also continue to be open to the unemployed and unemployed people undertaking these programmes may be eligible to participate in the Back to Education Allowance Scheme. The Labour Market Activation Fund will be targeted at specific priority groups among the unemployed, including the low skilled and those formerly employed in declining sectors, with particular emphasis on the under 35s and the long-term unemployed.
- In Budget 2011 the allocation to FÁS for training the unemployed was decreased by €43 million or approximately 15%. This will result in an equivalent reduction of 15,410 training places that FÁS can deliver for the unemployed next year. This will imply that FAS will deliver approximately 100,000 training places next year as opposed to the 115,000 they are delivering this year.
Other current expenditure items
- The reduced 2011 allocation of €18.6 million for the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) takes account of €3 million in savings to be secured through capping at 178 the number of psychologists in the service;
- A saving of €1 million in 2011, rising to €12 million in 2014, will be achieved through the impact of a 10% reduction in salary scales for new entrants to the public service, with all new entrants starting on the minimum point of the new scale.
- €16 million in savings (€39 million in 2014) will be achieved through further reductions in public service numbers on the Education and Skills Vote, including in the Non-Commercial State Agencies under the aegis of the Department. These reductions are on foot of the updated Employment Control Framework in the National Recovery Plan, to control public sector numbers.
- A further €18 million in savings will be achieved through a range of non-pay administrative savings, the management of emerging expenditure pressures and other estimating savings.
- The 2011 allocation of €77 million for the Administrative Budget subheads A1 to A8 includes an additional €1.6 million in staff costs as a result of the transfer of functions in May 2010. When account is taken of this the 2011 allocation for these subheads represents a reduction of 2% on 2010.
- The 2011 allocations to a number of bodies under the aegis of the Department reflect reductions in payroll and other administrative savings.
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
- The capital allocation for 2011 will be €501 million. The figure reflects the overall medium-term reduction in capital investment announced in the National Recovery Plan.
- The capital expenditure envelope for education of almost €1.9 billion over the period of the plan will provide for meeting demographic needs in primary and post-primary schools and for some improvement in the stock of school buildings. The allocation will also provide for some prioritised investment in third-level infrastructure.
- The capital allocation for 2011 for Schools Information and Communications Technology of €1.5 million is significantly lower than the 2010 allocation of €63 million, which includes an allocation of €20 million recently provided by way of Supplementary Estimate. This reflects the very significant capital investment in Schools ICT in 2009 and 2010 as part of the ‘smart schools’ programme. The focus in 2011 will be on leveraging this significant investment to ensure further integration of ICT into teaching and learning.
APPENDIX
HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS SCHEME 2010
Reckonable income limits for the period 1 January 2009 to 31 December 2009 (the tax year 2009):
|
To qualify for: |
||||||
|
Number of dependent children: |
- Special Rate* - 100% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - Student Service Charge |
- 100% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - Student Service Charge |
- 75% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - Student Service Charge |
- 50% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - Student Service Charge |
- 25% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - Student Service Charge |
- 50% Tuition Fees** - Student Service Charge |
|
Less than 4 |
€22,703 |
€41,110 |
€42,235 |
€44,720 |
€47,205 |
€51,380 |
|
4-7 |
€22,703 |
€45,165 |
€46,415 |
€49,145 |
€51,880 |
€56,460 |
|
8 or more |
€22,703 |
€49,045 |
€50,400 |
€53,360 |
€56,320 |
€61,295 |
* Must be in receipt of eligible social welfare payment to qualify for the Special Rate.
** Where fees are applicable, eg. postgraduate courses.
PROPOSED REVISED RECKONABLE INCOME LIMITS FOR HIGHER EDUCATION GRANTS SCHEME 2011
including additional category of eligibility
‘Student Service Charge’ replaced by ‘Student Contribution’.
Reckonable income limits for the period 1 January 2010 to 31 December 2010 (the tax year 2010):
|
To qualify for: |
|||||||
|
Number of dependent children: |
- Special Rate* - 100% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - 100% Student Contribution |
- 100% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - 100% Student Contribution |
- 75% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - 100% Student Contribution |
- 50% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - 100% Student Contribution |
- 25% Maintenance - 100% Tuition Fees** - 100% Student Contribution |
- 50% Tuition Fees** - 100% Student Contribution |
- 50% Student Contribution |
|
Less than 4 |
€22,703 |
€41,110 |
€42,235 |
€44,720 |
€47,205 |
€51,380 |
€55,920 |
|
4-7 |
€22,703 |
€45,165 |
€46,415 |
€49,145 |
€51,880 |
€56,460 |
€61,440 |
|
8 or more |
€22,703 |
€49,045 |
€50,400 |
€53,360 |
€56,320 |
€61,295 |
€66,700 |
* Must be in receipt of eligible social welfare payment to qualify for the Special Rate.
** Where fees are applicable, eg. postgraduate courses.
2012 MAIN FEATURES
Main Estimate Features
- Net savings in 2012 are some €76 million, rising to €157 million in 2013 and €241 million in 2014.
- When account is taken of savings measures outlined below the Department of Education and Skills will have to identify further savings of approximately €68 million in 2013 and a further €138 million in 2014 in order to live within the expenditure ceilings set for those years.
- An allocation of nearly €10 million is being provided in 2012 to commence implementation of actions in the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, work on Junior Cycle reform and phased rollout of high speed (100mbps) broadband to second level schools.
Labour Activation Measures
- €20 million is being provided under the National Training Fund for a new Labour Market Activation Fund. This fund, which will be specifically targeted at the long-term unemployed, will deliver upward of 6,500 places in 2012.
- €10 million is being allocated, also under the National Training Fund, to support a further roll-out of the Springboard initiative to increase the part time higher education opportunities for unemployed people. A new competitive tendering process for Springboard will take place in the first quarter of 2012.
Special Needs Education
- The overall number of resource teachers and SNAs provided for children with special education needs is being maintained. Allocations will continue to be managed within existing resources.
DEIS (disadvantage school scheme)
- While DEIS schools are not immune to budgetary measures, a key priority is to target available funding at schools with the most concentrated levels of educational disadvantage.
- At primary level, a new staffing schedule for all 199 DEIS Band 1 schools will be based on a general average of 1 teacher for every 22 pupils. This will replace the existing approach of giving a “top up” allocation on the existing standard staffing schedule to enable DEIS Band 1 schools to implement reduced class sizes of 20:1 in junior classes and 24:1 in senior classes.
- While the new staffing schedule gives greater autonomy to DEIS Band 1 schools, the schools should continue to prioritise their staffing allocation to implement more favourable pupil teacher ratios in junior classes, in line with DEIS policy.
- All DEIS second level schools will be given targeted support through a more favourable staffing PTR of 18.25:1. This is a 0.75 point reduction compared to the existing PTR of 19:1 that applies in non fee-paying second level schools. 195 second level schools are included in DEIS.
- The creation of the two dedicated DEIS staffing schedules at primary and second level will be accompanied by a phased withdrawal of 428 legacy posts. These posts were allocated to some schools under previous disadvantage programmes prior to the DEIS initiative of 2005. To help those schools considered to be particularly adversely affected by this decision the posts will be gradually withdrawn over a three year period starting in 2012/13 school year. The new DEIS Band 1 staffing schedule and reduced PTR for second level DEIS schools will apply immediately to these schools from September 2012.
- 20 of these 428 posts being withdrawn will be re-allocated for the purposes of providing the continuous professional development element of the Department’s Literacy and Numeracy strategy which also has a focus on tackling educational disadvantage and is a key commitment in the Programme for Government.
- The five existing scholarship schemes for higher education are being replaced with a single bursary style, merit based scheme with awards set at €2,000 per student. The bursary will be an additional support to incentivise and reward high achievement for students from DEIS schools. Students who are awarded the bursary will also be eligible to apply for higher education grants. Allocation in 2012 €130,000 rising to an estimated €750,000 in 2015.
Posts of Responsibility in second level schools
- Provision is being made within the overall pay budget to allow for further alleviation measures in relation to the filling of additional Assistant Principal posts in second level schools. This measure is intended to ensure, as far as possible in 2012/13, that second level schools will be able to maintain approximately 50% of the number of Assistant Principal posts they held prior to the introduction of the moratorium.
Teacher Allocations
- There will be no increase in the general average of 28:1 for the allocation of classroom teachers at primary level for the 2012/13 school year.
- Starting in 2012, phased adjustments will be made to the staffing schedules for 1, 2, 3 and 4 teacher primary schools (schools with less than 86 pupils). These adjustments will increase the minimum number of pupils required for allocation of teaching posts. The phasing of these measures provides the schools concerned with time to consider their future and the potential for amalgamation with other schools where this is feasible. This change will yield an estimated 250 posts (100 posts in 2012). Saving in 2012 €1.5 million. Full year saving €15 million.
- At second level, with effect from 2012/13 school year guidance provision will be managed by schools from within their standard teacher allocation. At present a separate allocation is made for guidance. This measure is an alternative to making a change to the overall staffing schedule. This approach means that schools have greater autonomy and have the flexibility to decide the precise resources they wish to allocate for guidance balanced against the other demands on available staff resources. The change is estimated to yield net savings of 500 posts when provision is made for the reduced staffing schedule for DEIS schools. Saving in 2012 €10.4 million. Full year saving €32 million.
- In addition to the new arrangements for guidance posts there will also be a 1 point increase in the staffing schedule for all fee-charging schools. These changes will increase the PTR for fee-paying schools to 21:1 with effect from the 2012/13 school year. In order to inform future policy on the potential extent and nature of Exchequer investment, including funding for teacher posts, in the fee-charging sector in subsequent years the Department will conduct a specific analysis on tuition fee income available to schools in the sector and its utilisation. The 1-point increase in the staffing schedule is estimated to yield savings of 50 posts. Saving in 2012 €1 million. Full year saving €3.2 million.
- Budget 2010 contained a provision to reduce language support posts over a 4 year period from an original level of about 1,400 posts to a reduced level of about 900 posts in 2014/15 school year. The current level of language support posts is about 1,120 posts. The remaining reduction of about 220 posts will be implemented in the 2013/14 and 2014/15 school years. Most of this reduction will be at primary level as this is the sector where most are currently allocated.
- Some limited alleviation arrangements will be put in place by the Department for those primary and post-primary schools that are most adversely affected by the staffing changes announced today. The details will be notified to schools in early January.
Summary position on Teacher numbers for 2012/13 school year
|
- |
Summary position on Teacher numbers for 2012/13 school year |
||
|
Primary sector (posts) |
Second level sector (posts) |
Total posts |
|
|
Target savings from budget measures |
-250 |
-700 |
-950 |
|
Estimated additional posts to cater for increased demographics |
+500 |
+250 |
+750 |
|
Net change in overall number of posts |
+250 |
-450 |
-200 |
When account is taken of additional posts for demographics at primary and second level the net overall reduction on teaching posts for the 2012/13 school year compared to the current school year is estimated to be of the order of 200 posts. This represents an estimated net reduction of about 0.3% on overall teacher numbers for the 2012/13 school year compared to the current 2011/12 school year.
- The budget measures announced today include target savings of a further 520 teaching posts (490 posts at primary level and 30 posts at second level) that come into effect from the 2013/14 school year onwards.
- At this stage the target savings are calculated based on estimates. The actual position will become clearer as the allocation process is progressed and the impact of demographics for each school is known.
- The reductions in teacher numbers are predicated on effective redeployment arrangements. It remains the case that a situation where surplus teachers could remain in schools is not sustainable.
Reform of the teacher allocation process
- In addition to the savings measures, reforms to the existing teacher allocations process will come into effect from the 2012/13 school year onwards. The primary objectives of the reforms are to increase school autonomy and to help the teacher allocation process to operate more smoothly within a climate of fixed ceilings on teaching posts. The changes are designed to give a more equitable distribution of existing posts between schools, give earlier certainty to schools about their staffing allocations and, where possible, simplify existing processes and give schools greater discretion on how posts are used.
Review of Teacher Allowances
- Pending completion of the public service-wide review of allowances and given the upward pressure on the cost of teacher allowances, the Government has decided to make changes, with immediate effect, to the rules governing payment of qualification allowances to teachers.
- Any teacher being employed for the first time in a recognised school will not be able to obtain an allowance at a level greater than that applying to those who hold an honours degree. This means that qualifications at Masters or Doctorate level will not be paid and those who hold a H.Dip will not be permitted through any combination of allowances to exceed the level of allowance payable in respect of an Honours Degree.
- This measure does not affect allowances being paid at present to existing teachers. However those teachers will not be paid any additional allowance if they acquire any further qualification. Allowances paid for qualifications that relate to specific posts will continue to be paid but will be subject to examination in the review.
Funding for Schools / School Programmes
- Overall there will be a 2% reduction in the funding for capitation and related grants to primary and second level schools in each of 2012 and 2013 and a further 1% reduction in each of 2014 and 2015. Saving in 2012 €7 million. Full year saving €20.6 million.
- The reduction will be made through changes to the basic capitation rates. The new basic rate for primary schools will be €183. This is above the rate of €178.58 that applied in the 2007/2008 school year. For secondary schools the new rate will be €317 which is the rate that applied from 1 January 2007 with a pro rata reduction in the funding allocation to Community and Comprehensive schools and VEC schools.
- In order to inform future policy In relation to the equalisation of funding between voluntary secondary schools and other schools the Minister has asked his officials to update the data on the funding differences in each sector.
- The basic capitation reduction will apply to all schools but all DEIS schools will continue to receive the enhanced DEIS grant payment which is not being reduced.
- Other grants paid to schools including ancillary and support services funding and book grants will remain at current rates.
- The Modern Languages in Primary Schools Initiative, which has operated on a pilot basis since 1998, will be abolished. This is a long-running pilot scheme involving approximately 500 schools. Saving in 2012/13 €2.5 million. Full Year saving €2.5 million. Savings will go towards the cost of implementing the Literacy & Numeracy Strategy.
- The administration fee paid to schools for the supervision/substitution scheme will be reduced from 5% to 2%. Saving in 2012 €1.5 million. Full year saving €1.5 million.
- Changes will be announced in early 2012 to the operation of the school book grant in order to incentivise the establishment of book rental schemes in schools. This forms part of the Minister’s ongoing initiative to reduce school related costs for parents.
Higher Education
- The student contribution will increase by €250 for the academic year 2012/13. All students who are eligible for means tested student support will continue to have the student contribution paid on their behalf in addition to receiving any maintenance grant and tuition fee grant they are entitled to. Around 41% of students are currently in receipt of maintenance grants and do not pay the student contribution. The allocation for higher education institutions will be adjusted down to take account of the additional revenue from the increase in the student contribution.
- There will be a 2% reduction in core pay funding for higher education institutions in 2012, a further 2% reduction in 2013, a further 1% reduction in each 2014 and 2015. Total cumulative reduction of 6%. Saving in 2012 €17 million. Full year saving €50 million.
- There will be a 2% reduction in core non-pay funding for higher education institutions in 2012, a further 2% reduction in 2013, a further 1% reduction in each 2014 and 2015. Total cumulative reduction of 6%. Saving in 2012 €6.6 million. Full year saving €19 million.
- The Technological Sector research programme will be wound down. This programme funded master’s scholarships and project based research in the IoT sector. No new awards have been made since 2008. All existing commitments will have been met by 2012. Saving in 2012 €1 million. Full year saving €1 million.
Student grants and scholarships
- There will be changes to the fee and maintenance grants system for post-graduate studies for new entrants which currently benefits over 9,000 students. No maintenance grants will be paid for new entrants from the 2012/13 academic year. Fees will continue to be paid for those students that would previously have qualified for the special rate of grant. Over 2,000 students currently qualify for the special rate of grant. In addition, based on their means, a further 4,000 post graduate students will be awarded a €2,000 fee contribution grant. This will apply to new entrants from 2012/2013 academic year. Saving in 2012 €6 million. Full year saving €54.2 million.
- A reduction of 3% is being applied to the rates for student maintenance grants. The reduction will be implemented for all existing and new grant holders from January 2012. Saving in 2012 €6.6 million. Full year saving €6.6 million.
- The means test for student maintenance grants will be amended to take account of the value of certain capital assets as well as income. This will be introduced in the 2013/14 academic year for new entrants. Estimated saving in first year €1.5 million. Full year estimated saving €14 million.
- The allocation for the Fund for Students with Disabilities will be reduced by 20% to reflect the reduced drawdown from the fund. Saving in 2012 €2.8 million. Full year saving €2.8 million.
Further Education and Training
- The number of apprenticeship places will be reduced in line with demand. Saving in 2012 €15 million. Full year saving €15 million.
- The capitation grants paid for further education programmes will be reduced by 2% in each 2012 and 2013 with a further reduction of 1% in each 2014 and 2015. Total cumulative reduction of 6%. Saving in 2012 €2 million. Full year saving €6 million.
- The two existing allowances paid to 16 & 17 year olds participating in Youthreach, Community Training Centre and FAS courses are being merged and reduced to one standard rate of €40. The current rates are €76.65 and €95.75. Saving in 2012 €1.7 million. Full year saving €5.1 million.
Teacher education
- Savings will be achieved in the provision of Initial Teacher Education and abolition of grants towards the cost of student teachers’ attendance at summer Gaeltacht colleges. Saving in 2013 €1.3 million. Full year saving €1.7 million.
- Savings will be achieved in the provision of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for teachers. Saving in 2012 €3 million. Full year saving €3 million. The savings will be used to offset the cost of providing CPD associated with implementing the Literacy and Numeracy Strategy.
School transport
- The charge for primary school transport will increase from €50 to €100. The family maximum at primary level will increase to €220 from €110. These measures will be offset by a reduction in concessionary charges at primary level with the charge reducing from €200 to €100. The overall family maximum charge of €650 remains unchanged as does the post primary charge of €350. Saving in 2012 €0.4 million. Full Year saving €1 million.
Reduction in allocations to Education bodies
- Further savings will be made from expenditure efficiencies in the Department’s Administrative Budget (€0.6 million).
- FAS / SOLAS cumulative reduction of 6% on non-pay administrative budget over 4 years. Reduction in 2012 €0.5million. Full year €1.5 million.
- Grangegorman Development Agency reduced by €0.2million in 2012.
- Vocational Education Committees – savings arising from restructuring. €0.5 million in 2013 rising to €3million in a full year.
2013 MAIN ESTIMATE FEATURES
Budget Measures
The measures listed below will secure net savings in 2013 of €90 million, rising to €103 million in 2014 and €123 million in a full year. When account is taken of these measures the Department of Education and Skills will require further savings of some €44 million in 2014 in order to live within the expenditure ceiling set for that year.
Primary & Second Level staffing:
At primary level the staffing schedule has been protected at 28:1.
Similarly, at second level the staffing arrangements in all free schools have been maintained. In DEIS schools this figure is 18.25:1 and in mainstream schools it is 19:1.
Fee-charging schools
At a time of severely reduced resources, priorities have to be made. In an effort to ensure fairness in the education system, the PTR in fee charging schools will rise by two points to 23:1 in September 2013.
A report on the analysis of the tuition income of fee-charging schools will be published in the New Year. This report is expected to show that fee charging schools have considerable discretionary income and are best placed to manage with reduced public funding.
DEIS schools
Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools (DEIS) schools have been protected in this Budget. There have been no changes to overall teacher numbers or funding for DEIS schools as a result of this Budget.
Special Education
Similarly, the number of Resource Teachers (9,950) has been maintained as has the number of SNAs (10,575). A total of approximately €1.3 billion will be spent on special education in 2013 – the same as in 2012.
Reducing the Cost of substitution for teachers & SNAs
Sick Leave:
Civil servants are required to be referred to the occupational health service after four weeks of sick leave. Up until now, schools have not been required to refer teachers and SNAs until 12 weeks and 8 weeks of sick leave respectively. These sick leave arrangements will be made similar to those operating in the civil service and are estimated to save €4 million per annum in substitution costs.
Maternity and Adoptive Leave in Lieu:
Currently teachers and SNAs on maternity leave are entitled to an additional maximum of 30 paid absence days, in lieu of days during their period of maternity leave when the schools were closed. This benefit was introduced at a time when paid maternity leave stood at 14 weeks, rather than the 26 weeks that currently operates and was to compensate for school closures which occurred during the maternity leave period. The cost of covering the substitution for these absences in 2011/12 was approximately €20 million. This arrangement, which is not available to other public servants or private sector workers, is to be ended. This will not affect a teacher’s or SNA’s entitlements to 26 weeks’ paid leave and an optional 16 weeks’ unpaid maternity leave. A similar change will be made in respect of adoptive leave in lieu. The new measure will be introduced on May 1st 2013 in order to give some advance notice. It will result in savings of €11 million in 2013 and €20 million in a full year.
FURTHER EDUCATION
PLC Pupil Teacher Ratio
The PTR for Post Leaving Certificate (PLC) programmes will be harmonised with mainstream second level schools, from 17:1 to 19:1. This will result in a reduction of 200 PLC teaching posts and a saving of €4 million in 2013 rising to €12 million in a full year. However, there should be no adverse impact on the number of PLC places available.
Reduce supports to Further Education & Training (FET) scheme participants
Currently, jobseekers who enrol in VTOS, Youthreach and FAS training schemes can have their Jobseeker payments (personal rate) increased to the maximum €188 per week, in cases where their jobseeker payment is less than this. This arrangement will be discontinued in January, with jobseekers who move on to these schemes remaining on their existing rate of payment. However, people under 25 will continue to have their payment increased up to a maximum of €160. This decision has been taken as it is no longer considered necessary to provide a financial incentive to people to take up FET places. The measure will apply to new entrants and will save €10.5 million in 2013 and €21 million in a full year. The measure is being replicated by the Department of Social Protection in relation to the Back to Education Allowance scheme.
Reduce allocations to VECs in 2013
The 2013 allocation to the VECs will be reduced by €13.2 million. Notwithstanding the reduction, there will be no reduction in the level of services provided in 2013. However, VECs will be required to manage within their existing cash reserves on hand.
TARGETED SKILLS PROVISION
In 2013, the National Training Fund expenditure will see provision of:
- €20 million for a further call under the Labour Market Education and Training Fund, which will be targeted at the long-term unemployed and will deliver some 6,500 places in 2013;
- €23 million in respect of the Springboard initiative to increase the part time higher education opportunities for unemployed people; and
- €5 million for a second phase of ICT Skills Conversion courses. These were introduced earlier in 2012 as part of the joint industry-Government ICT Action Plan aimed at building the supply of high-level ICT graduates.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Student contribution
As already signalled, the student contribution will rise by €250 in 2013, 2014 & 2015 to a maximum of €3,000. This will raise €18.5 million next year and €37 million in 2014. All students who are eligible for student grants will continue to have the student contribution paid on their behalf. At present two out of five students are in receipt of some form of student grant. The rates of maintenance grants are being protected in this Budget.
There will be a 3% reduction in the income thresholds used when calculating entitlement to student grants in 2013. Between 1997 and 2009, the income limits were increased by an average of 4.7% each year, in line with average industrial earnings. However, the income limits over the past three years have remained unchanged, despite an estimated drop in the average industrial wage of approximately 7.9%. The 3% reduction will be applied to the income thresholds for all students from September 2013 for the 2013/2014 academic year. It will see the threshold for the maximum standard rate of grant reduce from €41,110 to €39,875 and save €2 million in 2013, rising to €5 million in a full year. Approximately 8% of the total estimated 80,000 grant recipients will be affected by the measure.
Reduce allocation to higher education institutions (HEIs) in 2013
Similar to the measure applying to the VEC sector, next year the allocation to the HEIs will be reduced by €25 million. However, the institutions will be expected to deliver the same level of student services and manage this reduction through the use of existing cash reserves held by them.
Resourcing special projects
The Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, a key priority of the Government, continues to be rolled out and will cost approximately €6.5 million in 2013.
The New Junior Cycle Framework, announced earlier this year, will be funded to the tune of €3 million in 2013.
The roll-out of high speed broadband continues, with a further 200 schools expected to be connected by September 2013. All second-level schools will receive high-speed broadband at no cost to themselves by Sept 2014.
The Schools Building programme for 2013 will see work begin on 50 projects for new schools and major extensions. This will bring the number of planned major school projects on site in 2013 to 113 as part of an overall capital expenditure on schools of almost €370 million.
Previous Budget Measures impacting in 2013
Certain teacher allocation measures introduced in earlier Budgets will also impact on teacher numbers in 2013. These include the changes in Budget 2012 announced to the staffing schedules for smaller primary schools with up to 4 teachers. This change will have a target yield of some 75 posts in 2013. A further 125 posts will be yielded on foot of the Budget 2011 decision to reduce language support posts over a 4-year period.
Summary estimated position on Teacher numbers for 2013/14 school year
|
Primary sector (posts) |
Second level sector (posts) |
Total posts |
|
|
Target savings from Budget 2013 measure in fee-charging schools |
0 |
-100 |
-100 |
|
Target savings from previous budget measures (small schools and language support) |
-200 |
0 |
-200 |
|
Estimated additional posts to cater for increased demographics |
+650 |
+550 |
+1,200 |
|
Estimated Net change in overall number of posts |
+450 |
+450 |
+900 |
When account is taken of additional posts for demographics at primary and second level (extra approximately 20,000 pupils) the net overall increase in teaching posts for the 2013/14 school year compared to the current school year is estimated to be of the order of 900 posts, as shown in the above table. This represents an estimated net increase of about 1.4% on overall teacher numbers for the 2013/14 school year compared to the current 2012/13 school year.
Capitation grants
As a result of school funding measures introduced in Budget 2012, funding for capitation and related grants to schools in 2013 will be reduced by 0.5% for primary schools and by 2% for post-primary schools (in 2012 capitation payments were reduced for primary schools by 3.5% and by 2% for post-primary schools). The overall saving will be achieved by a reduction in the standard capitation rates only, and other related grant rates will remain unchanged. The new standard capitation rates will be €176 for primary and €306 for post-primary.
Capitation rates in VTOS and PLC colleges are also being reduced by 2%, while HEIs will see reductions in core-pay and non pay funding of 2%.
Performance Budgeting – New Estimates Format
The Department’s 2013 Estimate will reflect the new Performance Budgeting format that has been introduced for Government Departments. The change to the Performance Budgeting format is an important element of the Public Sector reform process and seeks to strengthen the focus that the annual Estimates will have on actual outputs and outcomes that Departments will deliver with public funds, based on the objectives and goals contained in the Departments’ Statement of Strategy. In addition to the high level expenditure information for the Education and Skills Vote published with today’s Budget, more detailed information regarding the 2013 Estimate is being published on the Department’s website.
2014 MAIN ESTIMATES FEATURES
SCHOOLS
DEIS schools
Schools participating in DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) (DEIS) are protected in this Budget. There have been no changes to DEIS Programme teacher allocation ratios or DEIS grants to schools as a result of this Budget.
Special Education
Priority will continue to be accorded to special education. Funding for such provision of some €1.3 billion is being maintained in 2014. This includes a further €33 million to fund the education of children with special education needs in schools. The allocation for special needs represents in excess of 15% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training.
Book Rental Schemes
The expenditure allocation will provide €5 million to fund an overall 3 year investment of €15 million to support the further extension of book rental schemes to cover all primary schools. €9 million of funding is being provided to support rollout in 2014 of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy, while €4.8 million will be provided for Junior Cycle reform. All second level schools will have high-speed broadband connectivity before the end of 2014.
BUDGET MEASURES
The measures listed below will secure net current expenditure savings in 2014 of €33 million. A further €11 million will be secured by way of estimating savings across the Education and Skills Vote.
HIGHER EDUCATION
Reduce allocation to higher education institutions (HEIs) in 2013
In Budget 2013 the funding allocation to the HEIs was reduced by €25 million, with the institutions expected to manage this reduction and deliver the same level of student services through the use of existing cash reserves held by them. As a result of Budget 2014 this reduction of €25 million will be continued for a further year, again taking account of the cash balances held by HEIs.
FURTHER EDUCATION & TRAINING
Ending concurrent payments to recipients of certain social protection payments who take up FAS and Youthreach courses.
In some instances participants on FAS training courses can retain social protection payments paid by the Department of Social Protection, as well as receiving their €188 FAS and Youthreach training allowance. These concurrent payments, which are not payable to participants in Community Employment or VTOS schemes, are now being ended for new entrants to FAS and Youthreach training courses. This measure will yield €5 million in savings in 2014.
Abolition of €20 long-term unemployment bonus paid to FAS, VTOS and Youthreach participants.
The payment of this allowance goes back to a time of full employment when there was a concern to incentivise the long-term unemployed to engage with labour market activation efforts. This payment will end for new entrants and will save €2.1 million in 2014 and €6.7 million in a full year. However, course participants will continue to receive meal and travel allowances.
FAS apprentices to pay a pro-rata Student Contribution proportionate to the time they spend in Institutes of Technology
Apprentices attend IOTs for two ten-week periods during their four-year apprenticeships. The pro-rata student contribution (currently €540) in respect of each period spent in the IOTs, paid up to now by the Exchequer, will from 2014 be paid by the apprentices themselves, yielding an annual Exchequer saving of €1.6 million.
Alignment of certain Further Education and Training Allowances
Changes being introduced by the Department of Social Protection mean that new claimants of Jobseekers Allowance aged 25 years will from 2014 receive a reduced maximum payment of €144 per week, increased to €160 where a person participates in certain education and training programmes. To align social protection payments with payments made to participants in further education and training, such persons who enrol in VTOS, Youthreach and FAS training schemes will from 2014 also receive this €160 rate.
TEACHER NUMBERS
Provision is made in the 2014 estimates for increases in teacher numbers due to demographics, as well as for increases in resource teacher numbers to maintain individual resource teacher allocations at existing levels. The table below shows the projected impact next year of these increases in numbers, net of reductions for the application of earlier budget measures. The net overall increase in teaching posts for the 2014/15 school year compared to the current school year is estimated to be of the order of 1,395 posts, as shown in the above table. This represents an estimated net increase of about 2.2% on overall teacher numbers for the 2014/15 school year compared to the current 2013/14 school year.
Estimated position on Teacher numbers in schools for 2014/15 school year
|
- |
Primary sector (posts) |
Second level sector (posts) |
Total posts |
|
Target savings from previous budget measures (small schools and language support) |
-155 |
0 |
-155 |
|
Estimated additional posts to cater for increased demographics and provision for additional resource teachers |
+1,050 |
+500 |
+1,550 |
|
Estimated Net change in overall number of posts |
+895 |
+500 |
+1,395 |
2015 MAIN FEATURES
Department of Education and Skills - Main Estimate Features
The 2015 Estimate provides for the recruitment of approximately 900 extra mainstream teachers and 480 Resource Teachers in schools. Provision is also made for the employment of extra Special Needs Assistants, with an increased ceiling of 11,330 posts for 2015. Funding is included for the progression of key policy initiatives including the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategy (€6 million), Junior Cycle Reform (€5 million), high-speed broadband for second level schools (€3 million), the Music Generation Project (€1m) and the recruitment of additional inspectors for Early Years education settings (€0.6 million). A further €5 million will be made available in capital funding as part of the 3 year €15 million investment to extend book rental schemes to cover all primary schools.
SCHOOLS
The Estimate allows for adjustments in teacher numbers for demographics and also provides for increases in Resource Teacher numbers in order to maintain individual allocations at existing levels. This will give rise to an increase in overall teacher numbers of the order of 1,380. The existing cap on SNA numbers of 10,965 posts will be increased by 365 posts to 11,330, mainly in response to demographic pressures.
Staffing schedules are not being increased in the Budget. The table below shows estimated numbers of teachers and SNAs in schools for the 2015/2016 year.
TEACHERS
|
TEACHERS |
Primary sector (posts) |
Second level sector (posts) |
Total posts |
|
Projected numbers for end 2014 |
33,725 |
28,365 |
62,090 |
|
Estimated additional posts in 2015 to cater for increased demographics and provision for additional resource teachers* |
+ 910 (600 demographics + 310 Resource Teachers) |
+ 470 (300 demographics + 170 Resource Teachers) |
+ 1,380 |
|
Projected total number of teachers at end 2015 |
34,635 |
28,835 |
63,470 |
|
SNAs |
Primary sector (posts) |
Second level sector (posts) |
Total posts |
|
Existing 2014 Employment Control Framework (ECF) Ceiling |
8,770 |
2,195 |
10,965 |
|
Estimated additional posts* between now and end 2015 to cater mainly for increased demographics (145 of additional 365 posts in place before end 2014) |
270 |
95 |
+ 365 |
|
Projected total number of SNAs at end 2015 |
9,040 |
2,290 |
11,330 |
*Increases in Resource Teacher and SNA numbers will require a Government decision
Special Education
Funding for special education provision in 2015 will amount to some €1.37bn billion, which is equivalent to 17.3% of the gross overall current allocation for education and training.
HIGHER EDUCATION
The reduction in the funding allocation to Higher Education Institutions of €25 million, implemented in Budgets 2013 and 2014, will be restored in 2015.
FURTHER EDUCATION & TRAINING
The allocation for further education and training, through both Voted expenditure and the National Training Fund, will enable the provision of approximately 270,000 further education and training places to be maintained.
STUDENT SUPPORT
Students who are entitled to maintenance grants under the student grant scheme will from 2015/16 receive four months of maintenance payments before the end of December and five months payments in the following year. This is a change to the current arrangement whereby three months payments are made before end December and six months payments are made the following year, and takes account of requests to alleviate financial difficulties being experienced by students due to the fact that the academic year now starts earlier in many higher education institutions.
Payments to the Higher Education Institutions in respect of the student contribution for those students receiving student grants will be paid in two instalments, in December 2015 and January 2016, rather than in a single instalment.
PREVIOUS BUDGET MEASURES IMPACTING IN 2015
The allocation for 2015 also takes account of savings deriving from measures announced in previous Budgets which will be implemented in 2015. These measures are summarised below.
Student contribution in higher education
- A final €250 increase in the student contribution, arising from a decision in Budget 2013, will bring the amount of the contribution to €3,000 for the 2015/16 academic year. This measure will secure net savings of €17 million in 2016. All students eligible for student grants will continue to have the student contribution paid on their behalf. Currently over 50% of under-graduates are in receipt of some form of student grant. The rates of maintenance grants are being protected in this Budget.
Capitation grants
- A final 1% reduction in capitation and related grants to primary and post-primary schools, under a measure announced in Budget 2012, will take place in 2015 and will yield savings of approximately €3 million, achieved by a reduction in the standard capitation rates, with other related grant rates remaining unchanged. The new standard mainstream capitation rates in 2015 will be €170 (from €173) for primary and €296 (from €301) for post-primary. This reduction, however, will be offset by an additional allocation of approximately €5 million to provide for increased pupil numbers in schools.
- Capitation rates in Youthreach, VTOS and PLC colleges are also being reduced by a final 1% in 2015 (yield €1 million), while core pay and non-pay funding grants to higher education institutions will also be reduced by a final 1%, yielding €11 million.
CAPITAL EXPENDITURE ALLOCATION
The capital allocation of €530 million will be principally deployed on the school sector (€450m), Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects (€18m) and on Higher Education projects (€55m).
The focus in the school sector continues to be the provision of additional permanent places to meet the demographic need at both primary and post-primary levels. Later this year the 2015 Large Scale Projects Programme will be announced and these projects will be primed to advance to tender and construction throughout 2015. The announcement will also include details of the projects on the 2013 and 2014 programmes that are on site. It is expected that over 50 large scale projects will reach substantial completion in 2015.
School places are not only delivered by the completion of Large Scale School Projects but also under the devolved Additional Accommodation Scheme. Other expenditure items in 2015 will include acquiring sites for school buildings, the emergency works scheme, the 2014 Summer Works Scheme, funding furniture and equipment requests and other smaller commitments.
Most of the PPP allocation is in respect of Unitary Charges associated with Bundle 3 Schools.
Expenditure on the Higher Education sector will feature the completion of the St Patrick’s Teacher Training College, Drumcondra and on-going development works at DIT Grangegorman as well as the commencement of the Human Biology Building at NUI Galway, an extension to the library at Limerick University, construction of the Confucius Institute at UCD and an infrastructure fund for the institute of technology sector.