Written Answers Nos. 995 to 1013
995. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update in respect of a school (details supplied) in Dublin 24, stating the progress made to date, the next steps and expected timeframe; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22187/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Design Team on the project for the school referred to by the Deputy has recently completed stage 2(a) and has been authorised to progress to Stage 2(b), which includes the application for planning permission and other statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. Following the completion of stage 2(b) the project will then be authorised to proceed to tender and construction stages. The project is included in my Department's five year building programme to proceed to Tender and Construction in 2015/16. Patronage of the new school was granted to the ETB and the intended start-date for the schools first intake of pupils is the commencement of the school year 2016/17.
996. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a detailed report, in tabular form, of the average class size, per subject, in secondary schools. [22191/15]
Amharc ar fhreagra997. Deputy Ruth Coppinger asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the class size policy (details supplied) of the Association of Secondary Teachers, Ireland is followed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22192/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 996 and 997 together.
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 website. In accordance with these rules each school management authority is required to organise its subject options and class sizes 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 a matter for the school management authorities. The Government's approach to restoring the economy has helped Ireland to return to a position where we are seeing economic growth. It is a continuing improvement in our economic growth over a sustained period that will enable us to move to a point where we can look again at providing for additional teacher resources in schools which could bring about further improvement in PTR, class size and support for classroom teachers. The challenge for all schools is to ensure that they utilise their allocated resources to best effect to maximise teaching and learning outcomes.
998. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Mayo is entitled to be paid at the pre-January 2011 salary scale as a teacher, similar to those persons who qualified at the same time, and in view of the fact that this person can provide evidence of his employment in 2010. [22277/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe person referred to by the Deputy is regarded as a new appointee to teaching under the terms of Circular 0040/2011. The terms of that Circular apply only to personnel who are paid on payrolls operated by my Department or by Education and Training Boards and not to personnel employed and paid by an individual school managerial authority. Personnel whose first teaching appointment was paid for by the Department of Education and Skills or an Education and Training Board after 1st January 2011 are considered new appointees under the terms of Circular 0040/2011.
999. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills her views on the discrepancy in the payments made to qualified teachers recognised by the Teaching Council, who are employed in post-leaving certificate colleges subject to the Haddington Road agreement, who are undertaking extra substitution and supervising hours without payment and who are required to sign up to the Teaching Council on a yearly basis, while those without qualifications receive similar levels of pay and are not required to undertake the extra work required by the Haddington Road agreement or to pay the Teaching Council. [22280/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI assume that the Deputy is referring to posts in PLC colleges which were reclassified from teacher to tutor on the commencement of Section 30 of the Teaching Council Act on 28 January 2014. Section 30 provides that teachers in recognised schools must be registered with the Teaching Council in order to be paid by the State (save in limited, exceptional circumstances). In the lead-up to the commencement of section 30, it was recognised that there were posts in certain subject areas which were occupied by people who were not qualified teachers but whose posts had traditionally been classified as teaching posts. In some such cases, teaching qualifications are not required or appropriate. In other cases, a primary degree or equivalent qualification recognised by the Teaching Council in the subject area in question may not be available, giving rise to concerns about the ongoing supply of qualified staff. There are, therefore, posts that can be filled by people with appropriate qualifications or experience without an approved teaching qualification. It is in the educational interests of students that the people delivering the courses have appropriate qualifications or experience, and it is in the public interest that such courses and activities can continue.
In this regard, certain posts (including posts in PLC colleges) were reclassified as tutor posts and are therefore no longer regarded as teaching posts. The holders of these posts are not subject to the requirements of section 30. PLC courses/modules re-designated to be delivered by a tutor include Beauty Therapy, Hairdressing, Security Studies, Animal Care/Grooming and First Aid. Persons employed in these posts at the date of commencement of section 30 retained their current rate of pay and their current terms and conditions of employment. New appointees will be paid as tutors.
1000. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of qualified teachers, members of the Teaching Council, who operate in post-leaving certificate colleges, and the number of unqualified teaching staff, and the reason unqualified persons are allowed to work as teachers. [22281/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe PLC programme is operated mainly by Education and Training Boards (ETBs) and the staff in PLC are employed by each ETB. My Department does not hold current data on the number of staff employed in PLC or on their qualifications.
Section 30 of The Teaching Council Act 2014 which was commenced on 28 January 2014, provides that teachers in recognised schools, including PLC teachers, must be registered with the Teaching Council in order to be paid by the State (save in limited, exceptional circumstances). In the lead-up to the commencement of Section 30, it was recognised that there were posts in certain subject areas which were occupied by people who were not qualified teachers but whose posts had traditionally been classified as teaching posts. In some such cases, teaching qualifications are not required or appropriate. In other cases, a primary degree or equivalent qualification recognised by the Teaching Council in the subject area in question was not available, giving rise to concerns about the ongoing supply of qualified staff.
There are, therefore, posts that can be filled by people with appropriate qualifications or experience without an approved teaching qualification. It is in the educational interests of students that the people delivering the courses have appropriate qualifications or experience, and it is in the public interest that such courses and activities can continue.
In that regard, certain posts in PLC colleges/schools were reclassified as tutor posts and are therefore no longer regarded as teaching posts. The holders of these posts are not subject to the requirements of section 30. PLC courses/modules re-designated to be delivered by a tutor include Beauty Therapy, Hairdressing, Security Studies, Animal Care/Grooming and First Aid. There is also provision for the employment of industry or sectoral experts to deliver programme content where this is deemed necessary. Staff in these areas are employed as tutors or on a contract for service.
1001. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of staff who had reached 65 years of age, had retired from an institute of further education (details supplied) in County Wicklow and who were requested to return to teach; and if she is aware of the case of a person who is 80 years of age and who is employed in the sector. [22282/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe employment of staff in Education and Training Boards (ETB) is an operational matter for individual ETBs as employers. Kildare and Wicklow ETB, the employer in this case, has informed my Department that one former staff member who had retired was asked to return late in the academic year for an average of 2 hours per week and another staff member who works on average less than one hour per day has recently reached eighty years of age.
1002. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide an update on a new school building project (details supplied) in County Clare; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22287/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that the project brief for a new 12 classroom school building to meet the long term accommodation needs of the school in question has been finalised. The next stage involves the commencement of the architectural planning process and the appointment of a design team to advance the project. In the meantime, interim accommodation has been approved to meet the schools immediate accommodation needs.
1003. Deputy Michelle Mulherin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) in County Mayo for grant aid for major capital works for national schools, which was received by her Department on 4 January 2010; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22288/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA major application for a new school building has been received by my Department in respect of the school referred to by the Deputy. The current status of all projects on the school building programme, including the school referred to by the Deputy, may be viewed on my Department's website at www.education.ie which is updated regularly throughout the year. Due to competing demands on my Department's capital budget, imposed by the need to prioritise funding available for the provision of essential additional classroom accommodation, it is not possible for my Department to provide an indicative timeframe for the progression of the major project in question at this time.
1004. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of difficulties encountered by parents in rural areas when paying examination fees to the State Examinations Commission; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22294/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to the Deputy.
1005. Deputy Gerry Adams asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to allow for alternative methods of payment to the State Examinations Commission as persons in many rural areas have no access to banks and often have to make a considerable journey to make a payment ; the reason that no online or post office payment systems are currently available; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22295/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations. In view of this I have forwarded the Deputy's query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to the Deputy.
1006. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 810 of 26 May 2015, the reason her Department did not also facilitate the parents of the children who attended the two other service providers that existed at that time, in view of the fact that her Department was fully aware of their existence, as per departmental records dated 18 June 2007, but instead her Department decided to only offer an agreement to just one private commercial organisation, exclusively, for over five years, enabling that commercial company to expand to over 16 classes, while the two other service providers ended up closing their services, one of which was a parent-led charity set up because the parents were offered no educational service for their children when they were first diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (details supplied). [22339/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Deputy's question specifically refers to two organisations which the Deputy advises have since closed and, of which, one was a charitable organisation funded by parents. The Deputy has also provided correspondence indicating that officials in my Department knew in 2007 of (at least) two private organisations providing or proposing to provide services to children with Autism. I understand that, since then, my Department has become aware of a number of other organisations with similar aims. It is not possible to determine from this correspondence whether the two organisations to which the Deputy refers in the question are in fact the two organisations which were referenced in the correspondence provided. In order to deal fully with the Deputy's question it is necessary that the organisations to which the Deputy refers are identified so that the issues raised can be addressed.
1007. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 811 of 26 May 2015, if she will confirm that the millions of euro that were paid annually to the one private commercial company were made under the heading of the home tuition grant scheme, in view of the fact that the arrangement letter issued on 23 December 2008 by her Department in the title of the letter refers explicitly to the home tuition grant; in view of this, if she will explain her statement that the group arrangements to which the Deputy refers were not a feature of the home tuition scheme at that time, in view of the fact that they clearly were a feature of the scheme; and if she will further explain the reason full details of the departmental arrangement with the one private commercial organisation was not included in the annual circular for each of the past seven years. [22340/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe terms of the Home Tuition scheme have been clearly set out in annual circulars since the commencement of the scheme. As I have advised in the past the arrangements were approved by my Department in response to requests from some parents of children who were eligible under the terms of the scheme for Home Tuition but who were seeking these arrangements as an alternative. Where parents of children, who are eligible for Home Tuition under the terms of the scheme, seek access to alternative arrangements and where such arrangements are available to the parents/guardians and eligible children, my Department has responded and will continue to respond to such requests with consideration and sympathy and with whatever flexibility can be applied. Approval of these arrangements was exclusively for children who were eligible under the terms of the scheme and constituted a flexible and compassionate approach which was equitable, reasonable and fair. These arrangements were not available for children who were not eligible under the terms of the scheme. It is entirely appropriate that where Monies provided for Home Tuition, which would ordinarily have issued to parents but which now, at the request of parents issue to a private provider in line with these arrangements, should be referred to as Home Tuition funding and where appropriate this would be reflected in associated correspondence. As previously advised there are now arrangements in place with 6 private pre – school providers which provide group tuition to children in a class type setting for children for home tuition has been approved. In recent times there has been stronger demand from parents/guardians of children for whom home tuition has been approved to be accommodated in this regard and during this school year my Department commenced advising parents of the option to enter into a group arrangement with other parents of children for whom home tuition has been approved. However parents wishing to enter into such an arrangement must notify my Department in advance for approval.
1008. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 270 of 17 July 2014, if the pension related deduction was improperly applied to a person (details supplied) who is an employee of a college but who has no public service pension entitlement. [22351/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act 2009 the Pension-Related Deduction (PRD) is applicable to staff of public bodies (including schools) who are entitled to receive a public service pension. The PRD is not applicable to staff of public bodies who are not entitled to receive a public service pension. Officials from my Department have confirmed with the employer of the person referenced by the Deputy in his question that the PRD is not being applied in this person's case.
1009. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Education and Skills her plans to ensure that an application for a sports hall by a school (details supplied) in County Westmeath, which was originally submitted in November 2005 and resubmitted in March 2008, and which has been identified in a recent whole-school evaluation-management leadership and learning document as being extremely important in the context of providing for the organisation of physical education classes on wet days and other extra-curricular activities within the school, can now be addressed without delay; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22388/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to assure the Deputy that my Department fully recognises the key role of physical exercise within the school environment and continues to respond to the need to improve Physical Education facilities for all pupils attending schools within the constraints of the available funding. I also wish to advise the Deputy that the Physical Education curriculum has been designed on the basis that facilities in schools may vary. Practically all schools have outdoor play areas which are used for teaching different aspects of the P.E. programme. In addition, many schools use local facilities, which can include public parks, playing fields and swimming pools. As the Deputy is also aware, due to the competing demands on my Department's capital budget imposed by the need to prioritise available funding for the provision of essential school classroom accommodation, it is not possible at this point to provide an indicative timeframe for the provision of funding towards a multi-purpose/PE hall for the school concerned.
1010. Deputy Sandra McLellan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the planning permission for a new school (details supplied) in Fermoy, County Cork, will be lodged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22457/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraA planning application for the building project at the school to which the Deputy refers is scheduled to be lodged shortly. The planning notification advert has been published and the school authority has been so informed.
1011. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason post graduate courses in social work are not available, given the age profile of many mature students, who would be excellent candidates for such courses, but whose commitments prevent them from taking up full-time courses. [22473/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraUniversities and Institutes of Technology are autonomous institutions within the meaning of the Universities Act 1997 and the Institutes of Technology Acts 1992 to 2006. The management of their academic affairs, including the selection and delivery of courses are matters for individual institutions. All universities and institutes of technology receive a block grant from the Higher Education Authority and it is a matter for each institution to determine how it is allocated internally. Accordingly, I have no function in relation to the issue raised by the Deputy.
1012. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if she is aware of the important work done in the behaviour support classroom in a school (details supplied) in County Cork; that this was a vital support and necessity given that it was in a Revitalising Areas by Planning, Investment and Development (RAPID) area and all of the feeder schools were Delivering Equality of Opportunity in School Band 1; that the school depends on the behaviour support classroom to provide a positive learning environment; and her plans to have this classroom reinstated at the school for the next academic year. [22475/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS) promotes and supports positive behaviour through the provision of a systematic continuum of support to school communities. The service assists partner post primary schools in addressing behavioural concerns in schools within the available resources. The Department has been informed by the NBSS that for the academic year 2014-2015, the school referred to by the Deputy is no longer considered to have the same high level of need as other schools working with the NBSS and the Behaviour for Learning Programme Teacher post is being withdrawn. The NBSS will continue to include the school in behaviour improvement interventions in the next school year.
1013. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of commissions of investigation established under the aegis of her Department, in tabular form, since the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 came into effect; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22752/15]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm to the Deputy that no commissions of investigations have been established under the Commissions of Investigation Act 2004 within my Department since the commencement of that Act.
