Written Answers Nos. 340-353
340. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the detail of his Department's work on setting up a relocation panel for permanent primary school teachers who need to relocate but do not wish to resign their position; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10462/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe provisions of the teacher exchange scheme are set out by my Department in Circular Letter 0017/2015 the contents of which were agreed under the auspices of the Teacher Conciliation Council. The Teacher Conciliation Council is part of the scheme of Conciliation and Arbitration for Teachers and was set up to deal with claims and proposals relating to the Terms and Conditions of employment of teachers. The Council is composed of representatives of teachers, school management, the Department of Education and Skills, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and is chaired by an official of the Workplace Relations Commission.
The Teacher Exchange scheme is open to primary teachers who are registered with the Teaching Council, have completed probation and who wish to exchange their posts for educational purposes. Educational purposes would include enabling teachers in primary schools to gain experience of teaching in different types of settings. The concept is that teachers will gain a different experience, enrich their knowledge and understanding of their professional work and share this understanding with colleagues.
The minimum period for which an exchange may occur is one year and the maximum is five years.
In 2016 the issue of this limit and the purpose of the scheme was reviewed under the auspices of Teachers Conciliation Council. Having considered the matter and taking into account all circumstances both the union and management partners considered that their preferred option is to retain the existing scheme as set out in the published circular.
However, in response to a request for consideration of a voluntary transfer scheme for Primary Teachers from the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation, I have decided to extend the maximum period for which an exchange may occur for those teachers in their fifth and sixth year of exchange for one further year.
This new voluntary transfer scheme is to be considered under the auspices of the Teacher Conciliation Council.
341. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the enrolment to the Irish medium Aonad at a school (details supplied) in County Kildare for September 2014, 2015 and 2016 demonstrates sufficient viability for the establishment of a Gaelcholáiste for north Kildare; if a final decision on the establishment of the Gaelcholáiste for north Kildare will be taken based on the enrolment to the Aonad at the school for September 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10463/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the November 2015 announcement on the new primary and post-primary schools which will open in 2017 and 2018, and in view of the continued support for a Gaelcholáiste, it was confirmed that a Gaelcholáiste to serve the North Kildare area will open in 2019, subject to the continued viability of the Irish-medium Aonad at the school referred to by the Deputy.
My Department will continue to monitor the enrolment trend for the Aonad and to work closely with the Education and Training Board and An Foras Pátrúnachta in relation to the establishment of the Gaelcholáiste.
342. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the potential impact of the Bus Éireann industrial dispute on access to school transport for students; the alternative measures being explored to transport children to school; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10469/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently over 115,000 children, including almost 12,000 children with special educational needs, are being transported in over 4,000 vehicles on a daily basis to primary and post-primary schools throughout the country covering over 100 million kilometres annually.
Bus Éireann has confirmed that more than 98% of the 115,000 children are accommodated on dedicated school transport services which are currently expected to run normally in the event of an industrial dispute.
An industrial dispute is likely to affect Bus Éireann’s public bus services on which the remaining children avail of school transport under the Scheme. In the circumstances, it may not be possible to put alternative measures in place for these children. However, Bus Éireann have been asked to examine the situation.
Bus Éireann School Transport Offices will arrange to send email notification to families affected in the event that disruption is likely to happen.
343. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the administration and maintenance staffing levels in the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board since the organisations merged in July 2013 to date in 2017; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10324/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAdministrative and maintenance staffing levels in ETBs are predominately funded from the Schools and Head Office Programme pay budgets that are provided annually by my Department to each ETB. The quarterly staffing returns for Galway and Roscommon ETB show that it had 106.75 whole-time equivalent posts at 30 June 2013 funded in this manner. The equivalent figure for 30 September 2016 is 92.21 whole time equivalent posts.
Staffing approvals from my Department for categories of staff such as teachers, school support staff and head office administration staff are allocated to the ETB scheme. The way in which such staff are allocated between Head Office, individual schools, colleges and other centres is a matter for each ETB.
As was the case with the public sector generally, overall administrative and maintenance staffing levels in the ETB sector have reduced since 2009 as a result of the moratorium on public sector recruitment. Limited alleviation arrangements were put in place to ensure that schools have at least one secretary, caretaker and cleaner.
ETBs are also provided with Schools Services Support Funding from my Department to assist with the provision of support services for schools. ETBs may use this funding to buy-in additional secretarial support for schools on an agency type basis. The level of this funding provided to Galway and Roscommon ETB increased from €547,952 in 2013 to €688,581 in 2017.
In relation to head office vacancies, my Department’s overall approach to the filling of vacancies is guided by what is affordable within the ETB budget, how the staffing level in the ETB compares to similar sized ETBs, and what are the staffing pressures and priorities in the ETB in question. In this regard, my Department recently met with the senior management of Galway and Roscommon ETB. Following this meeting, my Department sanctioned the filling of a temporary Assistant Principal (including associated back-filling) and 2 Grade III posts in order to support the ETB in implementing its functions and the restructuring and streamlining process that is underway in the ETB.
In addition and in order to strengthen the senior management team across the ETB sector, my Department has sanctioned the filling of a number of Director posts in individual ETBs which include a Director of Further Education and Training, Director of Schools and a Director of Organisation Support & Development post. These Director posts have been, or are in the process of being, filled via a recruitment process conducted by the Public Appointments Service.
344. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funds and programmes available for further development of talented young musicians while undergoing second level education; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3954/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department currently supports the Music Generation initiative to the value of €2.5m per year, in respect of the 11 local Music Education Partnerships (MEPs) established under Phase 1 of the initiative and which were initially supported through philanthropic funding.
In January 2016, a commitment was given by the Department of Education and Skills, subject to Exchequer resources, to provide further funding to support a second phase of the Music Generation initiative when philanthropic support for the new MEPS established during this phase ends. This commitment will see Exchequer support increase by a further € 2.1m year from 2020.
On 23 January 2017, an open call was announced for Music Education Partnerships to apply for inclusion in Phase 2 of Music Generation. A total of €3m in funding, from philanthropic investment by U2 and The Ireland Fund, is available through this call, which will enable Music Generation’s expansion into new areas of the Republic of Ireland between 2017 and 2021.
The Department of Education and Skills also established the new Non-mainstream Music Education Bursary Scheme in February 2016. In 2017 the scheme is worth €100,000 and will be launched February. The Purpose of the scheme is to provide support by way of a cash grant to established, smaller-scale, non-mainstream music education/community music initiatives with limited or no access to other forms of public funding.
Co-operation hours are provided to five Education and Training Boards. These include Cork ETB, Limerick Clare ETB, City of Dublin ETB and Galway Roscommon. In many instances these initiatives provide access to non-mainstream music education. In addition in Cork, Limerick, Clare and City of Dublin funding is provided under co-operation hours for Schools of Music programmes for further development of talented young musicians whilst undergoing second level education.
Creative Ireland is the Government’s Legacy Programme for Ireland 2016. It is a five year initiative, from 2017 to 2022, which places creativity at the centre of public policy. Devising an integrated implementation plan for arts in education is a priority for Creative Ireland under Pillar 1. The plan – “Creative Children” – will be launched in September 2017. A key objective of Creative Ireland Pillar 1 is that by 2022 every child in Ireland will have access to tuition and participation in other art forms such as art, music, drama and coding. My Department will be a key partner in implementing this objective.
345. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the tribunals established under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921 to 2011, in tabular form; the number of days each tribunal sat for; the gross cost of each tribunal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10769/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information sought by the Deputy is currently being compiled by my Department and will be forwarded shortly.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A:
I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 10769/17 of 28 February 2017 in which you requested details from my Department of tribunals established under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921 to 2011, in tabular form; the number of days each tribunal sat for, the gross cost of each tribunal.
In my reply, I had stated that the information sought was not available at the time but would be forwarded to you separately. I am now in a position to provide the relevant information.
I can confirm that my Department has not established any tribunals under the Tribunals of Inquiry (Evidence) Acts 1921 to 2011. The Ryan Tribunal on Teachers’ Salaries which ran from January 1968 to April 1968 was a non statutory tribunal established by the then Minister for Education, Mr. Brian Lenihan, following consultation with the three major teacher organisations at the time.
346. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Tithíochta, Pleanála, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil cad é an costas breise a bhainfeadh le hoifigeach Gaeilge lánaimseartha a earcú i ngach comhairle contae nach bhfuil oifigeach Gaeilge acu faoi láthair. [10173/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra347. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Peadar Tóibín den Aire Tithíochta, Pleanála, Pobail agus Rialtais Áitiúil cé mhéad oifigeach Gaeilge atá fostaithe i gcomhairlí contae ar fud an Stáit; cá háit sa tír a bhfuil siad fostaithe; agus an ndeimhneoidh sé i ngach cás an post é atá dírithe ar dhualgas Gaeilge amháin. [10174/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraTá sé i gceist agam Ceisteanna Uimhir 346 agus 347a thógáil le chéile.
Bailíonn mo Roinn eolas go ráithiúil ar líon na bhfoirne sna húdaráis áitiúla. Ní soláthraíonn an t-eolas sin mionsonraí maidir le hoifigigh Gaeilge atá fostaithe sna húdaráis áitiúla ar fud na tíre. Mar sin de, níl an t-eolas iarrtha maidir le líon na n-oifigeach, cá bhfuil siad nó an costas airgeadais a bhaineann leo ar fáil i mo Roinnse.
De réir alt 159 den Acht Rialtais Áitiúil, 2001, tá gach príomhfheidhmeannach freagrach as na socruithe foirne agus eagraíochtúla atá riachtanach le haghaidh feidhmeanna an údaráis áitiúil ata faoin a chúram nó a cúram a chur i gcrích.
348. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government if he will provide a full report on the actions and investigations being taken on foot of the reports of the Flood and Mahon and Moriarty tribunals; the status of these investigations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10267/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFollowing the publication of the Moriarty Tribunal Report in March 2011, my Department examined and considered the recommendations in the Report in relation to political funding. The Tribunal recommended that the income of political parties be disclosed and that political donations, apart from those under a modest threshold, be reported.
The Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Act 2012, (the 2012 Act), addressed issues that were central to the recommendations on political funding made in the Moriarty Tribunal Report. The 2012 Act significantly enhanced the openness and transparency of political funding in Ireland and brought into force restrictions on corporate donations and considerable reductions in the maximum amount that a political party or an individual can accept as a political donation. The donation limit for a political party was reduced from €6,348.69 to €2,500, while for an individual politician or candidate it fell from €2,539.48 to €1,000. A limit of €200 was placed on donations in cash. The threshold for the receipt of anonymous donations was reduced to €100. The donation threshold amount that gives rise to the requirement to open a political donations account was reduced to €100. Anonymous indirect donations were banned. The threshold at which political party donations must be reported and published was reduced from €5,078.95 to €1,500.
The 2012 Act also provides for the disclosure and public inspection of the accounts of registered political parties. In this connection, parties are required to have their accounts audited each year and to submit to the Standards in Public Office Commission (SIPO) an Annual Statement of Accounts and a copy of the auditor’s report on the accounts.
These requirements first applied for the year 2015 and in December 2016, SIPO furnished the Political Parties Statement of Accounts Report 2015 to the Chairman of Dáil Éireann. The report with the Statements of Accounts is published on the SIPO website.
The Final Report of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments (otherwise known as the Mahon Tribunal) published in March 2012, made a total of 64 recommendations, 10 of which were planning- related. While some of the planning-related recommendations have already been implemented, the Planning and Development (Amendment) Bill 2016, published January 2016, is primarily intended to give legislative effect to the remaining planning-related recommendations proposed to be implemented. The Bill provides for the implementation of the following recommendations:
- the establishment of a new independent Office of the Planning Regulator,
- the statutory underpinning of the proposed new national planning framework as a successor to the 2002 National Spatial Strategy, and
- other updates to the Planning and Development Act 2000 that are necessary to deliver greater transparency, efficiency and integrity in the planning system
The Bill has commenced its Oireachtas passage and is currently awaiting Committee Stage in the Dáil.
Issues in relation to any criminal investigations arising from the Mahon Tribunal are a matter for An Garda Síochána.
349. Deputy Paul Kehoe asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the status of planning guidelines that would stipulate a minimum distance of 1 km for wind turbines as proposed after the general election 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10300/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2013, my Department published proposed draft revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed:
- the setting of a more stringent day and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,
- a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations, and
- the complete elimination of shadow flicker between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings.
A public consultation process was also initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, which ran until February 2014. The Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process.
In light of the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to finalise the Guidelines and ongoing policy and legal developments in this area, my Department is continuing to advance work on the Guidelines and related matters in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, in order to bring the various issues to a conclusion as early as possible. I expect to be in a position to make a statement on the matter in the coming weeks, outlining the timelines for implementation of the various elements.
350. Deputy Willie Penrose asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government when he envisages that windfarm planning guidelines, regulations and criteria will be brought forward which take account of the current scientific knowledge and World Health Organization guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10467/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn December 2013, my Department published proposed draft revisions to the noise, setback distance and shadow flicker aspects of the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines. These draft revisions proposed:
- the setting of a more stringent day and night-time noise limit of 40 decibels for future wind energy developments,
- a mandatory minimum setback distance of 500 metres between a wind turbine and the nearest dwelling for amenity considerations, and
- the complete elimination of shadow flicker between wind turbines and neighbouring dwellings.
A public consultation process was also initiated on these proposed draft revisions to the 2006 Wind Energy Development Guidelines, which ran until February 2014. The Department received submissions from 7,500 organisations and members of the public during this public consultation process.
In light of the commitment in the Programme for a Partnership Government to finalise the Guidelines and ongoing policy and legal developments in this area, my Department is continuing to advance work on the Guidelines and related matters in conjunction with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment, in order to bring the various issues to a conclusion as early as possible. I expect to be in a position to make a statement on the matter in the coming weeks, outlining the timelines for implementation of the various elements.
351. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9559/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Local Government (Sanitary Services) Acts, 1878 to 2001, local authorities are deemed to be burial boards for their respective functional areas. Acting in their capacity as burial boards, local authorities are responsible for the management, regulation and control of burial grounds in their functional area. However, that said, in late 2016, having consulted with the relevant Local Authority, Kerry County Council, my Department wrote to the person concerned advising him that Kerry County Council had investigated this matter, that staff from Kerry County Council met with him and had also visited the graveyard in his company.
My Department also advised him that the Council has indicated that while it is responsible for maintaining burial records, the ownership of a burial plot is the personal estate of the purchaser and may be assigned in his/her lifetime or bequeathed in his/her will as provided for under Section 44 of the Cemeteries Clauses Act 1847. The Council has also indicated that it does not have any information where the right of burial may have been assigned or bequeathed by the original owner of a plot to a third party.
I understand that the Chief Executive and Director of Services met the person concerned last December and also wrote to him last week restating the Council’s position.
352. Deputy Catherine Connolly asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the names of the members of the MLVC responsible for reports (details supplied), in view of the fact these reports informed his decision to grant a 35-year foreshore licence to the Marine Institute on foot of an application; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9568/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe reports for the application in question were completed by my Department’s Water and Marine Advisory Engineer.
As the Minister with responsibility for making the decision on this application under the 1933 Foreshore Act, I am satisfied that all aspects of the application and its supporting documentation together with any issues raised during the consultation period were fully considered within the legislative framework. The basis on which my decision was made is contained with in the ‘Ministers Approval to Grant a Licence’ document that can be viewed on my Department’s website at:
http://www.housing.gov.ie/sites/default/files/foreshore-applications/application-documents/approved_submission_to_minister_redacted.pdf.
353. Deputy Barry Cowen asked the Minister for Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government the total number of local area plans, strategic development zones and county development plans in operation; the number in operation in 2005 and 2010, on a local authority basis, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9573/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded to the Deputy in accordance with Standing Orders.
The deferred reply under Standing Order 42A was forwarded to the Deputy.
