Written Answers Nos 510-529
510. Deputy Mick Wallace asked the Minister for Education and Skills the contracts awarded to a company (details supplied) per annum since March 2011 in tabular form by his Department or agency or body under the aegis of his Department; the cost per contract; the basis for each contract; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27450/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the Deputy’s question concerning contracts awarded to Accenture since March 2011 by my Department. One contract was awarded to Accenture since 2011 by my Department. Details are as follows:
|
Date of Contract |
Cost of Contract |
Details
|
|
September 2013 |
€5,904 |
Review of the Draft Management Framework Agreement between the City of Dublin Education & Training Board (CDETB) and the Department of Education & Skills regarding Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI). |
Any engagement of external consultants is done in accordance with the provisions of the Department of Finance “Guidelines for the Engagement of Consultants and other External Support by the Civil Service.” Since March 2016, the Office of Government Procurement (OGP) have a framework in place for All of Government (AoG) Business & Management Consultancy & Advisory Services for contracts in excess of €25,000. Accenture is one of 29 companies on the OGP framework.
With regard to bodies under the aegis of my Department the information sought is a matter for each agency and is not collated centrally.
511. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if it is within the regulations of his Department to timetable a teacher who has opted out of the supervision and substitution scheme for post-primary schools for the supervision of lunchtime detention as part of their class contact hours for the purpose of claiming incremental salary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27458/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra512. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will define the term class contact hours; the number of class contact hours that can be allocated to an assistant principal in a whole time permanent position in a community and comprehensive school for the purposes of claiming incremental salary; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27459/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 511 and 512 together.
Arising from the Public Service Stability Agreement 2013 – 2016 (Haddington Road Agreement) and with effect from the beginning of the 2013/14 school year, participation in the Supervision and Substitution scheme is compulsory for all post –primary teachers save for those who availed of an opt-out arrangement put in place at that time under my Departments Circular 0006/2014. Participation in this scheme is additional to existing teacher class contact hours. Teachers in Community and Comprehensive schools are generally timetabled for up to 22 class contact hours per week which equates to about 33 class periods. Assistant Principals in Community and Comprehensive schools who are required to undertake significant extra responsibilities may have their class contact hours reduced by school management to 18 per week.
513. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has issued or will issue circular letters to schools regarding the importance of appointing teachers to vacancies in schools which actually match the curricular needs of the school; if so, the year and number of the circular letter; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27462/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe recruitment and appointment of teachers to fill teaching posts is a matter for the individual school authority, subject to procedures agreed under Section 24 of the Education Act 1998 (as amended by the Education (Amendment) Act 2012). The policy of my Department is to ensure, as far as possible, that the Managerial Authorities of Primary and Post Primary schools give priority to unemployed registered teachers who are fully qualified when filling vacant teaching posts. However my Department has issued a number of Circulars addressing this issue in recent years. Circular 31/2011 details a cascade of measures for the recruitment of teachers, prioritising registered teachers over retired registered teachers and unregistered people.
Circular Letter 31/2011 states that each employer shall ensure that each person proposed for appointment to a teaching post for which salary grant is being sought must be registered with the Teaching Council and have qualifications appropriate to the sector and suitable to the post for which he/she is to be employed.
514. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will meet with a group (details supplied); the reason a previous request to meet with this group was refused; if he will address the concerns that it has raised with his Department regarding its industry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27493/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe majority of English language schools in Ireland are privately run. The relationship between teachers and private providers of education is based on a private contract, and issues relating to working conditions are a matter between the two parties and do not come under the remit of my Department. If teachers working in the English language sector have a concern about their terms and conditions of employment they should contact the National Employment Rights Authority in this regard. This was previously communicated to the group referred to by the Deputy.
The regulations governing ACELS (Accreditation and Coordination of English Language Services), which is operated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland on a voluntary basis, and the Interim List of Eligible Programmes (ILEP), which is administered by the Department of Justice and Equality in association with my Department, specify a requirement that all obligations concerning national employment legislation are complied with by education and training providers.
515. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount in the investment account of the national training fund; and the investments which can be made from the fund. [27521/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere is currently €208m in the investment account of the National Training Fund, which is invested in monthly Exchequer Notes issued by the National Treasury Management Agency.
The National Training Fund Act 2000 provides that the National Training Fund should consist of a current account, which is managed and controlled by the Minister for Education and Skills, and an investment account, which is managed and controlled by the Minister for Finance.
Under Section 2(6) of the Act, moneys standing to the credit of the investment account of the Fund shall be invested by the Minister for Finance. Section 2(8) provides that income arising from any such investment shall be paid into that account. Section 2(9) specifies the form of investment which may be undertaken, namely securities, other than shares, and the placing of funds in deposit accounts in any financial institution or invested in short term financial products such as certificates of deposit or commercial paper issued by any person.
516. Deputy Kevin O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason for the delay in having an application finalised for a school (details supplied) in view of the urgent need to have this accommodation in place by September 2017. [27523/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to advise the Deputy that additional accommodation comprising of a mainstream classroom and a resource room has recently been approved by my Department to the school referred to. The school authorities have been advised of my Department's decision.
517. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the difficulties and the physical conditions of the classrooms being experienced by students and staff in a school (details supplied); and if his attention has been further drawn to a verbal agreement made by his Department to the school prior to the original sharing of the school site. [27524/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra518. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to upgrade the school premises at a school (details supplied). [27525/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra519. Deputy Seán Crowe asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will visit a school (details supplied) in order to view the school in the near future. [27526/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 517 to 519, inclusive, together.
I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has visited the school in question and has advised the principal that further contact will be made with the school in due course.
520. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if approval will be given to the appointment of a fourth classroom teacher at a school (details supplied) for September 2017 in view of the fact that this is a DEIS school and enrolment figures are on the increase; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27682/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe criteria used for the allocation of teaching posts is published annually on the Department website. The key factor for determining the level of staffing resources provided at individual school level is the staffing schedule for the relevant school year and pupil enrolments on the previous 30 September. The staffing schedule also includes an appeals mechanism for schools to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent Appeals Board.
The staffing schedule operates in a clear and transparent manner and treats all similar types of schools equally irrespective of location.
The school referred to by the Deputy did not make any application for consideration by the Appeals Board at either its April meeting or June meeting. The next meeting of the Appeals Board will be held in October. The school has submitted an application for consideration at this meeting.
521. Deputy Tony McLoughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to support and allow non-union teachers to access to the benefits of the Lansdowne Road agreement in view of the fact that all non-union teachers cannot sign the agreement; if he will consider this proposal in view of the new pay deal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27684/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Lansdowne Road Agreement as set out in Section 2 of Circular 0045/2016 applied to teachers employed in Education and Training Board schools and centres (except for Designated Community Colleges). The agreement also applied to teachers employed in Designated Community Colleges, Community and Comprehensive Schools and Voluntary Secondary Schools who are TUI members. The Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts 2013 and 2015 as set out in Section 3 of the Circular were applied to all other teachers employed in such schools.
As is the norm with public service collective agreements, the Lansdowne Road Agreement was negotiated with trade unions which are recognised as representing staff in the public service (including teachers). It is normal practice in the public service that the decision of the trade union recognised as holding representative rights for a particular grade or sector will determine the position for all relevant staff in that grade/sector. This context does not allow for acceptance or rejection of collective agreements by staff on an individual basis.
However, I welcome the recent decision taken by the special convention of ASTI members to immediately suspend all industrial action relating to the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA) and Junior Certificate reform.
As a result of the suspension of industrial action by ASTI members, a number of direct financial advantages will apply to all teachers (both ASTI members and those teachers who are not members of a trade union) and who were not previously covered by the Lansdowne Road Agreement (LRA). The measures to take effect from the date of the suspension of industrial action include:
- Pay improvements for post 2012 entrant teachers through the immediate payment of the first phase new salary scales (Second phase January 2018);
- An immediate lifting on the freeze on the payment of increments;
- Pay increase for all teachers through the addition of the first moiety (€796) of the S&S allowance to the teacher pay scale (Second moiety due September 2017);
- Pay increase of €1,000 through the bringing forward of the 1 September pay increase;
- An improvement in pay scales by the restoration of the alleviation of the FEMPI Act pay reductions for higher earners;
- An improvement in pay scales through the payment of the first phase of the reversal of the FEMPI Act pay reductions for higher earners (Second phase in 2018).
Further to the above, teachers who were not previously covered by the LRA will also be covered by the terms of the Ward circular from the date of the suspension of industrial action, including the reduced qualifying period for a CID and the removal of the career break and secondment categories of objective grounds. In addition to earlier permanency, the measures to take effect include a revised sequence for the filling of posts to enable fixed-term and part-time teachers to gain permanent, full-time jobs more quickly and easier than before.
Other benefits which will be available to teachers not previously covered by the LRA include:
- Availability of promotion posts announced in budget 2017 based on arrangements to be set out in a new Department Circular;
- S&S opt-out option for teachers with a minimum of 15 years’ service;
- S&S opt-in option for teachers who had previously opted out;
- An increase in the quantum of Croke Park hours which can be worked on other than whole-school basis;
- A review of the usage of the Croke Park hours;
- Access to redeployment;
- Provision of professional time associated with the implementation of the Junior Cycle.
Steps are now being taken by my officials to give effect to the above measures. The continuing restoration of the financial and other benefits are contingent on the continuing application of the suspension of all industrial action. In the event that the suspension of industrial action by members of the ASTI is not sustained, the restoration measures above would stand to be reversed.
522. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the 2016 annual report for SOLAS will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27697/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe SOLAS 2016 Annual Report has recently been received by my Department.
Arrangements are being made to have it laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas in accordance with Section 32(1) of the Further Education and Training Act, 2013. The report will be published as soon as this process is complete.
523. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to fill the number of vacancies on the board of the Higher Education Authority; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27698/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe appointment process to fill the current vacancies on the Board of the Higher Education Authority (HEA) is underway. My Department is working with the Public Appointments Service in this regard.
524. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the amount his Department or a body under its aegis has paid to a company (details supplied) for advice, the use of intellectual property and other services. [27707/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department awarded a contract to the company in question for advice relating to the development of a new DEIS Identification Process. No fees have been paid to date.
The Higher Education Authority (HEA) recently awarded a tender to the same company to develop a "Data Plan for Equity of Access to Higher Education". No payments have been made to date.
525. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding an application; and the position regarding same. [27718/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that my Department approved a mainstream classroom to the school in question recently. The school authority has been advised accordingly.
526. Deputy John Lahart asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a reply will issue to correspondence (details supplied). [27725/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is keen to support Famine commemoration where it is feasible and practicable to do so. My officials have been in correspondence with the individual whose details were supplied and sought detailed clarification regarding the project in question. This includes seeking copies of the literature being proposed for issue to schools, clarification regarding how the project would work during school closure periods (i.e. holiday times), and ascertaining how the project is being rolled out in Northern Ireland, and to what extent. When these further details are provided, they can be considered by my Department.
Green-Schools is Ireland’s leading environmental management and education programme for schools. Promoting long-term, whole-school action for the environment Green-Schools is a student led programme with involvement from the wider community. The programme is operated and co-ordinated by the Environmental Education Unit of An Taisce (Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) member for Ireland).
Green-Schools is operated in partnership with Local Authorities and is supported by the Department of Housing, Planning, Community & Local Government; Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment; Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport; The Department of Arts, Heritage Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs; Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Irish Aid, National Transport Authority; National Parks and Wildlife Service, Irish Water and the Wrigley Company Limited.
527. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the criteria that can be used to request an amendment to an existing route in view of the fact that most school catchment areas are based on historic information. [27746/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSchool transport is a significant operation managed by Bus Éireann on behalf of the Department.
Currently almost 116,000 children, including some 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.
In general, children are eligible for school transport if they satisfy the distance criteria and are attending their nearest school
Bus Éireann is responsible for the planning and routing of each dedicated school transport service which is determined by the number and location of children who are eligible for school transport each year.
Where practicable, and subject to considerations of cost and logistics, routes are planned to avoid an eligible child attending a primary school having to travel more than 2.4 kilometres to or from a pick up/set down point or to have travel and waiting times in excess of 1.5 hours per day; at post primary level the travel distance is 3.2 kilometres to or from a pick up/ set down point and travel and waiting time is 2.5 hours.
Parents of children, who are eligible for school transport, should liaise with their local Bus Éireann office if they feel their school bus service is operating outside of the above guidelines.
The terms of the School Transport Scheme are applied equitably on a national basis.
