Written Answers Nos. 369-388
369. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the guidelines that are given to teachers regarding the allocation of reasonable accommodations for examination students; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36485/17]
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 her.
370. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the location of constructed ASD units in County Wexford secondary schools; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36521/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that ASD Units have been constructed in the following schools in County Wexford:
Good Counsel College, New Ross;
Bridgetown Vocational School, Bridgetown;
Vocational School, Enniscorthy;
Coláiste Éamon Rís, Thomas Street, Wexford;
Creagh College, Gorey.
371. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the facilities at a college (details supplied) in County Wexford. [36522/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to advise the Deputy that a new school building, with capacity for 1,000 students, was provided for the school in question. The facilities include mainstream and specialist classrooms together with a 4-classroom Special Needs Unit and PE Hall.
372. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to address the vacant ASD unit at a college (details supplied). [36523/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is the policy of my Department that all children with Special Educational Needs, including those with Autistic Spectrum Disorders, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs, preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network.
Such placements facilitate access to individualised education programmes which may draw from a range of appropriate educational interventions, delivered by fully qualified professional teachers, with the support of Special Needs Assistants and the appropriate school curriculum.
Approximately 18,000 students in schools have been diagnosed with autism. The Department of Education and Skills invests over €300 million annually in providing additional resources specifically to support students with autism in schools enabling:
- 61% of students to attend mainstream schools
- 26% to attend special classes in mainstream primary and post-primary schools, and
- 13% to attend special schools.
Some students, although academically able to access the curriculum in mainstream, may find it too difficult to manage full-time placement there. This can be due to significant difficulties in areas such as behaviour or sensory needs which have not been ameliorated, even with appropriate intervention, in mainstream. Enrolment in an ASD special class can be considered for these students where it has been demonstrated that he/she is unable to learn effectively in a mainstream class for most or all of the school day even with appropriate supports.
It is the policy of my Department to include a Special Needs Unit in the accommodation brief for new school buildings. As the Deputy is aware a 4 classroom special needs unit was provided in the new Creagh Community College.
The NCSE, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), in consultation with the relevant education partners, is responsible for the establishment of special school placements in various geographical areas where there is an identified need.
The NCSE, in looking to open special classes, must take into account the present and future potential need for such classes, taking particular account of the educational needs of the children concerned. The NCSE will also take account of location and sustainability in looking to establish special classes in certain areas.
The NCSE has not identified the need to establish an ASD special classes in Creagh College at present.
However the NCSE projections of future need in the Gorey area indicate that additional post-primary ASD Special Classes will be required in the coming years.
Parents/guardians who may need advice or are experiencing difficulties in locating a school placement should contact their local Special Educational Needs Organiser (SENO) who can assist in identifying an appropriate educational placement for their child. Contact details are available on www.ncse.ie.
373. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to allocate extra classroom space at a school (details supplied) for the coming school year. [36524/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has submitted an application to my Department for capital funding for additional accommodation. The application is being considered and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.
374. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase the capitation grant for pupils; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36549/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Action Plan for Education outlines hundreds of actions to be implemented over the 3-year period 2016 to 2019 which include restoring capitation funding as resources permit.
Budget 2017 represents the start of a major programme of reinvestment in education, and the first phase of implementation of the Action Plan for Education, aimed at becoming the best education system in Europe within a decade.
The process is under way for restoring grant funding that is used by schools to fund the salaries of ancillary staff. The ancillary grant was increased by €6 in 2016 and €5 in 2017 in order to enable primary schools implement the arbitration salary increase for grant funded school secretaries and caretakers and to also implement the restoration of salary for cleaners arising from the unwinding of FEMPI legislation. A similar type approach in relation to improvements in grant funding was applied, as appropriate, at post-primary level.
In relation to capitation funding this commitment remains a priority for me to address during the lifetime of the Action Plan. However, it is important to note that there are limited funds available in Budget 2018 to meet a wide range of needs across all areas of Government.
375. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to regularise the teachers' situation regarding equal pay for equal work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36550/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs a consequence of the financial crisis, there was a need to enact a number of measures to reduce public expenditure so as to stabilise the country's public finances. A previous Government reduced the salaries and allowances payable to all new entrants to public service recruitment grades by 10% with effect from 1 January 2011. This decision also required that such new entrants would start on the first point of the applicable salary scale, which in the case of teachers had the effect of reducing their starting pay by a further 4-5%. Later in 2011, the Government placed a cap on the overall level of qualification allowances that could be earned by teachers.
Subsequently in 2012, following the public service-wide review of allowances, the Government withdrew qualification allowances for new teachers altogether. However, the Government partially compensated for this by deciding that new entrant teachers would henceforth commence on a new salary scale which had a starting point higher than the starting point of the old scale.
The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I have used this to negotiate substantial improvements in pay for new teachers. The agreements have, to date, restored an estimated 75% of the difference in pay for more recently recruited teachers and deliver full equality at later points in the scale. This is substantial progress and strikes an equitable balance with other claims for funding on my Department, particularly needs such as enhanced service for children with special educational needs, for disadvantaged schools, for growing schools, for Higher Education and for apprenticeships.
As a result of these changes and taking into account the proposed pay measures under the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020, the starting salary of a new teacher from 1 January 2018 will be €35,958 and from 1 October 2020 onwards will be €37,692. If full equalisation was achieved the starting salary for a post-primary teacher from 1 October 2020 would be €43,879 and for a primary teacher would be €41,511.
Further to this newly recruited teachers benefit from the terms of the Ward circular which reduced the qualifying period for a contract of indefinite duration, CID, and the removal of the career break and secondment categories of objective grounds which had previously prevented some teachers from gaining CIDs. In addition to earlier permanency, other measures of benefit to newly-recruited teachers 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.
It must be borne in mind that the pay reduction for post-2011 entrants to the public service applied to all public servants and not just teachers, and that any restoration of these measures in respect of teachers would be expected to be applied elsewhere across the public service. While I am not in a position to provide an estimate of the total cost of restoring all post-1 January 2011 entrants in all areas of the public service to the pre-2011 pay scale arrangements, I can say that in the case of education and training sector employees, including teachers, the estimated current full-year cost would be in the order of €85 million. Clearly, the cost across the entire public service would be substantially higher.
However there are other types of equality that we must also bear in mind, for example equality between public servants and people who work elsewhere or do not work at all. It would also not be equal or fair for us to do unaffordable deals with particular groups of public servants that mean that we do not have the money left in the public purse to provide increases in social welfare payments for vulnerable groups, tax reductions for people at work, or investments in improvements in public services that people rely on.
Any further negotiation on new entrant pay is a cross-sectoral issue, not just an issue for the education sector. The Government also supports the gradual, negotiated repeal of the FEMPI legislation, having due regard to the priority to improve public services and in recognition of the essential role played by public servants.
Accordingly, the recently-concluded draft Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 includes a provision in relation to new entrants which states that an examination of the remaining salary scale issues in respect of post-January 2011 recruits at entry grades covered by parties to the Agreement will be undertaken within 12 months of the commencement of the Agreement.
376. Deputy Fiona O'Loughlin asked the Minister for Education and Skills the way in which he is addressing the requirement for additional second level school places in Newbridge, County Kildare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36551/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department's Six-Year Capital Programme priorities building projects for areas of demographic growth. The Programme includes the provision of additional post-primary capacity for the Newbridge area. The Capital Programme also provides for devolved funding for additional classrooms for schools where an immediate enrolment need has been identified or where an additional teacher has been appointed.
Additional post-primary capacity is currently being provided in Newbridge and my Department will continue to monitor demographics to identify where additional school places will be required nationally, including in County Kildare.
377. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the latest profiles in value and outruns forecasted in his Department for the end of December 2017 and any variances that may arise based on his Department’s performance against profile in gross voted expenditure at the end of June 2017. [36565/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra383. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there will be an underspend in his Department's current or capital budget for 2017; if so, the subheads that are now below profile and those that may come in below profile at the end of the calendar year; if underspends in his Department will be available to the central Exchequer at year end; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36744/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 377 and 383 together.
It is difficult to forecast the full-year expenditure for the Department at this stage as we are only just over half way through the year and many Budget 2017 measures will only be implemented from the start of the new academic year in September.
My Department keeps expenditure trends under review and provides details on monthly Exchequer Issues to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform that are reported in the Expenditure Reports published with the monthly Exchequer Statement.
My Department’s voted expenditure at the end of June was under profile by €27 million, which is less than 1%.
Current voted Expenditure is running €1 million behind profile (less than 0.5%). Student Support Non-Pay Grants (subhead C11) is behind profile by €12 million. This is mainly due to the implementation of revised arrangements for tranching payments between SUSI and the respective Higher Education Institutions. This is offset by superannuation (subhead A8) running ahead of profile by €7 million as a result of an increase in approximately 1,700 Pensioners since Q4 2015 and general current grants to higher education institutions (subhead C4) running ahead of profile by €4 million, due mainly to timing issues with regard to the receipt of certain fee claims.
Capital Expenditure is running €26 million behind profile (around 8% of profile for capital and less than 1% of overall profile) mainly as a result of timing issues on a number of subheads: ICT (subhead A14) is running behind by €8 million, primary and post-primary capital (subhead D03) is running behind by €5 million, higher education capital (subhead D04) is behind by €9 million and PPPs (subhead D05) is behind by €4 million.
378. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department will contribute to the funding of a second Sexual Abuse and Violence in Ireland study as has been recommended; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36642/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy view is that my Department has a role in ensuring that children and young people's awareness of their right to bodily integrity is reinforced through the education system and through the programmes run in our schools and education institutions. Respect for other people and a zero tolerance of any form of abuse whether sexual, physical and emotional is also a fundamental principle of how our educators teach and how children and young people are taught.
However, sexual abuse and violence is a crime and funding research into crime is not a core aspect of my Department's work.
379. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that home tutors are classed as self-employed and as a result have no contract of employment, employment protections, holiday pay or access to social welfare supports; the reason for this arrangement; his views on whether the precarious employment is appropriate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36644/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department operates a number of Home Tuition Grant Schemes and provides funding towards a compensatory educational service for students who are unable to attend school due to chronic illness, children with special educational needs seeking an educational placement, early education intervention for children with autism, children (non-medical or non-special education needs) who are temporarily without a school place and students whose education may be disrupted due to pregnancy.
The Home Tuition Grant Schemes are governed by annual Circulars which sets out the purpose, eligibility criteria and details of the Schemes.
As the Schemes are an educational service they are based on the school year. Therefore the periods which are covered for tuition and payment purposes reflect the school terms and do not include school holidays, bank holidays and weekends.
For children and students who qualify under the Home Tuition Grant Schemes, sanction is given to approve a grant towards the engagement of a tutor who will provide home tuition for the child/student in question. Home tutors are engaged by the parents/guardian of the child who is to receive tuition and the tutor has no contractual relationship with the Department of Education and Skills.
In order to facilitate parents, my Department acts solely as payroll agents on behalf of the parents/guardian. On foot of instructions from the Revenue Commissioners payments under the Home Tuition Grant Scheme are subject to statutory deductions at source.
Any queries in relation to PAYE and USC should be directed to the Revenue Commissioners. Queries relating to social welfare supports should be directed to the Department of Social Protection.
A Payroll Information Note is available on my Department's website which provides information for Home Tutors on the payments process and procedures for the Home Tuition Grant Schemes operated by my Department.
380. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the precarious working conditions of many English language teachers; the steps he plans to take to provide greater protections to these teachers with regard to access to sick and holiday pay, pay scales and payment for preparation marking professional development, maternity paternity pay and access to pensions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36645/17]
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. Issues relating to working conditions are a matter between the two parties and do not come under the remit of my Department.
There is an extensive range of legislation in Ireland which protects the employment rights of workers, including English language teachers, in relation to employment contracts, payment of wages and related matters. It is the responsibility of the employer in the first instance to ensure that their employees receive their employment rights. Where an employee considers that their rights have been breached they may bring a claim under the appropriate legislation to the Workplace Relations Commission. The Workplace Relations Commission is also responsible for monitoring a range of employment rights through its Inspection Service.
A core component of the Government's future policy for the English language sector will be the introduction of the International Education Mark (IEM). It is the intention that the regulations governing the IEM will include a requirement that all obligations concerning national employment legislation are complied with by education and training providers seeking to access the Mark.
The necessary legislation to facilitate the introduction of the IEM is being progressed by my Department. This legislation will also provide Quality and Qualifications Ireland, who will manage the IEM, with additional powers to examine the bona fides of providers, including English language providers.
381. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the recent financial limit imposed by Caranua on claims; his views on the application of this cap retroactively; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36652/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraCaranua - the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund - is an independent statutory body established pursuant to the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012 to oversee the use of the cash contributions of up to €110 million, pledged by the religious congregations, to support the needs of survivors of institutional child abuse. Section 9 of the 2012 Act gives the Board of Caranua the power to determine the criteria by reference to which decisions may be made in respect of applications - this includes the power to apply limits to the moneys that may be made available for an arrangement for the provision of support to a former resident or to pay a grant to a former resident. I understand that in June 2016 Caranua revised its criteria and introduced limits to the moneys that might be made available to individual applicants in order to ensure that funding will be available to those who have yet to apply. I have no role in relation to the determination of criteria by Caranua.
382. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of staff in his Department who are suspended from work on full pay; the reason in each case; the length of time in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36728/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that there are currently no staff in my Department suspended from work on full pay.
384. Deputy Michael McGrath asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of protected disclosures received from staff in his Department in 2016 and to date in 2017; the details of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36760/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn accordance with Section 22 of the Protected Disclosure Act 2014, my Department published information on protected disclosures received during 2016 on its website: www.education.ie/en/Publications/Corporate-Reports/Annual-Report/.
No protected disclosures have been received from Department staff in 2016 or to date in 2017.
385. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of actuaries working in the Civil Service under the aegis of his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36853/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no staff working in the capacity of actuary in my Department.
386. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the status of the Fresh Start agreement in relation to Northern Ireland, specifically with regard to the Narrow Water bridge project linking counties Louth and Down; if funding for this project has been agreed; and when it is due to progress. [34984/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFull and timely implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and successor agreements, including the 2015 Fresh Start Agreement, is a key priority for the Government, as reflected in the Programme for a Partnership Government.
Since the Fresh Start Agreement was signed in November 2015, there has been sustained progress with implementation, with each administration actively pursuing the necessary work to fulfil the respective commitments.
Progress on implementing the provisions of both the Fresh Start and Stormont House Agreements are considered at periodic Review Meetings, which are co-convened by the two Governments with the participation of the Executive. The last review meeting was held in Belfast on 14 December 2016. Unfortunately, as a new Executive has not yet been formed following the Assembly election in March, it has not been possible to convene a Review Meeting since. The Government is continuing to work with the British Government to support and facilitate the parties in their efforts to reach agreement on formation of a new Executive. The Government wishes to see this achieved as soon as possible.
Implementation of the Fresh Start Agreement is continuing to the fullest extent possible in this context, and as an integral part of this, the Government is meeting its commitments as regards infrastructure projects under the Agreement. In relation to the Narrow Water Bridge, there have been North-South discussions at senior official level regarding co-operation on this and other infrastructure projects and exploring financing options for future Border infrastructure projects.
Under the Fresh Start Agreement, it was agreed that a review of the proposed Narrow Water Bridge project would be undertaken with a view to identifying options for its future development for consideration by the North-South Ministerial Council (NSMC).
Following on from consultation, involving the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport and the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure, with stakeholders concerning options for the Narrow Water Bridge proposal, I understand that an options paper is being prepared for consideration by the North-South Ministerial Council at its next Plenary meeting.
In the absence of a Northern Ireland Executive, and specifically a First and deputy First Minister, the NSMC cannot meet. However, with the Government continuing to work with the British Government and the political parties in Northern Ireland, I am hopeful that meetings of the NSMC will recommence as soon as possible to enable further important engagement on progressing all-island co-operation in general, and including the options concerning the Narrow Water Bridge.
387. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will report on the request the Taoiseach made to officials in the London embassy to examine the logistics for inviting the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to visit the State. [35544/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraNo arrangements have been put in place regarding an invitation to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge to visit the State.
388. Deputy Brendan Smith asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade his views on the decision to reduce electricity supply to the Gaza strip, which the United Nations Office for the Co-rdination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, has warned will have disastrous consequences for the welfare of Gaza's residents; if he has raised this issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34893/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra405. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if his attention has been drawn to a recent UN report (details supplied) which shows that living conditions for two million persons in the Palestinian enclave are deteriorating further and faster than the prediction made in 2012 that Gaza would become unliveable by 2020; and the steps he will take to raise this both with the Israeli authorities and at EU level. [35637/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 388 and 405 together.
I deeply regret the decision by the Palestinian Authority and Israel to reduce the supply of electricity to Gaza, as a result of the dispute between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas over payment for the electricity supplied. While no government can be expected to tolerate indefinitely the situation arising as a result of Hamas' withholding of payment for the power supplied, it is the ordinary people of Gaza who are caught in the middle of this dispute, and are suffering the consequences.
Fortunately the resumption of operation by the Gaza power plant has largely compensated for the reduction in supply from Israel, but this resumption may not be sustained, and in any case only maintains the overall supply at the already wholly inadequate level provided in the first half of this year.
I raised the problems of Gaza with almost every official interlocutor I met on my recent visit, Israeli and Palestinian leaders and UN agencies, and others. This included both the electricity issue and the broader restrictions and deteriorating conditions which made Gaza a clear crisis point even before this latest problem. I urged all sides to see that a radical rethink of their positions was urgently needed to avert a disaster in both humanitarian and political terms.
