Alan Kelly
Ceist:74. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the board minutes of Tipperary ETB for 2013 and 2014 in view of the fact they are not all available online. [44330/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraEducation and Training Boards Administration
Ceisteanna (74)
Freagraí scríofa
The publication of board minutes is a matter for each ETB. I have arranged for an official from my Department to contact Tipperary ETB so that copies of board minutes, which are not currently available on-line for 2013 and 2014, can be provided to the Deputy.
Education and Training Boards Administration
Ceisteanna (75, 83)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:75. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide copies of the employment contract that was signed and dated for all current ETB CEOs. [44331/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAlan Kelly
Ceist:83. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a copy of the job description and-or other similar documents that were produced for the first chief executive of Tipperary ETB. [44339/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 75 and 83 together.
On the establishment of the ETBs, there was not a sufficient number of posts at the grade of Chief Executive to accommodate all of the existing Chief Executive Officers of the former VECs who had been appointed in a permanent capacity.
A redeployment scheme was used to determine the appointment of Chief Executives to the new Education and Training Boards. A copy of The Arrangements for Redeployment of CEOs of VECs has been forwarded to the Deputy. Given that these posts were filled through redeployment no job specification was advertised for the Chief Executives redeployed to ETBs under this scheme, including in relation to Tipperary ETB. The accountability and functions of a Chief Executive are provided for in the Education and Training Boards Act 2013.
Where Chief Executive vacancies not fillable by the redeployment scheme have arisen, competitions have been conducted by the Public Appointments Service. This has arisen in the following ETBs: Longford and Westmeath, Laois and Offaly, Donegal and Waterford and Wexford. The functions of the Chief Executive as set out in the Information Booklets for these vacancies are also based on the provisions of the Act.
Individual employment contracts are a matter between the relevant ETB, as employer, and the ETB Staff member, as the employee. However, I have forwarded for your information a copy of a template contract for the post of Chief Executive which has been used for Chief Executive vacancies arising after the establishment of the ETBs.
Education and Training Boards Administration
Ceisteanna (76, 77)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:76. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if there are special internal audit reports for ETBs between 2013 and 2017; and if he will publish them. [44332/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAlan Kelly
Ceist:77. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the person or body that is the internal auditors of Tipperary ETB; if the ETB has an in-house team of internal auditors; and if so, the details of same. [44333/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 76 and 77 together.
Internal audit for the ETB sector is provided on a shared service basis by the Internal Audit Unit for the ETBs (IAU-ETBs). The IAU-ETBs is housed for administration purposes in Cavan and Monaghan ETB. However, it is guided in its work, and reports to, a central steering committee which is comprised of external personnel and nominees from relevant stakeholders such as the ETB sector, my Department and SOLAS. The steering committee has an independent chairperson.
The IAU-ETBs is staffed by a Director and Internal Auditors. Recently the IAU-ETBs conducted recruitment competitions to fill vacancies and increase its complement of auditors. Audit service may also be outsourced from time to time if necessary and appropriate.
Audits are generally conducted by the IAU-ETBs in accordance with a national audit plan which is approved by the steering committee.
It is my understanding that there have been no special internal audit reports for ETBs between 2013 and 2017.
ETBs are also subject to other audits such as ESF funding audits and audit by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.
Education and Training Boards Data
Ceisteanna (78)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:78. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 154 of 3 October 2017, the costs involved in running the Clonmel office outside of rent of €50,000 in each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017. [44334/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The information requested by the Deputy is dealt with at ETB level. I have arranged for an official from my Department to contact Tipperary ETB in relation to the requested information so that it can be provided to the Deputy.
Education and Training Boards Data
Ceisteanna (79)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:79. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 154 of 3 October 2017, if he will provide a breakdown of the €345,000 in view of the fact it states that it includes rent and maintenance. [44335/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I have been informed by Tipperary Education and Training Board that the annual amount being paid for the Thurles building comprises €320,000 in rent and €25,000 in maintenance and service charges.
Under the lease agreement, the landlord is responsible for the full servicing and maintenance of the premises.
SOLAS Administration
Ceisteanna (80)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:80. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 154 of 3 October 2017, if he will provide a copy of the SOLAS board minutes in which SOLAS agreed to fund this development. [44336/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Part of the role of the SOLAS Board is to approve grants to Education and Training Boards, and other appropriate bodies for further education and training programmes as detailed in annual Further Education and Training Services Plans. The SOLAS Board does not approve specific developments. However in line with section 53 of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013, sanction for Education and Training Boards to enter into lease agreements must be sought from my Department.
Sanction was provided for this lease agreement by my Department on 18 July 2017 on the condition that all relevant procedures and circulars were adhered to and legal and value for money matters were considered by Tipperary ETB.
The 2017 FET Funding Allocations for ETBs, including Tipperary ETB, were approved at the SOLAS Board meeting of 25 April 2017. The Tipperary allocation was reviewed at the Board meetings of 30 May and 5 September.
The funding allocation to Tipperary ETB incorporated apprenticeship funding, €57,000 of which will be used towards the development in 2017. Funding allocations may be subject to revision during the year should items arise, and during an annual mid-term review.
I have forwarded to the Deputy two sets of minutes for April and May 2017. The September minutes are still in draft form as the Board has not met to agree them.
Education and Training Boards Data
Ceisteanna (81)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:81. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 164 of 3 October 2017, if he will provide a breakdown of costs in each year; and the person who approved and signed off on these expenses. [44337/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The information requested by the Deputy is dealt with at ETB level. I have arranged for an official from my Department to contact Tipperary ETB so that the requested information can be provided to the Deputy.
Education and Training Boards Establishment
Ceisteanna (82)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:82. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Questions No. 154 and 167 of 3 October 2017, the number of legacy issues involved; the way in which different leave entitlements came about; the person responsible for this; and when it will be corrected. [44338/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In the past, public service employers had adopted varying practices in regard to leave entitlements which involved atypical and local arrangements which varied from sector to sector and from employer to employer. Such legacy issues in regard to leave entitlements arose because of the wide variety and the number of employers involved across the public service. With a view to correcting these issues and with a view to introducing harmonised leave arrangements, initiatives were put in place in various sectors under the overall guidance of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. In this context my Department, in consultation with the Management Body, Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) and the relevant trade unions representing staff interests in the ETB Sector reached an agreement to harmonise leave allowances for staff. The agreement reached between the parties found expression in Circular letter 0008/2014 - “Revised Annual Leave Arrangements for Staff employed by Education and Training Boards, other than Teachers, Tutors, Special Needs Assistants and Youthreach Resource Persons” (link to Circular 0008/2014 - https://www.education.ie/en/Circulars-and-Forms/Active-Circulars/cl0008_2014.pdf
Subsequently, my Department, in consultation with the Management Body and the relevant Trade Unions representing staff concerned, namely SIPTU and IMPACT, reached an agreement in December 2016 regarding particular anomalies raised by those unions which had a negative impact on certain staff comprehended by Department Circular 0008/2014. Under the December 2016 agreement there are three types of leave allocations for staff comprehended by this agreement, these are:
- Existing staff (i.e., those staff in employment in an ETB, or who were in the process of being transferred from SOLAS to an ETB on 6 January 2014) who have had their leave entitlements set in accordance with Circular 0008/2014, within a range of 22 to 32 days.
- Newly recruited staff (i.e. staff appointed on or after the 7 January 2014) who will have an annual leave entitlement as set for the grade to which they are recruited.
- Newly promoted staff who will maintain their current leave entitlement if the leave entitlement for the grade to which they are promoted is lesser than their current entitlement subject to a maximum entitlement of 30 days annual leave. Those staff with a current annual leave entitlement of greater than 30 days will have their leave entitlement reduced to 30 days.
On 15 December 2016, my Department issued a direction to the Chief Executives of Education and Training Boards to implement these arrangements.
Question No. 83 answered with Question No. 75.
Education and Training Boards Data
Ceisteanna (84, 85)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:84. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure in each of the years 2013 to 2016 and to date in 2017 for Tipperary ETB. [44340/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAlan Kelly
Ceist:85. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the expenditure for both south Tipperary VEC and north Tipperary VEC in each of the years 2007 to 2013. [44341/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I propose to take Questions Nos. 84 and 85 together.
The annual accounts for ETBs (and previously for VECs) provide detailed information on funding from a range of sources and how it was used. These accounts, when finalised and audited by the Comptroller and Auditor General, are published on the Oireachtas website. The most recent set of published annual accounts for Tipperary ETB relates to the financial year 2015.
An official from my Department will contact Tipperary ETB and make arrangements for copies of the Annual Accounts for the period 2007 – 2015 to be sent to the Deputy.
In relation to 2016, my Department approved funding totalling over €32 million to Tipperary ETB.
This figure includes funding for the pay of certain ETB staff (including teachers), funding for the day-to-day running of schools, specific grants (e.g. book grant, transition year programme), targeted expenditure (e.g. DEIS funding), funding for student grants, funding for capital projects (which can vary from year to year depending on number of projects) and also ETB head office running costs.
The corresponding figure for 2017 is almost €35 million. This figure may be subject to change as the year evolves.
It should be noted that ETBs also receive funding from sources other than my Department, for example through self-financing programmes or from other Departments and agencies, most notably for further education and training which is funded by SOLAS.
Education and Training Boards Expenditure
Ceisteanna (86)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:86. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the savings that have been made by Tipperary ETB since the merger of south Tipperary VEC and north Tipperary VEC. [44342/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
South and North Tipperary VECs were dissolved and Tipperary ETB was established in 2013.
As the Deputy is aware it had been decided in advance that rather than centralise the administrative offices for the new ETB in one location in County Tipperary, both of the former VEC head office locations were to be retained as designated offices of the ETB. Therefore it was not expected that savings would materialise in respect of reduced accommodation needs. In the intervening period additional accommodation requirements have in fact arisen, due to the ETB acquiring its training function in addition to its longstanding post-primary, PLC and further education responsibilities.
Economies arising during the period of restructuring include those achieved as a result of reductions in administrative staffing costs associated with the streamlining of functions within ETBs and the redeployment of surplus staff. For example, in respect of the former Tipperary VECs there were two Chief Executive Officer posts, whereas the requirement is a single Chief Executive for the ETB.
As the restructuring was contemporaneous with the operation of the moratorium on public sector recruitment it is not possible to extricate those payroll savings which related specifically to the restructuring. However, cumulative savings of approximately €690,000 were achieved in the Admin and Maintenance staff pay budget provided by my Department to Tipperary ETB in the years 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016.
A number of other factors have also been at play since the establishment of the ETB. Head office services have adapted and expanded to reflect the need to service the ETB for the new training function, school enrolments have increased, the legislative and regulatory frameworks in which ETBs operate have changed, amongst other things.
In the light of such momentous and transformational change for the sector, some reinvestment on the personnel side has been necessary. With the coming to the end of the moratorium and the introduction of Delegated Sanction Agreements, progress has been possible. My Department has been working to review and redesign the organisational structure for the ETBs. The first phase of this work saw the strengthening of the senior management team in the ETBs with the approval of posts at Director level for each ETB in the three functional areas of Schools, Further Education and Training and Organisation Support and Development.
For the sector as a whole, plans are also advanced for the establishment of shared services facilities in the areas of finance and payroll which should result in improved efficiency and consistency in financial and payroll management.
In view of the evolving nature of the ETB environment as outlined, it is not possible to quantify specific savings from the merger of South Tipperary VEC and North Tipperary VEC.
Departmental Circulars
Ceisteanna (87)
Alan Kelly
Ceist:87. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a copy of all circulars sent to ETBs in relation to expenses policy since 2013. [44343/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Since 2013, my Department has issued the following Circulars in relation to expenses policy, which have been provided to the Deputy for his information:
- Circular 18/2015 – Code of Practice for the Governance of ETBs, which includes references to expenses policy
- Circular 31/2015 - Attendance by members and employees of ETBs at courses, conferences, seminars etc. abroad
- Circular 36/2017 - Travel & Subsistence Rates in the ETB Sector – Staff
- Circular 37/2017 - Indemnity Declaration Form
- Circular 39/2017 - Travel & Subsistence Rates in the ETB Sector – Members
These Circular are also accessible via my Department’s Website: www.education.ie
Schools Building Projects Applications
Ceisteanna (88)
Éamon Ó Cuív
Ceist:88. Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will be made on an application by a school (details supplied) which requires an extension due to overcrowding; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44345/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
I can confirm to the Deputy that the school in question has submitted an application for capital funding for the provision of additional accommodation. My Department is currently considering the application and will convey a decision to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.
State Examinations
Ceisteanna (89)
Denise Mitchell
Ceist:89. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the junior certificate examination papers, submission envelopes and submission labels for junior certificate visual art will be distributed to schools; and the measures his Department is taking to ensure schools have all of these materials in advance of submission deadlines. [44349/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
Junior Cycle Reform
Ceisteanna (90)
Denise Mitchell
Ceist:90. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of art teachers who have attended meetings and training for the new junior cycle visual art course; the number of teachers still in need of the training; and his plans to ensure all teachers have completed this training. [44350/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
Junior Cycle for Teachers (JCT) is the Department service supporting schools in their implementation of the Framework for Junior Cycle through the provision of appropriate high quality continuing professional development (CPD) for school leaders and teachers, and the provision of effective teaching and learning resources.
All schools have been asked to register their teachers with JCT in order to facilitate the delivery of Junior Cycle CPD. In the case of visual art, 1,347 teachers have now registered and 424 have to date attended a CPD workshop for visual art. It is intended that all teachers of Junior Cycle Visual Art will receive a full day facilitated subject workshop in 2017/18. Art teachers will also be supported by ongoing online resources and live webinars.
State Examinations
Ceisteanna (91)
Denise Mitchell
Ceist:91. Deputy Denise Mitchell asked the Minister for Education and Skills when marking schemes and marking guidelines for the new leaving certificate art examinations and course work projects will be made available to schools in order to allow teachers to adequately prepare students for examinations. [44351/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
The State Examinations Commission has statutory responsibility for operational matters relating to the certificate examinations.
In view of this I have forwarded your query to the State Examinations Commission for direct reply to you.
School Enrolments
Ceisteanna (92)
Tom Neville
Ceist:92. Deputy Tom Neville asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views on a matter (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44355/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
In accordance with the Education Act 1998, the Board of Management is the body charged with the direct governance of a school and the day to day management of same.
Schools must exercise their own judgment in implementing their enrolment policies and what is appropriate in each individual case, while respecting any order made by the Court in relation to the custody and welfare of the child which is known to or made known to the school.
Site Acquisitions
Ceisteanna (93)
Darragh O'Brien
Ceist:93. Deputy Darragh O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will instruct his Department and the relevant bodies to come to a timely agreement on the location of a secondary school (details supplied) in Malahide and Portmarnock; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44364/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraFreagraí scríofa
As the Deputy is aware, the project for the school in question is included on my Department's Capital Programme.
Officials in my Department continue to liaise with officials in Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for this school. As with other site acquisitions in the area, due to the scarcity of suitable sites this process has proven to be quite challenging and in that context has taken some time to date. Potential site options have been identified.
Officials from my Department are due to meet with senior officials in Fingal County Council shortly to discuss.