Written Answers Nos. 148-167
148. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the payments provided to each national school in County Mayo under the minor works grant in the past three years; the date on which each year's payments were made, in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52625/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to advise that on 5 December, 2017 I announced the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 for primary schools across the country and payment will issue this week, including to the primary schools in County Mayo.
The rate of payment of the Minor Works Grant is a basic grant of €5,500 to all primary schools plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil on the rolls on the 30 September of the year prior to the issue of the grant. The €74 rate applies to a special needs pupil attending a special school or attending a special class attached to a mainstream school.
The Minor Works Grant was announced on the following dates in previous years and payment issued shortly thereafter:
2017/2018 - 5th December, 2017
2016/2017 - 17th November, 2016
2015/2016 - 5th November, 2015
2014/2015 - 25th November, 2014
It is not possible to provide the payments data requested in respect of all schools within the county. However, if the Deputy wishes to nominate a specific school or schools, I would be happy to provide the level of capital funding issued in such an instance.
149. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works grant for 2017/2018 will issue to a school (details supplied); the amount that will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52626/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to advise that on 5 December, 2017 I announced the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 for primary schools across the country and payment will issue this week to all schools including the school referred to by the Deputy.
All primary schools will receive a flat rate Minor Works Grant of €5,500 plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil attending a special school or special class.
The funding will allow minor works to be carried out on the physical infrastructure of schools or on the purchase of items of furniture and equipment.
150. Deputy Lisa Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the minor works grant for 2017/2018 will issue to a school (details supplied); the amount that will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52627/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to advise that on 5 December, 2017 I announced the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 for primary schools across the country and payment will issue this week to all schools including the school referred to by the Deputy.
All primary schools will receive a flat rate Minor Works Grant of €5,500 plus €18.50 per mainstream pupil and €74 per special needs pupil attending a special school or special class.
The funding will allow minor works to be carried out on the physical infrastructure of schools or on the purchase of items of furniture and equipment.
151. Deputy Eugene Murphy asked the Minister for Education and Skills further to Parliamentary Question No. 103 of 30 November 2017, the validity of a decision by the board of management of a primary school to remove a member of the board of management (details supplied) and to replace that member with a new one; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52628/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSection 14 of the Education Act 1998 provides that the appointment of a Board of Management of a school is solely a matter for the relevant school patron.
Section 16 of the Education Act 1998 provides that the patron may either dissolve a Board if they are satisfied that the functions of a Board are not being effectively discharged or in the case of an individual member of the a Board the Patron, with the consent of the Minister, for good and valid reasons may remove a member from a board.
In circumstances where a Patron proposes to remove a member of a Board they must follow the process set out in the Education Act which provides for an opportunity for the board member concerned to make representations to the Patron. The Patron may still decide to remove a member of a Board thereafter having considered any representations made and subject to the approval of the Minister.
The Governance Manual for Primary Schools 2015 – 2019, published by my Department, sets out the various rules for the composition and operation of Boards of Management including the appointment and removal of members of the Board by the Patron. The Governance Manual also provides guidance in relation to situations where a serving board member may become ineligible to serve on a board.
152. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills the conditions in which incremental credit for prior experience is given to assistant lecturers in institutes of technology; the differences in the incremental credit for prior experience between assistant lecturers appointed before January 2011, those appointed between January 2011 and March 2016 and those appointed since March 2016; the way in which pay inequalities in terms of incremental credit will be resolved; and if the unwinding of the financial emergency measures in the public interest, FEMPI, legislation will allow for pay parity among assistant lecturers in this respect. [52631/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe rules governing the awarding of incremental credit for assistant lecturers are dealt with under the terms of circulars 01/05 and 12/07, these circulars were published by my Department in March 2005 and February 2007 respectively. The terms of these circulars continue to be applicable.
The operation of the circulars is a matter for the individual Institutes of Technology.
153. Deputy Brendan Ryan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of the provision of a new and permanent building for a school (details supplied) in view of the traffic and safety concerns being caused for parents and pupils due to its current temporary location; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52638/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers is temporarily located in a property in the ownership of Teagasc in Kinsealy, Dublin 17 pending delivery of the school's permanent accommodation.
My Department is aware that the school has made contact with Fingal County Council's traffic engineer and Road Safety Officer and that the Council has completed a report recommending that appropriate parking options need to be identified. In this regard, my Department is engaging with Teagasc, the owners of the site, to explore how the traffic management issues can be resolved on the site.
My Department continues to liaise with Fingal County Council in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to the identification and acquisition of a suitable site for the school's permanent accommodation.
Due to commercial sensitivities relating to site acquisitions generally I am not in a position to provide further details at this time but I can assure the Deputy that the school patron will be informed of the proposed location for the school as soon as it is possible to do so.
154. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of a building application by a school (details supplied) in County Mayo; if his attention has been drawn to the physical condition of the school; and the timeframe for completion of the project. [52646/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy is aware, a building project for the school referred to is included in my Department's 6 Year Construction Programme.
I wish to advise the Deputy that the Project Brief is currently being finalised which, once completed, will facilitate the project to be progressed into Architectural Planning, which includes the appointment of a Design Team.
155. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of primary schools that have received funding under the minor works grant in 2016, and to date in 2017. [52667/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to advise that on 5 December, 2017 I announced the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 for primary schools across the country and payment will issue this week.
3,250 primary schools received the Minor Works Grant 2016/2017 in 2016 and 3,248 primary schools will receive the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 later this week.
156. Deputy John Brady asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) will receive funding under the minor works grant; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52668/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra160. Deputy James Browne asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a minor works grant for a school (details supplied) will be approved in 2017; if so, when it will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52713/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra162. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of minor works grant funding for a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52740/17]
Amharc ar fhreagra176. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will review a minor works grant for a school (details supplied); the timeframe for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52894/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to advise that on 5 December, 2017 I announced the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 for primary schools across the country and payment will issue this week.
The funding will allow minor works to be carried out on the physical infrastructure of schools or on the purchase of items of furniture and equipment.
157. Deputy Peadar Tóibín asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children from Navan town and its catchment area attending secondary schools in other towns; the number of children in County Meath on waiting lists for secondary schools in Navan; if there are sufficient places in secondary schools in Trim, Navan, Athboy and Oldcastle; the locations of these available places; and when the second phase of the school building programme will commence at a school (details supplied). [52681/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to clarify for the Deputy that my Department does not hold a record of the number of pupils from Navan town that attend secondary schools in other towns or the number of children in County Meath on waiting lists for secondary schools in Navan.
Parents can choose which school to apply to and where the school has places available the pupil should be admitted. However, in schools where there are more applicants than places available a selection process may be necessary.
This selection process and the enrolment policy on which it is based must be non-discriminatory and must be applied fairly in respect of all applicants. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice.
Section 29 of the Education Act, 1998 provides for an appeal by a parent or guardian to the Secretary General of my Department, or in the case of an Educational Training Board (ETB) school to the ETB in the first instance, where a Board of Management of a school, or a person acting on behalf of the Board, refuses to enrol a student in a school, expels a student or suspends a student for 20 or more days in any school year. Further information on the Section 29 appeals process is available on the Department's website www.education.ie.
As the Deputy may be aware, my Department uses a Geographical Information System to identify where the pressure for school places across the country will arise. The System uses data from a range of sources, including the Central Statistics Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland, the Department of Social Protection and my Department's own databases. With this information, my Department carries out nationwide demographic exercises at primary and post-primary level to determine where additional school accommodation is needed. It is anticipated that decisions based on the latest demographic exercises will be announced in the coming weeks.
Where demographic data indicates that additional provision is required, the delivery of such provision is dependent on the particular circumstances of each case and may be provided through either one or a combination of the following:
- Utilising existing unused capacity within a school or schools;
- Extending the capacity of a school or schools;
- Provision of a new school or schools.
The first phase of the school building project for the school referred to by the Deputy in the details supplied was completed in January 2014. The second phase of the building project is currently at Stage 2A - Developed Design Stage.
The Deputy will also be aware that post-primary school building projects for Beaufort College, Boyne Community School and Scoil Mhuire, Trim are included in my Department's Construction Programmes. The project at Beaufort College is currently under construction and the architectural planning process for the project at Boyne Community School has commenced. A site visit has been undertaken at Scoil Mhuire as part of the preparatory work associated with advancing the building project.
With the addition of these projects, based on the demographic and enrolment information currently available, there should be sufficient provision for post-primary school places in County Meath.
My Department is keeping the school planning areas in County Meath under ongoing review to take into account updated child benefit data and updated enrolment data and also the impact of capacity increases in the school planning areas.
158. Deputy Jack Chambers asked the Minister for Education and Skills the progress of the building of a sports hall at a school (details supplied) in Dublin 15; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52690/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school building project to which the Deputy refers is currently at tender stage. Letters of Intent for this project issued on 28th November. Assuming no further issues arise and the contract is awarded the project will thereafter proceed to construction early in Quarter 1 of 2018.
159. Deputy Fergus O'Dowd asked the Minister for Education and Skills if issues raised by a person (details supplied) in correspondence will be examined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52710/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraSOLAS is the co-ordinating provider for craft apprenticeship programmes. I have brought this correspondence to the attention of SOLAS and have asked them to respond to the Deputy directly.
161. Deputy Thomas Byrne asked the Minister for Education and Skills the status of an application by a school (details supplied) for additional accommodation. [52724/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that the school referred to by the Deputy has recently submitted an application to my Department for additional accommodation. A decision on the application will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as the assessment process has been completed.
163. Deputy Jan O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Education and Skills when a decision will issue on an application for an extension to a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52755/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraMy Department is in receipt of an application for additional accommodation from the school referred to by the Deputy. Additional information sought and recently received from the school authority is being considered. My Department will be in direct contact with the school authority concerned when the assessment process has concluded.
164. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for pay restoration for primary teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52766/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. This has been used to negotiate substantial improvements in pay for new teachers including a 15-22% increase in pay which I negotiated last year. 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 sale. 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 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 from a 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 included 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 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 €130 million. Clearly, the cost across the entire public service would be substantially higher.
To have gone further than the pay increases that have been negotiated would mean I would have had less money available to hire over 1,000 extra SNAs in 2018, and over 1,000 extra teachers in 2018.
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 Public Service 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. An initial meeting on new entrant pay under this process took place on 12 October 2017.
165. Deputy Noel Rock asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to review the English curriculum in the primary level education cycle; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52767/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraA new integrated Primary Language Curriculum for junior infants to second class, incorporating both Irish and English, was introduced from September 2016. This curriculum supports children’s language learning in our two languages, Irish and English, through high-quality experiences. The curriculum aims to ensure that children acquire transferrable language skills which will assist them in learning both Irish and English during their primary education and in additional languages when they choose them at second level. Work is currently underway in developing the Primary Language Curriculum for third to sixth class which will be available to schools in autumn 2018.
166. Deputy Niall Collins asked the Minister for Education and Skills if all wages paid to persons enrolled in craft-based and consortia-led apprenticeships are fully funded via the Exchequer and the National Training Fund; and to outline the employer contributions to apprentices' wages. [52786/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe wage paid by an employer to an apprentice is not funded by the exchequer or the National Training Fund (NTF). Apprentices in the craft trades are paid a training allowance by their local Education and Training Board while they attend their off-the-job training phases. This represents approximately 40 weeks of their four year apprenticeship. This training allowance is funded by the NTF. Employers in the new consortia led apprenticeships pay the wage of the apprentice for the duration of their apprenticeship including during off-the-job training.
167. Deputy Kathleen Funchion asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) in County Mayo has not yet received its minor works grant; when the payment will issue; the way in which he plans to help small schools with teaching principals to deal with added administrative burdens; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [52794/17]
Amharc ar fhreagraI am pleased to advise that on 5 December, 2017 I announced the Minor Works Grant 2017/2018 for primary schools across the country and payment will issue this week.
The funding will allow minor works to be carried out on the physical infrastructure of schools or on the purchase of items of furniture and equipment
Building on measures in previous budgets to enhance school leadership, Budget 2018 made €0.4 million available to fund additional release days for teaching principals in primary schools. This additional funding will see an increase in the number of release days available to teaching principals in the 2018/19 school year.
