Written Answers Nos. 201-218
201. Deputy Dara Calleary asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application for capital funding by a school (details supplied) in County Mayo has been considered; when a decision will issue; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5795/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school to which the Deputy refers was approved a devolved grant under my Department's Additional Accommodation Scheme 2012 to provide 5 general classrooms, to relocate existing ball courts and to provide a set down and bus drop off area for pupils. This project was devolved to the local Education and Training Board for delivery.
Following the tendering process, a number of issues were identified by my Department and the ETB was instructed to re-tender the project in accordance with my Department's original approval and tendering guidelines. A re-tendering process was subsequently carried out. Additional information has now been sought from the ETB to enable a decision on progressing the project to contract award stage. When this is received it will be examined as quickly as possible to allow the project to move forward.
202. Deputy John Curran asked the Minister for Education and Skills to list the 40 schools that are under the first phase of the introduction of computer science as a new leaving certificate subject; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5799/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIt is our aim to become the best education and training system in Europe by 2026 and to do this we need to expand our pool of people with digital skills and capabilities. My Action Plan for Education includes an action to introduce Computer Science as an optional new Leaving Certificate subject introduced in two phases. Phase 1 will see the introduction of the subject in a representative sample of 40 schools from September 2018 (present at the launch today). Phase 2 will see the subject being available as an option to all schools from September 2020.
The introduction of Computer Science as a Leaving Certificate subject is part of the Government’s overall commitment to embed digital technology in teaching and learning. The society our children will grow up in, will be one which has been fundamentally transformed by new technology. Our education system must prepare our children to thrive in such an environment by equipping them with skills in creativity, adaptability and problem solving.
On 4 January 2018 I announced that 40 post primary schools around the country will start studying Leaving Certificate Computer Science from this September and will be the first to sit an exam in the subject in 2020.
List of schools participating:
School Name and Address
Abbey Vocational School, The Glebe, Donegal Town, Co. Donegal
Adamstown Community College, Station Rd, Adamstown, Co. Dublin
Breifne College, Cootehill Rd, Cavan, Co. Cavan
Bush Post Primary, Riverstown, Dundalk, Co. Louth
Carrigaline Community School, Waterpark, Carrigaline, Co. Cork
Castleblayney College, Dublin Road, Castleblayney, Co. Monaghan
Christ King Girls Secondary School, Half Moon Lane, South Douglas Road, Cork
Clongowes Wood College, Clane, Co. Kildare
Coláiste an Chraoibhín, Duntaheen Road, Fermoy, Co. Cork
Coláiste Bríde, New Road, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Coláiste Chiaráin, Croom, Co. Limerick
Coláiste Choilm, Ballincollig, Co. Cork
Coláiste Mhuire, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
Coláiste na Ríochta, Listowel, Co. Kerry
Colaiste Phádraig, Roselawn, Lucan, Co. Dublin
Coláiste Pobail Setanta, Phibblestown CC, Phibblestown, Dublin 15
Creagh College, Carnew Road, Gorey, Co. Wexford
Dominican College, Sion Hill Sion Hill, Blackrock, Co Dublin
Ennistymon Vocational School, Ennistymon, Ennis, Co. Clare
Gaelcholáiste Mhuire, AG An Mhainistir Thuaidh, Corcaigh
Le Chéile Secondary School, Hollystown Road, Tyrellstown, Dublin 15
Loreto College, Swords, Co. Dublin
Luttrellstown Community College, Mill Road, Blanchardstown, Dublin 15
Mayfield Community School, Old Youghal Road, Mayfield, Cork
Moate Community School, Church Street, Moate, Co. Westmeath
Mount Sion CBS, Barrack Street, Waterford
Mount Temple Comprehensive, Malahide Road, Dublin 3
Presentation Secondary school, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary
Rice College, Castlebar Road, Westport, Co. Mayo
Sacred Heart Secondary School, Convent of Mercy, Clonakilty, Co. Cork
Saint Eunan's College, Letterkenny, Co. Donegal
St. Aidan's Comprehensive School, Cootehill, Co. Cavan
St. Brigid's Mercy Secondary School, Convent Of Mercy, Tuam, Co. Galway
St. Joseph's Secondary School, Convent Lane, Rush, Co. Dublin
St. Mary's CBS, Millpark Road, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
St. Vincent's Secondary School, Seatown Place, Dundalk, Co. Louth
St. Finian's Community College, Swords, Co. Dublin
Stratford College, 1 Zion Road, Rathgar, Dublin 6
Synge St. CBS, Synge St., Dublin 8
Terenure College, Templeogue Road, Terenure, Dublin 6W.
203. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Education and Skills if an application by a person (details supplied) will be reviewed; if a grant is available for the reason outlined; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5807/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI have been advised by SUSI, that the person referred to in the details supplied, has not made a student grant application to SUSI under the 2017 Student Grant Scheme.
The online application system for the 2017/18 academic year has now closed and it is anticipated that the SUSI’s online system will re-open for the 2018 Scheme in early April 2018. Students attending college in the academic year 2018/19 are required to submit their grant application to Student Universal Support Ireland (SUSI) via www.susi.ie to have their eligibility for grant assistance assessed.
Other forms of support for students in third-level institutions experiencing exceptional financial difficulty is the Student Assistance Fund. This Fund assists students, in a sensitive and compassionate manner, who might otherwise be unable to continue their third level studies due to their financial circumstances. Information on the fund is available through the Access Officer in the third level institution attended. This fund is administered on a confidential, discretionary basis.
Also tax relief at the standard rate of tax may be claimed in respect of tuition fees paid for approved courses at approved colleges of higher education. Further information on this tax relief is available from the Revenue Commissioners at www.revenue.ie.
204. Deputy Joe Carey asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline the position on an application for assistance towards the refurbishment of a school (details supplied) in County Clare; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5810/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI wish to confirm to the Deputy that my Department is in receipt of an appeal from the school in question relating to its application under the Summer Works Scheme (SWS) (2016-2017). My Department is considering the appeal and a decision will be conveyed to the school authority as soon as this process has been completed.
205. Deputy Michael Healy-Rae asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will address a matter (details supplied) regarding the junior certificate English examination; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5811/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe curriculum and assessment arrangements for Junior Cycle are as set out in the Framework for Junior Cycle 2015 and in the related subject specifications and syllabuses developed by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment. The Framework for Junior Cycle gives students the opportunity to develop a wider range of knowledge and skills – to equip them for further learning, for work, for responsible and active citizenship, and for healthy living. It gives students better learning opportunities, and rewards and recognises non-academic performance and achievements, with a central focus on the student’s quality of life, wellbeing and mental health. The new junior cycle has been developed on a partnership approach, involving teachers, their unions and many wider interests over a considerable period of time. The new approach draws on the best available international research evidence in order to ensure the best possible learning experience for students at this vital stage of their development.
The written exam for English has been reduced from a 5 hour exam to a 2 hour exam. This reflects the move to a dual approach to assessment. The Classroom Based Assessments have been introduced to allow students to show their understanding of skills and concepts that would not be possible in an externally assessed examination. This dual approach reduces the focus on one terminal examination and increases the prominence given to classroom-based assessment. This change of emphasis enables teachers to provide really meaningful feedback that helps students to understand how their learning can be improved.
2017 was the first year that the Junior Cycle English examination was a 2 hour examination. The State Examinations Commission reassured candidates in 2017 that the examination papers for Junior Cycle English would be suitable for completion in a two hour examination and that they would be fair to candidates.
The reports from teachers and candidates on the 2017 Junior Cycle English examinations set by State Examinations Commission showed that there were no issue in respect of completion time.
206. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a school (details supplied) in County Meath will be connected with broadband; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5821/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThrough the Schools Broadband Access Programme the Department provides for the supply of internet connectivity for all recognised primary and post primary schools, and some 98% of schools are included in this scheme. All post-primary schools and some special schools are now included in the 100Mbps programme.
The policy of my Department is to offer the best quality connectivity to all schools in line with the technical solutions available in the market and financial constraints. Broadband capacity can vary due to geographical location and local infrastructure, and thus impact on the service that can be provided.
Under the current primary schools programme the Department continually reviews the availability of services and upgrades schools where the opportunity arises, in line with contractual and budgetary requirements. A recent drawdown from the Framework of Providers of Broadband Services saw some 1,100 primary schools awarded download speeds of 30Mbps or greater (the baseline download speed required under the National Broadband Plan). Those schools have now been upgraded to that connectivity. This represents more than one third of all primary schools. This is a significant improvement over recent years, given that less than 100 primary schools were on those speeds in 2012. Further schools are likely to be upgraded to those speeds in 2018, through EIR's 300K Rural Deployment commitment.
The need to improve broadband connectivity to primary schools is recognised in the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020, and as noted access to high speed broadband is one of the indicators identified in the Digital Strategy Action Plan. An interdepartmental working group has been established to determine how best to address broadband connectivity to primary schools in collaboration with the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment, in the context of the National Broadband Plan and the Intervention Strategy, and proposed industry provision.
In the case of the school referred to by the Deputy, this school is currently on a 12 Mbp/s wireless connection. The school was included in a recent mini competition run by my Department and has been awarded to a provider of high speed fibre broadband. The provider has been notified, and on acceptance to enter into contract, the next phase in the process will be installation by the service provider. The school will be contacted by the provider to arrange the installation of the fibre service directly.
207. Deputy Clare Daly asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of secondees from companies (details supplied) who are working in his Department. [5833/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThere are no secondees from the companies mentioned by the Deputy engaged at my Department.
208. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the timeframe for ending the pay inequality in the teaching sector in view of the fact that this situation has been ongoing for over seven years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5847/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra209. Deputy Michael Moynihan asked the Minister for Education and Skills to set out the timeframe for the enactment of the recommendations of the pay review that is under way for teachers' pay; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5848/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra221. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Minister for Education and Skills to outline his plans to end pay inequality in the teaching profession in view of the current crisis in teacher recruitment and retainment; the timeframe in which he expects to achieve equal pay for equal work for all teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5983/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 208, 209 and 221 together.
The public service agreements have allowed a programme of pay restoration for public servants to start. I negotiated together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, a 15-22% pay increase for new teachers. The agreements to date have restored an estimated 75% of the difference in pay for more recently recruited teachers and deliver full equality at later points in the scale.
As a result of the changes I negotiated together with my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, the current starting salary of a new teacher is €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, at a cost of over €200 million across the public service.
Differential pay scales were introduced by the then Government in 2010. 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 for 2018 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.
A commitment is included in the Public Service Stability Agreement 2018-2020 to consider the issue of newly qualified pay within 12 months of the commencement of the Agreement. That process has now commenced with a first meeting on 12 October 2017. The three teacher unions attended that first meeting.
In addition, the Public Service Pay and Pensions Act 2017 provides that within 3 months of the passing of the Act, my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will prepare and lay before the Oireachtas a report on the cost of and a plan in dealing with pay equalisation for new entrants to the public service.
210. D'fhiafraigh Deputy Éamon Ó Cuív den Aire Oideachais agus Scileanna cén uair a fhoilseofar an dlúthdhiosca a bhaineann leis an scéim “Mar a Déarfá”; agus cén chúis atá leis an moill. [5889/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraIs cuid de thionscadal de chuid Bhord Oideachais agus Oiliúna na Gaillimhe/Ros Comáin é ‘Mar a Déarfa’ agus é dírithe mar thús ar fhoghlaimeoirí fásta sa Ghaeltacht. Breacadh is ainm don tionscadal féin.
Tá áiseanna an tionscadail ar fáil ar líne ar www.maradearfa.ie agus níl aon phlean ann faoi láthair, ceal acmhainní, CD a chur ar fáil.
211. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if the conveyancing process for the acquisition of a site for schools (details supplied) has been completed; if the site is now in public ownership of his Department; when a design team will be appointed to move forward both projects; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5907/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI can confirm that my Department is in the process of acquiring a site to accommodate the schools to which the Deputy refers. The school patrons have been informed of the proposed location of the schools.
Officials in my Department are liaising with all relevant parties in order to progress the site acquisition. When the site acquisition process has been progressed further, my Department will be in a position to progress the project into architectural planning. At this point I am not in a position to state when a design team will be appointed but I can assure the Deputy that every effort is being made to expedite the site acquisition process.
212. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when tenders will be invited for a project (details supplied); the closing date for receipt of tenders; if they have been invited; when construction of the new school is likely to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5908/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe school building project to which the Deputy refers is currently at advanced architectural planning stage. It is anticipated that tenders for the school will be invited in Q1 2018 with construction anticipated to commence in Q2 2018.
213. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his Department has received a revised stage 2(b) report for a project (details supplied); when tenders will be invited for the project; when construction of the new school is likely to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5909/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe building project referred to by the Deputy is for a new 24 classroom school including a Special Needs Unit, with a floor area of approx. 4,748m2.
The project is currently at Stage 2B of Architectural Planning - Detailed Design Stage, which includes applications for all statutory consents, including Planning Permission, Disability Access Certificate and Fire Safety Certificate and also the preparation of tender documentation. Planning Permission for this project was received in August 2017.
The Stage 2B report has just recently been received and reviewed by my Department. A number of issues were identified as needing clarification by the Design Team prior to approval of the Stage 2B submission.
Once a revised Stage 2B submission which addresses these issues has been received and reviewed, my Department will then revert to the school with regard to a timeframe for progression to tender.
214. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills when the process for the recruitment of a principal for a school (details supplied) will commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5910/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs part of the Major School Building Projects announcement in November 2015 by my Department and in view of the continued support for an independent Gaelcholáiste, it was confirmed that a Gaelcholáiste to serve the North Kildare area will open in 2019.
Department approval is given for the appointment of a school Principal from 1 September of the school year prior to the opening of a new school.
215. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that progress on the construction of a project (details supplied) is proceeding and a school (details supplied) should be in a position to move its new school in September 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5911/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe project to which the Deputy refers will provide 2 new post-primary school buildings and a sports hall. The contract has a twenty-four month duration. The project went on site in May 2017 and is due for completion in May 2019. This will enable the schools for which the buildings are being provided to start the 2019/20 school year in their new accommodation. There is no indication at this time that the buildings will be ready for the schools to occupy them in September 2018.
216. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if tenders have been invited for a project (details supplied); if the closing date for receipt of tenders is available; when construction of the new school is likely to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5912/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major building project for St. Joseph's National School in Kilcock is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.
The Stage 2b submission has been reviewed by my Department and comments have issued to the school and its Design Team. My Department requested confirmations from the Design Team that it carries out one final review of all of its tender documentation to ensure compliance with DoES requirements. The Design Team has been requested to submit written confirmation from each Design Team member including the PSDP that they have completed this review and are satisfied that the Tender Documents are complete, correct and in compliance with DoES and Building Control (Amendment) Regulations (BC(A)R) tender documentation requirements.
These confirmations have recently been received and my Department will shortly revert to the school with regard to the further progression of the project.
217. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if tenders have been invited for a project (details supplied); if the closing date for receipt of tenders is available; when construction of the new school is likely to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5913/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe major building project referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning Stage 2b (Detailed Design), which includes the application for statutory approvals and the preparation of tender documents. All statutory approvals have been secured.
The Stage 2b submission has been received in my Department and is currently being reviewed.
On completion of the review of this report my Department will revert to the Board of Management with regard to the further progression of the project at that time.
218. Deputy Joan Burton asked the Minister for Education and Skills if tenders have been invited for a project (details supplied); if the closing date for receipt of tenders is available; when construction of the new school is likely to commence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5914/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the project to which she refers has been devolved for delivery to the local Education and Training Board (ETB).
Planning permission has been received for the project which is at the detailed design stage. In this regard, the Stage 2B submission was recently submitted to my Department for examination. The outcome of this examination will be conveyed to the ETB as soon as it is available.
My Department is currently reviewing its programme for capital expenditure in 2018 and 2019. The progression of building projects, including the project in question, will be considered in that context.
