I propose to take Questions Nos. 193 to 214, inclusive, together.
Departmental funding is disbursed in line with the overall principle that there should be transparency and accountability in the management of public money, having regard to economy, efficiency and effectiveness and in compliance with central guidelines, as set out in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Circular number 13 of 2014.
I have attached information on the Service Level Agreement or equivalent which was in place for each of the bodies in 2017, and the status of the 2018 arrangements, where appropriate. In some cases, the current agreements in place are multi-annual.
Circular 13 of 2014 acknowledges that a standardised service level agreement may not be appropriate in all cases, given the diversity of bodies in receipt of public funding. In the case of bodies comprehended by the Code of Practice for Governance of State Bodies, the Department has been moving to put in place Performance Delivery Agreements.
More widely, the Department is undertaking significant efforts to further develop and implement consistent and robust governance arrangements across the education sector. This work is guided by a management board committee on sectoral governance chaired by the Secretary General and supported by a sectoral governance unit which undertakes work which supports the enhancement and standardisation of governance and accountability oversight across the Department, including implementation of the Code of Practice for Governance of State Bodies. The Department also intends undertaking within 2018 a review of the arrangements in place in respect of management and accountability of grants from Departmental funds in order to further strengthen consistency of approach.
Bodies/Organisation
|
Type of Agreement in Place (August 2017)
|
Type of Agreement in place/planned for 2018
|
Date latest agreement signed
|
NCCA
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
Draft Performance Delivery Agreement issued to NCCA for agreement
|
MoU signed April 2013
2018 PDA not yet signed
|
COGG
|
Annual Work Plan
|
Draft Performance Delivery Agreement issued to COGG for agreement
|
Annual Work Plan signed November 2017
2018 PDA not yet signed
|
State Examinations Commission
|
Service Level Agreement
|
Performance Delivery Agreement signed 6 November 2017
|
PDA signed 6 November 2017
|
National Council for Spec Education
|
Performance Delivery Agreement
|
Draft Performance Delivery Agreement & Oversight Agreement
|
PDA signed December 2017
Oversight Agreement signed February 2018
|
Music Generation
|
Service Level Agreement
|
Draft Performance Delivery Agreement issued for agreement
|
Service Level Agreement signed December 2015
2018 PDA not yet signed
|
Educational Research Centre
|
Governance Agreement under discussion
|
Draft Performance Delivery Agreement issued to ERC for agreement
|
2018 PDA not yet signed
|
HEAnet
|
Service Level Agreement
|
Service Level Agreement
|
SLA signed June 2017
|
Childvision
|
Service Level Agreement In Progress
|
Service Level Agreement
|
SLA signed December 2017
|
SOLAS
|
Performance Delivery Agreement (Multi-annual)
|
Multi-annual Performance Delivery Agreement in place.
|
Last update of multi-annual PDA signed August 2017 with further update due shortly
|
QQI
|
Management Framework Agreement
|
Performance Delivery Agreement agreed.
|
MFA signed December 2016 with agreed draft PDA due to be signed next week.
|
Dublin Dental Hospital
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
MoU signed April 2016
|
DIAS
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
MoU signed May 2016
|
RIAM
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
MoU signed April 2016
|
Carlow College (non HEA)
|
Memorandum of Understanding under review
|
Memorandum of Understanding under review
|
Not yet signed
|
National College of Ireland
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
Memorandum of Understanding
|
MoU signed April 2016
|
ICHEC
|
Service Level Agreement
|
Service Level Agreement
|
SLA signed June 2017
|
Leargas
|
Service Level Agreement
|
Performance Delivery Agreement
|
SLA signed March 2017 with PDA signed by DES (March 2018) & awaiting counter-signature by Leargas
|
Grangegorman Development Agency (GDA)
|
Performance Delivery Agreement
|
2018 Performance Delivery Agreement and Oversight Agreement at advanced stage of preparation.
|
PDA signed April 2017.
2018 PDA and Oversight Agreement update not yet signed
|
Skillnets
|
Funding Mandate Agreement
|
2018 Performance Delivery Agreement for 2018 at advanced stage of development
|
Funding Mandate Agreement signed February 2011.
2018 PDA not yet signed
|
Dublin West Education Centre
|
Service Level Agreement
|
Service Level Agreement
|
SLA signed November 2016
|
Clare Education Centre
|
Service Level Agreement
|
Service Level Agreement
|
SLA signed October 2016
|
Monaghan Education Centre
|
Service Level Agreement
|
Service Level Agreement
|
SLA signed November 2016
|