Written Answers Nos. 205-210
206. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the degree to which the Defence Forces are being modernised and coordinated in such a way as to ensure maximum effectiveness in all required situations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58661/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Commission on the Defence Forces was established on foot of a commitment in the Programme for Government, and I, as Minister for Defence, welcomed the publication of the report of the Commission on 9th February last. The Commission has undertaken a significant body of work, encompassing wide-ranging terms of reference. It recommends significant changes for the Defence Forces and Defence provision in Ireland. It covers high-level Defence Forces structures, defence capabilities, organisation, culture and human resources, the Reserve Defence Force and funding.
Given the significant recommendations contained in the Report, detailed consideration of these recommendations was undertaken over a period of 5 months by my Department and the Defence Forces. This involved significant inter-departmental consultation, and I and my officials have engaged with key stakeholders to ascertain their views. Following this engagement, I returned to Government with a High Level Action Plan and a Memo for Government which were approved on July 12th of this year.
This involved the approval of a move to ‘Level of Ambition 2’ (LOA2), as set out in the capability framework devised by the Commission on the Defence Forces. This will result in the Defence budget rising from €1.1 billion to €1.5 billion, in 2022 prices, by 2028, the largest increase in Defence funding in the history of the State. This will allow for the required substantial transformation and investment in recruitment and equipment that were identified by the Commission. The recent Budget for 2023 included an increase of €67m over the 2022 budget for Defence. This includes an almost 25% increase in Capital funding and demonstrates the Government’s strong commitment to support the transformation of the Defence Forces into a modern, agile military force, capable of responding to increasingly complex security threats.
The report of the Commission on the Defence Forces and the current events in Ukraine are prompting an open debate and consideration of our defence requirements. There is an ongoing requirement to consider whether the capabilities we maintain are appropriate, having regard to the security environment, the roles that we wish the Defence Forces to undertake, and likely risks. For this reason one of the Early Actions arising out of High Level Action Plan for the Report of the Commission on the Defence Forces is the commencement of the Strategic Defence Review. This review is the second in the cycle of reviews as proposed in the White Paper on Defence and follows the 2019 White Paper Update. These cycle of reviews are to give assurance that defence policy remains up to date and relevant to the changing circumstances and bring certainty and regularity to defence planning.
As set out in the White Paper these reviews will be based on an updated security assessment and a fresh consideration of the implications of this assessment for policy requirements, associated tasks, capability development and resourcing.
207. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Defence the degree to which the Defence Forces here are being trained in line with the standards set in other European countries with a view to ensuring that the forces here have the capacity and alacrity of others throughout the European Union; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [58662/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe primary function of training in the Defence Forces is to develop and maintain the capabilities necessary to enable them to fulfil the roles laid down by Government.The Defence Forces conduct training under four broad categories, namely: Leadership, Skills, Career, and Collective. Leadership Training is the medium through which the Defence Forces ensure that personnel are prepared for exercising command authority across the full range of military functions both at home and overseas in international operations. Skills Training ensures that Defence Forces personnel have the requisite individual, specialist, and crew skills. Career Training, and education, provides the organisation with the necessary pool of leaders and commanders at all levels. Collective Training allows military personnel to use their individual, crew, specialist and career training together, to develop integrated and coherent combat forces.
The scheduling of training in the Defence Forces is underpinned by an analysis of training required to meet operational output and capability development requirements.
The Defence Forces seek to constantly benchmark training across all three arms of the organisation against best military and academic practice. Military best practice is ensured by implementing a policy of standardisation that is in line with EU and NATO/Partnership for Peace partners. Academic best practice is ensured by benchmarking courses through accreditation under the National Framework of Qualifications which is validated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland..The Defence Forces deliver military programmes and modules meeting national and international standards and engage with external educational institutions in order to facilitate organisational learning. This engagement with national and international educational institutions, military and civilian, aims to ensure that the Defence Forces retain currency with regards to best international practice and employ all relevant modern training methods.
I remain committed to ensuring that all personnel of the Defence Forces continue to be trained to appropriate standards.
208. Deputy Michael Ring asked the Minister for Education when former staff members (details supplied) will receive the pension increase in respect of the Building Momentum Agreement; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58485/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraI refer to the Deputy’s question regarding the pension increases for retired teachers in respect of the Building Momentum Agreement. The Agreement provides for:
- 3% pay adjustment with effect from 2 February 2022, and
- an increase of 1% or €500, whichever is greater, has been applied with effect from 1 October 2022.
For staff, including retired teachers, who are paid by the Department of Education Payroll section, these increases will be applied on 24 November 2022. The increases include retrospective payments. This includes payment to former school staff who work in primary, voluntary secondary, community and comprehensive schools.
Education and Training Board (ETB) Staff
The National Shared Services Office (NSSO) is responsible for the payment of pensions to retired personnel from the ETB sector.
I am informed by my officials that a significant amount of work is ongoing in relation to this matter and that, due to the complexities of applying the most recent increase to pensions, officials in my Department are liaising with both the NSSO and the ETB sector in relation to same, with a view to ensuring the efficient application of pay increases which impact on pensions in payment.
In light of the foregoing, I understand that all outstanding pension increases accruing from October 2021 to retired personnel from the ETB sector will be reflected in their pensions in payment by the end of Q4 2022 at the very latest.
It is anticipated that the increases associated with the extension of the Building Momentum agreement will then be processed and they will commence being applied to retired ETB personnel with effect from February 2023.
209. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Education when a decision will be made on an application for assistive technology by a person (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [58482/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraUnder the Assistive Technology scheme, as set out in my Department’s Circular 0010/2013, funding is provided to schools towards the cost of computers and specialist equipment, which are required for educational purposes.
All equipment provided under this scheme supports children with more complex disabilities who, in order to access the school curriculum, require essential specialist equipment.
It must be clear that the existing I.T. equipment in the school is insufficient to meet the child's needs. Where necessary, schools may also purchase new or additional equipment or software for students from normal school resources or funds.
Last April, my Department announced the Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 with €200 million associated grant funding committed for all recognised primary and post-primary schools. The first tranche of €50 million funding has already been provided to schools through the ICT Grant. Decisions regarding the use and deployment of digital technology in schools is a matter for the Board of Management of each school, as schools are best placed to determine the most appropriate solution to adopt in terms of supporting the learning needs of their students based on school's own context and circumstances, and in accordance with their Digital Learning Plan. The grant funding allocation issues directly to schools and can be used to provide devices for use by students and teachers, for learning platforms, software and overall digital technology infrastructure development in the school.
Where children with more complex disabilities require essential specialist equipment to access the school curriculum, which they do not already have, or which cannot be provided for them through the schools existing provisions, schools may make an application for such equipment to the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) under the terms of this scheme.
The NCSE through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs) is responsible for processing applications from schools for special educational needs supports. SENOs also make recommendations to my Department where assistive technology/specialised equipment is required. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in making recommendations for support.
Schools make applications directly to the SENO, providing details of the student’s special educational needs or disability, including details of the approach taken by the school in making relevant interventions.
In order to qualify for equipment under the Assistive Technology Scheme, a student must have been diagnosed with a physical or communicative disability and must also have a recommendation in a professional assessment that the equipment is essential in order to allow the student to access the curriculum.
SENOs will review the application, and professional reports provided in support of same, in order to establish whether the criteria of the scheme have been met. They will then make a recommendation to my Department as to whether or not assistive technology is required; and based on this recommendation, my Department will decide on the level of grant, if any, to be provided.
The type of equipment provided under the Assistive Technology Scheme is varied, and includes audiological supports for students with hearing impairment, braille equipment for children with visual impairment, and computer equipment with associated modified software for students with physical or severe communicative disabilities.
Communication devices or medical or therapy related devices which are not specific educational interventions or equipment specifically required as essential for school educational access, and which have a general application outside of school, are not provided for under the Assistive Technology scheme, however. Such equipment is normally provided for children with disabilities by the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Regarding the application referenced by the Deputy I can confirm officials from my Department have been liaising with the school concerned and the NCSE. The Department received all the required documentation to process an appeal for this application on the 22nd of November and a decision letter approving a grant for Assistive technology has issued to the school.
210. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Education if Ukrainian families are being informed of the obligation of Gaeltacht schools, under the Gaeltacht education policy, to teach through the medium of the Irish language; if they are being assisted with and provided with any necessary additional resources in order for them to learn through Irish where they attend Gaeltacht schools; and if they are being provided with the choice to attend non-Gaeltacht schools if they do not want their children to learn through Irish. [58511/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraInformation in relation to the status and operation of Irish-medium schools and Gaeltacht schools is available in English, Ukrainian and Russian on the gov.ie website in the section containing information for people arriving from Ukraine. www.gov.ie/en/publication/320e9-employment-and-education/#education
Guidance was issued by the Department of Education to Gaeltacht schools at the end of April 2022 on welcoming students from Ukraine. This guidance highlighted the importance of placing student needs at the heart of the school’s response and also gave details of additional support hours and COGG resources that are available to schools. The guidance can be found on the following webpage: www.gov.ie/en/publication/48639-information-for-schools-ukraine/
Regional Education and Language Teams (REALT) are hosted by the 16 regional education and training boards around Ireland and staffed by regionally based education support personnel. The primary role of the REALT is to assist families in securing school places. Decisions about the participation of students in an Irish-medium or English-medium learning environment are primarily for the parents and the students involved to make, while also taking account of local circumstances.
