Ceisteanna Parlaiminte

School Patronage

Jonathan O'Brien

84. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the towns and areas that were surveyed regarding divestment of patronage of local schools; the number of persons surveyed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27638/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

210. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the future of special needs school services provided by an association (details supplied) in County Wicklow; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27004/14]

Teacher Training Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

219. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the mechanism to ensure the best expertise will be available to the teacher education section, junior cycle for teachers and national induction programme for teachers, considering that his Department is imposing a limit on the number of years a teacher can spend on secondment. [27174/14]

National Children's Strategy

Jonathan O'Brien

698. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs the cost of administrative overheads for the compilation and development of the Better Outcomes: Brighter Futures national policy framework for children and young persons 2014-2020. [26616/14]

Preschool Services

Jonathan O'Brien

220. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on his Department's goal to improve the oral language competence of young children in early childhood care and education settings and its readiness to develop early mathematical language and ideas; and the mechanism used to measure same. [25314/14]

Literacy and Numeracy Levels

Jonathan O'Brien

221. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of primary school children performing at level 3 or higher in the national assessment of mathematics and English reading in second class and sixth class during each of the past seven years. [25315/14]

Literacy and Numeracy Levels

Jonathan O'Brien

222. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of children performing at level 1 or lower in the national assessment of mathematics and English reading in second class and sixth class during each of the past seven years. [25316/14]

Student Retention Rates

Jonathan O'Brien

223. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the improvement that has been made in improving retention rates for students in second level schools. [25317/14]

State Examinations

Jonathan O'Brien

224. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who took higher levels maths in the junior certificate during each of the past five years, including 2014. [25318/14]

State Examinations

Jonathan O'Brien

225. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students who took higher levels maths in the leaving certificate during each of the past five years, including 2014. [25319/14]

Literacy Levels

Jonathan O'Brien

226. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of 15 year old students performing at or above level 4 in PISA reading literacy and numeracy tests during each of the past five years. [25320/14]

Literacy Levels

Jonathan O'Brien

227. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of 15 year old students performing at or below level 1 in PISA reading literacy and numeracy tests during each of the past five years. [25321/14]

Early Childhood Care Education

Jonathan O'Brien

230. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the percentage of GDP spent on early years education during each of the past ten years. [25346/14]

Third Level Staff

Jonathan O'Brien

260. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reasons third level institutions are allowed to ring-fence vacancies for persons currently employed in other educational institutions here. [25971/14]

Educational Disadvantage

Jonathan O'Brien

785. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs if he will provide an update on the implementation of the national early years access initiative and the area-based childhood ABC programme. [25236/14]

School Textbooks

Jonathan O'Brien

78. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the value of sales of school books during each of the past ten years. [24994/14]

School Enrolments Data

Jonathan O'Brien

81. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children attending primary school during each of the past ten years. [24986/14]

School Enrolments Data

Jonathan O'Brien

82. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children attending secondary school during each of the past ten years. [24987/14]

Information and Communications Technology

Jonathan O'Brien

83. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of children in primary school and the number of children in secondary school who used laptops and tablets instead of hard copy school books during each of the past ten years. [24988/14]

Education and Training Boards

Jonathan O'Brien

48. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a club (details supplied) in Dublin 12 has been informed that it may not allow anyone who holds a leaving certificate applied to do a local training initiative, LTI; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that this is not the case in other parts of Dublin or the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24834/14]

School Curriculum

Jonathan O'Brien

218. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason the new junior cycle science course is being allocated a total of 200 hours of class contact time over three years, having been reduced from the current junior cycle science syllabus which recommends 240-270 hours class contact time. [24268/14]

School Curriculum

Jonathan O'Brien

219. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the proposed total contact hours in the new junior cycle courses; the current number of class contact hours in the versions being used at the moment, set out in tabular form. [24269/14]

Education and Training Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

220. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding the security studies FETAC award level 6 in GTI Galway this September; the reasons GTI will not know if it is running the course until August; his views on whether this is the way students should be treated; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24290/14]

Gaelscoileanna Issues

Jonathan O'Brien

221. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason his Department has not approved funding for a single teaching resource required to allow 29 children in the Sligo region the opportunity to receive the best possible primary education through their first national language of Irish as chosen by their parents; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the school in which these children are enrolled for the school year beginning September 2014 is a school (details supplied) in County Sligo, which is the only Gaelscoil in the county; that there are 59 children in total enrolled for the coming junior infants year, with school enrolment policy giving preference to siblings of existing or past pupils and as the school has presently only one teaching resource for junior infants class, this means that the choice of the parents of these 29 children cannot be catered for; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24292/14]

English Language Training Organisations

Jonathan O'Brien

224. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the terms of reference the taskforce designated to look at the issue of the closure of private English language schools has been given; the membership of this taskforce; and the date on which it will deliver a report to him. [24342/14]

State Examinations Commission

Jonathan O'Brien

232. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has issued any guidance to the State Examinations Commission regarding the timeframe in which it must reply to parliamentary questions. [24401/14]

School Placement

Jonathan O'Brien

234. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason he will not provide an additional teacher to accommodate the new junior infants class in a school (details supplied) in County Dublin, in view of the increase in numbers of children in the local area; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the lack of school places means that some families have had to include children in three different schools and the hardship this is causing; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24493/14]

Quality and Qualifications Ireland Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

246. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the exact fee that Quality and Qualifications Ireland proposes for re-engagement with legacy voluntary providers. [24630/14]

Quality and Qualifications Ireland Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

247. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a breakdown of the services that Quality and Qualifications Ireland will offer for legacy voluntary providers who apply to re-engage and who pay a fee for this service. [24631/14]

Further Education and Training Programmes Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

260. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason St. John Bosco Youth Centre, Davitt Road, Drimnagh, Dublin 12 has been blocked from allowing 30 young persons to start on courses by a person (details supplied); if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the courses provide a full certificate FETAC level 4 for students who are mostly early school leavers; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that current guidelines do not state that there must be a minimum number of students participating; the reason they are not allowed accept students who are age 17 years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24694/14]

Medicinal Products Availability

Jonathan O'Brien

504. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that Fampyra will be made available on the medical card; and his plans to ensure that those who have benefited from Fampyra may continue to take this drug regardless of financial circumstances. [24364/14]

Special Educational Needs Staff

Jonathan O'Brien

2. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the changes he has made to the criteria for allocating special needs assistants have made it more difficult for children to access SNA help when they need it and if he will review these changes. [23451/14]

Further Education and Training Programmes Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

5. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his views that the recently published Further Education and Training Strategy 2014-19 will neglect non-tech or non-business related further education. [23452/14]

School Accommodation Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

9. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that his Department will give permission for a school (details supplied) to enter into a five-year lease agreement with NCE campus in Farranferris, County Cork; if a funding application by the school to fit out additional classrooms needed as a result of a large increase in student numbers in September 2014 and to provide a suitable play area will be granted; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23277/14]

State Examinations

Jonathan O'Brien

20. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that all children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties are provided with the assistance needed for the leaving certificate this year. [23275/14]

Gaelscoil Issues

Jonathan O'Brien

25. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will approve an application by a school (details supplied) to set up a new gaelcholáiste on the northside of Cork city to cater for the increase in the number of children attending primary education taught through the medium of Irish and parents who want their children to be educated through Irish. [23279/14]

School Management

Jonathan O'Brien

26. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reason a school (details supplied) has had a manager in place managing the school, and not a board of management, for over a year; the reason the manager of the school has reversed the decision to take in three first year classes for September 2015 and is now only enrolling two first year classes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23278/14]

School Enrolments

Jonathan O'Brien

36. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the board of management of a school (details supplied), with the support of parents and staff, has decided to enrol a junior infants class for September 2014 in order to secure the long-term future of the school in a situation of falling numbers of pupils and the school being only allowed to take students at second class; if he is aware that this enrolment decision did not receive the permission of the trustees or the patron; if he will accept the right of parents to choose what school their child can attend; if he will provide the necessary support for the school to implement the new policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23276/14]

Departmental Strategies

Jonathan O'Brien

195. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the names of the strategy documents his Department is currently implementing. [22171/14]

School Funding

Jonathan O'Brien

242. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that students at a school (details supplied) in County Galway have no access to on-site sports facilities and that their fundraising efforts have raised significant finance for building a sports hall; and if part funding will be provided in order that they may have a sports hall on site. [22594/14]

School Accommodation

Jonathan O'Brien

243. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools with no on-site sports facilities. [22595/14]

Teacher Redeployment

Jonathan O'Brien

244. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if a person (details supplied) in County Donegal will be placed on the panel; the reasons she has received two different sets of advice from his Department regarding her ability to meet the earnings threshold; the appeals process open to her; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22596/14]

School Enrolments

Jonathan O'Brien

246. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that a child (details supplied) in Dublin 4 has been refused a place in a local school due to the fact that the school has changed the admissions procedure to prioritise access for daughters of past pupils and girls attending Belmont primary school meaning the child does not qualify for a place; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the ability of schools to discriminate against children in this manner puts these children at a massive disadvantage when it comes to securing a school place; that his proposed changes to the admissions system will still allow for discrimination in this manner; the steps he will take to address this situation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22611/14]

National Educational Psychological Service Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

257. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will ensure that a person (details supplied) in County Waterford will receive an appointment with a NEPS psychologist as a matter of urgency. [22808/14]

Special Educational Needs Service Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

258. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will reinstate the special needs assistant in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Meath; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22825/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Jonathan O'Brien

260. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a permanent school building in respect of a school (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [22829/14]

State Examinations

Jonathan O'Brien

278. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a reader for the leaving certificate in respect of a person (details supplied) in County Wexford; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23005/14]

Teacher Training Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

279. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he has offered professional development to teachers who want to improve their mathematical knowledge; and his plans to rectify same. [23009/14]

State Examinations

Jonathan O'Brien

280. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of junior certificate and leaving certificate pupils who applied during each of the past seven years for a reader, a waiver from the assessment of spelling, grammar and punctuation in the language subjects, use of a tape recorder or word processor, a scribe, reasonable accommodation on the grounds of visual impairment, reasonable accommodation on the grounds of hearing difficulties, reasonable accommodation on the grounds of physical disability, a helper for practical subjects, an exemption from the practical test in home economics, or an exemption from the project in home economics; the number of these applications that were granted during each of these years; the number of negative decisions that were appealed during each of these years; and the number of negative decisions that were successful on appeal. [23012/14]

State Examinations

Jonathan O'Brien

281. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the persons who sit on the group which decides on appeals where reasonable accommodations have been refused by the State Examinations Commission; and details of any remuneration they receive. [23013/14]

State Examinations

Jonathan O'Brien

282. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the funding allocated to the State Examinations Commission during each of the past seven years for providing for reasonable accommodations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23014/14]

Education and Training Boards

Jonathan O'Brien

305. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide a complete list of CTCs in operation during 2012-13; and his plans to integrate these into ETBs. [23342/14]

Education and Training Boards

Jonathan O'Brien

306. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that SIPTU has tried to engage with IACTO, SOLAS and his Department on the issue of CTCs; and that his Department have refused to meet on the issue; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that IACTO are not disseminating the information. [23343/14]

Education and Training Boards

Jonathan O'Brien

307. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to the fact that CTC workers have agreements in place with IACTO-SOLAS on collective issues such as redundancies and annual leave but they have been informed that his Department will not honour these agreements as was the experience in an organisation (details supplied) in County Cork; and if he will commit to ensuring that negotiated agreements are honoured. [23344/14]

Rent Supplement Scheme Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

351. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Social Protection the geographic areas where landlords may not accept rent allowance; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22170/14]

Water Charges Exemptions

Jonathan O'Brien

528. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he has directed Irish Water on the matter of water allocation for under 18 year olds that will be delivered in the many Gaeltacht areas where local Mná Tí open their houses for the summer months to students from outside Gaeltacht areas who wish to improve their spoken Gaeilge. [22437/14]

Hospital Services

Jonathan O'Brien

886. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Health if he will ensure that the Health Service Executive provides funding to clear a backlog in the waiting list for bariatric surgery in Loughlinstown weight management clinic; if he is on target to honour his commitment to ensure the waiting list for bariatric surgery is reduced to one year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23007/14]

Sale of State Assets

Jonathan O'Brien

10. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if it is proposed to sell the Government stake in Aer Lingus; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16773/14]

School Textbooks

Jonathan O'Brien

69. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of school e-books sold to parents during each of the past four years. [21615/14]

Third Level Admissions Assistance

Jonathan O'Brien

70. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will work with his Northern Ireland counterpart to establish a phone helpline that could provide advice to students from across Ireland on applying for university and other third level courses, as well as information on the CAO and UCAS systems. [21618/14]

Unfair Dismissals

Jonathan O'Brien

76. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if his attention has been drawn to a case where two fully qualified plasterers were dismissed from their employment by a company (details supplied) who were undertaking work in St. Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, and replaced by unqualified persons; his plans to ensure persons qualified in crafts are not treated like this when undertaking work within the education sector; and his plans to rectify this particular matter. [21633/14]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Jonathan O'Brien

78. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if special needs assistants are required under circular 22/2012 to take a two year career break while pursuing a teaching qualification; the circumstances under which an SNA may pursue such a qualification while retaining their SNA employment in a school. [21660/14]

State Examinations

Jonathan O'Brien

89. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the position regarding a reader for the leaving certificate examinations in respect of a person (details supplied) in Dublin 15. [21750/14]

State Examinations

Jonathan O'Brien

90. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students with dyslexia or other conditions sitting their leaving certificate this year who had readers and tape recorders when they sat their junior certificate but have not been allocated them for their leaving certificate; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21751/14]

Capitation Grants

Jonathan O'Brien

60. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the primary school capitation grant per child for each of the past ten years and the supplementary rates for children in Gaelscoileanna and children with special needs for these years. [20687/14]

Capitation Grants

Jonathan O'Brien

61. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools receiving the ancillary services grant during each of the past five years. [20688/14]

Capitation Grants

Jonathan O'Brien

62. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the rates of capitation grant per pupil at secondary level; the rates of the special class grant, Irish and bilingual grant, Traveller capitation grant, for each of the past ten years. [20689/14]

Capitation Grants

Jonathan O'Brien

63. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools receiving a grant under the school services support fund during each of the past five years. [20690/14]

Primary Online Database

Jonathan O'Brien

64. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the operation of the learner database and the information it holds; and the cost of running same. [20691/14]

Student Councils

Jonathan O'Brien

65. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools that currently have student councils; the number of schools that do not have student councils; the cost of running the student council support service; and the funding and staff allocated to it during each of the past five years. [20692/14]

Institutes of Technology

Jonathan O'Brien

70. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on any proposed merger between the four Dublin institutes of technology. [20750/14]

Higher Education Schemes

Jonathan O'Brien

71. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on the strategic innovation fund's restructuring of delivery of fourth level education. [20751/14]

Access to Higher Education

Jonathan O'Brien

72. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to widen participation and increase access to PhD programmes for under-represented groups including those from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds. [20752/14]

Student Assistance Fund

Jonathan O'Brien

73. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his plans to increase funding for targeted access supports in higher education to improve equity of access. [20753/14]

Student Assistance Fund

Jonathan O'Brien

74. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the value of the student assistance fund for each of the past five years; and the number of students who benefited from same during each of those years. [20754/14]

Fund for Students with Disabilities

Jonathan O'Brien

75. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the value of the fund for students with disabilities for each of the past five years and the number of students who benefited from same during each of those years. [20755/14]

Disadvantaged Status

Jonathan O'Brien

76. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his efforts to increase links between post-primary DEIS schools and third level institutions since coming to office; the number of DEIS schools currently with no links. [20756/14]

Irish Language

Jonathan O'Brien

77. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of places on Irish scholarship schemes awarded during each of the past eight years. [20757/14]

Higher Education Schemes

Jonathan O'Brien

78. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the reviews that have taken place of scholarship schemes since he was in office. [20758/14]

Student Grant Scheme Eligibility

Jonathan O'Brien

79. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will commit to not changing the qualifying distance criterion for entitlement to the higher education non-adjacent rate of grant in the future. [20774/14]

Access to Higher Education

Jonathan O'Brien

80. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the level of funding allocated to the national office for equity of access to higher education during each of the past eight years. [20775/14]

Departmental Agencies Staff Data

Jonathan O'Brien

81. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of staff allocated to the national office for equity of access to higher education during each of the past eight years and their rates of pay. [20776/14]

Teacher Redeployment

Jonathan O'Brien

49. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills his policy on redeploying teachers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20479/14]

Special Educational Needs Staffing

Jonathan O'Brien

50. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the total number of special needs assistants employed for 2013-14; the ceiling number of SNAs that may be employed within schools; the way this number is calculated; and the persons who calculate it. [20480/14]

Departmental Legal Cases Data

Jonathan O'Brien

51. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of legal proceedings that have been issued against his Department during 2013 and 2014 for children receiving special needs assistant support and any other issues; the number of these cases that are still pending; and the number of children who received SNA support after legal proceedings regarding their case were initiated. [20481/14]

Student Universal Support Ireland Administration

Jonathan O'Brien

52. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students whose Student Universal Support Ireland grants have been awarded for 2013-14 but not yet received on 1 February 2014 and the number on 1 May 2014. [20482/14]

Traveller Education

Jonathan O'Brien

53. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of resource teachers for Travellers employed during 2013-14; and the model under which they are allocated. [20483/14]

Higher Education Institutions Staff

Jonathan O'Brien

54. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of publicly funded positions in the higher education sector during each of the years 2009 to 2013, inclusive. [20484/14]

Public Sector Staff

Jonathan O'Brien

55. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the ceiling on staff numbers in the education sector under the employment control framework, ECF. [20485/14]

School Staffing

Jonathan O'Brien

56. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of vacant middle-management posts in the second level school sector. [20486/14]

Teacher Training Provision

Jonathan O'Brien

57. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide on update on proposed changes to education degrees and postgraduate teaching courses. [20487/14]

School Curriculum

Jonathan O'Brien

58. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools where project mathematics is available. [20488/14]

School Enrolments

Jonathan O'Brien

59. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will commit to ensuring that children of a different or no religion are not effectively barred from entry into faith-based schools. [20489/14]

School Patronage

Jonathan O'Brien

60. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools he expects to be divested of Catholic church patronage during the next three years; and his plans for those schools. [20490/14]

School Patronage

Jonathan O'Brien

61. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of applications for new schools considered by the second level patronage advisory group since its establishment; the organisations who made the applications; and the areas in which they sought schools. [20491/14]

School Patronage

Jonathan O'Brien

62. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of community national schools established here; and the number that will open in the next two years. [20492/14]

School Accommodation

Jonathan O'Brien

63. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of students attending school in prefab buildings during each of the past three years. [20495/14]

Schools Building Projects Status

Jonathan O'Brien

64. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of post-primary schools which have applied for new school buildings or extensions during each of the past three years; the number of these applications which have been granted; and the current status of granted applications. [20496/14]

Higher Education Institutions

Jonathan O'Brien

65. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide an update on any alignments or mergers of higher education institutions which have taken place since he took office; and any which are proposed to take place in the future. [20497/14]

Education Expenditure

Jonathan O'Brien

66. Deputy Jonathan O'Brien asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will refrain from further increasing student contributions and fees in the higher and further education spheres. [20498/14]