Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 101: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills when she will publish the Education (Patronage) Bill 2010 in order that the Community National School model can be given a statutory basis upon which to operate; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [33511/10]

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am pleased to announce that the Education (Amendment) Bill 2010 was published yesterday. During the drafting process the Title of the Bill was changed to the Education (Amendment) Bill 2010 to reflect the inclusion in the Bill of other provisions which require the amendment of existing education legislation.

The Bill is designed to put in place a legislative framework which will facilitate the involvement of vocational education committees in the provision of primary education. These additional powers for VECs are proposed in the context of the development of a new additional model of patronage at primary school level — a community national school.

The Bill provides that subject to the consent of the Minister for Education and Skills, a VEC may establish and maintain a school to provide primary education and may also become patron or joint patron of an existing school. Following the enactment of the Bill, VECs will be able to apply to the Minister for the recognition of a school in the same way as other patrons. The Bill also provides that boards of management of schools under the new patronage model will operate in the same way as boards of management in primary schools generally rather than under the governance model used in post-primary VEC schools.

The Bill also provides an opportunity to deal with a number of other education-related matters for which primary legislation is required, including the amendment of the Education Act 1998 and the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs Act 2004 to provide clarification on the delivery of speech therapy services to students and to reflect the de facto position where the provision of therapy services is a matter for the HSE for whom voted funds are allocated for this purpose. It provides for the amendment of the Education Act 1998 to provide for the abolition of the educational disadvantage committee. This will implement an element of the Budget 2008 decision on the rationalisation of agencies.

The Department of Education and Skills remains committed to maintaining ongoing consultation with the education partners and other stakeholders on educational disadvantage and the wider social inclusion agenda. The Department will also continue to implement DEIS, the action plan for educational inclusion, which provides for the educational needs of children and young people from disadvantaged communities.

Additional information not given on the floor of the House

It provides for the amendment of the Teaching Council Act 2001 to allow for the employment, in certain exceptional and limited circumstances, of persons who are not registered teachers under that Act — to reflect the reality that it is not always possible to engage a registered teacher and providing for the Minister to regulate for such a situation.

The provisions contained in the Bill will be discussed in more detail during the passage of the legislation through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I welcome the publication, however late, of this Bill. In the section of her speech she was not able to read out, perhaps the Minister of State explained why, nine years after the Teaching Council Bill was enacted, she is now amending that Act so as to enable unqualified teachers to be hired in certain circumstances against a background where there is an excess of young, and not so young, teachers properly qualified who cannot get a job.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Department of Education and Skills has indicated that, in exceptional circumstances, where there is a need for teachers to be brought into schools, that need will be catered for. I think that was what Deputy Quinn was asking me to explain.

He asked me about further schools.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I did not ask about further schools.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Would Deputy Quinn repeat what he asked me?

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Can the Minister of State explain why, nine years after the enactment of the Teaching Council Bill, which provided, inter alia, that at a certain point in time the Department would not have unqualified teachers paid out of Oireachtas moneys in the school system, the Department has seen fit to give itself extra time to address this matter. It cannot be because there is not a sufficient supply of qualified teachers. Why is the Department leaving this back door open?

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

It is not a question of a back door. It is a question of where there are exceptional needs that teachers with particular backgrounds would go into those schools. I believe Deputy Quinn is aware of that provision in the Education Act.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

They are unqualified teachers.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

In exceptional circumstances, that will be done.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

What kind of exceptional circumstances — unemployed qualified teachers on the one hand and exceptionally unqualified teachers on the other?

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I believe Deputy Quinn will be aware, without being pernickety about the matter, that there is a provision that where there is a necessity for teachers with a special requirement to go into schools who do not have the necessary qualifications, and subject to scrutiny from the Department of Education and Skills, they will be facilitated.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I appreciate that the Minister of State may not be fully briefed on all of this.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I am fully briefed.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

She stated it was subject to special requirements and subject to the supervision of the Department. What we are trying to ensure here is that qualified teachers will be on a panel and will be available, and that is the regular practice. It was understandable in 2001, when the Teaching Council Bill was enacted, that there needed to be a phasing-in period, but surely nine years is a sufficient adequacy of time to allow for that phasing-in to be closed, and that henceforth, when there are more qualified teachers than there are jobs for them, the back-door provision is no longer necessary.

Mary White (Carlow-Kilkenny, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I apologise if Deputy Quinn has trouble with the semantics of what I am saying, but I am fully briefed. I have given him an answer. If he requires a further answer, I will furnish it to him from the Department.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State.