Results 7,441-7,460 of 7,652 for speaker:Joanna Tuffy

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The information is provided in the old fashioned way, a certain sum of money equals a certain number of SNAs. It does not tell us anything else. If the Minister and the Department are sympathetic to the idea that we use SNAs to the best of our ability for a system of education, it has to be more than €6 million equals 300 or so extra SNAs.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: If there is any way the Minister can develop this process and work with us and the committee secretariat would be welcome. Could it be said, if this discrete group of pupils improved their educational outcomes, that the improvement related also to SNAs, resource teachers or technology to help students with special needs? Money is being spent by the Department. It is not that it is not...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The Deputy has just correlated them.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Perhaps. However, the Deputy stated that if they stay in a classroom longer, their educational outcomes are potentially improved. Therefore, he has made the connection.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: I was just checking. I call Deputy Conaghan.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Has the review anything to do with the value for money recommendations? The 2015 Estimates includes a provision to further implement recommendations of the SNA value for money.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Okay.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: In terms of the extra 610 special needs assistants, is it that they are employed and then the Department has to supply the money? There is no issue around having to employ those people now. They were employed in addition to what was anticipated and now the money has to be put in place. The expansion was made without the sanction. What is the procedure there?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister said it was for next year. I need this clarified. This Estimate is for this year.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Those people have been employed.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: It is not that they have yet to be employed. They are already employed.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: I thank the Minister. Are there other questions? If members are happy, we will move on to superannuation in respect of first and second level schools and institutes of technology. I refer members to pages 4 and 5 of the committee secretariat brief and page 3 of the Department's brief. Are there any questions or comments? We will move on to student support and related services on page 5...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: On bringing the payment forward, has the Department considered whether the pressures might come up again before the next front-loading, say if there was a similar cashflow problem towards the summer if the money is paid earlier? It is just deferring the problem.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Why would they need more of it now than later? Why is there an issue about cashflow now? If the money is the same, what is the benefit to the colleges of getting it earlier?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: At the same time, I note the Irish Universities Association appeared before the joint committee. At the time of cutbacks, the universities increased the level of funding they brought in from other sources in different ways, such as by providing courses, through philanthropy or whatever. A couple of issues arise from that. First, as we are coming out of the recession and a recovery is under...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: The Minister said that some of the front-loading is related to the greater efficiency achieved by the Student Universal Support Ireland, SUSI, which is a good sign, as it could be said that is a performance by the Department in the sense that it set up SUSI and it is delivering in terms of greater efficiency. It is part of the issue with regard to the front-loading of the money. Of the...

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: We will move on to the next item, subhead D3, which covers building, equipment and furnishing of primary and post-primary schools. Are there any questions on that?

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: It is on page 6 of the secretariat briefing and page 5 of the Department's briefing. It is subhead D3, which covers building, equipment and furnishing of primary and post-primary schools. It is on the last page of our secretariat briefing.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Subhead E covers appropriations-in-aid and is the last item to be considered. I apologise, but there was another subhead, subhead B, on page 4 of the briefing document. It covers grants for further education and training activities. Expenditure under this subhead is projected to be €50 million, less than what was provided for.

Committee on Education and Social Protection: Select Sub-Committee on Education and Skills: Estimates for Public Services 2015
Vote 26 - Education and Skills (Supplementary) (8 Dec 2015)

Joanna Tuffy: Although it is not exactly related, I have been told, as a public representative - I am sure it has been said to others also - that a person may know somebody taking a training course and although the person does not attend, he or she is receiving the allowance. The people involved might declare themselves sick, for example. This has certainly been raised as an issue during the years. Are...