Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
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Question 118: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of new committees, advisory groups or new positions in general that have been put in place since he was appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40548/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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For the Deputy's information, the following advisory groups etc have been established since my appointment as Minister for Education and Skills: (1) Advisory Group to convene the Forum on Patronage and Pluralism in the Primary Sector. This Forum was officially launched on 19th April, 2011. Its terms of reference are to advise the Minister on: - how it can best be ensured that the education system can provide a sufficiently diverse number and range of primary schools catering for all religions and none;- the practicalities of how transfer/divesting of patronage should operate for individual primary schools in communities where it is appropriate and necessary; and- how such transfer/divesting can be advanced to ensure that demands for diversity of patronage (including from an Irish language perspective) can be identified and met on a widespread basis nationally. The Advisory Group was appointed to convene the Forum, to receive and distil the various views and perspectives of participants and to then provide the Minister with policy advice having regard to the Terms of Reference. The Advisory Group has held a number of meetings in public (22-24 June and 17th November) and has sought and received submissions from the public as part of its work. The Advisory Group will prepare its report for the Minister before the end of December 2011. The Advisory Group is chaired by Dr. John Coolahan, Professor Emeritus at NUI Maynooth. The other members are Dr. Caroline Hussey, former Registrar and Deputy President, UCD and Fionnuala Kilfeather, former Chief Executive of the National Parents Council - Primary. (2) Student Grants Appeals Board This Appeals Board was established under Student Support Act 2011 (Student Grants Appeals Board) (Establishment Day) Order 2011, S.I. 451 of 2011, with the 8th September 2011 appointed to be the establishment day for the purposes of subsection (2) of section 25 of the Student Support Act 2011. The Board will be independent in the performance of its functions. Its establishment will allow students that have applied for a grant under the 2011/12 student grant scheme and subsequent schemes to have any appeals determined by the Board. The Board, which comprises of a Chairperson and six ordinary members all appointed in their individual capacity based on their knowledge and expertise. Ms. Maureen Waldron, a former Director of the Department of Social Protection, has accepted the position of Chairperson to the Board. She is joined by Mr. Padraig McNamara (vice-Chair) former Chief Executive Officer of the State Examinations Commission; Dr. Marie Clarke, Head of Education at UCD; Ms. Rebecca Murphy, former Student Union Welfare Officer, University College Cork; Ms. Eithne Frost, Consultant in the Voluntary Sector; Ms. Brenna Clarke, retired Professor of English at St. Patrick's College of Education; and Professor Kevin Ryan, former Registrar of the University of Limerick. (3) SOLAS Implementation Group This Implementation Group is chaired by the Minister of State with responsibility for Training and Skills, Ciarán Cannon T.D. Membership of the Implementation Group includes representatives from the Department of Education and Skills, FÁS, the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) and the Department of Social Protection. It will also consult with other key stakeholders. The Implementation Group will develop an Action Plan to implement the changes necessary to put SOLAS in place following the passing of the relevant legislation in 2012. The Group reported to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Jobs on progress in November in keeping with the Government decision on the creation of SOLAS. (4) The Literacy and Numeracy Implementation Advisory Group The role of the group is to monitor progress on implementation of "Literacy and Numeracy for Learning and Life: the National Strategy to Improve Literacy and Numeracy among Children and Young People 2011-2020. The Group which met for the first time earlier this week is chaired by the Secretary General of my Department. In addition there are 12 other members on the group including the Chief Inspector of my Department, the Director General of the Department of Children and Youth Affairs and the CEOs of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the State examinations Commission and the Teaching Council. (5) Advisory Group on Suitability of Qualifications for Higher Capitation Rates This group was established in October to advise the Department of Children and Youth Affairs on the equivalence of qualifications in other disciplines to a Level 7 Qualification in early Childhood Care and Education. The composition of the group includes representatives from the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland, the Irish Universities Association, Ireland's Institutes of Technology and from both my Department and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs. (6) Junior cycle Implementation Advisory Group The general remit of the Group is to advise on and progress the implementation of the proposals on Junior cycle reform. The composition of the group includes representatives from my Department, the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, the State Examinations Commission, School Management, Principals and Teacher unions and Parents. The inaugural meeting will be held in early January. (7) New Schools Establishment Group In June 2011 I announced that twenty new primary schools and twenty new post-primary schools are to be established in the next six years. I also announced the establishment of new arrangements for the recognition of new primary and post-primary schools. These new arrangements included the establishment of a New Schools Establishment Group which will advise me on patronage of the new schools following its consideration of a report on the applications received to be prepared by the Department. This group is chaired by Dr. Seamus McGuinness (retired senior lecturer in the Education Department at Trinity College, Dublin) and also includes Ms Sylda Langford (retired Director of the Office of the Minister for Children) and Professor Seán Ó Riain (Sociology Department, NUI Maynooth).