Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide details of changes in work practices negotiated under the terms of the Croke Park Agreement with the schools inspectorate through their union; the date on which such changes were implemented; the savings that resulted from any changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43629/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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In accordance with the Croke Park agreement, inspectors in my Department have implemented a significant programme of reforms to inspection procedures. The reforms have achieved efficiencies through a reduction in the inspection resources required for whole-school evaluations and other inspections in primary and post-primary schools. The reforms also involved improving the reports arising from inspections and introducing questionnaires for parents and students, thus giving them a greater voice in commenting on school quality. A much greater proportion of inspectors' time in evaluations is now spent on the observation of practice in classrooms and in the provision of feedback to teachers.

Overall, across the main categories of inspection activity, the Inspectorate's outputs for 2011 were ahead of the previous year by around 15%. The reforms to inspection have enabled output to increase despite a significant reduction in staff numbers in the Inspectorate from 154 staff in 2009 to 123 inspectors at the end of September 2012.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the details of any work practices negotiated under the terms of the Croke Park Agreement with the National Educational Psychological Service psychologists through their union; the date on which such changes were implemented; the savings that resulted from any changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43630/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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When the National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) was established in 1999 it had a ten region structure and it was envisaged that these regions would be managed by a Regional Director.

In mid 2010 there were four vacancies at Regional Director level at the service and my Department entered into discussions with the NEPS IMPACT branch with a view to filling the vacant regional director posts and revising the regional structure of the Service with a view to in future operating out of an eight rather than ten region structure in order to realise savings.

Agreement to this effect was reached with IMPACT in November 2010 which resulted in two regional director posts in effect being suppressed. NEPS Management entered into discussions with the Regional Directors of the service which culminated in agreement being reached for a redistribution of schools to reflect the new structure.

The estimated savings amounts to approximately €200,000 per annum based on the average salary for the posts concerned. My Department is committed to seeking opportunities for further savings and enhanced service delivery during the lifetime of the Public Service Agreement.

Charlie McConalogue (Donegal North East, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if he will provide the details of any work practices negotiated under the terms of the Croke Park Agreement with special educational needs organisers through their union; the date on which such changes were implemented; the savings that resulted from any changes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43631/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I wish to advise the Deputy the Croke Park Agreement is a framework for public service reform centrally agreed between the Government and the Public Service Unions. The NCSE has published its agreed Action Plan under the Croke Park Agreement. A key challenge for the NCSE has been to ensure the maintenance of its national service for all schools and students with special educational needs, within a reduced staff and budget provision. In this regard, changes in work practices are under ongoing development within NCSE in discussion with staff through normal industrial relations channels and managerial processes.

Under the Croke Park Agreement and the Employment Control Framework, authorised NCSE staffing numbers have been reduced from 107 in 2011 to 103 by end 2012. It is estimated that this will result in annual pay savings of the order of €250,000. In addition, efficiency savings of the order of €25,000 per annum are being delivered through shared services and alterations in telecommunication arrangements.