Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

199. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which adequate resources are available through SOLAS to facilitate the requirements of KWETB with particular reference to the various headings as specified in respect of apprenticeships having particular regard to the demand for apprenticeships as experience by KWETB; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32023/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The apprenticeship system in Ireland is managed on a national basis by SOLAS. Resources are allocated for the provision of training as required based on the number of apprentices registered in particular trades at any particular time. SOLAS schedule registered apprentices on the off the job phases in Training Centres, Institutes of Technology and other providers in accordance with the overall scheme.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

200. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which the resources available to KWETB remain adequate to meet requirements in an area of continuous challenge arising from changing demography; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32024/14]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

201. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the extent to which adequate staff and resources are available to KWETB in line with requirements arising from population demands in a rapidly growing area; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [32025/14]

Jan O'Sullivan (Limerick City, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 200 and 201 together.

It is a matter for the chief executive of each ETB deploy staffing resources within existing public service resource constraints in order to meet statutory and other obligations. School staffing resources are determined by my Department and the NCSE (SNAs). Other non-teaching posts are generally comprehended by the moratorium on recruitment and promotion apart from a limited derogation from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform which allowed administrative and maintenance posts in ETB schools to be sanctioned in exceptional circumstances. The non-pay grant to each ETB, to meet the costs of its schools and administrative offices, is determined having regard to pupil enrolment variations, an estimate of the ETB's receipts, various programmes being run by the Board and the amount available for distribution. ETBs are given a high level of autonomy in the management and appropriation of this grant and each may distribute it in line with its priorities and perceptions of need.

My Department is engaged in a project to devise future complementary organisational designs for ETBs and SOLAS in order to reflect their new roles. The Project incorporates a migration plan which will have regard to the agreed high level structure for SOLAS and public service resource constraints in setting out the mechanisms through which the organisational designs will be achieved. In January of this year and in advance of the completion of this project, my Department has approved a temporary acting up allowance to Education Officer level in Kildare and Wicklow ETB.

My officials are also working to assist ETBs to reform, standardise and move certain ETB back office functions to a shared service model, in line with the whole-of-Government approach in this area. A Business Case Report for a Payroll Shared Service was prepared recently and a similar exercise in respect of finance functions is underway.

Interim steps to address risks in existing systems, improve efficiency and assist in the mergers are taking place. These include a project to stabilise existing payroll systems, the merger of a number of payroll and financial management systems, the introduction of a portal system through which certain payments will be processed and improving ICT connectivity for ETBs.