Written answers

Tuesday, 26 March 2019

Department of Education and Skills

Departmental Bodies Reports

Photo of Mattie McGrathMattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

351. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if the findings of the review of the governance, funding and accountability arrangements of his Department for education centres conducted in 2016 by a company (details supplied) will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13482/19]

Photo of Joe McHughJoe McHugh (Donegal, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Education Centres are independent statutory bodies under Section 37 of the Education Act (1998) and are managed by voluntary management committees elected annually and comprised mainly of teachers.

My Department is the main funder of Education Centres through direct budget allocations for administrative staff pay and operating costs. The Education Centres also receive significant funding from the support services which are funded entirely by my Department for the purpose of designing and delivering continuing professional development courses and other professional support for teachers throughout the country.

In general, the Department is undertaking significant efforts to further develop and implement consistent and robust governance arrangements across the education sector. This work is guided by a management board committee on sectoral governance chaired by the Secretary General and supported by a sectoral governance unit which undertakes work which supports the enhancement and standardisation of governance and accountability oversight across the Department, including implementation of the Code of Practice for Governance of State Bodies.

With regard to Education centres, the Department has embarked upon a programme of governance modernisation to complement and update the previous requirements that Education Centres are required to observe, and in line with a desire to continually improve the governance and accountability structure in the sector. This programme is being informed by the Mazars Review of the Department’s Governance, Funding and Accountability arrangements for Education Support Centres. The Mazars report has been circulated to all Education Centres. In addition, there have been developments in governance requirements for state funded bodies as outlined in the Code of Practice for State Bodies which need to be reflected in the sector.

A Steering Group has been established to lead on the development of a programme of actions for the modernisation of governance and accountability arrangements for Education Centres and to oversee its implementation. The work of this group is supported by an Implementation Group and a number of Working Groups.

Comments

No comments

Log in or join to post a public comment.