Written Answers. - Parliamentary Debates - Houses of the Oireachtas

Questions— 14 February 2012. Written Answers
have met with the relevant parties on a number of occasions since the redundancies were
announced with the aim of ensuring the most sustainable and appropriate EGF application is
submitted to the European Commission.
As the final details are being put to the application currently I am not in a position to state
the total amount of funding being sought at this time. Subject to final inputs it is intended to
submit the application by the end of February 2012. Already certain support measures have
been provided by local service providers and by Skillnets networks to the redundant workers
since the redundancy announcement was made. Recently the Department approved the running
of a tailored certificate in career development and skills enhancement for this cohort at
the Waterford Institute of Technology in order to provide early interventions and advice to
the workers even in advance of the EGF application being submitted.
Departmental Programmes
217. Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of
applications that have been received to date for the 17 new graduate skills conversion programmes
across the country; if he is expecting over-subscription to the programme; and if he
will make a statement on the matter. [7842/12]
Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): The 17 programmes on offer in
the new level 8 conversion programme will provide for 768 places countrywide. The courses
will be delivered on average over two semesters of 12/13 weeks study and will include a period
of about 12 weeks work experience. Applications for the programmes can be submitted online
through the Bluebrick.ie website. To date 422 applications have been received. The closing
dates for applications have not yet passed and participating colleges are still accepting applications.
Given the very close involvement of industry in the design and development of these
programmes, which are being fully funded by my Department, I would expect a high level of
interest on the part of jobseekers.
The question of the provision of additional places will be considered in the light of the
outcome of an interim evaluation of the initiative to be carried out by the HEA before the end
of the year.
Value for Money Reviews
218. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will
forward to this Deputy the small schools value for money report; the consultation if any he
engaged in with parent representative groups with regard to his planned cuts to teaching
numbers in small schools threatening their future viability; and if he will publish the value-formoney
audit upon which he has based his budgetary decisions for small schools. [7847/12]
Minister for Education and Skills (Deputy Ruairí Quinn): A value for money review on small
primary schools is currently under way in my Department. This review is part of the normal
review processes undertaken by all Departments on an annual basis on selected areas of expenditure
and is being conducted in line with the standard procedure for value for money reviews.
Work on the review is well advanced and I expect that the report of the review should be
available to me early in 2012. I will then have to consider its outcomes and proposals. When
this process is complete, publication will be arranged.
My Department will be notifying schools in the coming weeks of the new staffing arrangements
for the 2012/13 school year. It will include detail of the staffing appeals process and
appeal criterion for those small schools that are projecting increased enrolments that would be
sufficient to allow them to retain their existing classroom posts over the longer term.
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