Written Answers Nos. 71-90
71. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is developing policy tools with the aim of creating regional centres of excellence built around regional strengths [31669/23]
View answerDelivering sustainable, balanced regional enterprise growth is a core objective of this Government and is a key component of the recently published White Paper on Enterprise 2022-2030.
My Department contributes to this agenda through a number of policy levers, including through the work of the Enterprise Agencies, Local Enterprise Offices and through implementation and oversight of nine Regional Enterprise Plans (REPs).
The REPs are bottom-up plans which facilitate regional stakeholders to work collaboratively to identify growth opportunities, recognise vulnerabilities, and in response strengthen the regional enterprise ecosystem.
Each REP is unique and is underpinned by an understanding of the local strengths and assets in each region. At a regional level, implementation is monitored by a regional Steering Committee which is chaired by a senior-level private sector businessperson.
Across a number of the REPs there is ambition to further the development of centres of excellence in various sectors of strength. For example, the development of a centre of excellence in the food sector in the Mid-East, for high performance buildings in the South-East, and sustainable energy in the Mid-West.
My Department has secured up to €145million in funding from the European Regional Development Fund which will support collaborative and innovation enterprise projects aligned to the Regional Enterprise Plans.
Furthermore, the White Paper recognises the impact the Government’s Smart Specialisation Strategy 2022-2027 will have in both driving increased levels of innovation performance and maximising opportunities for innovation diffusion across all our regions.
Smart Specialisation is an innovation policy concept developed by the European Commission to boost regional innovation, contributing to growth and prosperity by helping and enabling regions to focus on their strengths. This will promote broader benefits, including innovation-driven growth in regions and the promotion of sustainable growth models.
The Strategy also embraces a regional approach to addressing Ireland’s RD&I challenges. It provides a ‘bridge’ between regional and national innovation strategy building and decision-making, bringing coherence to RD&I planning for the benefit of enterprise and advancing the RD&I agenda regionally and nationally.
Through extensive stakeholder engagement at regional, national and European level, the Strategy identified regional economic and research strengths, along with emerging areas of opportunity.
My Department will also roll out a National Clustering Programme as part of the White Paper’s implementation. This Programme will work to maximise the scale, impact and international visibility of Irish clusters and cluster organisations, while also leveraging the benefits of proximity and co-location to boost regional and rural economic development outcomes.
72. Deputy Jackie Cahill asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment what action he is taking to reduce the cost of doing business; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31430/23]
View answerAs a small, open trading economy Ireland is exposed to global inflationary pressures, including fluctuations on international markets for energy, commodities and food. Ireland is effectively a price taker on most international markets, and many of the drivers of Irish inflation are outside our control. Our remote geographic location can add to transport costs for goods, which along with our small market size can add to costs for businesses.
As a result of these inflationary pressures, input costs have gone up for many businesses. However, wholesale price inflation has levelled off across a number of areas in recent months, with Irish wholesale electricity prices 26% lower in May 2023 than 12 months previously. While wholesale prices for construction products rose by 9.1% in Ireland, overall, manufacturing producer prices were 1.1% lower in May 2023 than May 2022.
The Government has been proactive in limiting the fallout from higher rates of inflation. A total of €12 billion – 4½ per cent of national income – has now been provided in direct relief to absorb some of the impact and ease the burden of inflation on households and businesses.
The main programme introduced by Government to alleviate cost pressures for small business was the €1.3 billion Temporary Business Energy Support Scheme (TBESS), which has been subject to amendments to allow more businesses apply for this grant. The scheme has been extended to end of July 2023 and the monthly cap has been raised from €10,000 to €15,000 since 1st March 2023.
The Government also approved the following which will help businesses going forward.
• The temporary reductions in VAT on gas and electricity, from 13.5% to 9%, has been extended to 31 October 2023 at an estimated cost of €115 million.
• The temporary reduction in VAT on Tourism and Hospitality, from 13.5% to 9%, has been extended to 31 August 2023 at an estimated cost of €300 million.
Alongside these supports, as part of Budget 2023, the Government introduced the €200 million Ukraine Enterprise Crisis Scheme, which assists viable but vulnerable firms of all sizes in the manufacturing and internationally traded services sectors manage the economic impact of the current crisis in Ukraine. The scheme is aimed at businesses experiencing significant difficulty as a result of increased energy costs. Through supporting businesses in meeting energy costs, these measures will help protect the jobs of those working in impacted sectors.
Government has supported enterprise though a period of excessive energy costs. However, Government cannot fully insulate businesses from developments in international energy markets indefinitely. Firms also have a key role in reducing the impacts of inflation.
Recent ECB analysis examined the degree to which inflation is being driven by increases in wages compared to profits. It establishes that there has been a significant increase in corporate profits throughout 2022 across multiple sectors (including the agriculture sector supported by rising food prices). Similar analysis from the Central Bank of Ireland suggests that unit profits (gross operating surplus as a proportion of gross value added) has contributed significantly to ‘Gross Value-Added inflation’ across both 2021 and 2022, at circa 5 per cent per annum. Unit profits increased by about 10.5 per cent in 2021, and by just below 9 per cent in 2022. The unit profit contribution to GVA inflation averaged 1.7 percentage points per annum from 2001 to 2020, much lower than the circa 5 percentage points in both 2021 and 2022. This would suggest substantial pass-through of increased input costs to consumers. With the Central Bank of Ireland forecasting a period of disinflation for Ireland, the price increases passed on to customers to date will provide a buffer for firms to absorb wage increases without the need to increase output prices.
73. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on the development of regulation, guidelines and standards for the ethical use of artificial intelligence; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31385/23]
View answerThe proposed EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) sets out harmonised rules for the development, placement on the market and use of AI systems in the Union. This Regulation follows a proportionate, risk-based approach where certain particularly harmful AI practices are prohibited, while specific restrictions and safeguards are proposed in relation to certain high-risk areas. The Regulation aims to ensure the protection of fundamental rights and user safety, as well as to build trust in the development and uptake of AI, thereby enhancing EU investment and innovation.
Ireland welcomes the development of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act (AIA) and the progress that has been made both at Council and at the European Parliament. The incoming Spanish Presidency has indicated that it is prioritising this file and it is expected that this Regulation will be agreed by the end of 2023 or early 2024.
Ireland is also actively participating in the Council of Europe's negotiations on a Legal Convention on AI which is underpinned by human rights, democracy and rule of law. This is being led by Officials in my Department.
Together, the EU AI regulation and the Council of Europe's Framework Convention on AI will provide a comprehensive framework for the use and development of AI, ensuring a regulatory space that is flexible and future-proofed, providing for the ongoing safety and fundamental rights of the individual while also ensuring innovation can take place.
At a National Level, my Department published the National AI Strategy “AI – Here for Good” in July 2021. Underpinning our Strategy are three core principles to best embrace the opportunities of AI:
• adopting a human-centric approach to the application of AI;
• staying open and adaptable to new innovations; and
• ensuring good governance to build trust and confidence for innovation to flourish.
The National AI Strategy is aligned with the evolving EU policy direction of ensuring both an ecosystem of excellence and an ecosystem of trust. The strategy is in favour of a governance and regulatory framework that avoids setting unnecessary barriers to responsible innovation.
Substantial progress has been made on its implementation across various parts of Government in the two years since its launch and my officials are finalising an implementation report which will be published shortly.
My Department and the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer jointly chair a working group which is tasked with developing Principles and Guidelines for the ethical and human-centric use of AI in the public sector. The group consists of a number of AI experts and senior representatives from other Government Departments which may have the capacity to use AI tools in their functions. Work on these principles is progressing and once finalised, these will be submitted to government for adoption.
In addition, the National Standards of Ireland (NSAI) is developing an AI Standards and Assurance Roadmap which will be launch later this summer. Standards, at an international, European and national level will play a crucial role in facilitating the adoption of AI technologies as trustworthy, ethical and safe technology.
74. Deputy Paul McAuliffe asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on his recent convening of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum meeting at CeADAR, Ireland's designated AI hub; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31387/23]
View answerOn Tuesday 13th June last I convened a meeting of the Enterprise Digital Advisory Forum in CeADAR, Ireland’s National Centre for Applied AI.
The Forum, which meets quarterly, was established to support and advise the Government in driving the digitalisation of enterprise across Ireland and brings together representatives of indigenous enterprise of all sizes, multi-national companies, and experts in digital technologies and their adoption by enterprise. The Forum provides a focused body for Government to hear the views and perspectives of enterprise and experts on digitalisation and technology.
Given the significant advancements in recent months both on the technological front, and in public discussion and debate around Artificial Intelligence, our meeting of the Forum was focused on AI. AI and its adoption by enterprise is one of five workstreams contained in the 2023 Work Programme of the Forum.
We had a very good discussion around how businesses can be supported to use AI tools and CeADAR presented on the range of supports it offers to businesses. There was widespread endorsement by the Forum of the Government’s approach to AI, guided by the National AI Strategy.
As Ireland’s designated National AI Hub, CeADAR is soon to be a member of the network of European Digital Innovation Hubs. CeADAR will serve as Ireland’s one stop shop for AI transformation for businesses of all sizes and the public sector. It will give them the tools to compete in an increasingly fast-changing world. This makes CeADAR vital for Ireland’s future enterprise landscape and I am looking forward to it becoming operational soon.
75. Deputy Pauline Tully asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment his views on the recent report (details supplied) from the European Disability Network that reveals the persistent gap in access to quality employment for persons with disabilities and states that four countries including Ireland lead this “hall of shame” with less than a third (32.6%) of persons with disabilities employed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31589/23]
View answerIn Census 2016, 36.5% of people with disabilities reported being in employment. I understand updated results from Census 2022 will be published in late 2023. As Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment, I consider we have significant scope to improve the employment rate for persons with a disability and that increasing the numbers of people with disabilities participating in the labour market represents a significant opportunity for employers and the enterprise sector.
Increasing employment opportunities for disabled persons involves the tackling of barriers to labour force participation and a whole of Government response. The key frameworks for policy and action are the National Disability Inclusion Strategy (NDIS) and the Comprehensive Employment Strategy (CES). This is a cross-government approach that brings together actions by different Departments and state agencies in a concerted effort to address the barriers and challenges that impact on employment rates of people with disabilities. My Department is represented on the Steering Group for the Comprehensive Employment Strategy for People with Disabilities 2015-2024 and are currently engaged with DCEDIY on a successor to that strategy.
In terms of specific employment schemes and programmes, the Department of Social Protection plays the lead role, supporting jobseekers, employees with disabilities, and private sector employers seeking to hire or retain a person with a disability. Supports are also provided for employers seeking to employ a jobseeker with a disability or supporting an employee who has a disability.
The Employment Equality Acts 1998-2015 come under the responsibility of my Department. The Acts place obligations on employers to take reasonable steps to accommodate the needs of employees and job applicants with disabilities. Denial of reasonable accommodation under the Acts can be a cause for action and may amount to discrimination on disability grounds. The Workplace Relations Commissions (WRC) deals with all complaints of discrimination, not limited to workplace complaints, made under the Equality Acts.
In addition, my Department has brought forward important enhancements to workers’ rights. The Sick Leave Act 2022 ensures that, for the first time, all qualifying employees will have an entitlement to employer-paid sick leave. This progressive Act commenced on 1st January 2023. Workers will be entitled to up to 3 days medically certified sick leave per year, rising incrementally to 10 by 2026.
The agencies under the aegis of my Department have a number of initiatives in place to help encourage employers to employ persons with disabilities:
• Enterprise Ireland is focused on ensuring that their supports for entrepreneurs and enterprise are accessible to all, including people with disabilities. EI have signed a partnership agreement with Open Doors to further develop awareness campaigns and programmes that will utilise success stories of self-employed and entrepreneur role models with a variety of disabilities.
• The Local Enterprise Offices are progressing a new online course Entrepreneurship for People with Disabilities which will begin in September 2023.
• While the remit of IDA Ireland is to attract and retain foreign direct investment, they have launched a Pilot Programme designed to widen the talent pool and attract people from diverse backgrounds to avail of employment opportunities. IDA Ireland is in the third year of its Work Placement Programme with the Open Doors Initiative.
• IDA Ireland will be returning as the headline sponsor for Legacy Dublin ’23. This programme is designed for future leaders to reimagine their community, their workplace and their environments 20 years into the future and they spend 3 days creating solutions that are rooted in inclusion and purpose. IDA will also be sponsoring 20 spaces for persons from underrepresented groups to attend. Last year’s spaces were filled from such organisations as Open Doors Initiative, MASI, Exchange House, Sanctuary Runners, Traveller Graduate Network, NCBI and Youth Reach.
• IDA Ireland promote access to reasonable accommodations during the application/recruitment process, onboarding, new hire induction and training sessions. All requests are handled confidentially on a case-by-case basis. The Reasonable Accommodation Passport is currently being piloted in the organisation.
Enterprise routes such as self-employment and entrepreneurship are increasingly important employment options for people with disabilities. Last year my Department commissioned the OECD to undertake a report to assess inclusive entrepreneurship training and provide recommendations on how to improve the provision of training interventions to improve their accessibility and impact. In conjunction with the Local Enterprise Offices, a working group is exploring options for the development of a bespoke programme for new entrepreneurs. Promotion of inclusiveness will be a key feature of any new programme.
76. Deputy Darren O'Rourke asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if a climate delivery taskforce has been established to focus on the specific areas or initiatives of climate delivery that require cross-Government collaboration in all relevant departments in the industry sector, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan annex of actions; if he will report on their progress to date and the participation of the Department of The Environment, Climate and Communications in the taskforce; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31490/23]
View answerIn January of this year, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications established a Heat and Built Environment Taskforce to accelerate and drive delivery in relation to retrofitting, renewable heat, district heat and decarbonisation of the building stock. The overarching aim of the Taskforce is to identify work on the critical path to key targets under each area, ensure alignment in the development of policies and activities underway across Government departments, and proactively manage risks to ensure targets are achieved.
The Taskforce is chaired by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications, and its membership comprises senior officials from Government Departments and agencies with retrofitting, renewable heat, district heating networks, decarbonisation of heating and operational energy use optimisation in the building stock related actions under the Climate Action Plan. The Taskforce’s Terms of Reference and Minutes of its meetings and objectives are available on gov.ie
An Industrial Heat Decarbonisation Working Group under the Taskforce has been established to oversee and support the development of a Roadmap for the decarbonisation of industrial heat.
The link between fossil fuels and economic progress must be completely decoupled. Under the sectoral emission ceilings agreed in July 2022, the industry sector must reduce emissions by 35% by 2030 from the 2018 baseline. The majority of emissions from industry arise from the generation of heat in manufacturing processes. We must reduce the impact of this heat demand through greater energy efficiency, and by switching away from fossil fuels for generating that heat. Decarbonising our manufacturing sector alongside our energy sectors is key to Ireland’s future economy and competitiveness.
Under Climate Action Plan 2023, my Department is leading on the development of this roadmap to set out the key policy interventions required to progress the decarbonisation of our industrial heat. The roadmap will include a pathway to the electrification of low temperature heat, and the prioritisation of decarbonised gas for use in high temperature heating. The roadmap will develop actions for inclusion in the next Climate Action Plan and will address the three carbon budget periods up to 2035.
The Industrial Heat Decarbonisation Working Group has met twice to date, since its establishment in spring of this year and will meet more regularly over the coming months as it accelerates development of the Roadmap, to be delivered in Q4 of this year. The membership of the group has been agreed and is chaired by officials from my Department. Relevant officials from the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications attend each meeting of the Working Group.
77. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he will report on his recent participation at high-level roundtable on artificial intelligence in Sweden; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31384/23]
View answerOn 23rd May I participated in a high-level roundtable on AI, hosted by the CEO of Google, Sundar Pichai. The meeting gathered leaders from governments and industry for a discussion on the latest digital technology developments and how to boost Europe's innovation and competitiveness. Along with Ireland, the event gathered representatives from Czechia, the Nordic, Benelux, and Baltic countries.
My attendance at the event was an important opportunity to highlight Ireland’s work to promote digital transformation and the ethical and human-centric development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
My visit to Stockholm allowed me to discuss and hear directly about the potential for AI to enhance innovation in Europe and how we can safely harness the technology to improve our lives and society in areas like healthcare, climate, education and business competitiveness.
The meeting of the leading European digital frontrunners, along with the private sector, showed the importance of governments and industry working together to harness the opportunities of AI and also working to ensure that the technology is aligned with human-values and ethically founded.
During my visit I also met with representatives of the Irish Chamber of Commerce in Sweden and Enterprise Ireland client companies operating in the Nordic region. I also held separate bilateral meeting with the Estonian Minister of Economic Affairs and Information Technology, Tiit Riisalo, and with the Swedish State Secretary for EU Affairs, Christian Danielsson, on a range of topics of mutual interest.
78. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he is aware of recent actions by a company (details supplied) which are aimed at unilaterally changing the work contract of senior staff and separately the changing of hours and remuneration of delivery staff; if he will meet with workers’ representatives on foot of these moves to examine their concerns on the limitations of current legislation that governs protection of workers’ contracts and earnings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25166/23]
View answerContractual terms of employment are a matter for agreement between the parties to the contract. Whilst it would not be appropriate for me to comment on the particulars of proposed changes to employment contracts within a company, I would note that any alterations must comply with our existing suite of employment legislation including the Unfair Dismissals Act 1977 and the Payment of Wages Act 1991.
The Terms of Employment (Information) Act 1994 transposed Directive 91/533/EEC concerning an employer's obligation to inform employees of the conditions applicable to the contract or employment relationship. The Act provides that an employer must provide its employee with a written statement of the particulars of the employee’s terms of employment. Included amongst those particulars are the terms or conditions relating to hours of work, such as overtime.
The Directive was updated in 2019 by the Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions Directive, which was transposed in Ireland by the European Union (Transparent and Predictable Working Conditions) Regulations 2022. These Regulations introduced new protections including reducing the amount of time that an employer must take to notify an employee of the nature and date of any change to the particulars contained in the written statement.
Other changes introduced last year include the right to know in a reasonable period in advance when work will take place – that is, for workers with unpredictable working schedules, such as for on-demand work and the right for employees to request a transfer to a form of employment with more predictable and secure working conditions, where it is available. The Act provides a right of complaint to the Workplace Relations Commission.
More generally, it is important to emphasise that responsibility for the resolution of industrial disputes between employers and workers rests in the first instance with the employer, the workers and their representatives. The State provides the industrial relations dispute settlement mechanisms to support parties in their efforts to resolve their differences.
79. Deputy Ruairí Ó Murchú asked the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if he intends to meet food production companies in the near future to discuss the high cost of retailed/end product food items in the State; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31587/23]
View answerThe food sector falls within the remit of the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine and his Department keeps in close contact with the relevant actors in that sector. Fairness and transparency in the food sector are essential, as is ensuring that consumers have access to sufficient and accurate information before making a purchase. That is why Minister McConalogue is establishing the new Agri-food Regulator under the Agricultural and Food Supply Chain Bill 2022. Price development along the food supply chain will form part of the remit of the new Regulator. It will have two functions in this regard: a price and market analysis and reporting function, and a regulatory enforcement function concerning the enforcement of prohibited unfair trading practices.
In terms of my own remit in relation to competition, I wrote to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) in May requesting an assessment of competition in the grocery retail sector and whether there is evidence of excessive pricing on the part of retailers.
In its report, the CCPC states that it has not seen any indications of any market failure or excessive pricing taking place in the grocery retail market. In addition, the CCPC states that there is evidence that competition has improved in recent years on the basis of price, quality, location and service and noted that this has resulted in greater choice for consumers.
It is true that food prices in Ireland remain high when compared internationally and this is based on a number of factors. These relate to Ireland being a small island nation which inevitably leads to higher costs for transport, our small market size, staffing costs and the fact that we are a significant importer of energy and food produce. As a small, open trading economy, Ireland is exposed to global inflationary pressures, including fluctuations on international markets for food, commodities and energy.
However, it is a welcome development that food inflation in Ireland is declining and as of May was at 5.4 per cent which is below the EU average of 7.1 per cent and the Euro area average of 6.1 per cent. Despite our high price position, Ireland remains a competitive economy. Ireland was recently ranked as the second most competitive economy in the globe under the IMD World Competitiveness Rankings.
Ireland has an export orientated economy and food producers play a critical role in international trade. Indeed, Ireland’s prosperity is founded on the goods we produce and services we provide and sell abroad. Therefore, it is essential that Ireland maintains a well-functioning competitive market and it is very much in the interest of businesses to remain competitive in their respective sectors. Of course, Ireland also imports heavily, including food products. The the input costs of such imports and prices for which are determined elsewhere.
Nevertheless, this Government is concerned about the costs of groceries and the impact this is having on consumers and my colleague Minister Neal Richmond TD and I have been actively engaging with retailers and the CCPC to seek better outcomes for consumers. At last week’s Retail Forum, grocery retailers assured Minister Richmond that they will continue to pass the impact of any reductions in input costs on product prices to their customers and outlined the costs reductions that have been instituted to date. A further update from the sector will be sought from retailers and the CCPC will keep the sector under review.
84. Deputy Michael Collins asked the Minister for Education if she will address the concern raised in relation to the low capitation grants allocated to national schools (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31909/23]
View answerAs Minister for Education I am very conscious of the need to ensure schools are supported, enabling them to maximise teaching and learning outcomes for all students.
My Department provides funding to all recognised schools in the Free Education Scheme by way of per capita grants. These grants are based on recognised enrolments in September of the relevant school year, which is the September 2022 enrolment figures for the 2022/2023 school year. These grants are separate to the Department meeting full payroll costs for all teachers and SNAs employed by a school.
The two main grants are the Capitation grant to cater for day to day running costs including heating, lighting etc. and the Ancillary/Schools Special Support Fund grant to cater for the cost of employing ancillary services staff. These grants may be regarded as a common grant from which the Board of Management can allocate according to its own priorities.
The current rate of standard Capitation grant is €183 per pupil at Primary level. Enhanced rates are also paid in respect of pupils with Special Educational needs.
The standard Ancillary Services Grant rate is €173 per pupil in Primary schools.
Primary schools with less than 60 pupils are paid the Capitation and the Ancillary grants on the basis of having 60 pupils.
My Department provided in excess of €660 million in overall capitation related grants to all schools in 2022.
All these grants due to schools for the current school year have been paid.
Schools also receive a range of other grants including Book Grants, Programme grants etc. For the 2023/24 school year I have introduced a landmark new scheme that signifies a new chapter in Irish primary education to provide free school books for all primary and special school pupils. The total free primary book grant amount paid to date in 2023 is €53.5m.
As part of the Cost of Living measures introduced in Budget 2023, €90 million issued at the end of 2022 in once-off additional capitation funding to support increased running costs for all recognised schools in the free education scheme.
My Department has also made the services of the Financial Support Services Unit (FSSU) available to support schools in the area of financial governance and management. The FSSU provide templates specifically tailored for the needs of schools and also provide assistance through online supports and school visits.
I understand the need for increased capitation funding and I am pleased that my Department has been able to provide for increases in capitation funding for primary and post-primary schools in recent years. Capitation rates have increased by 7.5% in recent years with all schools benefitting. It is my intention to seek funding for further capitation increases in future budgets.
86. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Education the number of primary school teachers in counties Limerick, Clare and Tipperary, respectively in 2019-2020; how these figures compare with the number of primary school teachers in the same counties for 2023-2024; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [31437/23]
View answerIn this the 2022/23 school year, the staffing schedule operates on a general average of 24 pupils to every 1 teacher. This is a historically low level of pupils to teachers. Primary schools also have access to other non-mainstream teachers, including for example special education teachers and language support teachers.
Under the Programme for Government, there is a commitment to make further progress in reducing the pupil teacher ratios in primary schools and I am delighted that significant progress has been made.
Budget 2023 provided an increase of €588 million in education funding, which brought the total amount for education to €9.6 billion. This significant increase built on recent budgets and further enhanced the investment in the primary and post-primary education system. The significant increased investment reflects the Government’s commitment to a quality, inclusive school system with improved learning outcomes for every student.
In Budget 2023, I ensured major investment in our primary schools and I have succeeded in bringing the teacher allocation ratio to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 23 pupils in all primary schools for the 2023/24 school year which is the lowest ever seen at primary level. This was my third successive Budget which saw an improvement in allocation of teachers to primary schools. Budget 2021 reduced the staffing schedule to an average of 1 classroom teacher for every 25 pupils, while Budget 2022 reduced it further to 1 classroom teacher for every 24 pupils.
This significantly increased investment reflects my commitment and that of Government to support the educational success of learners by delivering on its commitment to reduce class sizes.
In Budget 2021, I also introduced a three point reduction in the retention schedule, which assists schools that would otherwise be at risk of losing teaching posts. The recent announcement in Budget 2023 will further reduce this retention schedule, by virtue of the one point improvement to the staffing schedule that helps to ensure better teacher retention in primary schools, while also ensuring that less pupils are required to retain or recruit a teacher.
This builds on measures in previous budgets that have seen improvements in the overall allocation of teaching posts, and specific targeted measures for small and isolated schools, as well as primary schools on our islands.
The Deputy has sought specific data on the number of primary school teachers in place in counties Clare, Limerick and Tipperary in the 2019/20 school year and how this compares to the total number of teaching posts that have been allocated for the new school year 2023/24.
For the 2019/20 school year, primary schools in Co. Clare had 887 posts allocated. For the new school year the number of posts allocated is 1,020. This is an increase of 133 posts or a 15% increase.
Primary schools in Co. Limerick had 1,561 posts allocated in 2019/20. For the new school year, the number of posts allocated is 1,760. This is an increase of 199 posts or a 13% increase.
Primary schools in Co. Tipperary had 1,242 posts allocated in 2019/20. For the new school year, the number of posts allocated is 1,384. This is an increase of 142 posts or a 10% increase.
It should be noted that the 2023/24 figures, which include all types of teaching posts, are provisional as the teacher allocation process for 2023/24 is still ongoing with some schools still finalising their enrolments for September 2023.
90. Deputy Gary Gannon asked the Minister for Education if she is aware of the excess waste and spend of buying physical copies of textbooks only to load the virtual version they contain onto an electronic device (details supplied); and if she will outline what her Department is doing to reduce this waste and spend. [31572/23]
View answerIt is the responsibility of each individual school to select the resources, if any, that it will use to support its implementation of the curriculum. The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA) and my Department do not endorse or recommend particular materials. This includes text books, and it is a matter for each school to consider all relevant issues, including discussing licence requirements for e-Books with the educational publishers.
The decision to use technology including e-Books is a matter for the Board of Management of a school. Where the introduction of new technology is planned, consultation with members of the school community including parents is advised. The cost and other implications must be fully considered by the Boards of Management before a decision is made. Schools, in conjunction with parents and the wider school community, retain local autonomy for decisions on the use of digital technologies in the context of their digital learning planning, and how to embed their use to enhance teaching and learning. In making this decision each school should consider all the available information.
The Professional Development Service for Teachers Technology in Education (PDST-TIE) offers advice to schools on digital technologies covering areas such as what tablets can offer a school, educational and purchasing considerations, and software.
Since June 2020, and over the past three Budgets, I have secured funding to support measures aimed at supporting schools and parents to reduce costs. One of the most important policies in this regard has been the establishment of Ireland’s first national primary school book scheme, which will provide free schoolbooks, workbooks and copybooks, in primary schools and special schools. More than 558,000 pupils enrolled in approximately 3,230 primary schools, including over 130 special schools, will benefit from this measure.
This free schoolbooks scheme will eliminate the cost to all families for schoolbooks at primary school, including workbooks and copybooks.
On the 26th April I announced the payment of the grant funding under the new measure to schools, totalling over €53 million. This significantly increases the funding for school books currently provided to all recognised primary schools in the country. In addition, my Department currently provides a book grant of over €10.2 million to all recognised post primary schools within the Free Education Scheme in order to provide assistance for books, including, including book rental schemes (which can include ebooks), and all schools are encouraged to operate book rental schemes to help alleviate costs to parents.
The Digital Strategy for Schools to 2027 is underpinned by an overall investment of €200m, €50m of which has already issued directly to schools for ICT infrastructure. In addition, €50m in ICT grant funding was issued to schools in November 2021 as part of Ireland’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP) to address the needs of their learners at risk of educational disadvantage through the digital divide. €210m in ICT grant funding issued under the Digital Strategy for Schools 2015-2020. ICT Grant funding can be used to provide for loan schemes for digital devices including software, according to student needs.
