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1999 Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Education and Science

Foreword

The Joint Committee on Education and Science is pleased to report to Dáil Éireann and Seanad Éireann on the work which it carried out during 1999.

Some of this work culminated during the year in the publication of three substantial reports on key areas of educational policy. Four more reports are in course of preparation and are expected to be published next year: the Committee expects that these will contribute in a very positive way to the formulation and development of Government policy. The level of productivity is evidence of a vigorous and active Committee and is a tribute to the enthusiasm and expertise of its members.

The members are committed to responding to the new challenges which arise in the rapidly changing situation in which Ireland finds itself and this commitment is evidenced by new areas for examination which have been identified in the Committee’s work programme for the coming year. Issues such as the provision of educational services in a multi-ethnic environment and aspects of the interaction between education and industry are among those to be examined.

The Committee acknowledges the contribution which various individuals and organisations have made to its work and wishes to thank, in particular, the Minister for Education and Science, Deputy Micheál Martin, the Minister of State, Deputy Willie O’Dea, the Department’s Secretary-General, Mr. John Dennehy and his officials: their co-operation and interaction with the Committee is greatly appreciated.

Michael P. Kitt, T.D.,

Chairman.

1999 Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Education and Science

1. Procedural Context.

Dáil Standing Order 79A(6) and Seanad Standing Order 69(6) provide, inter alia, that-

“..such Select Committee shall, on the anniversary of its appointment in each year following the year of such appointment, make an annual report to Dáil Éireann (Seanad Éireann) which shall detail-

and may include, if the Select Committee deems appropriate, the report on its procedures and its role (in which case, a copy of the annual report shall be forwarded to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges), the work programme and minutes of proceedings referred to in paragraphs (3), (4) and (5) respectively of this Standing Order.”.

Paragraphs (3), (4) and (5) of these Standing Orders require each Select Committee-

-to review its procedures, and its role generally, on an ongoing basis and to report at least once in each year to the Committee on Procedure and Privileges on these matters,

-at annual intervals, to prepare a work programme and to lay such programme before the Dáil/Seanad, and

-from time to time, as the Select Committee sees fit, to lay minutes of its proceedings before the Dáil/Seanad.

2. Procedural Report.

The Joint Committee has reviewed its procedures, and its role generally, and is satisfied with these.

3. Work of the Committee.

The Joint Committee on Education and Science was established following orders of the Dáil of 13 November, 1997 and of the Seanad of 19 November, 1997 which provided for the establishment of Select Committees of each House.

During 1999, the Joint Committee met on nineteen occasions. The Dáil Select Committee met on five occasions. The work of the Joint Committee during the year was governed by an agreed Work Programme which reconciled the needs to be both carefully focused and sufficiently comprehensive. The Work Programme is appended to this Report. The work of the Dáil Select Committee was driven by the referral to it by the Dáil of bills and estimates for public services.

(i) Matters considered by the Joint Committee.

The Report on Special Education, the preparatory work for which was set out in the 1998 Annual Report, was brought before the Joint Committee by the rapporteurs, Deputies Paul McGrath and John Moloney, early in 1999. Following a process of consideration of the draft, the report was agreed by the Joint Committee on 5 May, 1999 and was published.

The Report on Early School Leaving, which was drafted by Deputy Richard Bruton and Senator Fintan Coogan, was agreed by the Joint Committee on 25 May, 1999 following a process which, in addition to the work done by the rapporteurs, involved five meetings by the Joint Committee with eleven interested organisations. The report was subsequently published. Later in the year, the Committee followed up on this topic when it met representatives of the Mol an Óige Project to examine the results of their research into early school leaving in North Tipperary.

In the course of its examination of the school transport issue, the Joint Committee met five times and discussed the matters involved with nine organisations. This work supplemented the work on consultation and drafting carried out by the rapporteurs, Deputies Denis Naughten and Trevor Sargent, whose Report on School Transport in Ireland was adopted by the Joint Committee on 9 November, 1999.

The three reports published by the Committee were sent to the Minister for Education and Science. The Report on School Transport was also sent to the Minister for Public Enterprise and the Minister for the Environment and Local Government.

During 1999, in the context of its consideration of the role of music in education, the Joint Committee met with representatives of six organisations in the course of four meetings and a short visit to Belfast. The rapporteur, Deputy Brian Hayes, is finalising a draft report which will be considered by the Joint Committee during the year.

Deputies Richard Bruton and Denis Naughten have been appointed as rapporteurs on the adequacy of science and technology research programmes in the context of the interaction between education and industry. The Joint Committee will commence its public hearings on this matter during the present year.

Work is ongoing in relation to the two reports being drafted for preliminary consideration by the Sub-Committee on Educational Disadvantage. Senator Ann Ormonde is rapporteur in relation to the report on educational disadvantage at pre-school and primary school levels. A report on education for young offenders and extremely disruptive children is being prepared by Senator Máirín Quill, the Committee’s rapporteur on that issue.

In addition to work directly related to the preparation of reports, the Joint Committee met during 1999 with representatives of the following organisations:

(a)the Higher Education Authority, to discuss recent developments, current work and future plans;

(b)the Department of Education and Science, to discuss the Green Paper on Adult Education;

(c)the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, to discuss the activities of the Council;

(d)the Association for Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities, to discuss the role and work of the organisation;

(e)Fochoiste Teanga, Cultúir agus Oiliúna Údaráis na Gaeltachta, to discuss the role and work of that sub-committee;

(f)Roscommon Partnership Company, to examine the results of a survey on issues concerning primary schools in Co. Roscommon;

(g)the Union of Students in Ireland, to discuss priority areas for third level education;

(h)the Mol an Óige Project, to examine the results of research into early school leaving in North Tipperary.

(ii) Matters considered by the Dáil Select Committee.

The Dáil Select Committee met in December, 1998, to consider supplementary estimates for the Education group of votes. During 1999 the Select Committee met five times for the purposes of carrying out the following work, which it completed:

(a)consideration of Committee Stage of the Qualifications (Education and Training) Bill, 1999;

(b)consideration of Revised Estimates for Public Services in respect of Votes 26 to 29 inclusive, together with a Supplementary Estimate in respect of Vote 26;

(c)consideration of Supplementary Estimates in respect of Votes 26 to 29 inclusive;

(d)taking of evidence in relation to the Education (Welfare) Bill, 1999 [Seanad]: the Select Committee heard submissions from representatives of the Home Education Network and the Coalition of Irish Home Schools.

The only outstanding work before the Select Committee is consideration of Committee Stage of the Education (Welfare) Bill, 1999 [Seanad] which was referred to the Select Committee by Dáil Éireann on 17 November, 1999.

(iii) Visiting Delegations.

In November, 1998, the Joint Committee received a delegation of the Standing Committee on Education of the South African North-West Province Legislature which wished to examine aspects of the Irish system of education.

The Joint Committee met in June, 1999, with members of the Committee for School, Youth and Sport of the Parliament of the German Federal State of Baden-Wurttemburg who were visiting Ireland as part of an information tour through member states of the European Union. The topic for discussion was the Irish education system.

(iv) Visits by the Joint Committee.

On 11 October, 1999, three members of the Joint Committee visited Belfast in order to inform the Joint Committee’s report on the role of music in education. The delegation met with the Secretary and other senior officials of the Department of Education for Northern Ireland. A meeting was also held with officials of the INTO and the delegation visited St. Mary’s University College and Stranmillis University College.

From 24 to 30 October, 1999, a delegation visited California (i) primarily to examine the situation there in relation to the provision of education in a multi-ethnic society, and (ii) to examine the use of technology in education. The six member delegation visited San Francisco, Sacramento and San José and met with-

-the President of San Francisco State University and several of his faculty colleagues,

-officials at the California Department of Education,

-officials of WestEd, a state-funded organisation which provides expert advice and assistance to schools and school districts,

-the Director of the San José Conservation Corps, a work/continuing education programme for early school leavers, and

-officials of Oakland School District.

The group visited a number of schools which offered the opportunity to see at first hand the challenges to be faced in the areas under examination and the way in which these were dealt with. The Joint Committee proposes to continue consideration of the provision of education in a multi-ethnic society during 2000.

(vi) Work Programme 2000.

The Joint Committee’s Work Programme for 2000 will be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas.

_________________

Michael P. Kitt, T.D.,

Chairman.

January, 2000.