Committee Reports > List of Committees > Joint > 2006 > Committee on Education and Science > Annual Report of the Joint Committee on Education and Science, 2005

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Oideachas agus Eolaíocht

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2005

agus

CLÁR OIBRE 2006

Meitheamh 2006

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on Education and Science

ANNUAL REPORT 2005

and

WORK PROGRAMME 2006

June 2006

TITHE AN OIREACHTAIS

An Comhchoiste um Oideachas agus Eolaíocht

TUARASCÁIL BHLIANTÚIL 2005

agus

CLÁR OIBRE 2006

Meitheamh 2006

HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS

Joint Committee on Education and Science

ANNUAL REPORT 2005

and

WORK PROGRAMME 2006

June 2006

JOINT COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION AND SCIENCE ANNUAL REPORT 2005 AND WORK PROGRAMME 2006

Table of Contents

1. Content and Format of Report

This annual report covers the period from 01 January 2005 to 31 December 2005. It has been prepared pursuant to Standing Order 84 (3), (4), (5) and (6) (Dáil Éireann) and Standing Order 69 (3), (4), (5) and (6) (Seanad Éireann) which provide for the Joint Committee to-

•undertake a review of its procedure and its role generally

•prepare an annual work programme

•lay minutes of its proceedings before both Houses

•make an annual report to both Houses

At its meeting, on the 15 June 2006, the Joint Committee agreed that all these items should be included in this annual report.

2. Functions and Powers

The Dáil Select Committee was established by Order of Dáil Éireann of 16 October 2002 to consider Bills and Estimates for Public Services in respect of the Department of Education and Science and such proposals contained in any motion concerning the approval by the Dáil of international agreements involving a charge on public funds.

The Dáil Select Committee under the same Order was enjoined with a Select Committee of Seanad Éireann, established by Order of Seanad Éireann of 17 October 2002, to form the Joint Committee on Education and Science. The principal functions of the Joint Committee are to consider —

•public affairs administered by the Department of Education and Science, including, in respect of Government policy, bodies under the aegis of that Department,

•matters of policy for which the Minister for Education and Science is officially responsible,

•related policy issues concerning bodies which are partly or wholly funded by the State or which are established or appointed by Members of the Government or by the Oireachtas,

•statutory instruments made by the Minister for Finance,

•such proposals for EU legislation and related policy issues as may be referred to it,

•strategy statements laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas by the Minister for Education and Science

•annual reports and accounts, overall operational results, statements of strategy and corporate plans of bodies under the aegis of the Department of Education and Science or bodies which are partly or wholly funded by the State or which are established or appointed by Members of the Government or by the Oireachtas.

The Orders of Reference of the Dáil Select Committee and the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 1.

3. Chairman, Vice-Chairman, Convenors and Membership

Deputy Michael Moynihan was elected as Chairman of the Joint Committee on 18 November 2004 and Deputy Jan O’Sullivan was elected as Vice-Chairman of the Joint Committee on the 14^th November 2002. The Chairman of the Joint Committee is also Chairman of the Dáil Select Committee.

Deputies Thomas McEllistrim and Damien English are the Convenors of the Committee whose function it is to ensure the availability and attendance of Members or their substitutes for meetings of the Committee and, in particular, to ensure Members’ availability for divisions.

The Members of the Joint Committee are set out at Appendix 2

4. Meetings, Attendance and Recording

Meetings of the Joint Committee and Select Committee took place in the Committee rooms in Leinster House 2000. Meetings were in public unless otherwise ordered by the Committee.

Televised coverage of public meetings of the Committee were broadcast live within the Leinster House complex and was available for subsequent public broadcasting by RTÉ and TV3.

An Official Report (Parliamentary Debates) of the public meetings of the Committees is published and may be purchased from the Government Publications Sales Office, Sun Alliance House, Molesworth Street, Dublin 2. The Official Reports may also be viewed on the Houses of the Oireachtas website www.oireachtas.ie

Copies of other reports published by the Joint Committee may be obtained from the Clerk, Joint Committee on Education and Science, Kildare House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. A list of these reports is set out at paragraph 8.

5. Number and Duration of Meetings

The Joint Committee met on 26 occasions in the period under report. The number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 42 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 6 below and at Appendix 3.

The Dáil Select Committee met on 3 occasions in the period under report and the number of hours discussion involved in these meetings was in excess of 4 hours. The date and subject matter of each meeting is set out in paragraph 6 below and at Appendix 4.

Minutes of proceedings of the Joint Committee meetings in public session are attached at Appendix 5.

6. Work of the Committee

6.1 Joint Committee

On the twenty six occasions the Joint Committee met, it considered the following matters:

•The work of the Union of Secondary School Students and related issues

•Developments in the area of adult education and related issues

•Scrutiny of EU legislative proposals

•Play in schools

•Aid for schoolbooks grant and other student support schemes

•The promotion of excellence and the measurement of achievement in education and how the agencies of the State can intervene to assist teachers

•The use of the creative arts therapies in education

•The report entitled ‘The hidden value of higher education learning: transferable skills and their importance for graduates of modern language programmes’

•Discussion re: Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005

•Draft Order entitled — Draft Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000 (Section 5)(Specified Period) Order 2005

•Discussion with representatives of the Parliament of Saxonyt—Anhalt

•Current and future developments with regard to boards of management of primary schools

•Adult Literacy

•School Transport

•Career opportunities at second level for recent graduates, including over and under supply of graduates in particular subject areas and recruitment processes and procedures

•Classification of schools as disadvantaged and additional funding schemes available to schools

•The report entitled Enquiry into special needs educational provision in Britain and Ireland, with special reference to autism

•The Rollout of the NEWB National Service

•The rollout of Broadband Technologies in schools

Scrutiny of Proposals for EU Legislation

•COM (2004) 317. Amended Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Recognition of Professional Qualifications

•COM (2004)474 - Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing an integrated action programme in the field of lifelong learning

•COM (2004) 471 - Proposal for a Decision of the European Parliament and of the Council creating the “YOUTH IN ACTION” programme for the period 2007-2013

Matters referred by order of both Houses of the Oireachtas

•Consideration of the Draft Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Act 2000 (Section 5) (Specified Period) Order

6.2 Dáil Select Committee

On the three occasions the Dáil Select Committee met, it considered the following matters:

•Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse (Amendment) Bill 2005

•Vote 26 (Education and Science)(Revised Estimates) for year ending 31^st December 2005

•Vote 26 (Education and Science)(Supplementary Estimate) for year ending 31^st December 2005

7. Groups and Individuals attending before Committee

In the year under report, the Joint Committee met the following organisations, groups and individuals:

•Minister for Education and Science, Ms Mary Hanafin

•Minister of State at the Department of Education and Science, Ms Síle De Valera

•Officials of the Department of Education and Science

•The Union of Secondary School Students

•AONTAS - the National Association of Adult Education

•The National Children’s Office

•Parents Council Primary

•Parents Council Post Primary

•Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI)

•Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI)

•Irish National Teachers Organisation (INTO)

•Education Special Interest Group of the Irish Association of Creative Arts Therapists

•The Transferable Skills Project Office

•Mr. Timothy O’Rourke

•The Parliament of Saxony-Anhalt

•Church of Ireland Board of Education

•Educate Together

•Gaelscoileanna

•National Association of Boards of Management In Special Education Schools

•Dublin Adult Learning Centre

•National Adult Literacy Agency

•ADM (Area Development Management Ltd)

•County Dublin Vocational Education Committee

•City of Dublin Vocational Education Committee

•Co Clare Vocational Education Committee and Clare Youth Service

•Co Galway Vocational Education Committee - West Galway Adult Literacy Service

•Co Donegal Vocational Education Committee

•Department of Psychiatry of Old Age - Northern Area Health Board, HSE

•Breacadh

•Adult Literacy Organisers Association (ALOA)

•Adult Education Officers Association

•Irish Vocational Education Association

•Co Louth Vocational Education Committee

•Co Wicklow Vocational Education Committee

•Local Authority National Partnership Advisory Group (LANPAG)

•Return to Learning - Dublin City Council

•Church of Scientology Mission of Dublin

•Neuron Learning Ltd

•WITH/Cúram

•Dyslexia Association of Ireland

•The Career Path for Dyslexia

•Exchange House Travellers Service

•The Bray Adult Education Network

•Soilse

•City of Limerick Vocational Education Committee - Adult Literacy Service

•Health Promotion Service of the HSE, Northern Area

•Dublin Community Television (DCTV) - Adult Education Thematic Content Group

•Catholic Primary School Managers’Association

•Irish Primary Principals’ Network

•Foras Pátrúnachta na Scoileanna LánGhaeilge Teo

•Members of Committee D (Environment and Social) of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body

•National Educational Welfare Board

•National Centre for Technology in Education

8. Reports

8.1 Joint Committee Reports

During the period under report, the Joint Committee published the following reports:

•Annual Report 2004 and Work Programme 2005

•Joint Committee on Education and Science Third Report, The Status of Physical Education

9. Travel

The Joint Committee undertook the following travel in accordance with its Orders of Reference in connection with its work programme.

Purpose of travel:

Fact-finding in a number of areas, including:

Structure of the Australian education system, special needs education, physical education, equality/access/participation, adult literacy, tackling education disadvantage — primary and secondary, education for young offenders and very disruptive students, continuing adult education and online education programmes, funding of education, with particular reference to funding at tertiary level.

Date and Destination: 4 - 11 November 2005, Australia

Members travelling: Deputy Michael Moynihan, Deputy Thomas McEllistrim and Deputy Paul Gogarty.

10. Functions and Powers

The Joint Committee is currently satisfied with its present procedures and role.

____________________

Michael Moynihan, T.D.,

Chairman,

28 June 2006.