Results 2,081-2,100 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As part of the Programme for Government, a Developing Areas Unit was set up recently in my Department to focus on the school accommodation needs of rapidly developing areas, including Maynooth. The main emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in these developing areas, as well as delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school accommodation...

Written Answers — Information and Communications Technology: Information and Communications Technology (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A Value for Money Review of the ICT Support Service, which addressed the work of the NCTE, the ICT Advisory Service and specific posts assigned to the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, was undertaken by my Department. While concluding that the Service is generally effective and efficient, the Report recognises that each school must plan and execute its own policy for ICT...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Revised Stage 2 documentation for the project referred to by the Deputy is currently being examined by my Department's Technical Staff. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since the Summer Works Scheme was introduced, over 3,000 projects, costing in excess of €300 million, have been completed. With so many smaller projects having been completed over the past few years, the particular emphasis in 2008 is on providing sufficient school places in developing areas, while also delivering improvements in the quality of existing primary and post-primary school...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for such...

Written Answers — : (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for such...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy has an application with the Department for major capital grant aid. The application has been assessed in accordance with the published prioritisation criteria for large scale building works. Progress on the project will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation programme. However, in light of current...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project at the school to which the Deputy refers is as an early stage of Architectural Planning. Progress on project will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the capital budget of the Department, it is not possible to give an indicative timeframe for the further...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is not aware of any proposals to establish a Gaelscoil in Tyrellstown, Dublin 15. I can also confirm that the New School Advisory Committee (NSAC) did not receive an application for the recognition of a new Gaelscoil in Tyrellstown, Dublin 15, for September 2008.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The commencement and progression of all large scale building projects from initial design stage through to construction phase, including this project, will be considered on an on-going basis in the context of my Department's Multi-Annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. I am currently...

Written Answers — Departmental Policy: Departmental Policy (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My reply to the parliamentary question clearly states that this is my Department's policy position and it is not intended to state the position of any other body. The Deputy will appreciate that, as it has been agreed by both parties that there will be no public statements on the ongoing discussions between officials in my Department and the organisation in question, I am not in a position...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The annual process of reviewing the income limits, rates of grant and other aspects of the general criteria for the student grant schemes for the coming year is well advanced and I hope to be in a position to publish these shortly. As part of a wider programme of legislative and administrative reform of the student grant schemes, the recently-published Student Support Bill will provide a...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for such...

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Forward Planning Section of my Department is in the process of identifying the areas where significant additional accommodation will be required at primary and post-primary level for 2009 and onwards. Factors under consideration include population growth, demographic trends, current and projected enrolments, recent and planned housing developments and capacity of existing schools to meet...

Written Answers — School Services Staff: School Services Staff (2 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In general the arrangements for supporting secretarial and caretaking services in schools mirror those for providing support funding to schools. Primary and secondary schools are funded through capitation grants and likewise secretarial and caretaking services are funded by grants that are related to the number of pupils in the school. It is the case that a small number of primary and...

Schools ICT Strategy. (3 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The change to which the Deputy refers arises from a value for money review of the ICT support service undertaken by my Department, which will shortly be laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas. The review concluded that while the service is generally effective and efficient, the resources currently utilised by the operation of the service from the regional education centres would be better...

Schools ICT Strategy. (3 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision was taken by my predecessor.

Schools ICT Strategy. (3 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I must add to my previous reply by stating that even though the decision was taken by my predecessor, having examined the files I would have come to the same conclusion.

Schools ICT Strategy. (3 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is not the way I would have preferred it to be done. I accept that. When the decision was taken, a strategy report was available and an evaluation was carried out by the inspectorate. To give the background to the notification process, on Friday, 20 June, the director of the NCTE first attempted to contact the chair of the Association of Teachers' Education Centres in Ireland, ATECI, to...

Schools ICT Strategy. (3 Jul 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under no circumstances am I aware that any doctoring of an independent report took place. I am quite satisfied it did not. It certainly has never come to my attention that such a thing would happen and I do not believe it would happen within the Department. We must bear in mind the evaluation that was carried out by the inspectorate. While it was accepted the education centres were...