Results 2,861-2,880 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: On the question of grants and running costs in schools, in 2001 a 300 pupil school got £52,000 towards its running costs. In 2008, a school with 300 pupils gets €100,000. I have indicated clearly in the Dáil that I would like to see the capitation fee for schools increased. It is my intention, as Minister for Education and Science, to try to bring that about as best I can in a period...

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: On the question of water charges, the Senator must remember that in the past few years we put in a graded system of charges and that system will remain in place until 2009. This year I will examine how I can help schools with the various projects and as part of the summer works scheme I am considering a programme that will examine energy conservation and water conservation. There are minor...

Seanad: Primary School Funding: Motion (8 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: ——and I am committed to helping schools to conserve water and cut back on energy costs.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Design team fees are paid following the completion of stages as a project works it's way through architectural planning. Given the number of projects involved and the time it takes for each project to progress through the stages of architectural planning incurring fee payments at each stage along the way, the information sought by the Deputy is not readily available and would require an...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, I have recently announced a review of the procedures for the establishment of new primary schools under the Commission on School Accommodation. I intend to establish a Technical Working Group under the Commission to undertake a full review of the criteria and procedures for the recognition of new primary schools. This working group will begin work in the coming...

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Department was made aware of proposals to establish a new Gaelscoil to serve Tyrrellstown/Hollystown in August 2008. A formal 'Notification of Intent' to establish this new school was received from the proposed Patron, An Foras Patrunachta in September 2008. However, as the Deputy will be aware, I announced a review of the procedures for recognising primary schools on 14 September last....

Written Answers — Third Level Grants: Third Level Grants (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority — i.e. the local authority or VEC. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional cases, where, for example, advice or instruction regarding a particular clause in the relevant scheme is required. If an individual applicant considers that she/he...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department has received an application for emergency funding from the school in question and additional information in relation to this application has recently been received. This information is currently under consideration by officials in my Department. The Management Authority of the school in question will be informed of the outcome in due course.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: All applications for capital funding are assessed against published prioritisation criteria to determine the extent and type of need presenting based on the demographics of an area, proposed housing developments, condition of buildings, site capacity etc. leading ultimately to an appropriate accommodation solution. Projects are then selected for inclusion in the School Building and...

Written Answers — Funding Applications: Funding Applications (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There is no record of an application for dormant accounts funding by the school referred to by the Deputy having been received in my Department.

Written Answers — Departmental Programmes: Departmental Programmes (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The two Devolved Schemes, the Small Schools Scheme and the Permanent Accommodation Scheme, were originally introduced on a pilot basis for 38 schools in 2003. Due to the positive feedback from schools, they were extended to cover 699 more schools between the years of 2004 and 2007. The purpose of these devolved schemes are to devolve funding to individual school authorities to undertake...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers to has an application for a new school on a new site with the Department. A suitable site has been identified for the school in question. The site comprises three plots of land with three separate vendors. Officials from my Department are in contact with key stakeholders with a view to exploring the options open to advancing the proposed acquisition....

Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (9 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers to has an application for a new school on a new site with the Department. A suitable site has been identified for the school in question. The site comprises three plots of land with three separate vendors. Officials from my Department are in contact with key stakeholders with a view to exploring the options open to advancing the proposed acquisition....

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Agreement has been reached between the trustees of the three existing post-primary schools in Skibbereen to amalgamate into a single school. The Property Management Section of the Office of Public Works was requested to source a site for the development of a single school. A number of sites were identified and examined. Those considered potentially suitable for the provision of a school...

Written Answers — Departmental Agencies: Departmental Agencies (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Set out below is the information available with regard to new agencies created since 1997 to date in 2008: Further Education & Training Awards Council (established 2001) Grangegorman Development Agency (established 2006) Higher Education and Training Awards Council (established 2001) National Council for Special Education (established 2003) National Educational Welfare Board (established...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 329 to 331, inclusive, together. My Department, in managing its capital budget must ensure that funding is targeted at schools most in need. That is why my Department introduced prioritisation criteria for large scale building projects, which were formulated following consultation with the Education Partners in 2004. As part of the assessment of all...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The main findings of the audit of school enrolment policies have been made publicly available on my Department's website. The findings are published in a format that does not allow individual schools to be identified while enabling the overall pattern of practice to be assessed. Naming schools may have a perverse impact, whereby schools that are living up to their responsibilities to the full...

Written Answers — Educational Disadvantage: Educational Disadvantage (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Early Start Programme, which was launched in the mid 1990s is a preschool intervention for 3 year old educationally disadvantaged children in 40 locations. The Early Start programme operates for 2.5 hours a day, 5 days a week for the duration of the school year, i.e., 183 days. Since the introduction of this programme, the White Paper on Early Childhood Education and the National...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: On foot of Circular 0138/2006, primary schools are implementing standardised testing in English Reading and Mathematics at two stages, at the end of first class/beginning of second class, and at the end of fourth class/beginning of fifth class since 2007. The results of these tests are held at school level and are available for inspection. Standardised testing is used as one of a range of...

Written Answers — Literacy Levels: Literacy Levels (14 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department provides a range of supports to second level schools to enable them cater for pupils with special educational needs. Such supports include remedial and additional teaching support, special needs assistant (SNA) support and funding for the purchase of specialised equipment. As the Deputy is aware, there has been enormous progress made over the past number of years in relation to...