Results 3,201-3,220 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — An Luath-Thumoideachas: An Luath-Thumoideachas (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Tá raon staidéar ann a aibhsíonn éifeachtacht chur chuige an luath-thumoideachais d'fhoghlaim teanga. Ní soiléir i gcónaí insna staidéir, áfach, céard iad go beacht na múnlái tumtha a bhí i bhfeidhm, ar bhaineadh feidhm as teanga an tumtha go heisiach, céard é an phróifíl shocheacnamaíoch agus an cúlra teanga bhaile a bhí ag na daltaí, ná céard é an comhthéacs...

Written Answers — Scoileanna Gaeltachta: Scoileanna Gaeltachta (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Soláthraíonn an Roinn Oideachais agus Eolaíochta raon leathan de thacaíochtaí a chabhraíonn le cur chun cinn na Gaeilge agus an teagasc trí Ghaeilge sna scoileanna Gaeltachta. Cuireann an curaclam Gaeilge bunscoile cuspóirí foghlama Gaeilge ar leith ar fáil do scoileanna a mhúineann trí Ghaeilge. Ó thaobh cóimheas oide-daltaí de, tá sceideal coinneála maidir le hoidí...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large-scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Third Level Student Support Schemes were extended to provide maintenance grants to eligible students pursuing approved full-time undergraduate courses of at least two years duration (pursued in a university or a third level institution which is maintained or assisted by recurrent grants from public funds) in other EU Member States with effect from the 1996-97 academic year. The extension...

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A contributory pension scheme for full-time non-teaching employees serving on the staff of comprehensive and community schools was introduced with effect from 1 August 1979. There is no provision under the terms of the scheme for the admission to pensionability of part-time employees. I understand that the person referred to by the Deputy was employed as a cleaner in a community school on a...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for student maintenance grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority, either the local authority or VEC, as appropriate. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department, other than in exceptional circumstances. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 497 to 503, inclusive, together. In framing the budget, a range of very difficult policy choices had to be faced by the Government across all areas of public expenditure, including in the field of education. While education remains a priority for the Government, it has been necessary to curtail expenditure in some areas. While certain grants are to be...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the Education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions included reductions on the aid for school books scheme which in the case of schools outside of the DEIS scheme will involve savings of approximately €7.5 million on current...

Written Answers — Computerisation Programme: Computerisation Programme (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 505 to 510, inclusive, together. Schools broadband connectivity under the Schools Broadband Access Programme is routed through the National Broadband Network, which is supported by HEAnet. The network provides centrally managed services for schools such as security, anti-spam, anti-virus and content filtering. This approach of a centrally managed network is...

Written Answers — Capitation Grants: Capitation Grants (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the Education budget for 2009, which is a real achievement in the current economic climate, a number of tough and difficult decisions had to be taken. These decisions included reducing the enhanced capitation funding paid to schools in respect of traveller pupils enrolled. This measure will involve savings of approximately €1.2 million on...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Significant improvements have been made in the staffing levels of our second level schools in recent years. The current teacher allocation for the mainstream second level sectors including Co-Operation hours is twenty six thousand seven hundred and twenty one whole time teacher equivalents. In the period between the 2001/2002 and the 2007/2008 school years, there were approximately twelve...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Some €10 million has been provided to the Department of Education and Science to enable the services provided to children with special educational needs to be enhanced and strengthened and to continue preparations for the full implementation of the Education for Persons with Special Educational Needs (EPSEN) Act at a later date. As the Deputy has noted, part of this amount will be used to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for capital funding for a new school building. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase 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 (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is not in receipt of an application for large scale capital funding from the school to which the Deputy refers. Between 2005 and 2006, the school received a total of almost €319,000 under the Summer Works Scheme to replace its windows, to upgrade a home economics room and for other structural repairs.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is awaiting the appointment of a Design Team. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The three Third Level Student Support Schemes, administered by the Local Authorities and the Vocational Education Committees on behalf of my Department, offer financial assistance to eligible students attending approved third level courses. Students entering approved courses for the first time are, generally speaking, eligible for grants where they satisfy the relevant conditions as to age,...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The closing date for receipt of grant applications under the 2008 maintenance grant schemes is the 29th August 2008. Clause 11.1 awards the awarding authorities discretion to accept applications after this date and treat such application as if it had been received on time. Clause 13 of the schemes states that the applicant "shall submit to the Local Authority [VEC] such information and...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 522 and 523 together. The full data sought by the Deputy is not readily available in my Department. However, I can say that up to 30 September 2008, 1,160 applications from primary schools for replacement, additional and special needs furniture have been approved for funding by my Department.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is currently at an early stage of architectural planning. The progression of all large scale building projects, including this project, from initial design stage through to construction phase will be considered in the context of my Department's multi-annual School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Oct 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Payment of the increase due under the Towards 2016 Agreement is dependent, in the case of each sector, organisation and grade, on verification of co-operation with flexibility and change, including co-operation with satisfactory implementation of the agenda for modernisation set out in the Agreement, maintenance of stable industrial relations and absence of industrial action in respect of any...