Results 3,221-3,240 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The residency clause under the Higher Education Grants Scheme require, in the case of a candidate under 23, that the candidate's parents, or guardians, have been resident in the administrative area of a Local Authority from 1st October of the previous year. In the case of an independent mature candidate the candidate himself/herself must have been resident in the administrative area of a...
- Written Answers — Physical Education Facilities: Physical Education Facilities (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 528 and 529 together. The halls referred to by the Deputy were built as part of a programme to develop community sports halls in drugs task force areas in Dublin and Cork. The stated objective of the programme was that each hall would be dual use in nature in that they would be accessible to the wider community as well as to the local school population. The...
- Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The financial parameters for my Department were set out in Budget 2009. Notwithstanding the increase of â¬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. While the existing start up grant for new schools has not increased, the Education Budget for 2009 has provided for...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to the detailed staffing allocation of the school in question for the academic year 2009/10 cannot be determined until the allocation process has fully concluded. There is nothing exceptional in this. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the...
- 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 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...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The National Council for Special Education is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for the establishment of special classes for children with autism and for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. It operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. All schools...
- Written Answers — School Accommodation: School Accommodation (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The school to which the Deputy refers has applied to my Department for large scale capital funding for the provision of ancillary accommodation. 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....
- Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 535 to 538, inclusive, together. The schools referred to by the Deputy make up the first bundle of schools to be procured under my Department's current Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme. Macquarie Partnership for Ireland (MPFI) was selected as the preferred tenderer for the provision of this Bundle in October 2007. Negotiations between the National...
- Written Answers — Third Level Education: Third Level Education (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The position is that applications have been received from 3 Institutes of Technology for designation as Universities. These applications raise significant issues regarding Government policy towards higher education, in particular the existing roles of the Universities and Institutes of Technology which have distinctive missions from each other, provide different levels and types of academic...
- Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 540 to 542, inclusive, together. The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule. The schedule for the current school year is set out in circular 10/08 which...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The National Council for Special Education (NCSE), through the local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), is responsible for processing applications for special educational needs supports from primary and post primary schools. SNA support is provided specifically to address the care needs of pupils with special educational needs. The nature and level of support provided is based on...
- 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 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 light of current competing...
- Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The scheme of bonus payments on performance related awards in the Civil Service applies to the grades of Deputy and Assistant Secretaries and equivalent grades. In 2006 awards totalling â¬95,000 were made to 8 officials, in 2007 awards totalling â¬93,000 were made to 8 officials and in 2008 awards totalling â¬134,000 were paid to 9 officials at my Department. These payments were made on...
- Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to advise the Deputy that my Department's current position on the education of children with autism remains the same as I outlined in my response to his question on 8 July 2008. The criteria for allocating additional teaching and/or special needs assistant support for children with special educational needs, including autism, were not changed as part of the budget announcements....
- Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The current arrangement when a teacher becomes a member of the Oireachtas is that a replacement teacher is employed, in a temporary capacity, in his/her school for the duration of the absence. Teaching salary is paid to the Oireachtas member for the duration of the arrangement but the total cost of the replacement teacher, including pension and PRSI contributions is deducted from the salary....
- Written Answers — Teaching Qualifications: Teaching Qualifications (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Restricted recognition is granted to teachers, who trained outside the State and who hold a recognised primary teacher qualification, and to teachers with certain approved Montessori qualifications. Such teachers are eligible for appointment to posts in certain categories of special schools, to posts in categories of special classes in mainstream schools where Irish is not a curricular...
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to the detailed staffing allocation of the schools in Co Clare for the academic year 2009/10 cannot be determined until the allocation process has fully concluded. There is nothing exceptional in this. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the...
- Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The specific information requested by the Deputy in relation to the detailed staffing allocation of the school in question for the academic year 2009/10 cannot be determined until the allocation process has fully concluded. There is nothing exceptional in this. The allocation process includes appellate mechanisms under which schools can appeal against the allocation due to them under the...
- Written Answers — Lár-Oifig Iontrála: Lár-Oifig Iontrála (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: Is cuideachta phrÃobháideach faoi theorainn ráthaÃochta an Lár-Oifig Iontrála agus nÃl feidhm ag mo Roinnse i leith a maoinithe ná a gnÃomhaÃochtaÃ.
- Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (29 Oct 2008)
Batt O'Keeffe: The statutory framework for the maintenance grants scheme, as set out in the Local Authorities (Higher Education Grants) Acts, 1969 to 1992, provides for means-tested higher education grants in order to assist students to attend full-time third level education. An approved course, for the purposes of the Higher Education Grants Scheme is, generally speaking, a full-time undergraduate course...