Results 3,341-3,360 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In recent years, my Department has adopted a policy of devolving much greater authority to local school management authorities to manage and deliver smaller building projects in their schools. This has allowed officials in my Department to concentrate on delivering larger scale projects, while also ensuring that the school authorities can use their local knowledge to manage projects...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are currently 1 AP, 1 HEO and 0.5 EO within the ICT Policy Unit of my Department assigned to work on the Schools Broadband Access Programme. The staff report to a Principal Officer who is also responsible for my Department's ICT in Schools Programme. As the Deputy may be aware, this Programme is being undertaken in partnership with industry in the context of a Government — IBEC/TIF...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 136, 556 and 557 together. The Deputy will be aware of the Government's commitment to ensuring that all children with special educational needs, including those with autism, can have access to an education appropriate to their needs preferably in school settings through the primary and post primary school network. This facilitates access to individualised...

Written Answers — School Enrolments: School Enrolments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I regard comments being made from whatever quarter about schools turning away pupils as premature, alarmist and irresponsible. I can only conclude that such statements are motivated by a desire to create pressure for a change in relation to the decisions the Government had to take in relation to school staffing. I regard it as reprehensible that any school might seek to use children as...

Written Answers — Third Level Funding: Third Level Funding (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the Universities Act, 1997, confers autonomous statutory responsibilities on universities in relation to the day to day management of their affairs. It is a matter for each university to manage their financial resources and to take the necessary steps to ensure that expenditure is kept within the approved budget. I understand that the Higher Education Authority (HEA)...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In making the announcement of the Budget measures for education I stressed that tough choices had to be made in meeting the needs of the education sector in these difficult times. The resources available to the Department have meant that these choices have been very challenging. The decision made to suspend the substitution cover for uncertified sick leave and school business was a difficult...

Written Answers — Third Level Fees: Third Level Fees (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 140 and 447 together. The issue of the re-introduction of third level fees should be viewed in the context of the wider funding of higher education. As the Deputy will be aware, the Government is investing unprecedented levels of public funding in higher education. In 2008 some €2 billion is being invested in our third level sector. In contributing to the...

Written Answers — Third Level Institutions: Third Level Institutions (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It has been established Government policy to accept the recommendations of the independent Review Body on Higher Remuneration in the Public Sector. In line with those recommendations it has been decided that where unapproved payments were being made to senior staff within certain third-level institutions, no increases on foot of the Review Body's latest report should be implemented until the...

Written Answers — Education Schemes: Education Schemes (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Back to Education Initiative (BTEI) commenced in October 2002. It provides flexible part-time options across Further Education and is aimed at adults with less than upper second level education, including unemployed adults. It aims to give adults who wish to return to education an opportunity to combine their return to learning with family, work and other responsibilities. Programmes are...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are 56 fee-charging second level schools in the State, of which 21 are Protestant, 2 inter-denominational, 1 Jewish, and the balance (32) Catholic. With the exception of the Protestant and Jewish fee-charging schools, for which special arrangements apply, fee-charging schools do not receive any grants. Minority religion schools were eligible for all grants payable to schools in the Free...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 146 and 150 together. Under the current National Development Plan, a total of almost €4.5bn has been allocated to the school building programme. This allocation was the result of discussions between officials in my Department and officials in the Department of Finance. The allocation of €581m in 2009, although a slight reduction over the 2008 allocation,...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In making the announcement of the Budget measures for education I stressed that tough choices had to be made in meeting the needs of the education sector in these difficult times. The resources available to the Department have meant that these choices have been very challenging. Since 2003, when the supervision/substitution scheme was introduced and the range of absences for which...

Written Answers — Library Enhancement Projects: Library Enhancement Projects (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The general criteria applied to the assessment of library enhancement proposals were: 1. Evidence of need 2. Evidence of capacity 3. Consistency with Government policy programme and objectives 4. Evidence of additionality 5. Strength of proposal 6. Consideration of sustainability In December 2007, 147 library enhancement projects were approved by Government for a total of €5.08 million in...

Written Answers — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Persons wishing to be registered as teachers in this country must apply to the Teaching Council for recognition of their qualifications. Once all requirements have been met by applicants, and their qualifications are recognised by the Teaching Council, applicants may apply to be registered as primary or post-primary teachers. In order to obtain full recognition as a primary teacher in this...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Nov 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 — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The class size data for primary schools in County Clare for 2007/08 which the Deputy requested have been compiled in my Department and are attached. Schools have flexibility in the way in which they assign pupils and teachers to classes and the Department does not allocate teachers to specific classes or age groups. In any discussion of class size and classes where the number of pupils exceed...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Teacher allocations to second level schools are approved by my Department on an annual basis in accordance with generally applied rules relating to recognised pupil enrolment. It is a matter for each school management authority to organise its classes, curriculum, teaching time-table and subject options having regard to pupils' needs within the limits of its approved teacher allocation.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 450, 451, 452, 453, 455, 456 and 549 together. The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to control public expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long run. In this respect Education while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public expenditure could...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the building project for the school to which he refers is currently at an advanced stage of architectural planning. As I stated in my response to Parliamentary Question No. 615 of 30 September, 2008, 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...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (4 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 457, 458, 472, 492, 494, 495, 496, 524, 535 and 536 together. The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure, and decisions were made in order to control expenditure and to ensure sustainability in the long term. In this respect Education, while protected to a much greater extent than most other areas of public...