Results 3,501-3,520 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (11 Nov 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 the decision to discontinue the annual funding of €97,000 that my Department made available to the Centre for Talented Youth (CTYI) at Dublin City University....

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (11 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Since my appointment as Minister for Education and Science on the 7 May 2008 I have not used public transport while on official duties.

Written Answers — Departmental Transport: Departmental Transport (11 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is set out in tabular format below: Cost of travel by Department of Education and Science officials: Year â'¬ 2007 Bus 3,358.90 Ferries 144.80 Trains, Dart & Luas 87,027.33 Total 90,531.03 2008 To end September Bus 2,315.18 Ferries 76.50 Trains, Dart & Luas 72,566.28 Total 74,957.96

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (11 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The budget measures will mean that the level of language support will be reduced from a maximum of six extra teachers per school to a maximum of two teachers per school, as was the case before 2007. However, the ongoing requirement for current levels of language support teachers in schools should also start to reduce in line with lower levels of immigration and in line with improvements...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (11 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The project to which the Deputy refers involves the acquisition of additional land. The progression of the project, from site acquisition and 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 demands on the capital budget of the Department,...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (11 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The redeployment panel system agreed between the Patron Bodies of primary schools and the I.N.T.O. serves as a means for redeployment of permanent teachers in schools where posts are suppressed to schools with vacancies. Panels are determined by the patronage of the school and the final decision to admit a teacher to the panel rests with the Patron. Once the panel system is in operation...

Written Answers — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (11 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The non-capital costs incurred by my Department to date under the Decentralisation Programme are €191,945 (This figure includes expenditure on the fitting out of the new building in Athlone which accommodates both decentralised staff plus approximately 100 Department of Education and Science personnel who had been in temporary accommodation on the Athlone campus). Non-capital costs...

Vaccination Programme: Motion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I welcome the opportunity to contribute to this important debate. The focus of our discourse here this evening must be on prevention because that is what the free screening programme for cervical cancer is intended to achieve. The screening programme, which has been available throughout the country since September, aims to pick women up before they develop cervical cancer. Smear tests have...

Vaccination Programme: Motion (Resumed) (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As long as the individual uses the screening process, which would normally mean approximately ten or 11 screenings during the course of her lifetime, it will prevent 95% of cervical cancers. This is the medical reality, although the Opposition would like to distort it in its own political self-interest. We are living through extremely challenging economic times and the Government has had to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 259 and 268 together. I am pleased to advise the Deputy that a home tuition grant has been sanctioned for the child in question and my officials have confirmed this in a recent conversation with the parent.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The meeting held with my Department was arranged by officials following protracted correspondence and representations by the Joint Managerial Body/Association of Management of Catholic Secondary Schools. This meeting was exceptional in so far as the Independent Appeals Committee had concluded its work for the 2008/09 school year. It took this meeting with officials to prompt the school to act...

Written Answers — Pupil-Teacher Ratio: Pupil-Teacher Ratio (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 261 and 262 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 not be totally spared....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The budget measures will mean that the level of language support will be reduced from a maximum of six extra teachers per school to a maximum of two teachers per school, as was the case before 2007. However, the ongoing requirement for current levels of language support teachers in schools should also start to reduce in line with lower levels of immigration and in line with improvements in...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision made in the Education Budget for 2009 is to suspend substitution cover for two categories of absences. The two categories of absences for which substitution cover will not be provided for in 2009 are uncertified sick leave at primary and second level and official school business at second level. Substitution cover will continue to be provided for all other categories of...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department received an application for funding for replacement furniture from the school in question. This application has been considered for funding. However, in light of the competing demands on the available budget, it was not possible to approve funding to replace existing furniture at this time. The Board of Management submitted an appeal against the decision and will be advised of...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 266 and 272 together. The National Council for Curriculum & Assessment has developed a new syllabus at Leaving Certificate for Technology; prior to this the subject was available to Junior Certificate level only. The subject was first introduced into Post-Primary schools in September 2007 and will be examined for the first time by the State Examinations...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Notwithstanding the increase of €302 million in the Education Budget for 2009, 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...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Under the terms of the Indemnity Agreement reached with the Religious Congregations on 5th June 2002, the Congregations agreed to make a contribution of €128 million towards the cost of the Redress Scheme. This sum was broken down as follows: Property Transfers €76.86m; Cash Contribution €41.14m; Provision of Counselling Services €10m. In actual terms, whilst the overall figure of...

Written Answers — School Staffing and Grant Payments: School Staffing and Grant Payments (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department interacts with over 3,200 primary schools on many day to day issues including their staffing allocation and grant payments. It is not possible to compile the information requested by the Deputy at individual school level given the inordinate amount of time it would take and balanced against the many other competing demands on my Department's resources.

Written Answers — Departmental Correspondence: Departmental Correspondence (12 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I take it that the Deputy is referring to a portion of the site of The Neale National School, Co. Mayo, Roll Number 12350T. My Department has received correspondence in relation to the partial surrender of a portion of the above school site for the establishment of a Playschool. This correspondence is currently under active consideration by officials in my Department. My officials will revert...