Results 3,561-3,580 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 526 and 527 together. My Department's budget for next year has been prepared on the same fundamental basis as any other year by estimating the number of teachers that will be employed under the different categories given the policies in place, for example, mainstream classroom teachers, special needs and language support teachers and allowing for any change...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An extensive project for the school referred to by the Deputy is nearing completion. As is normal, the school's consultant architect provided certification relating to satisfactory progress at various stages of the works. The architect did not require permission from my Department to issue these certificates. My Department funded the school, who were the party to the contract, on receipt...

Written Answers — Language Programme: Language Programme (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is providing support and training for teachers of English as an additional language in the current school year. A dedicated team within the Primary Professional Development Service (PPDS) is in place for the provision of support at primary level and the first of days of training is currently ongoing. Design and provision of the second day will take place in early 2009. It is...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: An extension and refurbishment 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...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: A reply has issued to the candidate referred to by the Deputy in respect of her appeal from the Higher Education — Equity Of Access Unit of my Department.

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: There are currently 225 schools/centres offering the Junior Certificate School Programme, and the Leaving Certificate Applied (LCA) is currently offered in some 380 schools and centres and taken by around 6% of students each year. I have no plans for change in the implementation of these programmes at present. In framing the budget this year, a range of very difficult policy choices had to...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers, for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants (SNAs) to schools to support children with special needs. Applications for SNAs may be considered by the NCSE where a pupil has a significant medical need for such...

Written Answers — Residential Institutions Redress Scheme: Residential Institutions Redress Scheme (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Redress Board's primary function is to provide financial redress to persons who, as children, were abused while resident in Industrial Schools, Reformatories or other institutions that were subject to State regulation or inspection. The Board was established under the terms of the Residential Institutions Redress Act 2002 and the legislation governing its operation is contained therein....

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The salaries paid to teachers in fee paying schools in the past three school years are as follows: 2007/8 — €100,120,336; 2006/07 — €90,647,969; 2005/06 — €85,986,713. The cost of salaries is determined by the approved teaching staff allocation for each school. The full information to determine the actual cost of salaries for the 2008/09 school year is not yet available.

Written Answers — Pension Provisions: Pension Provisions (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It was recently announced that the Early Retirement Scheme for teachers, which had operated on a pilot basis since 1996, has been suspended in all sectors until further notice. The Scheme, which consisted of 3 strands, was a voluntary scheme. Like other programmes under my Department's remit, the continuance of the pilot scheme is subject to available resources and to changes in Government...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware, all applications for capital funding are prioritised and advanced incrementally by my Department. This applies to the progression of all preparatory work leading up to the construction phase. The priority attaching to individual projects is determined by published prioritisation criteria, which were formulated following consultation with the Education Partners....

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested by the Deputy is provided on a school year basis. The first school year for which full information is available on the current system for recording teacher absences is the 2007/2008 school year but does not include the VEC sector. The number of days uncertified sick leave taken by primary teachers in the 2007/2008 school year was 60,128 days. Teachers in...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The standard size of a classroom being delivered, whether through the generic repeat design (GRD) concept or traditional design, at primary level is 80 sq metres, including wet area, w/c's, storage and cloakroom facilities. The details are given in Technical Guidance Document 022, available on my Department's website. This has been the standard size for rooms constructed in recent years. It...

Written Answers — Multi-Denominational Schools: Multi-Denominational Schools (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am currently considering a number of issues relating to the patronage of second-level schools and the matter raised by the Deputy will be considered in this context.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: On 29th September this year I announced details of 25 major school building projects which are to proceed to tender and construction. I would also like to draw the Deputy's attention to my statement on that date that it is my intention to make a further announcement in the first quarter of 2009 on further major primary and post-primary school projects to proceed to construction. The content...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 546 to 586, inclusive, 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...

Written Answers — Benchmarking Awards: Benchmarking Awards (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy is aware, the initial benchmarking exercise was undertaken within the context of the provisions on public service modernisation in the PPF. As stated in the programme, the parties were committed to full and ongoing co-operation with change, continued adaptation and flexibility and the delivery of the modernisation programme in the public service. Consequently, the payment...

Written Answers — Teachers' Remuneration: Teachers' Remuneration (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The payment to which the Deputy refers has recently been issued by my Department.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 590 and 593 together. The building project for the school to which the Deputies refer is in the early stages of architectural planning. The Department's Professional and Technical staff is currently nearing completion of a review of the Stage One submission for the project. When this review is completed, my officials will be arranging a meeting with the...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 591, 619 to 624, inclusive, 668, 671 to 674, inclusive, 742 to 744, inclusive, 766, 767, 769, 770, 772 to 774, inclusive, 776 to 780, inclusive, 829 to 836, inclusive, 843 to 847, inclusive, 877, and 883 to 888, inclusive, together. The 2009 Budget required difficult choices to be made across all areas of public expenditure. These decisions were made to...