Results 3,581-3,600 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

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

Batt O'Keeffe: 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. The various impacts at school level were included in...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department received an application for emergency funding from the school in question. This application is currently under consideration and a decision will be reached very shortly. The school authorities will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The main purpose of the emergency works scheme is to ensure the availability of funding for urgent works to those schools that are most in need of resources as a result of an unforeseen event of a capital nature that can arise during the course of a school year. Prior to 2004, applications for works considered urgent were included in the category of small scale projects and, accordingly,...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 596, 735 to 741, inclusive, 745 to 757, inclusive, and 759 to 761, 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...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: 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. The various impacts at school level were included in the...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 599, 633 and 647 to 652, 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...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The selection and enrolment of pupils in second-level schools is the responsibility of the school management authorities. My Department's main responsibility is to ensure that schools in an area can, between them, cater for all pupils seeking second level places in an area. However, this may result in some pupils not obtaining a place in the school of their first choice. As schools may not...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The building project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The progression of all major building projects, including this project, from initial design 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...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the building project for the school to which he refers was included in my announcement of 29 September last of projects which have been given the go ahead to proceed to tender. My Department has been in contact with the school authority in this regard.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Management Authority of the school in question applied for funding under the emergency works scheme last August to carry out works to the roof of the old high School Building. In the light of the large number of projects seeking funding under this scheme and the competing demands on the budget allocated, it was not possible to fund the project at this time. The Management Authority has...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information sought by the Deputy for the period in question is not readily available at my Department. I have requested officials at the Personnel Unit of my Department to compile the information and forward it to the Deputy in due course.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I assume the Deputy is referring to Monreagh National School, Co. Donegal. My Department has recently received correspondence in relation to a potential site on Church lands at Monreagh, Co. Donegal. A site investigation will be required to assess the proposed site. On completion of same my officials will revert to the school authorities.

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the centre in question has started delivering training programmes to educational and allied professionals. A building project is currently at an advanced design stage and it is expected to go on site during 2009. Preparation for, and modelling of, the learning support and educational assessment services will take place during 2009 with full operational...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: I recently met a deputation from the school to which the Deputy refers to discuss its building project which 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...

Written Answers — Schools Enrolments: Schools Enrolments (18 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 — : (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: In the interest of rational arrangements for the purposes of educational provision, the country generally was divided into geographic districts (catchment areas) each with several primary schools feeding into a post-primary centre with one or more post-primary schools. These areas were drawn up in the late 1960s and were determined following consultation with local educational interests....

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

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy will be aware the building project for the school to which he refers has commenced architectural planning. Stage 1 of this process — site suitability, site report and the initial sketch scheme — has been completed and approved by my Department. The stage 2(a) submission, which is the developed sketch scheme, was subsequently submitted to my Department. However, this has...

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

Batt O'Keeffe: The major project for the school referred to by the Deputy is at an advanced stage of architectural planning. The progression of all major building projects, including this project, 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...

Written Answers — Consultancy Contracts: Consultancy Contracts (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The following tables provide information concerning monies paid to consultants by my Department in the years 2003 to the end of October 2008. Information relating to consultancy payments for the years 2000 to 2002 is not readily available and would involve an inordinate amount of administrative time to compile. Year 2003* Total Cost: €843,666.50 Name of consultant Purpose Accenture...

Written Answers — Departmental Staff: Departmental Staff (18 Nov 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: It is not considered appropriate to supply the names of the retiring staff members as this constitutes personal information within the meaning of the Data Protection Acts, but the pension amounts and lump sums paid to members of staff in my Department who retired in the years 2006, 2007 and to date in 2008 are set out in the following tables. 2006 Officers Pension Lump sum â'¬ â'¬...