Results 3,941-3,960 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Schools Recognition: Schools Recognition (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 446 to 450, inclusive, together. In rapidly developing areas where my Department establishes a need for a new post-primary school to meet the educational needs of the area, it is open to recognised Patron Bodies to apply for permission to operate the new school. My Department considers all applications on their merits and also takes into account the...

Written Answers — Higher Education Grants: Higher Education Grants (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The decision on eligibility for third level grants is a matter for the relevant assessing authority either the local authority or VEC as appropriate. These bodies do not refer individual applications to my Department except, in exceptional circumstances. If an individual applicant considers that she/he has been unjustly refused a maintenance grant, or that the rate of maintenance grant...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to advise that meetings have recently taken place between the Department and Dublin City Council regarding the potential availability of a site and the Department has written to the City Council suggesting a lease arrangement be put in place. A response is awaited from the Council in relation to same. The further progression of the acquisition of the site will be considered in the...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The proposed extension and refurbishment project for the school to which the Deputy refers is at an early 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 — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Deputy will be aware that the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is responsible, through its network of local Special Educational Needs Organisers (SENOs), for allocating resource teachers and special needs assistants to schools to support children with special needs. The NCSE operates within my Department's criteria in allocating such support. I note that the Deputy wishes to...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 456 and 457 together. Representatives from the school in question hand delivered a submission to my Department's Tullamore office on 2nd December 2008 with proposals for a new 3 classroom school. My Department has no record of any previous application under any of the devolved schemes from the school. My Department will respond to the school's application in...

Written Answers — Schools Amalgamation: Schools Amalgamation (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the schools to which the Deputy refers have agreed to amalgamate. A large scale building project is needed to enable this development. 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 — Grant Payments: Grant Payments (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: This Government's continued prioritisation of education over the last 11 years is evidenced from our investment in 2009 of €9.6 billion — over treble what it was in 1997. The increase of €302m in the Education budget for 2009 is a real achievement in the current economic climate. Education is one of only three Government Departments to have increased funding in 2009. Each sector in the...

Written Answers — Health and Safety Issues: Health and Safety Issues (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Report of a Working Group to examine potential problems caused by the weight of schoolbags, which was presented in July, 1998, acknowledged that many of the solutions belong at local school level. One of the main recommendations of the report related to the need to heighten the awareness of the potential health hazards posed by excessively heavy schoolbags and in this regard, my...

Written Answers — Disadvantaged Status: Disadvantaged Status (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: Funding of €1 million has been approved from the Dormant Accounts Educational Disadvantage Programme for a scheme to assist 100 disadvantaged schools to progress towards achieving Digital School Status. The Digital Schools Award is an initiative which recognises excellence in a school's approach to integrating information and communications technology in its learning and teaching. Having...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department made an accommodation offer to the school to which the Deputy refers to enable the establishment of the unit in question. The school recently responded to my Department in relation to this offer. My Department will be liaising with the National Council for Special Education on the content of this response and it will be in contact with the school shortly to progress matters...

Written Answers — University Status: University Status (9 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The position is that applications have been received from three higher education institutions for designation as Universities. These applications raise significant issues regarding Government policy towards higher education, in particular regarding the existing roles of the Universities and Institutes of Technology which have distinctive missions from each other, provide different levels and...

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (10 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 210 and 211 together. I have consistently said that 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...

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (10 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can confirm that the school to which the Deputy refers, applied for capital funding under the Permanent Accommodation Scheme 2007 for 15 mainstream classrooms, 2 special needs rooms, resource rooms and 2 learning support rooms. Following discussions with the school authority it was agreed that the scope of the works concerned was more appropriate for delivery under the traditional...

Written Answers — School Curriculum: School Curriculum (10 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The compulsory nature of Geography in Voluntary Secondary schools is historical in origin and relates back to the time when it was compulsory in the Intermediate Certificate. While Science is an optional subject for the Junior Certificate, uptake has been consistently very high, with 87% of the entire junior cycle cohort sitting the examination in the Junior Certificate. 91% sat Geography...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (10 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy may be aware, the Centre for Deaf Studies at Trinity College Dublin represents a constituent part of Trinity College. The position is that universities are autonomous institutions in relation to the day to day management of their affairs. The universities receive a recurrent block grant from the Higher Education Authority and it is a matter for each institution to...

Written Answers — Departmental Property: Departmental Property (10 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: The Office of Public Works (OPW) is responsible for the provision of office accommodation on behalf of the Department and meets all related rent/lease costs. OPW have allocated the following Galway city offices to my Department: 1. Office of the Inspectorate, Ross House, Merchants Road, Galway. The area of the office is 402.72 sq. metres and the rent in 2007 was €81,282.25. 2. The...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (10 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I announced last Thursday that proposals had been made to my Department by the second-level management bodies identifying annual savings of €16 million within the supervision and substitution scheme. These savings can be made not only in the current year but on a continuing basis. The proposals involve replacing heretofore demand-led availability of cover for uncertified sick leave and...

Written Answers — Departmental Funding: Departmental Funding (10 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I am aware of the concerns raised by the school referred to by the Deputy. However we are dealing with an economic situation of unprecedented difficulty. The Government has a collective duty to respond to this and to take very difficult decisions in the national interest. In doing this we have attempted to afford some shelter to the education sector but given the scale of public...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (10 Dec 2008)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 220 to 223, inclusive, together. Language support teachers are appointed to assist schools in providing additional English language support for pupils for whom English is a second language. There are currently 554 Language Support Teachers allocated to post- primary schools, at a current cost of approximately €35 million per annum. The number of teaching...