Results 4,781-4,800 of 8,873 for speaker:Batt O'Keeffe

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 221, 222 and 227 together. I wish to advise the Deputy that there has been no change in the criteria which governs the appointment of additional resource/learning support teachers and special needs assistants. The Deputy will be aware of my commitment to ensuring that all pupils, including those with special educational needs, can have access to an education...

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (26 Feb 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 225, 226 and 228 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...

Written Answers — National Lottery Funding: National Lottery Funding (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 424 and 430 together. My Department provides a grant to the school referred to by the Deputy from National Lottery Funding allocated to support cultural organisations. This grant contributes to general expenses rather than for specific costs, such as staff costs. Details of funding provided to the School over the past five years are as follows: â'¬...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: As the Deputy has been previously advised, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) has confirmed that the pupil in question has access to a full-time shared special needs assistant (SNA). The NCSE considers that this level of SNA support is sufficient to meet the pupil's care needs. The management and deployment of this support is a matter for the school authorities. All schools...

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 426 and 466 together. The Department wrote to South Dublin County Council attaching correspondence it had received from the OPW regarding one of the sites in question. The Local Authority has responded indicating its views in relation to a proposed location and this is now under consideration. Due to the commercial sensitivities attaching to site...

Written Answers — Schools Delegation: Schools Delegation (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I have already received a request from Deputy Dooley to meet the school referred to by the Deputy. Due to other diary commitments, I will not be in a position to meet with delegations for several weeks but I will consider the request on hand in the coming months.

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The school referred to by the Deputy and the adjacent boys' school applied to my Department for funding under the emergency works scheme in relation to the works in question. I am pleased to inform the Deputy that my Department approved a grant for these works last January and the schools were informed accordingly.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The information requested is being compiled and will be forwarded as soon as possible.

Written Answers — Schools Building Projects: Schools Building Projects (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I wish to inform the Deputy that the closing date for receipt of tenders for the construction of a school at Kill, Co Kildare, is 9 March, 2009. It is expected that, subject to the necessary technical and financial approvals, this project will proceed to construction in the second quarter of 2009.

Written Answers — Departmental Expenditure: Departmental Expenditure (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: The average annual rental cost of a temporary-prefabricated classroom works out at €15,428. As the Deputy will appreciate, the cost per unit will vary significantly depending on the size, type and age of each unit. The amount spent on the rental of temporary accommodation for 2008 was almost €53m. My Department provides grant aid towards the provision of temporary school accommodation...

Written Answers — Vocational Education Committees: Vocational Education Committees (3 Mar 2009)

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 — Decentralisation Programme: Decentralisation Programme (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I can inform the Deputy that the decentralisation of 88 posts in my Department to Athlone was completed in Summer 2008.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 436 and 450 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 — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: In the school year 2007-2008 there were 48 secondees to the Second Level Support Service, (SLSS) offering support across a wide range of subject areas in the post primary sector. This number reduced by one in the 2008-2009 school year. In 2009-2010 it is envisaged that there will be 53 secondees within the Second Level Support Service as per the following table. Overall across the various...

Written Answers — Schools Refurbishment: Schools Refurbishment (3 Mar 2009)

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 in due course.

Written Answers — School Staffing: School Staffing (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: I propose to take Questions Nos. 439 and 460 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 — : (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: School authorities as the employers of teachers must act in accordance with my Department's rules and circulars and with legislation. Teachers are required to refrain from engaging in any outside employment which would adversely affect or interfere with their work as a teacher or with the day to day running of the school.

Written Answers — Site Acquisitions: Site Acquisitions (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My officials recently conducted a technical assessment of a site identified for the school referred to by the Deputy and a report is currently being prepared. When a suitable site has been secured the further progression of this project will be considered in the context of the Department's School Building and Modernisation Programme. However, in light of current competing demands on the...

Written Answers — Special Educational Needs: Special Educational Needs (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: There will be no pupil with a special educational need who will be without access to a special needs teacher as a result of the decision to apply the normal rules which govern the appointment and retention of teachers of special classes for pupils with a mild general learning disability. These special classes which are to close pre-date the 2005 General Allocation Model of allocating...

Written Answers — Ministerial Appointments: Ministerial Appointments (3 Mar 2009)

Batt O'Keeffe: My Department is currently gathering information from the relevant bodies. This information will be forwarded to the Deputy as soon as possible.